It’s not an easy decision to send your teenage son or daughter to Israel this summer. But we believe leaders of the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay would cancel the trip if they believed it weren’t safe to transport Bay Area youth.
Instead, this year the East Bay federation is also organizing the trip for all Bay Area Jewish youth. Jewish leaders in communities served by the San Francisco and San Jose federations are confident the East Bay group can run such a trip successfully and safely.
Despite headlines about violence in Israel, a number of groups are going there each week, including many young people.
The Birthright Israel program sent about 6,000 college students from throughout the world during December and January, and everyone returned home more enlightened than when they left.
Visitors to Israel will tell you the violence we see on television is happening at locations where visitors no longer go. Tourists to Jerusalem are now encouraged to avoid Ben Yehuda mall and the nearby Jaffa Road. They used to be great shopping areas, but they have now become targeted by militants. Obviously, Bay Area teens won’t be going there. Much of their time will be spent in more remote locations.
For years now, the Israel trip has become a rite of passage for Bay Area Jewish youth. The three local federations did whatever it took to make sure every teenager who wanted to go could make the trip.
If we want our children to become committed Jews, a trip to Israel is one of the best ways to reinforce their identity, leaving a lifelong impression. At the time when many are withdrawing from Jewish life after their bar or bat mitzvah, the trip pulls them back in — for now and for the future.
All three federations have sponsored recruitment meetings where parents can learn more details about the trip. For those sitting on the fence, they offer a wonderful opportunity to get more details and ask hard questions. In addition, the staff of the East Bay Israel Center is available to answer your concerns at (839) 2900, ext. 255.
Your child’s Jewish future is too important to let fear get the better of you.