Faith & Religion
Visiting diverse sites of faith in Israel allows students to consider the deep religious and spiritual history of the land and explore their own personal connection and the connection of others.
Hana Bendcowsky
Activity description:
Join Hana Bendcowsky on a tour of the christian communities and holy sites of the Old City of Jerusalem. Experience the long history and astonishing variety of Christian groups in Jerusalem, and contemplate the complex situation facing Christian minority groups living in Israel and the modern-day Middle East.
Hana Bendcowsky is the Director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations in the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue, coordinating and teaching various educational programs, producing educational materials, consulting, and doing advocacy work. She holds an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Hebrew University and has over a decade and a half of practical experience in interfaith activities in Israel and abroad.
Low
Jerusalem
The Achmadiyya Muslim Community
Activity description:
Visit the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Haifa, meet with the communitie’s General Secretary Muad Oudeh and learn about the beliefs, traditions, and history of the Ahmadiyya community in the Holy Land and worldwide.
The Ahmadiyya movement is a part of Islam founded in India that preaches enlightenment, peace, and love and has spread to 209 countries around the world. The Ahmadiyya community in Israel traces its roots back to 1928 and is located in the Kababir neighborhood of Haifa. Muad Oudeh, who provides tours of the Haifa community, has been the General Secretary of the Ahmadiayya Muslim Community in the Holy Land since 2005. He is involved in interfaith conferences and gatherings to promote understanding and cooperation between religious groups locally and worldwide and is the President of the Israeli branch of CCR International (Center for Conflict Resolution). A graduate of the University of Winnipeg, Canada majoring in Conflict Resolution Studies and Psychology, and the International School for Leadership, based in Boston, Oudeh trains various groups on conflict resolution and mediation skills in order to reduce violence in society.
Low
Haifa / North
Encounters Outside the Box
Activity description:
Take a journey into the heart of the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) world and discover the values and lifestyle of this complex community. Enjoy traditional cuisine and browse the neighborhood shops with a local guide to get a taste of Haredi fashion, music, books, and culture.
Haredi Jews (sometimes referred to as ultra-Orthodox) are the most visibly identifiable subset of Jews. Representing about 13% of the population in Israel, they are characterized by their strict adherence to halakha (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to modern values and practices, and therefore tend to limit their contact with the outside world. Encounters Outside the Box is a social enterprise that promotes acquaintance, understanding, and cooperation with the ultra-orthodox society in Israel. It strives to reduce alienation and ignorance through direct interaction with this unique community.
Brother Olivier, Abu Gosh
Activity description:
Meet Brother Olivier, who has become a symbol of coexistence, for a heartwarming conversation with a man that has dedicated his life to bringing people together.
Brother Olivier has lived at the Benedictine monastery in the Arab village of Abu Ghosh for decades. Born to a secular French family in the suburbs of Paris, he adopted the Catholic faith and was sent to Israel as a young monk, becoming fascinated by the Jewish state after watching the movie “Exodus” as a child. He landed in Israel on July 10, 1977, the same date that the Exodus ship had arrived in Israel 30 years earlier. The Catholic monastery in Abu Ghosh is a peaceful oasis where half a dozen monks live and study. Every week they recite the entirety of Psalms in Hebrew in addition to their work in the monastery gardens. The order is dedicated to welcoming guests and hosts tourists, school groups, and even Israeli army units on its grounds daily. A fluent Hebrew speaker, Brother Oliver has dedicated his life to forging a relationship between Catholicism and the Jewish state. He repeatedly requested Israeli citizenship and was granted it by special order in 2005.
Medium
Abu Gosh / Jerusalem Area
The Tzfat Kabbalah Center
Activity description:
Stroll the quaint streets of Tzfat, explore the ancient alleys, and experience the mystical stories that made Tzfat a world center of Kabbalah. Unique day and night tours are given through the lens of the Kabbalah and its manifestation in Tzfat, and include visits to ancient synagogues, archeology, history, and fascinating stories from talented local guides as well as a visit to the Tzfat Kabbalah center and a movie about Tzfat and Kabbalah.
Kabbalah is a part of Jewish tradition that deals with the essence of God. Kabbalistic thought is often considered Jewish mysticism, and its practitioners strive to experience intimacy with the divine. The Tzfat Kabbalah Center, founded in 2007 by Rabbi Eyal Riess and his wife Natalie Riess, is a leading educational and spiritual center in Northern Israel. The Kabbalah Center aims to make Kabbalah more accessible to a wider audience, while still maintaining its authenticity. It hosts tens of thousands of students and visitors from the world over, annually, providing them with unique experiences and educational activities. Located in a beautiful, charming building in the old city of Tzfat, it operates a dynamic visitors’ center that combines art, media, experiential rooms, and a huge veranda showing off a magnificent panoramic view of the Galilee.
Other
North
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Avraham Infeld
Activity description:
With humor and a vivid life story, Avraham Infeld will explore the foundations of Israel as a Jewish state (or rather the state of the Jews?) and what makes it an irrevocable option for the Jewish people.
Avraham Infeld is one of the most unique and compelling teachers and leaders in the Jewish world today. He was the founder of the Melitz Centers for Jewish Zionist Education, which served as a forerunner of many creative initiatives in Jewish life. He also served as the President Emeritus of Hillel International, and the Founding International Director of Birthright Israel, where he led the planning process for what became one of the most successful and formative educational programs in the Jewish world. A graduate of the Hebrew University in Bible and Jewish History, and of Tel Aviv University’s Law School, he is the recipient of numerous awards including the Hebrew University’s prestigious Samuel Rothberg Prize for Jewish Education, honorary doctorates from Muhlenberg College and Hebrew Union College for his contribution to the field of education, and the 2021 Bonei Zion Prize for lifetime achievement.
Medium
Jerusalem / Tel Aviv