Y DA NI EL U PPITI
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
6
Travel Preparation
Beyond
"How To Pack,
What To Buy."
T HE D E T RO I T J E W I S H N E WS
Rabbi Yedwab with students at the event.
14
our years
ago, Samira
Azaryayeva
journeyed
from the So-
viet Union
to the United
States to create a
new home.
This summer
the 21-year-old
University of Michi-
gan-Dearborn student
will make what she
hopes is another
astonishing trek, to Israel.
She will spend almost six
weeks on a trip sponsored by
Masada.
"After hearing about my broth-
er's experiences last summer I
knew I had to go," Ms. Azaryaye-
va said. "I think I'll come back as
he did, with different attitudes
about everything. It's a holy land,
and holy lands inspire you to do
different things with your life."
Ms. Azaryayeva won't be going
unprepared.
Last week, Ms. Azaryayeva
joined about 100 of the 184
Detroit youths traveling to Israel
on summer programs at Temple
Israel for a readiness evening,
sponsored by the Michigan-Israel
Connection.
High school and college stu-
dents sampled tastes of Israel,
ranging from falafel and pita to
a video and group quiz about
land, culture and expectations.
The students completed "what
I hope for" forms which will be
mailed back to them at the end
of the summer. They departed
with Michigan-Israel Connection
T-shirts and hats and the chal-
lenge to return with the best
photograph of themselves wear-
ing the apparel in Israel for a
$100 scholarship.
Participants are traveling on
more than 20 different trips,
sponsored by organizations like
Masada, United Synagogue
Youth, Israel Sports Challenge
and Temple Israel.
"We believe an experience in
Israel is best when people have
expectations and talk about it,"
said Jeff Kaye, community shall-
ach (emissary). "The experience
doesn't begin and end with the
"The experience
doesn't begin and
end with the trip."
—Jeff Kaye
trip. It can begin now and con-
tinues forever."
Mr. Kaye developed the idea
for the program, the first of its
kind in Detroit, when several con-
gregations asked him to speak to
students in preparation for travel.
Samira Azaryayeva: From the former
Soviet Union to Israel.
"This is what our office (Michi-
gan-Israel Connection) is all
about. It's a statement by Feder-
ation that these trips are impor-
tant. It's all about getting kids
involved in community," Mr.
Kaye said.
Follow-up programming is be-
ing planned — the type that
targets first-time travelers like
Carol Ullman.
A 16-year-old Avondale High
School student, Carol is visiting
Israel on an archaeological tour.
She isn't a member of a youth
group. Her family isn't affiliated
with a congregation.
"It's part of my heritage and
family tradition to go to Israel at
16 and learn the culture more
intimately," Carol said. "Once I
meet more people, when I get
back, maybe I'll get more
involved."
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