50.4 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

My Gap Year Israel Adventure

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

The author, with some of her new friends at an Arab high school in Ramla, Israel. If it weren’t for the Hebrew exit sign that hung above the entrance, I would have never imagined I was in Israel, or rather, the Israel that I had always known. Boys played soccer, girls gossiped in tight groups. The setting was all too familiar – after all, I had only just been in high school a few months before.

However, this was my first time in an Arab high school. I had come, as a component of my gap year program, to attempt to build relationships with Arab students and engage in dialogue that hopefully would better our understanding of one another.

Each year, a significant number of Jewish high-school graduates from all over the world spend a year studying in Israel. I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in “Kivunim: New Directions” through which I was able to live in Jerusalem and study history, politics, Hebrew and Arabic. We also visited many Jewish Diaspora communities in North Africa, Europe, and Asia to learn more about their history and modern status and, as North American Jews, extend our support.

I had visited Israel in the past, but had never been exposed to its largest minority. I had spent two summers living with my cousins, returning home believing that I had fully experienced what it was like to live in Israel. I was excited, yet anxious to be part of the first meaningful interaction these Arab high schoolers would ever have with their Jewish peers. That these kids were Israeli citizens, but most had never had any kind of relationship with another Jew, Israeli or foreign-born, shocked me. Awkward at first, our conversations soon turned amiable and uninhibited.

Kivunim’s January trip took us to the Neve Shalom school in Casablanca. During a discussion about anti-Semitism in Morocco today, Rabbi Jacquy Sebag drew our attention to a faint scar that divided his face into two. While walking down the street, he had been attacked by a person holding an axe who targeted him because he was Jewish. Today Rabbi Sebag continues to attend to the daily needs of the school. I couldn’t believe that Rabbi Sebag was willing to resume his leadership role in the Jewish community after almost dying as a victim of a hate crime. I imagined a more logical response to be to flee as soon as possible to a safer community in Israel or the U.S.

A minority in a Muslim country, Rabbi Sebag still views himself as Moroccan first. Despite the acrimonious Jewish-Muslim relations that permeate much of the world, he persists in engaging with the Muslim community. Reaching out as the majority to the minority, how different was it for me to channel Rabbi Sebag’s dedication to working towards living peacefully with his neighbors into my own life? How could I better connect with the Ramla students who viewed themselves, rightly or wrongly, as victims of discrimination and distrust?

I returned to my regular Ramla visits with newfound energy. While we still conversed about the generics: hobbies, school, and movies, we also discussed, extensively, both the Arab-Israeli conflict and the conflict between the Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel. Although I still identify as pro-Israel, I listened to the students argue their opinions and describe their encounters with prejudiced Jews and biased policemen. In turn, I hoped the Ramla students acquired a new outlook on Jewish youth, that there were some who wanted to listen to them.

In addition to the lessons from my interactions with Diaspora Jewish and Arab-Israeli communities, I learned that it was a personal struggle for me to stay organized. An adult now, I must take responsibility for every one of my mistakes. I was traveling to thirteen countries, so it is understandable that I got harried, packing and unpacking every few weeks. However, I did make a couple of trips to Western Union to withdraw cash when my wallet was stolen. I also called the phone company more than once because I had misplaced my cell phone, and several times I retraced my steps to retrieve whatever it was I had left behind. It is so easy to overlook the small details when I am busy thinking about long-term goals. If I don’t carefully think out each action that I make, I can never hope to reach my larger ambitions. Lastly, I have recently begun a journal to help me keep track of my belongings as well as appointments and any noteworthy experiences.

This past year, I saw more than I could ever hope to in such a short time. I learned lessons that now alter the way I see the world and I discussed issues I had never shown interest in because they did not directly affect me or those close to me. I developed skills to tackle the new challenges of being an adult.

Most significantly, I learned that connecting with others begins with dialogue, which can generate more understanding and tolerance and hopefully increase the possibility of coexistence.

I never realized just how eye-opening my year in Israel would be. My advice to those taking a gap year this year or those planning one in the future: enjoy every moment. And remember to keep an open mind. You never know who you might meet and, most importantly, what they will teach you.

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -