Opportunities to witness the political issue between Israel and Palestine first-hand are a rare occurrence for students, but last summer, a group of students from around the country ventured to Israel as part of J Street U and documented their journey.
After the trip, the students created a documentary titled J Street U’s Engage with Israel: Peace, Democracy and Social Justice.
J Street U at Ohio University, a group dedicated to promoting peace and a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine, will show the documentary Wednesday during Students in Israel, A Different Approach.
“The documentary is a neat story about these students who went to Israel, but not on a traditional trip like most colleges offer,” said Eric Rudel, co-founder of OU’s J Street U chapter and a junior studying political science and pre-law. “The students got to see some of the separation in Israel and the human rights injustices that play a major role in the politics of the country. Other trips show the touristy side to Israel, but this was made about their experiences.”
Although the J Street U group that traveled to Israel did not include OU students, a group of eight OU students traveled to Tel Aviv last summer and met with the J Street U group to tour the city of Jaffa and to learn more about the political differences plaguing the area.
“The J Street U students were trying to get a comprehensive understanding about the politics in Israel,” said Alana Dakin, a senior studying English who met with the J Street U students. “A lot of times, students are only shown the positives, and they don’t necessarily see the conflict.”
Mary Brett Koplen, co-founder of OU’s J Street U chapter and a senior studying English, said she hopes that students will comprehend the importance of understanding what the political conflict in Israel is all about.
“We want students to take away that it is important to be aware of the political issues in Israel and also understand what the U.S. relationship with Israel is,” Koplen said. “We want them to understand that it is OK to struggle with the decisions the Israeli government makes but still have a positive relationship with Israel.”
Rudel said that an important focus should be focusing on the issues objectively rather than picking a side.
“This documentary will offer a greater understanding of things that go on in a very sensitive area in the world,” he said. “We have to look at it as an international and global issue. Some people think it is an unfixable issue due to religious and national differences, but we can make a difference if we learn about it first.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
IYGB:
What: Students in Israel, a Different Approach
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Bentley Hall 110
Admission: Free
