Despite the current military action in the Middle East, plans for a mid-June trip to Israel led by Rabbi Diamond of the Center for Jewish Life are still on.
"We won't go until the middle of June, but if it is like this we won't go," Diamond said. "The trip is two and a half months from now. It could be a completely different world by then."
He plans to lead a ten-day free tour sponsored by Mayanot, which is one of the largest Birthright Israel programs. The trip, which includes swimming in the Dead Sea, visiting Masada and touring Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is available to Jewish adults ages 18 through 26 who have never traveled on a peer or educational tour to Israel, according to the organization's website.
"The goal of our exciting tours is to inspire in our participants a stronger connection to the Jewish people, Jewish life and to the Jewish State of Israel while having a great time," the website states.
The program sponsors trips in January and during the summer of each year. Trips beginning in New York, Miami, Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles are planned for this year.
This will be the third trip planned by the CJL and Diamond's second tour as leader.
"If I were eligible (one can only go on a single Birthright trip), I would sign up for the summer 2003 trip in a heartbeat," Jeff Vinikoor '03 who participated in the 2000 Birthright tour, said in an email.
Possible security issues did not dissuade Vinikoor, who is thinking of traveling to Israel with another program.
"To not travel to Israel because of the war or because of the few Palestinian murderers who have strapped bombs onto themselves in the past is to let all those who despise peace and democracy win," he said. "I refuse to do that."
Safety is one of the key areas addressed on Mayanot's website.
"The safety and security of our participants is Mayanot and Birthright Israel's number one priority. Birthright Israel and Mayanot would never take on this endeavor if we felt we were unable to adequately provide an absolutely safe and secure trip," it reads.
Diamond also seemed confident about the trip's security measures. "We don't fool around on these trips," he said. "They are done in consultation with Israeli officials."
Inquiries about the CJL's June trip remain high, he said.
Tourism is a very important part of the Israeli economy. "Because of this, they work exceptionally hard to inform trip leaders of IDF intelligence findings and protect all trip participants," Vinikoor said.
"The Israeli government is very interested in bringing young Americans to Israel, not only so that they can have a unique religious experience, but also so that they can see firsthand what they hear about on the news each day," he said.
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