Every day, I hear about people who are going to Israel. Most say they are searching for their religious identity or going to see their homeland. They rave about the Dead Sea and Masada, the snorkeling in Eilat, the city life in Tel Aviv.
But our trip is different. The Write On For Israel trip is not simply about Judaism or touring. It is about gaining a profound understanding of Israel, a complex and frequently misunderstood nation, that will enable us to be true advocates for Israel on our future college campuses. We have endured hours upon hours of instruction about the country, and now it is time for us to see it for ourselves. For us to see Israelis going about their everyday lives, the interactions between Jews and Arabs, the tensions that fill the land. For us to realize that Israel is much more than the land described in the Torah that is now torn apart by conflict. And for that, I could not be more excited.
Our itinerary is far from simple. Every waking hour we will spend exploring the various and often hidden aspects of Israel. I am looking forward most to the parts of the trip that are not seen by other high school students on their travels. For example, we will be visiting an Arab village on the Mediterranean Sea, a place to which I never fathomed I would go. My love of art has me very interested in a play we will be attending, which will be performed in Hebrew but with English subtitles. We will also be interviewing many Israelis throughout our trip. I am interested to hear what they say about life in Israel, and hopefully the untold stories that they will want to share with us. Our first interview will occur in the Philadelphia airport, to learn why people are traveling to Israel. Who knows, maybe we’ll encounter some of our interviewees while we go about our trip!
I have never been to Israel. On one hand, I regret that my first trip is not a traditional tour. But on the other hand, I am thrilled that I will be able to see Israel for what it really is instead of merely the pleasant front that every country puts on for its tourists. I hope that, through this trip, I will be able to appreciate the people and culture of Israel as they truly are.