Students from Skokie Jewish school headed to Israel to volunteer in farming sector

It was late September when students at the Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Skokie gathered to watch a documentary on the Yom Kippur War, which was fought 50 years earlier between Israel and a coalition of Arab states. As part of the presentation, the school’s dean, Rabbi Leonard Matanky, told the students how at the time — he was a sophomore at the school in 1973 — the senior class traveled to Israel to support the war effort.

Less than two weeks after the documentary screening, Israel was attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7. The students returned to school following that weekend with a question for Matanky: “When are we going?”

“The students are the ones who came to me and wanted to volunteer,” Matanky said. “We quickly started talking about what we could do.”

The result of that planning is an upcoming nearly month-long trip to Israel, in which about 70% of the senior class will travel to the country to help in the agricultural sector and other parts of the economy in desperate need of workers.

“What’s happening in Israel today is that between the 300,000 reservists who were called up and Arab workers who are not able to travel the way they were before, the country is very short-staffed in a lot of places,” Matanky said. “Agriculture is critical because of the growing season.”

The 40 senior class members on the trip will be living at the Kibbutz Kfar Etzion near Jerusalem from Dec. 17 to Jan. 11. Their schedule will include three days a week working in agriculture, a day helping with the children of evacuees or soldiers, and a day in food service.

“Going to a warm weather place this time of year is usually done to relax,” Matanky said. “This is to do farm work. This is manual labor. They are all giving up their vacations this year to serve a greater purpose.”

The response from both the parents and students to the idea of volunteering in Israel has been overwhelmingly positive, Matanky said.

“It wasn’t even a decision,” said Orah Katz, the mother of Adam Katz, a senior making the trip. “Once we got the initial email saying this was a possibility, we were on board.”

Adam Katz was one of the seniors who approached Rabbi Matanky about traveling to Israel.

“There’s a lot you can do here to fundraise and make a difference, but it’s not like going there and doing something that’s real,” he said. “Money is great, but it’s not going to pick vegetables.”

“I didn’t even think twice about it,” said Deva Zwelling, whose daughter Jordana will go on the trip.

“(Our kids) have grown up wanting to support Israel, whether it’s writing letters to soldiers or raising money for institutions. This is a defining moment in a teenager’s life,” said Josh Zwelling, Jordana’s father. “You get an opportunity to take everything you’ve learned about and talked about for so long into real action. She was for it from the beginning, and we were as well — I don’t think we debated it for a second.”

“(The senior class) all talked about how we’ve visited the country during the good times and about the amazing things going on there,” said Jordana Zwelling. “It’s so important to show up and be there for the times that are bad as well. We can’t just watch from afar.”

“I feel like it’s my duty to go and help,” said senior Ayelet Appel. “There are people my age who are serving in the army. The minimum I can do is go over and help with whatever people need.”

“Here, we kind of feel hopeless,” said Ayelet’s mother, Hamutal Appel. “We can do some things here, but it’s not enough. Having the opportunity to send a child to help will make a difference.”

Matanky said he believed that the Ida Crown Jewish Academy is the first high school in the United States to organize such a trip to Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks, although he expects more to follow suit in the months ahead.

“I think this is an opportunity for students to make a difference, and I expect other schools will be looking to help in any way they can,” he said.

While the students will be keeping a busy schedule in Israel, they aren’t neglecting their academic responsibilities. A dozen faculty will join the seniors for various parts of the trip, and students taking Advanced Placement classes will have time to keep up with their studies through online tutorials.

“We want the students to learn what it means to give of themselves, but at the same time, we don’t want to miss out on what’s important to them academically,” Matanky said. “We’ve also found access to a gym, so those on the boys’ and girls’ basketball team and the wrestling team can continue training while they’re over there.”

He also hopes that the trip will help the students establish a stronger connection to their faith and the Jewish community.

“They know they’re part of a community, and I’m hoping that this opportunity will give them one of the most important lessons we could ever teach them,” he said. “You are part of something bigger, and you have a responsibility to that thing. In this case, it’s the state of Israel.”

The war in Israel has also brought about a change in how many perceive the safety of Jews in this country.

“We’re seeing more acts of antisemitism now,” said Joseph Rothner, a senior going on the trip. “It has brought out the worst in people.”

“It’s sad to say, but I think that in some ways, (the students) are safer in Israel than in going to a college campus now,” said Josh Zwelling.

“We’ve definitely noticed the difference,” said Orah Katz. “We’ve had two Jewish flags ripped off of our car. You no longer necessarily feel safe as a Jewish person.”

Other parents told similar stories of feeling uncomfortable with anti-Israeli sentiments expressed to them in public.

“In Israel, you know what’s going on, you know where you stand,” said Seth Appel, Ayelet’s father.

“Here, you don’t know who your enemies are,” said Hamutal Appel. “You feel safer there because you know where to stay away. Here, it could be right in front of us, and you have no idea.”

While not questioning the decision to go, some students are understandably still concerned about traveling to a country at war.

“I’m a little nervous about going to a war zone, but I’m confident that the school isn’t going to put us in any dangerous situations, ” Jordana Zwelling said. “They’re going to do their best to keep us safe. I’m really excited to go.”

“I believe it’s going to be one of the highlights of their schooling years,” Matanky said. “It’s something that will stay with them forever.”