|
June 29, 2001
To go or not to go (to Israel)
Many choose not to visit the land of milk and honey this summer.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
When the Vancouver delegation of the recent Birthright Israel trip
left for the Holy Land, they were only missing one thing: their
staff. While citing their choice not to lead the trip as a "difficult
personal decision," Gabe Miranda, Hillel's executive director, and
Romy Ritter of the Canadian Jewish Congress, joined seven of the
33 local would-be participants in abstaining from the trip.
With the increasing violence in the terror-torn Jewish state, Sam
Zivot, one of the 26 youth that did board the El Al jet for Israel,
said he understands their tough decision.
"It's understandable considering the circumstances," he said. "It's
hard to make a recommendation for someone to go or not because it's
up to the individual. But I think once you're there with a group
of people and you're bonding together in your homeland, you begin
to feel really comfortable and your fear declines."
Birthright organizers were wary of possible danger, however. As
a result, Zivot's trip spent very little time in Tel-Aviv and were
not permitted to enjoy unsupervised free time.
Zivot said the combination of Birthright's tight security and the
constant sight of Israeli soldiers made him feel safe, but the warm
welcome of the Israelis made him feel comfortable.
"You can clearly see when you're there that everyone is very welcoming
and wants you there," he said. "When we went to a kibbutz and did
a session on the Arab/Israel conflict, the first thing the Israelis
said was, 'We can't thank you enough for being here because you're
saving our country. Just by being here you are motivating others
to come.'
"Having all these people wanting you there makes you all the more
excited about being there," he added.
There were many popular sites that Zivot and his fellow Birthright
participants did not get the chance to visit. However, he was not
disappointed with the unique opportunities the trip did provide.
"What I saw was amazing and the people I experienced it with were
amazing," he said. "There will always be another opportunity to
go back and do the things I didn't get to do but just being with
the other people there made it great." Birthright will be responsible
for bringing close to 5,000 young adults to Israel this summer.
They have had 1,500 cancellations to date.
Birthright isn't the only organization dealing with the issue of
people choosing not to visit Israel at this time.
Most recently, the Reform movement within the United States caused
a stir when they announced that their North American Federation
of Temple Youth (NFTY) would be suspending their summer trips which
included 1,500 people last year.
Instead, they are sending a delegation of Reform leadership on
a five-day mission in July to Israel to affirm their solidarity
with the Israeli land and people.
The Orthodox Union's National Council of Synagogue Youth (NCSY)
will be sending 300 teens to Israel this summer on tours and learning
groups, 65 per cent fewer than last year.
Young Judea, the Zionist youth movement of Hadassah, is sending
only 225 people, down from 1,300 last summer.
Leaders of the Conservative movement said that United Synagogue
Youth summer pilgrimages and Camp Ramah seminars to Israel are going
forward with approximately 50 per cent fewer participants.
For Dena Wachtel, the value of showing support to Israel is very
clear in her mind. As the Israeli representative for the Jewish
Federation of Greater Vancouver, Wachtel said she has a good understanding
of how the Israelis feel about visitors from the Diaspora during
this time of crisis.
"All you need to do is call and you cannot imagine what it does
for them just to know that their fellow Jews are with them," she
said.
"If it is possible to go to Israel, then that is even better.
"The joke is that even the taxi drivers are nicer than ever because
people in Israel appreciate that you shlepped all the way from the
other side of the world to visit Israel right now," she added.
Wachtel is going on a mission with United Israel Appeal Federations
Canada to Israel and Kiev in July. The trip is for the leadership
of the Combined Jewish Appeal so that they can see where the campaign
money goes and why it is needed.
Wachtel said they have 10 representatives from British Columbia
joining the mission with only one drop-out.
|
