“To Help Counter Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic Sentiment on Campuses, Increase Teen Trips to Israel”. That is the headline from a recent article on the Jewish Philanthropy website, written by Gideon Shavit. The article says all the evidence points to the success of the teen Israel programs, and now more than ever they are critical. With increasing anti-semitic and anti-Israel behaviour being witnessed by half the student population around the world, they need the education, understanding and passion for Israel to be able to offer compelling counter arguments. More than that, in the face of this abuse, we don’t want our future generations being turned away from their Jewish heritage.
“The Israel Experience for decades has always been about creating immersive Jewish experiences which will lead to lifelong Jewish engagement. Successful trips create motivation among participants to engage in Israel advocacy upon their return to their home communities.
Sadly, there is now a new and compelling reason for the Israel Experience – to prepare the participants for their college experience in general and to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment which they are most likely to face at college.
It’s depressingly easy today to find anecdotal evidence of anti-Semitism at colleges and universities around the world.”
Read the full article here.
