The night before the mission left, I emailed Rachel Chertkoff to
see if I needed a towel. She chuckled and said, “Sam the last thing you will
need to pack is a towel, this trip will be like nothing you have ever
experienced before.” The Young Leadership Israel Advocacy Mission to Israel
which is jointly hosted by United Israel Appeal, The Center for Israel and
Jewish Affairs, and the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, is the
culmination of a year-long program designed to engage the next
generation of young Jewish leaders with the Canadian political sector. Everyone, from our bus driver Avi, to our tour guide Avi
(are you detecting a trend?), to our Canadian Members of Parliament, brought with
them to our jam-packed Israel adventure their unique personalities and
perspectives.
The journey began in
Jerusalem. Our days were filled with scrumptious meals and captivating briefing
sessions from some of Israel’s most acclaimed speakers. We trekked through the
Western Wall Tunnels and received in-depth updates on the Middle East. Day two
began with a detailed review of Israeli politics followed by a visit to the Israeli
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The rest of the week continued in a similar
fashion, during which time our group had the opportunity to meet and hear from
key representatives in the Palestinian Authority and reporters covering the
current crisis. Other highlights included: wine tasting in the Golan, strategic
lookout points outlining the security situation in the surrounding towns and
countries, visiting Christian archeological sites, Masada, Yad Vashem, and test
driving cars at Better Place, the premier global provider of electric vehicles.
What separated this
mission from others was the opportunity it provided to spend all day conversing
with individuals who you would otherwise never imagine getting to spend more
than twenty minutes with. Having the opportunity to listen to – and learn from
– Members of Parliament and their spouses was fascinating to me. Seeing their
reactions at the Western Wall on Shabbat, or laughing as we all washed off the
mud in the Dead Sea were the moments when I stopped and recognized how much I truly
appreciated what I take for granted as a young Jewish adult living in the Diaspora.
We are offered so much; a free trip to Israel when we turn 18 and numerous
opportunities to return on subsidized missions while 95% of the population will
never even step foot in Israel. It was shocking to hear the parliamentarians
relate their personal experiences in politics to the day-to-day challenges faced
in Israel. This helped me to recognize that many of us share similar goals; we
all just have very different ways of achieving them.
My fondest memory is sitting
around the table with the MPs after dinner one night, sipping on Israeli wine,
and asking them personal questions and receiving the most brutally honest and
real answers. They acted and spoke in such a way that they became at once
mentors, professors and friends. Hearing how they juggle the work/life balance
and how they maintain cohesion amongst their constituents and ridings made me
realize the applicability of these political skills to life in general. This
mission left an incomparable impression in my heart and in my mind regarding the
Canadian political arena -- one that could never have been taught in the four
walls of a classroom.
What I also loved
about the trip were the friendships formed amongst my fellow young adult
leaders. We came from all walks of life – our backgrounds ranging from
pharmaceuticals to real-estate (and of course a few lawyers in the mix) – yet
we all seemed to have a distinct purpose for being on the trip. There was a
really nice balance between work and play, which allowed for us to dive into
deep conversations on topics such as policy, economic decline, Israeli
innovation, nuclear threat and peaceful negotiations. Similarly, the awareness
of these issues made me realize the pervasiveness of politics in all our lives,
which is something we all have to deal with. Life is a constant game, and the
more colleagues and friends you make, the easier your next move will be. Never
be ashamed to ask for help from those who came before you, because their wisdom
is the key to success for those following in their footsteps.
Aside from the
briefing sessions and tours, this mission is about the human connection. The networking
and one-on-one time is invaluable and this is the only trip in Canada that
opens doors for this kind of connection. Each stage of this trip was so thoughtfully
planned and executed that I pray it continues to run for the benefit of the
next generation of young adults and for the future of Canadian politics. It is crucial
for Canadian politicians to visit Israel because regardless of the number of
books and articles one can read, it is almost impossible to understand the nuanced
dynamics and love we have for our homeland without setting foot on Israeli
soil. I believe this trip truly allowed the participants to rethink their
ideologies towards Israel, ask challenging questions and speak up for what they
believed in.
Israel is a country
broken up into a billion puzzle pieces. However, with continued support and
investment from the Canadian and international Jewish communities, we sure as
hell can try and put the puzzle pieces back together. I still strongly believe
that despite the specter of the
current nuclear crisis and economic decline, there is hope for peaceful negotiations and for finding
a solution for this state we all call home. People say I hum to my own tune,
whether it be a bit of a different style or talk. This mission taught me to
never lose those qualities that separate me from blending in because if you
want to be an extraordinary leader then you need to be followed and there is no
better way to attract someone’s attention than by being a little unique.
