By Rabbi Ezra Rich
Executive Director of Hillel of Buffalo
Special to THE JEWISH JOURNAL
Thirty-four college students, including 24 from University at Buffalo, sit in the bleachers of the gymnasium in the Regba School near Nahariya in Israel.
It is the third day of a ten day Birthright trip to Israel with Hillel of Buffalo, and the group has just dashed through a thunderstorm from the tour bus into the school. Two sixth-grade students welcome us in a beautifully written and rehearsed speech in English. Then, they tell us they are going to teach us a dance.
All of a sudden, the music is blaring and dozens of Israeli pre-teens are pouring onto the mgym floor to join in the dance, laughing and showing off their moves. The college students look at the kids, look at one another, and then run to join them on the newly minted dance floor.
A beautiful cultural exchange ensues, as the college students learn a new Israeli dance, and in turn teach the Israeli students the Cha Cha Slide.
This visit to the Western Galilee region was coordinated through the Jewish Agency’s Partnership2Gether project, which creates a relationship between Buffalo and 13 other U.S. cities, as well as Budapest, Hungary.
Although the Birthright participants cherished the opportunity to visit the Old City in Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea and Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, which are staples of any tour in Israel, they valued even more this opportunity to meet real Israelis and catch a glimpse into the daily life of children.
The group also took a tour of the underground hospital in the Galilee Medical Center, which is used to treat patients in safety when there are rocket attacks on Israel from the north. The students had the chance to give back in a small way by painting cheerful and encouraging designs on the bleak windowless walls, which will elevate the spirits of the patients, should the hospital need to use the below-ground area in the future.
Another highlight of the trip was the five-day mifgash (encounter) with a group of eight IDF soldiers who joined as participants in the trip. The addition of these men and women, who are the same age as the American college students, provided another way for the students to build relationships with real Israelis and learn inside views on Israeli life, politics, and culture.
The soldiers showed that young Israelis have so much in common with American college students – they listen to similar music, wear the same clothes, and love to have fun. And, at the same time, the encounter revealed how different their lives are: while young Americans are concerned with choosing a major and balancing work, school, and social commitments, Israelis of the same age are giving two or three years of their lives to defend their country, and many risk their lives during their service.
The mifgash offered important perspective for the students, and gave them new friends in Israel to stay in touch with and visit on a return trip.
This trip was the start of a journey for these students that will continue back on campus this semester. Hillel of Buffalo will be providing students with opportunities to maintain the relationships that were created during the trip and to return to Israel for internships and study abroad programs. This will include post-trip classes, Shabbat dinners and introduction to opportunities with the UB Department of Jewish Thought, MASA Israel Journey, Onward Israel and other partners.
If you would like to learn more about Birthright or Israel programming on campus, please reach out to me, Rabbi Sara Rich – rabbisara@hillelofbuffalo.org. To see more pictures from the trip, visit the Hillel of Buffalo Facebook page
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