Spring Break
Israel's birthright program gives world perspective to UConn students
Allison Lex
Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: News
UConn students Scott Pearl, Michelle Neidleman, Joshua Rubock, and Rachael Cooperstein had been planning to travel to Israel on the birthright program for months.
Twelve days before they were supposed to leave on Jan. 8, fighting between Israelis and Palestinians began again in the disputed Gaza territory.
Trusting the safety of the birthright program, which allows all Jewish Americans between the ages of 18 and 26 to spend 10 days in Israel for free, the students went ahead with their travel plans and are very glad they did.
The time in Israel gave them the opportunity to learn from four Israeli soldiers their own age who accompanied the group of 37 American college students as they toured the country.
Every Jewish Israeli is required to serve in the army once they are 18 years old. Guiding a group of American students around their homeland is a welcome vacation from duty for the young soldiers.
The American students and the Israeli soldiers roomed together. The Americans were warned ahead of time that the Israelis would be reserved and wary of foreigners, and the Israelis were told the same about the Americans.
"It was the total opposite," said Rubock, a 6th-semester psychology major.
"They were like our best friends by the end of the first day," said Neidleman, an 8th-semester psychology major.
"We were surprised to find out that we're both [the same age] and, even though I am an American and he's an Israeli, we're pretty similar," said Pearl, a 6th-semester finance major.
And yet, the American students said they still have a special level of respect for Israelis their own age.
"They don't see themselves as heroes, but we do," said Cooperstein, a 4th-semester English major. "They're so patriotic and they love their country and so [military service] doesn't seem like an obligation."
Rubock said the soldiers didn't talk about the war on their own accord, but were happy to answer any questions they were asked. "Basically, it was them educating us on Israel, which is the whole point of the trip," he said.
Twelve days before they were supposed to leave on Jan. 8, fighting between Israelis and Palestinians began again in the disputed Gaza territory.
Trusting the safety of the birthright program, which allows all Jewish Americans between the ages of 18 and 26 to spend 10 days in Israel for free, the students went ahead with their travel plans and are very glad they did.
The time in Israel gave them the opportunity to learn from four Israeli soldiers their own age who accompanied the group of 37 American college students as they toured the country.
Every Jewish Israeli is required to serve in the army once they are 18 years old. Guiding a group of American students around their homeland is a welcome vacation from duty for the young soldiers.
The American students and the Israeli soldiers roomed together. The Americans were warned ahead of time that the Israelis would be reserved and wary of foreigners, and the Israelis were told the same about the Americans.
"It was the total opposite," said Rubock, a 6th-semester psychology major.
"They were like our best friends by the end of the first day," said Neidleman, an 8th-semester psychology major.
"We were surprised to find out that we're both [the same age] and, even though I am an American and he's an Israeli, we're pretty similar," said Pearl, a 6th-semester finance major.
And yet, the American students said they still have a special level of respect for Israelis their own age.
"They don't see themselves as heroes, but we do," said Cooperstein, a 4th-semester English major. "They're so patriotic and they love their country and so [military service] doesn't seem like an obligation."
Rubock said the soldiers didn't talk about the war on their own accord, but were happy to answer any questions they were asked. "Basically, it was them educating us on Israel, which is the whole point of the trip," he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
D
posted 2/13/09 @ 9:46 AM EST
It isn't just Jewish Israelis who have to serve, it is all Israeli citizens 18+...Arab Israelis and those in religious studies can get exempt...but it isn't just Jewish Israelis. (Continued…)
Birthright Brainwashing Trips
posted 2/13/09 @ 11:23 AM EST
Why should a fourth-generation American Jew, whose parents emigrated from Germany or Poland where they lived for centuries have a right to live in Israel, which was established by displacing the native Palestinian population from the land they inhabited for centuries?
Without counting refugees in neighboring countries, Arabs constitute 45% of the population of the land claimed today as the Zionists' homeland. (Continued…)
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