Write On For Israel (WOFI) is an intensive two-year program that trains a select group of 24 high school students each year to become advocates for Israel here in Cleveland and, later, on their college campuses. In year one, high school juniors study the history and conflicts of the Middle East with a focus on Israel’s diverse population and culture and its relationship with its neighbors. This is accomplished through seminars taught by local educators and guest speakers. WOFI-ites are also taught verbal and writing skills helpful in promoting advocacy. Read the rest of this entry »
Returning from Israel is an experience in itself. Everyone has questions: What did you do? Where did you go? Whom did you see? Is it really as good/bad/hot as everyone says?
These questions are just preludes; what everyone really wants to know is what you’ve learned. Anyone who’s been, as compared to anyone who hasn’t, is an “expert” – and the Write On For Israel trip was education-packed. The innumerable lectures, classes, discussions, interviews, and tours in our schedule covered as broad a range as possible in a ten-day trip.
But what did we really learn? Read the rest of this entry »
During our WOFI trip to Israel, I got into the habit of falling asleep on the bus almost instantaneously. Even during short, 20 minute bus rides, I would lean against the window, out cold.
One day, we were driving to the northern border. As usual, as soon as I hit the seat my eyes closed. A few hours later, I woke up to a loud voice on the microphone. Disoriented, I turned to the front of the bus to see a tall, aggressive-looking man, with hair similar to staff member Amnon Ophir—that is to say nonexistent. The man was Retired IDF General Kobe Meron, who had joined us to give his perspective on Israel’s neighbors to the North. Read the rest of this entry »
During Shabbat, Jerusalem is quiet. The shops are closed and the streets are almost empty of cars. Unfortunately, not everyone in the city is able to relax. Gilad Shalit’s family set up a tent in downtown Jerusalem as a reminder: Their son, Gilad, a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces, has been in captivity in Gaza for over five years. The tent was set up directly across the street from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home and was meant to be a constant reminder to the Prime Minister. Read the rest of this entry »
I never thought I would step foot in Sderot. From what I knew, it was dangerous, a place to be avoided when visiting Israel. For almost a decade, Sderot had been bombarded with rockets from Gaza, located only one mile away. So I was a tad bit nervous as we made our way to Sderot, though my nervousness was insignificant relative to my excitement and curiosity. Read the rest of this entry »
After Saturday night dinner in Jerusalem, a few of us toyed with the idea of singing zemirot (special Shabbat songs). Staff warned us that because we are a pluralistic group we aren’t all familiar with the same tunes. But we were up for the challenge. We formed a circle and began singing, but quickly struggled to find songs and tunes in common. In small groups, friends would start a song that the rest of us didn’t know, and it would quickly die out. Read the rest of this entry »
Write On For Israel is a unique two-year program. Initially, most participants view the first year and the trip to Israel as the most important components. After all, these parts constitute the majority of face-to-face time with our fearless leader Amnon Ophir, and it is when all the work is done; the second year, we thought, is just something attached to the first. Not so! Read the rest of this entry »
“Hello, my name is Adam Rosenberg, and I am a senior at Hudson High School. First, I would like to thank your office for co-sponsoring HR 1905. It is crucial for Congresswomen like Marcia Fudge to support sanctions on Iran and recognize the importance of a strong Israel-U.S. relationship.” Read the rest of this entry »
The holy land of Israel conjures visions of unity. Unity of communal care, loving your neighbor and protecting your fellow Jew. The sad reality is that Israel is a divided nation. As the expression goes, with five Jews and seven opinions, animosity for being a different type of Jew surges throughout Israel. Read the rest of this entry »
In Cleveland my family does not celebrate Shabbat other than the occasional lighting of candles. Before going on the WOFI trip to Israel, I was a little nervous about celebrating Shabbat—would I be the only one who is not super religious? However, Shabbat turned out to be one of the most exciting and enjoyable parts of the trip.
To kick-off Shabbat we went to the Kotel on Friday night. Seeing all the people praying and hearing all the men cheering and singing made me feel closer to my Jewish heritage than I had ever felt before. Read the rest of this entry »
Four hundred and three miles of concrete, fencing, and barbed wire thread through the West Bank with the main purpose of reducing terrorist activities. Since the creation of these barriers, people have debated whether or not they impinge on Palestinian territory and the trouble caused for those who must cross checkpoints on a daily basis. Read the rest of this entry »
