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American teens visit Israel by Andrea Seidel Not an uncommon headline. Sure, everyone does it. But wait! The experience which 1 recently concluded enabled me, an average American teenager, to LIVE Israel, rather than just to visit. The Israel Connection is spon sored by the American Zionist Youth Foundation. Under the aus pices of the AZYF, as well as through Israel’s Jewish Agency, my group of 15 teens from all over the United States participated in extensive touring of the country whereby we were offered small tastes of all that Israel has. How ever, the program’s primary focus is bridging the gap between Israeli and American teens, and its design led us into the homes of dozens and the classrooms of hundreds. During my trip I was treated to home hospitality by families in such varying locations as a Jerusa lem suburb, a southern develop ment town, a kibbutz, and even Atlanta’s own Sister City, Yehud. By following their teenage sons and daughters through both typi cal school days and weekends, I began to grasp and understand the mentality and values of many Jews living in Israel. And, at the same time, they learned all that is possi ble to know about their fellow Jews in the United States. And, boy, did they ask questions!! Visiting four high schools each, we spent our time going from class to class inspiring discussions about anything that teenagers could ever imagine discussing—from Israeli politics and foreign policy to popu lar entertainers, and from Ameri cans’ views of aliyah to the where abouts of the best felafel in Israel. As is characteristic of Israelis, the youth with whom we interacted were not hesitant to drill us with questions. So, needless to say, I was constantly challenged and, as a result, have reached conclusions about myself and rny opinions and views of numerous issues involving the state of Israel. During our first week, we met with a diversity of government officials who thoroughly informed us of the differing standpoints each political party takes on the con- Andrea Seidel troversies surrounding Israel today. I found myself learning so much of what I thought 1 already knew and starting to formulate ideas of my own. Perhaps now I am still unsure as to which party’s solutions I agree with on such an issue as the problems concerning the “Occu pied Territories.” But at the least, now I know what each side believes is the answer, whereas before I felt detached and uninvolved in the whole dilemma. A few of the “out-of-the-class- room” highlights of my seven weeks in Israel were the times spent on an army base and in a field school. At Machaneh Shelach—the army base— we were outfitted in olive green (color-coordinated to match the food!) and taken to work along the Jordanian border cleaning and re pairing the electronic fence and footprint-sensitive dirt which are designed to prevent terrorist attacks across that border. Talk about being close to the news!! A few weeks later I found myself dangling on a rope off a 60 meter cliff and into a salt cave above the Dead Sea. At Metzukei Dragot, the field school we attended for a few days, we engaged in absailing (rappelling) lessons and long hikes through caves and wadis and over the rocky mountains of the Negev. The five a.m. hike up Massada to view the sunrise and study about the community there in King Herod’s day was one of the most exhilarat ing experiences of the whole trip. Now that I’m home I’m yearning to go back again to Israel. The Israel Connection has a reputation of being one of the best trips to Israel for teenagers, as well as being one of the most highly sub sidized. Having been the token Southerner in a group of Califor nians, New Yorkers, Pennsylvan ians, and Ohioans, 1 want as many people as I can tell to know about the program. The experience has been invalu able, and I find it really too bad that more Atlantans do not take advantage of such an opportunity. AZYF accepts students who are juniors and seniors in high school, have a good grade standing, and are willing to invest a bit of them selves toward building a necessary bridge and breaking stereotypes between American and Israeli youth. If you have any questions about the program, please call me and ask away! I am so anxious to see more Atlanta kids participate. I look forward to hearing from you! B’ahavah, L’hitraot! Miss Seidel can be reached at (404) 321-4030. —Editor. 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