Israel trip of a lifetime
A RECORD 105 high school students departed to Israel and Poland on November 16 for Moriah College’s Israel Study Tour (IST), which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
The year 10 students, including 14 from Masada College, will spend a week in Poland and five weeks in Israel as part of the program, which aims to enhance students’ Jewish identity as they move into their final years of schooling and beyond.
“Riding the rollercoaster of our modern history, from the deepest depths of Poland to the highest heights of Israel, is one of the most meaningful educational experiences that we offer,” Moriah’s dean of Jewish life and learning, Rabbi Benji Levy, said.
“An ideal graduate of IST is one that leaves IST with a feeling of belonging and being part of the bigger picture, and a feeling of wanting more. The ideal graduate of IST will find his or her connection with Israel and the Jewish people and will strengthen their Jewish consciousness, commitment and values.”
As part of the trip, students will visit historical and archaeological sites, undergo Hebrew language programs and Israel advocacy training, and take part in Jewish seminars and volunteer work.
“There are no words to describe what it’s like to see the play of emotions on the faces of our students, when they arrive at the Kotel in Jerusalem,” Rabbi Levy said. “Even those who have been to Israel previously are eager to see the country from a completely different perspective, experiencing learning in the very real and exciting context of living in our national homeland, together with their friends and classmates.”
Moriah student Megan Klass said: “I’m really looking forward to experiencing something new with all my friends. Although it will be really hard to visit the death camps and concentration camps in Poland, it will be good that we will all be there to support each other.”
Fellow Moriah student Ari Balkin, whose family lost members in the Holocaust, said: “When it comes to going to Poland, it will be meaningful to visit the camps and see where things happened.”
When the Moriah Foundation started funding IST a few years ago, there were just a handful of donors who contributed, limiting the number of students who could afford to participate, foundation president Judy Lowy said. “We are really very appreciative of all who have thrown their support behind this program, as it is just so important to enable every single Moriah student to experience Israel in this way.”
EVAN ZLATKIS
Rabbi Benji Levy with year 10 students Kevin Geller, Daniel Amoils, Jonathan Hayim and Brad Karney at Sydney Airport. Photo: Yvette Sher
comments