What is Perspectives Israel?

For Diaspora students studying in Israel, obtaining credible first-hand exposure on the Arab-Israeli conflict is a daunting and frustrating task. There are several opportunities to travel to East Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron to hear Palestinian perspectives on the conflict, but until now there has been no similar option on the Jewish side. Perspectives answers this need by offering an interactive 2-day trip that exposes its participants to a wide range of Jewish-Israeli perspectives on the Arab-Israeli conflict in a safe and non-judgmental setting.

In the course of the Perspectives experience participants will see and hear a variety of voices describe how the conflict touches upon their lives, how they want to manage or solve the conflict, and how they consider Jewish values and ethics within their own perspectives. They will interact and engage with peace activists in Sderot, former Gush Katif residents living in caravans in Nitzan, IDF veterans who founded Peace Now, Hesder Yeshiva students and many more.

Perspectives does not attempt to impart a specific message or agenda, rather it explores the human mosaic on the Jewish-Israeli side in a way that emphasizes the human dimensions and the stories of the people we meet. We believe that our participants, through exposure to a multitude of voices, will be better positioned to understand other views on the conflict while developing their own; allowing them to engage constructively with the nuances and complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict upon their return home.

The Perspectives pilot trip is set to run March 4-5, 2010.