Israel and Group Travel Impacts Jewish Lives

After many months of planning, Israel Unplugged, Seattle's largest-ever community trip to Israel, flew to the sky…and soared!

Ninety-seven travelers embarked on a truly transformative Israel experience May 23 – June 1, 2010 – all thoughtfully planned and executed by Jewish Federation staff and the outstanding leadership of Jacquie Bayley, Israel Unplugged's volunteer Chair. The majority of travelers had never been to Israel before (70%) and many of the returnees had not visited in decades. Early to rise, late to bed and jam-packed in the middle, our ten-day experience yielded community, Jewish identity, a renewed sense of spirituality and faith, memories, philanthropy, shared experiences and more. Most importantly, Israel Unplugged created friendships – chevra.

After hours of travel and a ten hour time difference we finally arrived to our other home, our Jewish home - Israel.

Trip Highlights

We had many trip highlights – too numerous to name them all. Some would say hearing the audio of David Ben Gurion's history-making speech announcing Israel's statehood in Independence Hall in Tel Aviv was a trip highlight. Others will recall touching the Western Wall in Jerusalem for the first time, or Kabbalat Shabbat services led by Rabbi Jim Mirel, or dancing in the Sabbath with Israelis – in Jerusalem in the walled city as the most memorable. For many, it was the experience of walking through Yad Vashem for the first time and the emotions discovered when reflecting on our Jewish history and relating them to our own lives and families. Yet still, there were the gorgeous voices of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village – an impressive Jewish Agency for Israel program for underprivileged youth, that moved us to tears and showed us exactly how valuable our support is to the children of Israel and thus its future. Many hopped in jeeps and off-roaded the Golan Heights - but stayed far away from mines. Some rafted down the Jordan River and some strolled the Gamla Reserve, many ascended and descended Masada (and read from the Torah in-between) and of course, floated in the Dead Sea. Natan Sharanksy enlightened all of us, our visit to our Partnership City, Kiryat Malachi enthralled us, and ultimately, Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman inspired us…and challenged us.

Finally, we took part in what did not have perfect context until later in the week. We listened to Admiral Ze'ev Almog, former commander of the Israeli Navy and dear friend of Seattleite, Herb Bridge, speak to Israel Unplugged during a special VIP visit to the Haifa IDF Naval Base. Just a few days later we would be standing in Hadassah Hospital, while four injured individuals from the Flotilla episode were being received in the trauma unit.

Now that we are back in the US and life and normalcy has resumed, many are changed by our Israel Unplugged experience. As you read below, you will see that Israel and group travel really does impact Jewish lives. Based upon these testimonials, one must wonder, "When will our next Seattle trip will be planned?"

Read some first-hand memories of Israel Unplugged participants.

First time traveler to Israel, Debbie Kleid, shared the following, "I don't want the normal that I used to feel here in Seattle. I liked how I felt in Israel, it felt 'normal.'"

Craig Sternberg returned to Israel with us for the first time after almost three decades. He shares, "So here is my take after 28 years. The first time Sheila and I went to Israel, we were looking for the Israel of our fathers: history, redemption from the Holocaust, torah, spiritual feeling. While that is still important, we are now looking at the Israel of our children: high tech, eco-friendly, security and growth. Twenty-eight years is a lifetime, but as Israel matures, it has become younger. Almost everyone we saw was young with growing families. It's a totally different place."

Iantha Sidell, veteran traveler to Israel, states, "I've been to Israel thirty times but being with people who have never been before makes it feel the very first time for me over and over again. Seventy percent of our travelers had never been to Israel before – and this is fairly atypical for a community trip. As a committed Jewish Federation volunteer and community member, I feel so proud that Seattle brought almost 100 people to Israel during Israel Unplugged. This is Seattle's largest trip to Israel ever and the largest group traveling to Israel from the United States this year. This is really an exceptional accomplishment for our community."

Amy Weisband, Federation staff and first-time traveler to Israel, shares, "For me, being in Israel for the first time helped me realize that Israel is my country. I felt tremendous ownership and responsibility for the Jews living in Israel. Not only that, but our experiences gave faces to the Jewish lives our community touches each day by the work that we do through the Jewish Federation and the dollars that we raise. It became very clear to me why I have devoted the last ten years of my professional and personal life to the Jewish community."

Linda Hansen and Ken Spencer recount a few moments of Israel Unplugged: "We had another very profound experience meeting with the former IDF soldiers. Ken immediately made a personal contact with the young gentleman at our table and was able to connect on a personal level: soldier to soldier. It was another unexpected, reflective experience with Israel and Israelis. As we made our way to Jerusalem we were feeling much less like strangers in a strange land; things were getting much more comfortable and oddly familiar.

Friday was a very pivotal day. We had a wonderful Kabbalat Shabbat service at a site within the Kotel complex and then made our way to the "wall" proper. Ken, who is not a Jew, but is "spiritual, but not religious", made his way to the wall with the encouragement of one of the men from our group, and touched it in remembrance of his father. It was a very moving and emotional experience for him. I accompanied Sarah to the women's side of the mehitzah, so that she could place her two prayer scrolls in the wall. We hugged and cried a bit. I found myself deeply touched by the simplicity and the reverence of this practice. I felt a sense of Jewishness and timelessness in the core of my being that I don't think I would have admitted to before.

As we now look back on our trip, we view the entire experience as something we would never wanted to miss. We both have always said, "The unexpected and unplanned events in life are what give it texture and meaning." We are both so grateful for the opportunities the Israel Unplugged adventure has given to us both. It encompassed elements which will enhance every aspect of our lives: professional, political, personal and spiritual. We are relishing the opportunity to return and continue this unfinished journey."