In search of faith: students travel the world
By: Scott Fabricant
Posted: 3/2/07
Sometimes, people just want to connect with their faith. Travel can be a great way to experience religion in a new way. Some may be performing a pilgrimage, others spreading their faith or doing charitable works and others just want to have a good time with like-minded people.
Group travel is often the best answer for college students. Pay a flat fee (or no fee, even better) and the trip organizers take care of the food, hotels and everything else so individuals can spend time seeking fulfillment with other students.
Perhaps the best-known religious trip on campus is Birthright Israel. Also called Taglit, the trip provides free 10 day trips to Israel for Jewish college students. While there are many trip organizers, Washington University has two trip options - Mayanot, the Chabad organized Birthright Israel, and Hillel Birthright Israel.
Sophomore Lee Cordova went to Israel last winter break through Mayanot.
"There's a lot of benefits to going with a tour group. There's so much history and a wealth of information; it's hard to absorb it all on your own unless you're really driven," said Cordova. "For me, being a complete outsider, even though I've had background in Israeli history, I could've planned my own trip but it wouldn't be nearly as rewarding as the one handed to us."
Most Birthright Israel trips travel the length of Israel from north to south, stopping at most of the well known and some lesser known sites among the way. But for Cordova, one particular moment stands out.
"We had a lot of great experiences. One that comes to mind was Friday night [in Jerusalem] when we went to the Western Wall during a torrential rainstorm and we were basically running there totally drenched, yet we had the sense everyone was doing the same. The city was shutting down; everyone was going home or to the wall and many people were there, all praying and getting together with lots of energy, spirit and fervor, despite the downpour. It was very memorable," said Cordova.
One of the University's trip leaders is Chana Novack, who also works at Chabad. She will be leading her fourth trip this summer and loves it every time.
"After leading my first trip in summer 2005, I fell in love with the program and knew it had tremendous potential to become a pivotal experience in the Jewish life of young people," said Novack. "It's the most fun 10 days of my year. [Israel] is a great place; any excuse to go and I'm there."
Different trip organizers have different themes, and can be religious or secular.
"Birthright isn't a religious experience, it's a Jewish experience," said Novack. "It's a great combination of historical, modern, natural, social, religious and educational opportunities. There is something for everyone."
Some people may feel that because Birthright Israel is free, it's only being taken advantage of by people who want a free trip and don't care about Judaism, but Novack and Cordova disagree.
"Yes, it's a free trip. But why do you go to Israel if not to deepen your appreciation of the history of the state and the people, and deepen your faith? At least for me, there were a lot of very valid reasons to go to Israel, and I think everyone can find a reason besides just the fact that it's free," said Cordova.
"Perhaps [people] feel that way before they get there, but it's impossible to be in the land of Israel and not feel the energy," said Novack.
While it's likely the most popular, Birthright Israel is not the only organized trip to Israel. Many Jewish youth groups organize trips, ranging in length from a week to a year. Most of these are coordinated through the Jewish Agency for Israel.
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The unifying theme of all these religious trips is personal growth and enjoyment. For everyone who's got some free time and a desire to get closer to their faith, perhaps a religious trip is something worth considering.
"It's easy to go day-to-day in life doing the same thing all day, but having a religious experience, and having it be so intense, it's bound to make people reconsider and get a deeper appreciation of faith," said Cordova.