The Israel Experience: Entering the Biblical Drama
CHAZAN, PETER GEFFEN AND BARRY
THE ISRAEL EXPERIENCE "I found a part of myself in Israel." a i&year-oid from AiMny, n. y. The Israel experience, as one hears from their own words, inspires young Jews lo greater consciousness of...
...We now have the possibility of a massive national ground swell...
...Israel is a source of Jewish prick...
...i'hyllims, patterns ami personalities from different ciillures united bv Judaism...
...The atmosphere would he colored bv bovs and girls filled wilh Jewish pride, ready lo explore routes of affiliation and identification...
...a i&year-oid from AiMny, n. y. The Israel experience, as one hears from their own words, inspires young Jews lo greater consciousness of Judaism and of their potential role in the life of the Jewish people...
...Yet the great potential Israel presents is not being realized...
...At the same time...
...To have your community participate in llw CRB initiative, call the CRB Foundation at 212-595-7087...
...A visit to Israel provides a unique resource for these endeavors, an opportunity that every young Jew should have...
...Although Israel has played a central role in adult Jewish life— in the philanthropic, religious and political spheres—today we are increasingly aware of its power as an agent ofjewish identity and education for our children...
...What would the first (lavs of school he like in Mellowest, New-Jersey if 5,(100 of their 1(1,000 Jewish teenagers had been to Israel that summer...
...A growing body of social science research by Perry London, Steven Cohen, Annette Hochstein and Barry Chazan indicate the diverse ways in which experiencing Israel affects young Jews, and a parallel body of anecdotal information supports their findings...
...peter geffen and barry ckazan Must North Americans are in-tiij>iit-d In the wav Israel merges ihe lifestyles...
...Where should I live...
...The creation and existence ol Israel strengthens a sense ol satisfaction and pleasure in being pan of the Jewish people...
...Entering the Biblical drama Imagine how the Jewish land-si ape would look if lid percent of our voulli were graduates of Israel trips...
...Israel also demonstrates the ability of human beings to reshape life accoi ding ion new vision...
...We expect that number to increase dramatically, however, by the end of the century...
...Young people can discover that walking the land of Israel is both "entering the biblical drama" (as the late Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said) and engaging in the Jewish present and future...
...Fortunately, there is a reawakening in the Jewish world lo this new vista and framework for affecting I he Jewishitcss of our young...
...Last summer barely two percent of young North American Jews of high-school age participated in Israel programs...
...ImhIi symbolically and actually, Jewish determination to live...
...The CRB (Charles R. Bronfman) Foundation of Montreal and Jerusalem has engaged in research, developed grain programs in marketing and program develc>]>-inein, supported staff training programs, and combined forces with the organizational leadership of the Council ofjewish Federations, the Jewish Community Centers Association, the Jewish Educational Service of North America and the United Jewish Appeal to create the Israel Experience Program, a community initiative consortium devoted to dramatically expanding the Israel experience...
...Evolving from the ashes of Jewish destruction, Israel's existence has been marked In an ongoing slrug-glc lor scll-presei vautm...
...The Israel trip encourages voting people In reflect on kev issues related io their own world-view, lifestyle and Jewish ucss...
...We would also see a critical mass of young people returning with an agenda of concern for the welfare of Israel and lhe Jewish people, motivated by their new connections lo the Jewish stale...
...The land of Israel has been a legacy of the Jewish people since Bible days...
...The stale relief ts...
...and "What choices will give purpose 111 tll> lift...
...Although the modern State of Israel was created in 1948, the American Jewish community is finally waking up to the potential of Israel to become a major force in fostering Jewish identity in young Jews...
...What are iuv responsibilities as a |ew"' Whiil interests me Jewishly...
...The overall mission of the foundation and its consortium is to mobilize the North American communal leadership to the imperative of providing all North American Jewish youth with the opportunity to participate in an Israel program...
...Israel boldlv affirms the value ol' Jewish pcoplchood and the ™]-leclive rcsponsihiliiv of all Jews toward each other...
...If you are looking for an Israel program, consult the directory that fnlloivs or contact the American Zionist Youth Foundation at 1-800-27-fSRAFI^ or your local synagogue or federation...
...It is very likelv that if this were to happen, the Metrowests, Omahas, llelroils, l.os Aiigclescs and I ppei West Sides would never lie the same...
...In Israel, Jewish values, ideas, sensibilities and history can be experienced in the markets, on the streets, in the government, in all details of everyday life...
...In many ways, what we are talking about is the emergence of a new Zionism—a Zionism not of persecution and survivalism, but one that conceives of Israel as part of the transformation and intensification ofjewish identity...
...This initiative and others like it broaden the committed efforts of other North American agencies who have always seen the promise and power of an Israel experience...
...It all inns the power ol will, choice and human action in affecting history...
...With our North American Jewish communities living in the lands of freedom and democracy, and a dynamic Jewish community living with sovereignty in the historic land of our roots, we face new challenges—and possibilities—for transmitting Jewish values and developingjewish identity...
...Thev would have experienced a common hnnd and seek a commtmiiv in which to continue to share their experience, promising increased participation in Jewish vouih groups...
Vol. 18 • December 1993 • No. 6
