As flight and security limitations make the traditional Israeli summer travel experience increasingly challenging, Mosaic United—an initiative of Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism—is partnering with RootOne to launch a series of programs designed for youth from Israel and abroad in various European countries.
RootOne helps thousands of Jewish teens travel to Israel each summer—an experience made that much more difficult by the ongoing war —mandating the ministry’s new investment to allow for a European track.
The new partnership will invest $3 million, earmarked to support Israelis participating in the program, which a Mosaic United press release described as “an ambitious educational effort to ensure ongoing connection with Israel amidst increasingly uncertain and challenging times.”
Alana Ebin, division director of Mosaic United, said, “The war has only emphasized the need for greater connection between Israeli and Diaspora teens. Our research shows that face-to-face interactions, or mifgashim as we call them, are one of the most impactful experiences for creating connections. They inspire empathy, unity and a deepened sense of Jewish peoplehood.”
The organizers stressed that where conditions allow, the Israel-based options are continuing, and this new alternative is designed specifically for those foreign students for whom Israel travel isn’t an option due to the ongoing crisis.
The Israeli students were all selected after a significant application process, and they have all undergone extensive pre-program training focused on sharing the Israeli national and cultural history and current atmosphere—and in particular the country’s challenges at this time.
“With the current Israel travel constraints, we didn’t want to miss out on building bridges between these two groups,” Ebin said. “That’s why we’ve made sure that every alternative trip includes Israeli teens, making sure participants have the opportunity to discuss their unique realities, learn about each other’s lives, and build long-term friendships.”
The students will be divided into groups composed of both American and Israeli youth, with each group traveling to different European destinations including Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Spain and France. In each locale, the students will study issues related to local Jewish history, while building meaningful relationships designed to last long after completion of the program.
Avi Cohen Scali, director general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, said, “As a ministry, we view this as a critical opportunity to strengthen the spirit of solidarity with Israel. These programs serve to empower our younger generation with tools and knowledge to become advocates for Israel and combat the increasingly rampant antisemitism spreading around the world.”
He added, “We all look forward to the day, hopefully very soon, where conditions allow everyone to gather here in Israel. But we cannot ignore the reality that this remains deeply challenging and often impossible in the current climate. Our responsibility is to adjust in ways so that we can continue to pursue our mandate of forging meaningful and lasting partnerships on behalf of Israel and the global Jewish community.”