PJA kids go to Israel
By Deborah Moon Seldner
article created on:
After a five-year hiatus driven by security concerns, Portland Jewish Academy eighth-graders returned to Israel for the capstone program of the Jewish day school.
"When we expanded the middle school to eighth-grade, we planned the Israel Seminar as an integral part of it," said PJA Principal Patricia Schwartz. "It's great to have it back in the place it should be."
PJA's first two eighth-grade classes, who graduated in 1999 and 2000 participated in the Israel Seminar designed to strengthen students' understanding of and connection with Israel and Judaism.
When the second intifada began late in 2000, the 2001 trip was scrapped due to safety concerns. For five years, eighth-
graders participated in trips within the United States to cities such as to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The students unanimously agreed they felt safe and several said the trip made them want to return to Israel someday. Some said they hope to go with Portland's Israel Experience Program for high school juniors, others said they hope to go during their college years.
"I think people (who went on the trip) will be more involved with Israel," said eighth-grader Gabi Horowitz. "I think a lot of people feel more connected."
Several students said the trip gave them a much better understanding of Israel as a modern country.
"I used to picture it as it is in Torah," said Elena Krasnow. "It brought it to reality."
Kory Darling, who was on the trip with her twin sister Shayna, said that after visiting Israel, "It feels more like a home now—like a place I could live."
Asked which part of the trip was the most fun, students mentioned playing Frisbee in Jerusalem, floating in the Dead Sea, seeing the huge parade on Purim, snorkeling in the Red Sea and hiking to the top of Massada.
Sites picked as the most meaningful were equally diverse. Several students named the Western Wall or the Kotel tunnel that extends further along the wall surrounding the site of the first and second Temple.
"You see all these things that are so important to the history of Judaism," said Alex Hess. "You get as close to the kodesha (holy of holies) as you can get."
Horowitz also called the Kotel tunnel the most meaningful because, "We learned a lot and we were next to something that was really old."
Zach Snyder said being at the Western Wall was the most meaningful part of the trip for him.
"I put on tefillin and we prayed," said Snyder. "I even kissed the wall and put my note in there. It was really beautiful. To know it was our closest place to God was really meaningful."
Yad Vashem was also mentioned as a very meaningful stop.
"The children's memorial ? was really sad and moving," said Leah Braunstein.
Krasnow said she was moved both by Yad Vashem and the Kinneret graveyard, where soldiers, poets, singers and artists are buried. She said hearing the stories of some of the people's lives were very interesting.
The entire culture was very memorable, according to Ben Overlund. He said he took in an entirely different culture from what he is used to. He said the people were nicer, but he was surprised by the excessive smoking.
Snyder said he was surprised by just how many soldiers with "really huge guns" were walking the streets.
Krasnow liked the effort of the group's first bodyguard to soften the impact of his gun. "He has a Pokeman sticker some kid gave him on his gun. It was cute."
Students also spent time touring Israel's deserts, Tel Aviv and the Golan Heights; performing community service; and experiencing Shabbat with host families in Jerusalem.
Other students who participated in the trip were Ben Bowman, Eleanor Greenman and Ayala Sherman.
"This was a wonderful experience for the eighth grade," said Schwartz.