What is it like to write a thesis?

Before the start of our second semester at the Masters of Arts Program in Middle East Studies at Ben Gurion University (MAPMES), Dr. Avi Rubin gathered the minions for a serious deliberation regarding our decision to either invest another year into our M.A. studies and write a thesis or to opt for the less rigorous final exam track. He warned us of the difficulties of conducting original research; of long lonesome hours in the library, intense intellectual exercises, and draft upon draft of our final paper. What he failed to mention, however, was of the availability and dedication of the Middle Eastern Studies Department faculty to those few self-motivated students
brave enough to enter the world of real academic research. As part of a reading course geared towards gaining a wider breadth of knowledge in my intended topic of the economic impact of the Jewish exodus from Yemen, I met with my advisor Dr. Relli Shechter on a bi-weekly basis. In addition to discussing the books I had read for that meeting, Dr. Relli helped give me a clearer sense of direction and guided me through the first steps of my archival research. Let me assure you that this was no simple task, as my archival sources were housed on two sides of the globe, in two very different settings. My in-depth analysis of the Jewish economy prior to 1949, drew to a large extent, on oral history records, part of the Shlomo Goitein’s Yemen archives housed at the Yad Ben Zvi Institute in Jerusalem. As these archives were not catalogued and lacked any semblance of organization, Dr. Relli went the extra mile and spoke with the attending librarian on my behalf, allowing me to spend hours delving into archives that were normally off-limit to students. As economic data in Yemen during the period immediately following the Jewish exodus in 1949 is scant, I looked towards the British trade archives from Aden, a British colony and Yemen’s principle trading partner, to construct a revealing vantage point of the Yemeni economy. I compared trade statistics from before and after 1949, highlighting the impact of the exodus on the regional import and export of products associated with the  departing Jewish artisan community. Compiling and analyzing primary sources, however, was only the beginning of a long process of writing and editing the final thesis product. Even after being named Chair of the Middle East Studies Department, Dr. Relli invested many long hours in reading over my drafts, discussing the methodology of my thesis, and gradually introducing me to the nuances of academia. Before long I was no longer just his student, but also his colleague. As I aspire to become a university professor myself, I began to look beyond my M.A. degree at Ben-Gurion and on to a Ph.D. in Middle East History. Nearly everyone in the department had a close connection with a university in the U.S. and Europe, and were more than willing to share their opinions and advice, over a cup of coffee. In addition to a mild caffeine addiction, I also received valuable information on programs in the U.S., introductions to influential contacts, and help with my application. As I start my Ph.D. in Middle History at Harvard in September, I believe that my experience at MAPMES has not only enabled me to be competitive with top students from around the world, but has also afforded me a unique international perspective. I have not only studied the Middle East, I have also lived there.