Lefty birthright Trip, Redux
You might’ve noticed Joseph’s post about The UPZ’s upcoming birthright trip has been removed. This was at The UPZ’s request. It caused something of a disturbance between them, Israel Experts (the trip provider), and birthright israel, so I’d just like to take this opportunity to clear things up:
Neither birthright, Israel Experts, nor The UPZ sanctioned that post. Joseph caught wind of the trip and promoted it all by his lonesome, the wording being his own and not language which any of those institutions chose nor would choose to describe the program and its intentions. Further, the post-birthright tours of East Jerusalem and the West Bank Joseph mentioned are not offered by birthright, Israel Experts, or the UPZ, but rather by Joseph himself, who regularly gives tours of those areas as a New Israel Fund fellow and volunteer with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. He should have been clearer in stating this fact.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused any of the parties involved. The official information about The UPZ’s upcoming trip follows, and we still invite anyone visiting Israel on a birthright trip, or otherwise, to contact Joseph if they’re interesting in learning more about the Jewish settlements and Palestinian communities surrounding Jerusalem, by e-mailing him at jberman {at} wesleyan(.)edu.
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IsraelExperts, a birthright israel tour provider, will be running a special birthright israel trip in collaboration with the Union of Progressive Zionists (UPZ) this summer (tentatively to depart late May).
The UPZ is a non-profit organization committed to providing a network of support and educational resources for college students who wish to bring a message of hope for peace between Israelis and Palestinians to their campuses.
This special birthright israel trip hopes to include meetings with Israeli and Palestinian representatives of the Geneva Initiative peace plan, tours of the Tel Aviv area and the Negev with an eye toward issues of equality in Israeli society, and meetings with members of the new kibbutz movement, who have founded communities throughout Israel dedicated to working for a more just Israeli society.
For eligility information click here.
Please note. This trip is contingent on those interested completing the registration process promptly.
Registration for this trip begins on Thursday, March 3 at 9AM EST, and is on a first come first served basis. To find out how to register, or if you have any questions contact registration {at} israelexperts(.)com or call 1-800-772-2452. The trip is a gift from birthright israel.
