Delayed Israel Trip Takes Flight

Following the postponement of an summer trip to Israel this July due to the country’s war with Hezbollah militants, 28 undergraduates will finally board a plane for Israel today.

Students participating in the Harvard Israel Leadership Initiative, a 12-day traveling study seminar, will have the chance to “explore the challenges that face Israel” today as well as connect with local communities, according to Michael Simon, Associate Director of the Harvard Hillel.

The ten students who were orginally slated to arrive in Israel on July 30 were notified less than a week before departure that their trip had been canceled. This October, the program—funded by the full-funding Netivot Fellowship—sought out a new round of applicants for the upcoming “Winter Journey.”

Because of the short duration of Harvard’s winter recess, the trip was shortened one week, according to Simon.

Two out of the 28 participants selected for the program were not Jewish by heritage. Students from other schools, including Barnard College and Wellesley College, were also accepted for the trip.

“I am fascinated by the mix of students: students who are involved at Hillel, other students who have a bit of a foot in the door, and some that don’t have a relationship to Hillel,” said Simon.

Talya J. Brettler ’08, an active member of the Hillel community, said the group will be travelling through different cities and staying at youth hostels.

“Most of the people on the trip have been to Israel before,” said Brettler, who is an outgoing board member on Hillel’s Steering Committee.

Danielle L. Charlap ’09, who was elected last week as the Hillel steering committee’s fourth consecutive female president, also said that she is looking forward to the experience.

“The trip will take us across the country, and will be a great time to reflect on both my personal connection to Israel and its place in a global context,” Charlap wrote in an e-mail. “I look forward to many days and nights of great conversation, and probably not enough sleep.”

—Staff writer Daniela Nemerenco can be reached at dnemeren@fas.harvard.edu.