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Students Now Consider
Israel A Travel Option
LESLEY PEARL
Jewish News Intern
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uring the Persian
Gulf war, student
travel involving
Israel was in most cases a
one-way ticket out of the
Jewish state and back home
to America. But now that is
starting to turn around as
more and more student
groups plan summer trips to
Israel.
Rabbi Avraham
Jacobowitz of Machon
L'Torah recently left with a
group of 13 students bet-
ween ages 20 and 25 for
Israel. He said the number of
applicants for the summer
program has increased this
year.
"The interest and demand
were there," Rabbi
Jacobowitz said. "We actu-
ally had to reject some (ap-
plicants)."
The one-month "learning
tour" will consist of study in
Hebrew language, Jewish
history, archeology, laws
and customs.
"This is a good chance for
students to connect with the
land and the people," he
said.
Jason Friedenberg, a 19-
year-old Michigan State
University student and par-
ticipant in the Machon
L'Torah program, agrees.
Having traveled to Israel
twice previously — once
before the onset of the in-
tifada with a touring group
and later during the intifada
with a political study group
—Mr. Friedenberg chose the
Machon L'Torah program
for its religious emphasis.
He said the political
climate in Israel did not af-
fect his decision. He believes
the media coverage of events
in the Middle East has been
grossly exaggerated.
"The press' treatment of
issues portraying Israel as
unsafe is a farce," Mr.
Friedenberg said. "It's just
like Detroit or New York.
There are some places you
just don't go to."
Mr. Friedenberg said he is
not swayed by the media
portrayal of Israel because
he has been there before.
First-time travelers often do
not realize Israel is more
than the Gaza Strip, he add-
ed.
Potential travelers who
may have been previously
swayed by the war or the
media coverage of it are now
expressing interest in travel
to Israel according to Sivan
Maas of the Israel Program
Center.
In the last three or four
weeks, many individuals
from the Detroit area have
shown interest in traveling
to Israel this summer. Early
lack of interest left few
flights, programs and hotels
available, with the Israel
Program Center working
rapidly to fill the void.
One program that gained
interest even during the
Persian Gulf war is Project
Otzma — a Peace Corps-type
experience, Ms. Maas said.
She attributes the largest
group ever leaving Detroit to
increased recruiting efforts.
During the war most Otz-
ma students returned to the
United States to talk to their
communities about Israel.
The students returned to
Israel at the end of the war,
with many staying on to tour
or volunteer.
However, Project
Discovery — a program for
high school students — was
"The press'
treatment of
issues portraying
Israel as unsafe is
a farce. It's just
like Detroit or New
York. There are
some places you
just don't go to."
Jason Friedenberg
cancelled this year. Interest
in the program for next year
is promising, Ms. Maas said.
"This is an overwhelming
time for people to go to Israel
due to Russian and Ethiopi-
an immigration," Ms. Maas
said. "People are becoming
more comfortable with
Israel's image."
Although the Persian Gulf
war is over, the economic
effects of it linger, according
to local travel agents.
Michael Hochheiser,
owner of Crown - Travel in
Oak Park, was able to send
students to Israel for less _
than $800 last year. This
year, the cheapest flights he
can offer start at $1,100.
"Ever since the Gulf war
prices have skyrocketed," he
said. "They have not come
down yet."
Mr. Hochheiser said he has
seen a slight increase in
flights to Israel this
summer, regardless of
elevated prices. El