This spring, a group of six teens attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference under the auspices of Congregation Beth Shalom. Now, the synagogue is looking to increase the group’s size for next year’s trip.
The program is open to any Jewish teen across the community, not just those who attend Beth Shalom. Becca Levine, director of youth and family programming at Beth Shalom, said she hopes this year’s group might be as big as 16 students.
Initially, the idea for the trip came from teens themselves who wanted to get their fellow students more engaged in the discussion about Israel.
“We decided to go to AIPAC last year to really give them the advocacy training and experience and connections they need to really explore their relationship with Israel,” Levine said.
The trip isn’t just about going to the conference. After attending that, the students met with Sen. Jerry Moran, Sen. Pat Roberts and Rep. Sharice Davids. However, politics isn’t the focus of the trip either.
“Our goal here is not to get students more politically involved. It’s to get students more involved with voicing their relationship with Israel to the community around them,” Levine said.
That could mean taking an interest in Israel’s entrepreneurship or technology, seeing how their experience with Judaism connects them to the country and more.
Levine had taken groups to AIPAC when she worked at the University of Delaware’s Hillel, but taking high school students is a different experience. College students have often been on Birthright trips or had political internships already.
“These (high school) students — some had been to Israel before with their family but had not had a professional experience surrounding Israel, especially having an experience with non-Jews as well,” Levine said.
Upon returning, students who go on the trip this year will have to either complete an Israel-related service project or volunteer at the community Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration.
“We want students to feel more connected and more comfortable talking about Israel. Many students aren’t connected to Israel unless their family is physically going there or until their Birthright trip,” Levine said.
“… A lot of times through Hebrew school or in the Academy, they’re told, ‘This is your relationship with Israel: You love Israel.’ And so for a lot of students, they don’t actually know what that means, because they haven’t had the chance to individually explore that. And this gives them that opportunity.”
Though the first group to go was mostly high school seniors, Levine has been asking the remaining students from last year’s group to put the word out to freshmen, sophomores and juniors too. She said she’s contacted every synagogue in the area to let them know about the program.
The first trip carried a $900 price-tag for each student, including airfare, conference tickets and hotel rooms, though Levine was able to get financial assistance for those who needed it.
She’s still looking for ways to help fund this year’s trip. She said she’s considered GoFundMe pages and is searching for larger donors.
An informational meeting about the trip will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at Beth Shalom. The meeting is to learn about the program, meet teens who have gone, ask questions and sign up. Levine expects the application deadline for the trip to be Dec. 1.
Before the trip, there will be three study sessions focusing on different aspects of Israel to help prepare students. The next AIPAC Policy Conference will take place March 1-3 in Washington, D.C.
For more information, contact Levine at .