Can we heal Israel's divisions by bringing high schoolers to Jerusalem?

Despite being Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem is almost foreign to many of the country’s residents. According to varying statistics, anywhere from 50-80% of Israelis prior to their army service have not visited the holy city. It is remarkable for many reasons – never mind the fact that the government sits in the city.

Particularly in light of growing tensions in the country, innovative solutions are needed to help bridge the gap between the traditional religious and secular sectors. One idea that comes to mind is mandating a trip to Jerusalem for all high school students.

This is not such an unusual suggestion, as many high schoolers in the country currently spend a day or overnight in the capital city – visiting its many archaeological and modern sites such as the Old City and Western Wall and the Knesset.

The advantages of bringing students are clear. First, it allows for an opportunity to educate students about their Jewish roots, the State of Israel, and Jerusalem in particular. Additionally, it is a chance to educate them about the various government departments and civic organizations.

Most importantly, it can instill a sense of belonging to a greater cause and identity – something that can fall by the wayside in today’s world.

These types of trips are common outside of Israel. In the US, practically every high school in New York takes a day trip to New York City. Moreover, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area surrounding America’s capital, trips to Washington are commonplace. And this makes sense. In both New York and Washington, bringing students to the “center of it all” allows students to see firsthand a cause greater than themselves that has lasted for hundreds of years – and in the case of Israel, thousands.

Echoing this sentiment, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum told In Jerusalem that “It seems incredible that there are children growing up in this country who go to the army, and the first time they come to Jerusalem is during their service.” This, of course, is in reference to the army induction service which takes place at the Western Wall for many soldiers. Apart from this, Israelis may only come to Jerusalem a handful of times during their lives.

This is evidenced by the disparity between the hi-tech scenes of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Despite its being only an hour’s drive or a half-hour train ride, Tel Avivians dread the trip to their capital. Many investors almost seemed dumbfounded by the fact that Jerusalem could have a thriving tech scene, even though Time Magazine named it one of the top five fasting-growing ecosystems in the world.

The idea of Jerusalem as a city that is nothing more than a relic of the past is one that accompanied the Zionist ethos of the “new Jew.” In this mindset, the ways of yore were to be set aside for a newer world. Going around Tel Aviv, this much is evident – it looks almost nothing like the Israel of the past and more like a modern Western city.

SECULAR ISRAELIS living in Tel Aviv, who preferred not to be named, spoke about a hesitancy to travel to Jerusalem. One said, “Personally, I don’t see a reason to go there. Of course, if I had something work related I would go, but all my family and friends are in the center.” When asked about the historical significance of the city and whether he believed that trips should be compulsory, he responded that he understands the importance of the city and has no problem with such trips for high schoolers.

One question to which those asked did not have a good answer was whether secular Israelis have a subconscious fear of going to Jerusalem. Whether it be for religious or spiritual reasons, it is a fairly common assumption that they are almost afraid to come. True or not, it is an interesting topic.

Roye, from the north of Israel, came to Jerusalem on five separate occasions with school. His was one of the many schools that offer these voluntary trips. Roye spoke proudly of the experience and how he believes it is very important to go there as a child, even though he is no longer often able to do so: “Jerusalem is the source of the Jewish people, so we need to come… I work so much today and barely have time to even see friends, so I cannot go to Jerusalem for fun. Without the experience in school, I am not sure if I would have gone – I never went there with my family.”

OUTSIDE OF the Western Wall, there are a number of activities in and around the city that which be beneficial for students. These include the Israel Museum – Israel’s largest and foremost cultural institution, and one of the world’s leading encyclopaedic museums; the government complex – to see how the country functions from a bureaucratic perspective; the Mahaneh Yehuda outdoor market – to see a wide range of cultures and foods in one place; Malha Technology Park, where students can interact with the country’s largest hi-tech companies; Hebrew University, an institution where some of the world’s brightest minds study and where some of the Jewish people’s most extensive literary works sit; and Yad Vashem, a somber reminder of why living in and maintaining the State of Israel is so critical to the future of our people.

Eitan, who came to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv for the first time in 12 years, couldn’t believe how much the city had changed. “My recollection of the city was little, and honestly I viewed it as just a museum city. I couldn’t believe over the past few days the food, culture and vibrancy that exists. I can’t say for sure when I will be back, but it is not as foreign as it once was.”

His brother, Shimon, travels to Jerusalem for work and pleasure at least twice a month and loves the city. “I think it is crazy that people in Tel Aviv don’t come here. I love that when you walk the streets, you feel the weight of history on every cobblestone. I love that it is now such a vibrant mix of cultures and religions that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.”

From the perspective of those we spoke to who had moved to Israel from overseas, the sentiment is the same. They all feel the weight of history in all aspects of life here. From services on Shabbat to bars on a Thursday evening, one is surrounded by culture and history. And they are proud of the fact that they live and learn in one of the most ancient cities in the world, which has also grown into a tech and innovation hub – a remarkable feat.

SUCH A proposal, i.e., a compulsory trip to Jerusalem for all high school students, would likely have to come from Education Minister Yoav Kisch. Requests to his office were not met with a response, however.

There are concerns surrounding a trip of this nature too. As reported earlier this week in The Jerusalem Post, the Education Ministry instituted new regulations requiring all non-compulsory student trips to be accompanied by armed security. The new regulations state that there must be one guard for every 50 students. Moreover, the trip has to be coordinated with the ministry.

This is in response to an uptick in terror attacks in and around Jerusalem amid heightened tensions in the West Bank. Such attacks are not discriminatory and have resulted in young children and the elderly being killed by terrorists.

Tomer Ovadia, head of security for educational institutions in the police force, wrote in the guidelines: “In assessing the situation, it was decided to increase the level of security in the city of Jerusalem so that every trip and activity outside of school will be secured by a security guard with a ratio of one to 50. The rest of the country will operate in accordance with the usual travel security procedure.”

The measures are in place until Independence Day at the end of April, at which point they will be reviewed. As reported, many teachers were disappointed by the new initiative, pointing to the bureaucracy and additional cost that will accompany any planned trips.

One teacher expressed frustration, saying, “An activity that was supposed to be free will now costs almost NIS 10,000, and that’s even before we talked about the inability of the security companies to respond to us with such amounts. I estimate that there are other schools that are in this situation, so you can understand the extent of the chaos. I’ve been a teacher for 20 years, and I’ve never needed security in Jerusalem or to coordinate trips.”

Nevertheless, it is clear that it is important to bring students to Jerusalem to learn about their history. As Hassan-Nahoum said, “Every Jew in the world should be connected to Jerusalem, especially the ones growing up in our country. It is the epicenter of our people.” ❖

Where should the kids visit  – and why?

Western Wall

• History, identity. It’s said that the world began atop the Temple Mount, so it’s certainly an important site to see.

The Israel Museum

• The Israel Museum is the country’s foremost space for culture, art and history. There are rarities there, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Government complex

• All the government offices, except the Defense Ministry, sit near the northwestern entrance to the city. Learning about how the country functions is essential for leading children toward a life of service.

Shuk Mahaneh Yehuda

• The shuk is said to be frequented by Jews from 130 countries on any given Friday afternoon. The food that is sold there gives light to the journeys of the Jewish people throughout exile.

Malha Technology Park

• Situated near Teddy Stadium, the Malha Technology Park is where some of Israel’s largest companies are located, as well as the Israel Innovation Authority. Students can learn about what drives the Start-Up Nation.

Hebrew University

• The nation’s first university was commemorated by greats such as Albert Einstein and the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Some of the world’s brightest minds study there.

Yad Vashem

• Yad Vashem is a must-see for anyone visiting the Holy Land. Students can see the tragedy that occurred to the Jewish people and how important it is to preserve our past, for the present and the future.