The United Synagogue

See Israel With US

PRESS COVERAGE

London, 18th March, 2011

SEE ISRAEL WITH US

This year marks the launch of an Israel Summer Tour programme by Tribe, the United Synagogue’s youth arm. But with so many organisations already offering Israel Tours, you may wonder why the United Synagogue has decided to join in. How will the Tribe Tour be any different?

Jewish life is filled with milestones – birth ceremonies, bar or batmitzvah, gap year, engagement and marriage. And “going on Tour” has certainly become an important rite of passage for most people in the summer following GCSEs.

Tour exposes participants to the sights and sounds of Israel above those of typical tourist attractions, giving them a taste of “real-life” Israel, while at the same time bonding then with other young Jewish people.

The United Synagogue recognises the importance Tour holds holds in Jewish life, not to mention the role it plays in the development of one’s Jewish identity.

Since Tribe was set up nearly eight years ago, the organisation has grown to more than 13,000 members and has created a new generation of United Synagogue ambassadors, offering events and activities for all ages.

The US believes that members of Tribe who attend its Kids summer schemes and Teens residential summer camps up to age 15 should be given the opportunity to continue their Tribe summer experience.

By launching its own Israel Tour, it is enabling young Tribe members to be a part of the youth movement during their post-GCSE summer and before their return to the community as youth leaders and Tribe Campus members.

Rabbi Andrew Shaw, Executive Director of Tribe, explains: “The United Synagogue is by far the largest UK synagogal body, representing well over 75,000 people. We have a responsibility to provide a Tour for our members’ children just like the other communities. We believe we are best placed to deliver a quality Tour that will give the participants amazing social and cultural experiences, twinned with a powerful, inspirational Jewish experience.”

So that is the “why”, but what about the “how”? What features will distinguish Tribe Israel Tour from the rest?

Tribe’s option strives to offer “a balance of fun and exhilarating activities while ensuring that participants leave the country with a deeper connection and understanding of Israel through inspiring visits to the sites of historical and religious importance”, says David Collins, organiser of US programmes in Israel.

Activities will include visiting Masada and the Dead Sea, rafting down the River Jordan, snorkeling in the Red Sea and spending a Shabbat in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Tribe will also offer volunteering opportunities, thanks to its partnership with US Project Chesed, allowing Tour participants to give something back to Israeli society.

As Kitti Raymond, a Tribe member, explains, volunteering offers the chance to “meet people who are not as fortunate, and bring a smile to their faces and entertain them, even for a day”, making a positive and important impact on these peoples’ lives - and providing an unforgettable experience for participants.

However, the true selling point of this Tour, says the United Synagogue, is not the activities it offers.

Rather, what appeals about this Tour is the fact that “those affiliated to the Tribe youth arm can share all of these experiences with the friends they have developed over many years and within a nurturing and supportive environment, based around the United Synagogue’s key values of Living, Learning and Caring.”

-END-

Article Credit, Jewish Chronicle, www.thejc.com

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