Looking past the complexities to experience the real Israel

By Alec Greven

I was given the incredible opportunity over this past winter break to visit Israel with Jewish National Fund's Caravan for Democracy program. Our group spent 10 days exploring the culture and history of one of the most remarkable places in the world. Israel is surrounded by polarizing perspectives and it was refreshing to cut through the rhetoric and see the complexity of the people and place directly.

I have found that people are often too quick to pass judgment on Israel. To judge something well, you have to understand what you are judging. However, to really understand Israel, you must recognize the complexity of its contradictions and the beauty that can be found in its rich society. Here are some of the more notable contradictions that I found during my time in Israel.

Desert days in Israel on JNF trip remind student that water is life

Student Owen Harrison participated in JNF's latest Caravan for Democracy trip.

Owen Harrison, a student at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, participated in JNF's Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission, a 10-day, fully subsidized trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders who've never been.

By Owen Harrison

For most of my life, I've had the privilege of never to having to worry about water -- where it’s coming from, or if it will run out. However, that luxury has begun to change for many people. There's a growing water crisis: People living in South Africa are currently allotted 6 gallons of water a day; to put that into perspective, the average American uses between 80-100 gallons of water daily. 

Women's History Month: Israel trip teaches student to think for herself

The Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission is a 10-day, fully subsidized trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders who've never been. The unique educational program, which took place this year from Dec. 27 - Jan. 7, lets participants explore Israel by meeting with political, cultural, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Here, a reflection on this year's CFD trip by a University of Pennsylvania student.

We're also celebrating Women's History Month all March long by sharing stories of the amazing women that make up Jewish National Fund! In addition, we are matching all donations up to $1M during this time. Learn more: jnf.org/women

By Michelle Lyu

I'm a third-year undergraduate student studying statistics. I've never taken an international relations course, barely know what qualifies as political science, and have interacted with Islam, Christianity, and Judaism only superficially.

None of this precludes a profound understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but I'd had little contact with the issue beyond the superficial before coming to Israel. Without the foundation of these guiding frameworks, I struggled to even begin formulating a cogent opinion on the conflict before going on Caravan for Democracy. Because of my limited comprehension that began with news headlines and ended at conversations at the dinner table with my housemates, I felt pressured to espouse the views my closest friends held with conviction.

Israel trip teaches lessons on nuance: '7.4 billion sides to every story'

The Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission is a 10-day, fully subsidized trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders who have never been there. The unique educational program, which took place this year from Dec. 27 - Jan. 7, lets participants explore Israel by meeting with political, cultural, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Here, a reflection on this year's CFD trip by a Vanderbilt University student.

By Alexis Cook

I went into the the Caravan for Democracy trip with an itinerary and packing list but no solid concept of why anyone would pay for 80 college students to travel to another country. It didn't make sense to me, so I anticipated a heavy political agenda. Especially because I had lived in Jordan for about two months during my gap year, I already had some exposure to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ways it had affected the Jabers, my beloved host family in Amman. Learning more about a conflict that affects those I love so dearly was actually one of my motivations for attending the trip. 

'No easy answer' to Israel complexities: A young first-timer's reflections

Memorializing Richard Schoenstadt: Fierce Israel advocate

The Schoenstadt clan at last year's event. 

By Kate Schoenstadt

The Richard Schoenstadt Memorial Foundation (RSMF) was established just after the first anniversary of Richard’s death by members of his immediate and extended family. We felt that Richard’s voice, his message, was far too great to disappear on June 13th, 2012, when we lost him to a 20-plus-year battle with leukemia. Every year, we build upon his legacy. Instead of recalling the way in which he was taken from us, we choose to continue the work he deemed the most important while he lived. 

Evangelical Christian student reflects on powerful JNF mission to Israel

The author in Israel, overlooking the Galilee. 

By Tremayne Smith

As a Southern African-American evangelical Christian who spent his formative years in church, my devotion to Judeo-Christian values is unbending. 

I hail from Salisbury, North Carolina. My identical twin brother and I were raised by a single mother. There was always an emphasis on and appreciation for the value of hard work. 

I attended East Carolina University for my undergraduate degrees in music education and political science. In my role as student body president of 28,000 students, my eyes were opened to the convoluted yet rewarding world politic. It was in the role of student body president that I began participating in the annual AIPAC conference as a delegate. 

Rebirth and rediscovery on the 2017 Caravan for Democracy trip

The Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission is a 10-day, fully subsidized trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders who have never been there. The unique educational program gives participants the opportunity to explore Israel by meeting with political, cultural, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Here, a reflection on this year's CFD trip by a Jacksonville University student.

By Pascal Rathle

Transformation describes the essence of my Caravan for Democracy 2017 experience. 

Israel 'not black and white and simple,' Caravan for Democracy student concludes

This year's crop of rock-star students on JNF's Caravan for Democracy trip. 

The Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission is a 10-day, fully subsidized trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders who have never been there. The unique educational program gives participants the opportunity to explore Israel by meeting with political, cultural, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Here, a reflection on this year's CFD trip by a Michigan State University senior.

By Micaela Procopio

Sunday, January 8th, I woke up to the news that four IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers had been killed in Jerusalem in a place very near where I had stood less than a week ago. The entire 10 days I spent in Israel with 33 other student leaders I did not feel threatened or unsafe at all. Israel was normal. Israel is beautiful. 

When I was notified of my acceptance into JNF's Caravan for Democracy, I thought I had a pretty solid view of what Israel was and a fair understanding of the conflict. I feel more confused now. I think that's the right answer. Israel is not black and white and simple. It's gray and complex.

1,000 strong in Israel: U.S. college kids spend winter break volunteering in the desert

This winter alone, the JNF hosted over 1,000 young people in Israel -- through programs such as Alternative Break, JNFuture Volunteer Vacation, Alexander Muss High School in Israel, JNF on Campus' Caravan for Democracy, and Taglit-Birthright Israel-Shorashim. We will be profiling some of the trips, and you can see more directly through the eyes of the participants by searching the #PoweredByJNF hashtag on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


By Megan E. Turner

When you were in college, what did you do with that magical, month-long break between semesters? Did you backpack through Europe? Travel home to be with your family? Sit around in pajamas and take the idea of couch potato to a whole new level? While many of us can intimately relate to these scenarios, to a group of Zionist college kids, these options simply weren't fulfilling enough.

Seventy-five students from college campuses across the United States chose to do something more with their free time during this winter break by traveling to Israel and volunteering with a range of unique projects across the country’s south through Jewish National Fund's Alternative Winter Break program. 

Students arrived for seven intense days of community building and volunteer work in places like Halutza, a thriving Negev community focused on settling and farming the desert; Wadi Attir, a model for building sustainable desert communities in partnership with the Negev's Bedouin population; and Earth's Promise, an urban organic farm located in Be'er Sheva, the booming capital of the Negev.

All of these projects are part of JNF's Blueprint Negev initiative, which aims to develop the Negev region and bring new populations to settle the peripheral areas of Israel.

Caravan for Democracy reflections: Taking in views beautiful and startling

The Jewish National Fund's Caravan for Democracy is in full swing, and participating students are reflecting on their trip so far. The 10-day educational experience lets U.S. college leaders of all faiths who have never been to Israel explore the country through extensive touring and meetings with political, cultural, and community leaders.

Here, Florida International University student Alian Callazo shares some thoughts. Alian is speaker of the Student Government Association senate on FIU's MMC campus, as well as an at-large senator. He is also president of FIU's Theta Chi fraternity.

The past few days in Israel have been a roller-coaster of different experiences. We started off in the north of the country by visiting the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee -- places where, according to tradition, Jesus walked. We literally were seeing thousands of years of history with our own eyes. And that was just the first day! 

Caravan for Democracy: Affecting change -- in hearts and minds

As you may have read on our blog, the JNF-sponsored Caravan for Democracy trip enables college students of all faiths to see, taste, and explore Israel firsthand. Here, a couple more participants of the recent 10-day mission recount their feelings upon seeing the Gaza border town of Sderot and encountering the magic of the Old City of Jerusalem for the first time. These students are an inspiration!

Witnessing 'defiant perseverance' 
By Sara David, Flagler College

We heard how civilians drive with their radios off and seat belts unbuckled to make every second count, and how parents must choose which of their children to grab during the 15 seconds they have to find shelter in case of an attack. Hearing these accounts poignantly humanized the strikes and casualties I had previously only known as numbers and statistics. 

Fortunately [the day we visited Sderot], there were no missile strikes and we did not hear any alarms. Instead, we heard the sound of construction as new commercial and residential buildings went up all around us in the distance. Despite the constant threat of an attack, the residents of Sderot are working to further develop and populate the area in defiant perseverance and Zionist spirit.

Photo: Will Baxley

In Sderot, Caravan for Democracy participants view drawings by kindergarten students that reflect rockets and the desire for peace so they can play with their Palestinian neighbors.

Caravan for Democracy: 'So much meaning in almost every aspect of Israeli life'

Photo: Will Baxley 

Caravan for Democracy guide Leor turns Chase Baker, a junior at the University
of North Florida,  into a human map of Israel.

Thirty-two college students of all faiths who have never visited Israel before are currently there participating in the 10-day Caravan for Democracy. The educational experience for young leaders includes touring; meeting political, cultural, and community leaders; and exploring components of Israel's diverse society. Here are early reflections from Melanie Young, a senior in urban studies and urban education at the University of Pennsylvania and recipient of a 2014 Women of Color at Penn award. 

By Melanie Young

Last night we arrived in Israel and were welcomed to the country by two Israelis, Leor and Iftah. Leor means "my light" and Iftah means "will open." I am learning very quickly that one can find so much meaning in almost every aspect of Israeli life. The names, the plants, the places all tell a story. The stories -- small, large, simple, and complex --- contribute to Israel's historical depth.

Caravan for Democracy: My hope for humanity

By Wesley Varughese, Lawrence University '16

First and foremost, I am thankful and most blessed to have received the opportunity to travel  to Israel with the Caravan for Democracy for the Jewish National Fund. The JNF staff on our trip consists of the following: Yoni, our incredibly knowledgeable, but hilarious tour guide, Rabbi Leor Sinai, our hip, co-tour guide that provided different perspectives of every situation we were placed in throughout the country (while promoting discussion), and Jessica Lebovits, another fantastic staff person guiding us on the trip, who was very familiar with what the Jewish National Fund is doing here in Israel and answering any questions we had about Judaism. We also had our chief of security/emergency aid, and our fantastic driver, passing through tight streets smoothly and giving us pleasant rides throughout the trip - both with smiling faces everyday we saw them. Each one of these staff members impacted us on the trip, and although some were different than others, they each gave us a perspective and a memory that will forever be engrained in our minds, even if we forget their names later on in life.

Rabbi Leor had said a few nights ago, "you've met so many people on this trip: my kids, all the speakers from various organizations, the people serving us food at restaurants, and each of us here on the trip with you. You may not remember all their names, but you will wonder one day how they're doing back in Israel." You make ask yourself, "I wonder how Rabbi Leor's son doing? Did he ever have to join the IDF once he had grown up?" Or the man who talked to us about the Druze, "how is his family doing?" These questions will linger and are already beginning to form in our minds once we've met someone - as we remember who they are subconsciously. It may be dependent on their importance to you, but there will be important people that stuck out to you that you will wonder about. This wondering process is important for when we do our best to explain our experiences to our family and friends. Making personal connections to the stories you tell gives them that much more enjoyment when it's told. And with that, the things you wonder about are the things that were important to you in what you felt on this Caravan for Democracy.

Reflections on Caravan for Democracy

By Quanshay Henderson, Morgan State University

It has been a little over a week since I have been in Israel, and yet a part of me feels like I’m still there. I’m not sure why this is the case, but I don’t mind it at all. My experience there has taught me the remarkable power of hope and perseverance. A country composed primarily of swamp lands and deserts was able to develop into one of the leading entrepreneurial economies in the world! And I was, given the opportunity to experience the nation of Israel with my own eyes. A little more than half way through the trip, I realized that the story of Israel was the story of me. I am a girl of humble beginnings, but I know that this certainly does not determine my future or the future of others whose beginnings seem dim. The story of Israel says that there is hope no matter how unpromising something appears to be. I have taken that spirit of hope back with me to help make my campus and community a better place. My heart trusts that I will return to Israel someday, and I cannot wait to see how much the country has grown since my last visit.

Caravan for Democracy day 9: A new beginning

By Chelsea Laguerre, University of North Florida

The End.

The dictionary defines "the end" as a conclusion, the final part of something. As we spend our last day in Israel, it's seems logical to believe this is the end of our experience in the Holy Land. Even though we will be leaving this place, my fellow travelers and I believe this is actually the beginning of something much bigger than us. We have seen and learned a lot here in a short amount of time, resulting in many walls being broken and some beliefs questioned. Our group is so unique and diverse with interests in politics, history, environmental and international studies, and health. All of us came on this Caravan for Democracy trip for a reason specific to ourselves but were gratefully surprised that the epiphanies/realizations we experienced were not in the ways we expected.

Sitting here in the Negev desert with not only fellow travelers but new friends, I listen to the passion this group has about making a change and showing their campuses that there is a human face to both Israel and Palestine. Our last day we traveled back to the place where it all began, Jerusalem. We visited one of the largest and most elegant YMCAs I have ever seen. The architecture, like most buildings in Israel, was built with such complexity and purpose . There were three buildings, the main tower which can be seen from any direction, was engraved with the six winged angel that brought the good news of Christ. On each side of the tower, above the windows, were scriptures written in Hebrew and English. The rooms within the walls of the YMCA were just as elegant and beautiful as the outside but the mission was much more wonderful. The Jerusalem YMCA is a place where anyone can come and participate in many activities, no matter their race or religion, leaving all hate and prejudices at the door. Considering Jerusalem is the city where every single religion in this area is represented, I was not surprised at this idea but awed.

Following the tour, we were introduced to our first speaker, a representative of the ministry of foreign affairs. She discussed a little about the technological rise of Israel based on entrepreneurship. This was very interesting because earlier this morning we took personality quizzes which showed the producers, administrators, entrepreneurs, and integrators in our group. We had several people labeled as entrepreneurs and having a speaker talk about the products of these type of leaders was inspiring.

Caravan for Democracy, day 8: A 'life-changing' experience

By Kathleen Quillian, Flagler University 

When my professor emailed me the application for Caravan for Democracy, I really thought nothing of it. After reading about the trip I felt I did not fit the profile of the students they were searching for. I am not involved in politics or student government on my campus. So I just set the email aside and went along trying to survive my heavy workload of video production classes.

Days went on and the application deadline was quickly approaching I made my decision not to apply. In class, my professor would not stop bothering me about the application. She really got under my skin when she said, "What kind of journalist are you, who doesn't want a free trip abroad? Turn this into a journalistic opportunity." After that statement there was no way I was not applying.

When I received the email that I made it to the second round where I would be interviewed it really did not see in that there was any possibility of me going to Israel. Now I realized I am going to have to do some research so I don't not bomb this interview. Before I did any research it came to my attention that all I knew about Israel was all my Jewish friends would go on birthright. My friends could never find the words to describe their experience in Israel; most said I just would never understand. Of course from being a news junkie I would read news stories, yet never in a lot of depth. I found my ignorance about Israel shocking and embarrassing.

When I first discovered I was going to Israel I don't think it really set in until the day I met the Caravan for Democracy group at the airport. The weeks leading up to the trip I decided I would take camera gear and make a documentary while I was over there-when am I going to be in the Middle East again?  I decided I would try to interview local Israelis to get their opinion on how they would like their country to be portrayed on the media. In my opinion the media only discusses Israel when it involves something with a negative stigma attached. Before I left, I decided that I would like to capture the Israel that the media does not report.  

Caravan, day 7: From the scars of war, inspiration

By Nicholas Vladimir Macek

Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a beautiful place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it." The Middle East knows much about beauty and fighting, for better or worse, but our experience in Sderot  revealed part of the human condition unexpected to most of us. While most of our time with the Caravan for Democracy through Israel was met with breathtaking sights -- Masada, Tel Aviv, Galilee -- the tragedy of Sderot's reality was exceptionally difficult to accept. More than anything, the impact of a constant threat on the lives of children was humbling. The population of the city with bomb shelters marred an otherwise peaceful city.

From the scars of war, however, emerged an inspiring reality. Not one steel-reinforced, concrete shelter looked as such. Thanks to JNF and Artists 4 Israel, each was adorned with graffiti and street art. Back in the States, it seems no two people agree on whether graffiti is legitimate art or not. It rose up from the hip hop movement of the 1970s and '80s in New York City, hip hop being a tool for youth to resist against oppression and beautify the cement and steel projects they lived in. It was a method to resist dehumanization with creativity and imagination, two truly human characteristics. 

Caravan participants on the climbing wall at the Sderot indoor playground.

In Sderot, the painting of the bomb shelters, while different from traditional graffiti culture, embraces these virtues. Oppressed by violence, the city rose up with creativity; dehumanized into targets, they expressed their humanity; burdened with brutalist bomb shelters, they made their environment colorful, beautiful, livable. 

As moving as our visit to Sderot was, and as sad as it was to see how children's lives are devastated by conflict, the resistance of the residents of Sderot to depression was uplifting, and definitely an inspiring thought to bring home with us.

Caravan, day 6: Jerusalem, a place of hope

By David Isaiah Arreola, Flagler College

I'd first like to express my unending appreciation to the Jewish National Fund donors and Shorashim tours, especially our guide Yoni, for arranging a holistic and diverse educational experience in Israel. Their confidence in the youth of America to venture to a new world with an open mind equals my own and this is evident by an organized itinerary that encouraged questions and vigorous deliberation. My appreciation of this shared value is immeasurable. 

Our world is one of tumult with an innumerable array of factors either abating or aggravating the old and new conflicts of our age. In Israel, as in the United States and around the world, this is evident when walking the streets and deciphering stories. However, one must look past the appearances to uncover these conflicts, because everything looks normal. The people wear western style clothing and shop at designer outlets. Ethnically diverse friend groups laugh in the streets and happily exchange pleasantries on the sabbath. You wouldn't know that war has periodically come to this land and that a majority of her sons and daughters have served to defend her militarily. Everything appears normal.  

Caravan participants at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem. 

Yet, there are traces of history that betray this normalcy. There are remnants of struggles passed. Evacuated houses atop the Golan Heights reminds us of war in 1967. Crowded, government commissioned apartment units near city centers continue to echo Israel's overwhelming immigration flood following her Declaration of Independence which threatened to overbear her young government and society. The ancient desert fortress of Masada, a historical and cultural talisman for Israelis, is now crawling with European and American tourists, indicating that the old Zionist fanaticism once attributed to the ancient mound and the country as a whole is being wiped by modern minds in the melting pot of Israel. Carefully placed Militant-Deterrent Security fences are a reminder of the geopolitical forces that rage between political leaders--irrespective of the genuine cohabitation between Palestinians and Israelis I witnessed in the crowded streets of Jerusalem. 

Caravan, day 5: 'Wow, just wow'

By Melanie Benit, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Today, I tasted a small bite of the essence of what it means to be a Jew in the land of Israel. I saw where they came from and their daily life -- both the fear and the hope, the sorrow and the joy.

It began with visiting Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust museum. I did not walk out the same way I walked in. I have had many lessons and watched several movies about WWII. I have seen the atrocities which pull at my heartstrings each and every time. This time was different. Rather than focus on the images of the mutilated bodies, our guide had us think of what was overcome. Then it hit me, WWII ended in 1945. The Jewish state of Israel was established in 1948. That's a three-year difference. Three. Years. After approximately 6 million Jewish people were slaughtered, around one-third of their population, these same people managed to rebirth a nation. Wow, just wow.



After this epiphany, we went briefly to the open market and saw the everyday hustle and bustle of the locals and tourists amongst the medley of herbs, pastries, and produce. I find their daily life is full.