Trips Canceled

Ripple Effect

The groups, sticking with their pro-
grams said the UAHC's decision will
affect them.
"The pressure's going to build,"
Rabbi Kaminetsky said. "I believe
we're doing the right thing but it's
going to be more difficult because
people are going to ask" why the
NCSY thinks the trip is safe when the
UAHC has deemed it unsafe.
Doron Krakow, Young Judaea's
national director, said he is certain the
UAHC's decision will result in "a larger
Volume of questions being asked to all of
us who've not made a similar decision."
USY, NCSY, Birthright and other -
groups sticking with their plans say
they are heightening already strict
security measures and will likely adjust
their itineraries to have less time in
major central cities like Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem.
In addition, all the groups are elimi-
nating free time — and possibly home
hospitality weekends — for partici-
pants. Instead of allowing the young
adults to mill around cafes and malls
or go to beaches, the programs will
offer more structured events and par-
ties and take participants to private
beaches.
The need to cut out free time fac-
tored into the UAHC's decision to
cancel, said Rabbi Allan Smith, direc-
tor of the organization's youth pro-
gramming.
"The beauty of an Israel program
for teens has always been to let kids
roam," Rabbi Smith said. "It would
have been very much camp com-
pound-like, where you don't have free-
dom to wander around."
Several Israeli officials expressed dis-
appointment at the UAHC's decision,
saying the Jewish state desperately
needs tourists and solidarity.
"I really am saddened," said Orly
Gil, consul for academic affairs at the
Israeli Consulate in New York.
"We need people to show their faces
in Israel," she saict
Menachem Ravivi, the representative
to North America of the Jewish
Agency for Israel's education depart-
ment, said Jewish groups "should take
the leadership at this point and, after
safely. Not because we're trying to
making necessary arrangements,
make a political statement, but
should carry on with the programs.
because this is what we do," said
"In the last 52 years, we've never
Joseph Bremen, president of the
had quiet peaceful years, but people
Alexander Muss High School in
felt it was important to be in _Israel —
Israel.
not just for the Israelis but for the
Bremen is also chair of the North
Jewish identity of our youngsters,"
American Alliance for Jewish Youth,
Ravivi said. "The message of canceling
an umbrella organization for youth
groups as an organizational decision
groups, camps and Israel trip
— it's very difficult -for us." ❑
providers.

UAHC halts summer trips to Israel over safety concerns.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic - Agency

New York
n a move that some are criticiz-
ing as a blow to American
Jewish efforts to show solidarity
with Israel, the Reform move-
ment has canceled all its teen pro-
grams to Israel this summer.
The Union of American Hebrew
Congregations' decision was
announced Saturday night, a day
after a suicide bomber I , 'lied 20
young Israelis outside a Tel Aviv
nightclub.
While the bombing was a factor,
the decision stemmed from various
security fears and followed weeks of
what the group described as "painful
soul-searching."
In a speech to his board of trustees,
the UAHC's president, Rabbi Eric
Yoffie, said the movement's "religious
and Zionist commitments run deep,
but this movement never uses other
people's children to make a political
or ideological point."
The UAHC — which sent 1,500
high school students to Israel last
summer — is the largest group to
cancel teen trips to Israel so far and
many expect its decision will influ-
ence other groups and individuals
that were uncertain whether or not to
go to Israel.
It also puts other prop,-ams that are
continuing with their trips on the
defensive from worried parents.
The UAHC's decision comes amid
massive declines in tourism and teen
trip registration since the outbreak of
Palestinian violence last fall.
The UAHC's enrollment for this
year was only 20 percent of last
year's. In addition, numerous com-
munity-based trips to Israel have been
canceled in recent months.
However, so far no other major,
national Jewish programs have fol-
lowed the group.
The steering committee of
Birthright Israel, which offers free 10-
day trips to young Jews, met Sunday
and decided to continue its trips —
although one provider, Hillel: The
Foundation for Jewish Campus Life,

6/8
2001

22

tentatively postponed until next week
participation of approximately 120
New York-area students who had
been scheduled to depart early this
week.
The United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism voted unani-
mously Sunday to continue its youth
trips to Israel. Also, Young Judaea, a
Zionist youth group under the aus-
pices of Hadassah, and the Orthodox
Union's National Conference of
Synagogue Youth said they will con-
tinue their programs.

Individual Decision

"We believe that it's important to
offer the option," said Rabbi Jerome
Epstein, executive vice president of
the United Synagogue. His group's
United Synagogue Youth expects to
send 350 teens to Israel this summer,
down from last year's 600.
While parents "have the right to
make the decision not to send their
children," said Rabbi Epstein, "a
number of our constituents have said
they believe it's still appropriate to go
and have confidence in Israelis being
able to provide for the security."
Rabbi Dovid Kaminetsky, national
director of the Orthodox Union's
National Conference of Synagogue
Youth, echoed Rabbi Epstein.
"I understand why any individual
would drop out, but I believe as an
organization it's important for us to
stay with our plans.
"There are families who feel there's
a message implied or given to"
youngsters by saying "we're behind
Israel and want you to go because
canceling is giving in," he said.
NCSY sent 625 teens to Israel last
year, and has approximately one-
third that number registered for this
summer. However, most participants
have not yet paid, so may still cancel,
Rabbi Kaminetsky said.
Although reluctant to directly criti-
cize the UAHC, leaders of other
groups appeared to bristle somewhat
at the implication that their decision
to continue was politically motivated.
- "We feel we can provide a quality
educational experience and do it