Let's be honest. I wasn't crazy about hiking through a forest where we held onto each other for support to avoid slipping on wet rocks during my Birthright trip. Kayaking down Jordan river was fun and relaxing, but I was thirsty. Not for water. But thirsty for knowledge about the area's significance, not the water. I wanted to go back to Tzfat, where we had arrived from, and talk more about spirituality and mysticism. Or the Golan Heights and hear more in details about the battle for the land in 1967 and why we had to capture it from Syria.
With each successive visit to Israel, I discover more and more of Israel's jewels beyond the nature. I was already thinking along the same lines as Haaretz's reporter, Anshel Pfeffer, in his piece here, when I started writing this entry. Basically, Birthright trips should offer much more than it does now. Israelis often refer them to Taglit, which means "discovery." But what does Taglit really mean in figurative sense these days? Taglit came to me in 2007, not 2005, when I started exploring Jerusalem by foot and bus, through Mehane Yehuda shuk and various quarters in the Old City, and then to Tel Aviv along Allenby Street, if only briefly on my first visit. The more I experienced Israel firsthand such as figuring out the proper custom for those Egged buses when Shabbat was over and having iced drinks with Sudanese refugees, the more I felt connected to the country at the moment and, at the same time, the memories of my Birthright trip began to wane. By the time I left Israel after 7 months, I had long forgotten the events of my Birthright trip, only with pictures and e-mails with one of the participants who I had befriended.
I'm not suggesting that we let 18 year-olds with little street-smarts to wander out in Israel alone but rather take them to meet real Israel, with real issues. As Pfeffer wrote,
Israel is a much more interesting and complex country than Birthright would have its alumni believe and if the majority of participants, who rarely bother open a newspaper and whose websurfing habits are confined to celebrity gossip, enjoy the trip, that’s fine, but once they get back to their countries of origin, some of them may act as pro-Israel activists on campus for a while, but the rest will be looking for the next thrill.
The serious minority, those who in a few years from now will be the real opinion-makers and leaders, are either already involved and informed, and therefore Birthright was superfluous for them, but most of them are simply too intelligent to buy into this saccharine alternative to the real Israel. And they are the target audience.Right on target, Mr. Pfeffer, but should we focus on expanding the numbers of the "serious minority"? Beyond general community leadership (such as executive director of a Jewish Community Center or Federation), we could build leaders in other areas by connecting American Jews with their real interests and hobbies that exist in Israel.
When Hebrew University's Rothberg International School e-mailed me announcing a new dance program, I was immediately excited. How wonderful would this be for students interested in dance and learning from Israeli and Russian dancers? It's an unique opportunity. If one could simply participate in something in Israel, the connection, I think, would all be more meaningful because of cultivated relationships. What if a Birthright trip could be designed around dance, while following the curriculum of visiting the Old City, Masada, and the like? Would dance workshops in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and in a Bedouin camp make a more lasting difference?
Everywhere I looked out the window on the Egged bus between cities, I saw opportunities for young Americans to connect with Israel, through like-minded peers. Right now, I'm thinking how I would love to visit and talk with people involved in ever-growing therapeutic riding programs.
It's still lacking in all areas of Birthright. I perused Birthright NEXT's website to see what they had done since 2005. Comparatively much more. Back in 2005, there wasn't a lot and mostly based in large cities like New York and geared towards post-graduates, not rising sophomores. I had to find my own way in maintaining my connection to Israel, which I did through Colgate Jewish Union and study abroad. Now, I wonder if the increase in opportunities and programming has proven to be more effective. Probably, especially with the social media being all in the range in helping people find like-minded peers.
I didn't see any programs that could reach specific audience. I've glanced through MASA but the descriptions are still vague. Volunteer in what? What are the options? Where could the kibbutz be? Are there any possibilities to work on healthcare or refugee issues?
I could be suggesting a post-Zionist view here by doing away with kibbutzim but the most important issue is simply keeping American Jews connected to Israel through whatever means to make that happen.
I say, change the programming and organization of Birthright trips. Jewish communities need leaders who can serve in different areas, especially in the cultural realm. Give more options for students to discover how their passions translate in Israel. During my policy-focused Germany Close-Up: American Jews Meet Modern Germany trip sponsored by American Jewish Committee, students who were interested in international relations or political science seemed to be much more engaged with the speakers and sincere in their attempts to understand German-Jewish/Israeli relations. Because of this trip's nature, I actually almost felt like my 5-day trip to Germany was more meaningful than my 10-day trip to Israel.
No, seriously, we should promote Israel differently. Why? If we don't tell young people that there are intimate opportunities in Israel that are so relevant to them, why should they care? And that's not good news if they don't.
Without their involvement in Israeli culture as future participants of their respective Jewish communities, American Jewish communities will certainly be devoid of creativity, cultural exchanges,, and a politically neutral connection to Israel.
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