Local teen trip to Israel is slated—with extra precautions

Despite terrorist attacks that have killed at least 37 Israeli civilians since Dec 1, the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay is proceeding with plans to take teens to Israel from June 26 to July 24.

But after similar violence propelled leaders of Bay Area federations, as well as the national Reform movement, to cancel teen trips to Israel last summer, the question must be asked: With the Mideast situation changing almost daily, isn't the decision a little premature?

Not at all, Ami Nahshon countered. "It's a little right on time."

The executive vice president of the East Bay federation explained, "This is the time of year when our community is used to hearing from the federation about its summer plans."

The S.F. based-Bureau of Jewish Education has traditionally offered its own community trip to teens from the Peninsula, North Bay and San Francisco. But next summer, the bureau is merging its trip with the East Bay's.

And the Koret Foundation, which in past summers has subsidized teens on one of two former East Bay-organized trips, will not do so this summer because it duplicated other trips.

The BJE was considering offering a domestic trip as well, for those families who did not feel safe sending their children to Israel. But after polling some families, there was insufficient interest for such a trip.

"Assuming there might be fewer kids going this summer than there were when things were far more peaceful, at least there will be a community-based program," said Robert Sherman, executive director of the BJE. "And the kids who do go will be with other kids from the Bay Area."

At peak periods last year, the BJE had signed up 156 teens for the trip, and the East Bay had 125. But the numbers were dropping as the violence continued.

According to Nahshon, discussions about the 2002 trip began a few months ago. "We were planning and contemplating how we deal with the issue," he said.

Last summer the federation felt compelled to cancel a few weeks before departure time, after a suicide bomber blew up a disco in downtown Tel Aviv. Even so, "we were very clear that we're going to do everything in our power to get back on track in 2002, and that we would make a decision as early in the year as we could," said Nahshon.

Then Sept. 11 happened.

"In a sense we went back to square one, and re-evaluated the situation," he said. After consulting with everyone from federation board members to rabbis to parents, "We made the decision that barring circumstances that would lead us to believe that travel was not safe, we would go forward with 2002 plans."

Nahshon described the atmosphere in Israel as "far from perfect." Nonetheless, he believes the federation can offer a safe trip for teens -- even though the violence that was largely confined to the West Bank and Gaza has now spilled over into Israel proper. The groups plan to avoid crowded areas that have been traditional terrorist targets, such as shopping malls and markets.

The teen trips have long used Jerusalem as their base and that, too, will change, to a more isolated location.

The base "is in a comfortable, beautiful setting that allows us to be insulated from major urban areas," said Nahshon. "We will absolutely go to Jerusalem and go to Tel Aviv, and take day trips and enjoy 95 percent of all the wonderful sites and venues we always have."

Also new this year is a weeklong period focusing on a specific activity that the teens can choose according to their own interests.

While it is too early to guess how parents will feel about sending their kids this summer, the federation is hoping for an especially large number of participants since teens who didn't go last summer will now get their chance.

"We believe that we can offer a full and rich experience that is safe and secure, that parents can be comfortable with, and kids can fall in love with," said Nahshon.

He wants to send a group of lay leaders from the East Bay on a mission in the spring, to come back and report to the community on the sites scheduled for the trip.

Obviously, in the volatile Middle East, things could change. The federation's decision, for example, was made before the terrorist attacks of the last few weeks.

But for now, the trip is on.

"As committed as we are to Israel experiences, we will never do anything to put our youngsters at risk," said Nahshon.

"If anything changes between now and June 26 that makes us believe we cannot safely carry out our program, then we won't do it. While we have an excellent chance of going forward this year, we are also realistic and know that some factors that go into this decision are not in our control. We will proceed and continue to monitor and talk to parents during course of the year."