Getting the chance to return to Israel never loses its excitement for me. Stepping off the plane to embark on a two week journey with the ZOA to experience and learn about Israel and the role we college students play as its advocates back home made the trip that much more exciting. 

One of the basic essentials in effectively communicating with others about Israel and related issues, I’ve found, is having a personal connection to the country. When there is a firsthand experience and understanding, the message becomes solidified and therefore more easily conveyed to others. Coming to Israel and learning its rich history as the homeland of the Jewish people is important in order to better understand the full picture of the conflicts taking place there and to be able to communicate that view.

This trip is exactly that opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture, history, and political situation of Israel firsthand. This way we, as the voices for Israel on our campuses, can develop a stronger and more concrete view and therefore give it over to others back home in a more personal, powerful, and compelling way.