Yad B’Yad: Touring Israel with a special group made for a special summer

The Yad B’Yad group in Israel. /RIVI WEISMAN

Riding camels in the hot, dry desert. Snorkeling in the Red Sea in Eilat. Walking through the narrow, winding streets of the Old City of Jerusalem. These are just a few of the fun and inspiring activities I did this past summer in Israel. But this was not just a vacation to Israel; this was an amazing program called Yad B’Yad (hand in hand).

The trip was arranged by Yachad, a part of the Orthodox Union that promotes inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in the broader Jewish community. Because of   Yachad, no one is left out and everyone is included.

This past summer, before my senior year in high school, I really wanted to tour Israel with a group, but I wasn’t sure which group. There are so many different types of Israel programs for teens to choose from.

I heard about Yad B’Yad while I was on a National Conference for Synagogue Youth Shabbaton, or Sabbath weekend, earlier this year.

A friend told me how she not only had an amazing summer on the Yad B’Yad trip, but also about how meaningful it was to her. She said the trip combines high school juniors and seniors with individuals who have disabilities. After hearing about the trip, I knew I had found my group – it sounded like such a special program!

The program began with an orientation for the high school students in upstate New York. We got to meet each other, do some incredibly fun activities, and, most importantly, receive special training to connect with the teens and young adults with special needs who would be joining us on the tour. We learned about what inclusion really is: making room for others to join and making each individual feel comfortable and welcome.

We did some exercises to make sure that inclusion really worked. One example is that at Shabbat meals, we each got a different colored piece of paper. We each had to find the matching table color and sit there. This ensured that you didn’t just sit where you were most comfortable, but spent time with people who might be different from you.    

Touring with this group was really the experience of a lifetime. Together with Israeli and American staff, we traveled the entire country, from the Syria and Lebanon borders all the way down to Eilat. We got a chance to see how people live in different parts of the country.

Our first Shabbat together in Israel was one of the most meaningful Shabbat experiences of my life.

We walked to a kibbutz and saw how people there live. We traveled through the desert and stayed in a Bedouin hospitality tent in Kvar Nakdim (it was really interesting how the Bedouins live without things that we are so used to, like furniture, plates, and silverware!). We visited several Israel Defense Forces military bases, where we were given the privilege of meeting new soldiers and expressing our gratitude to them. We even got to do a training exercise where we actually got down on our bellies and crawled through the mud while pretending we were carrying a gun at our side.  

Some other interesting people we were privileged to meet were blind employees at a factory in Ramat Gan, and, at an absorption center, adorable Ethiopian children who made aliyah in just the past year or two.

We also visited the Stam Center in Safed, where we met a scribe and learned a great deal about the Hebrew letters.

Another really interesting experience was touring the Golan Chocolate Factory and having fun making our own chocolate concoctions.

At the Red Sea, we participated in really cool water sports. We even took out a party boat, where all of us danced and sang until we lost our voices.

We explored Tel Aviv, Caesaria, the Dead Sea and Massada. In Jerusalem, we went to the Kotel several times, toured the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem, visited Mount Herzl, and explored the famous Biblical Zoo. And there was a lot more – we toured and did activities from early each morning until late each night.

The Yad B’Yad summer program has taught me so many things, including leadership traits. I learned that a leader is someone who steps up and takes control without pressuring anyone. And a leader is someone who makes mistakes and learns from them.

We learned that it’s important to act with confidence, remain calm and always stay positive.

Getting out of your comfort zone is an excellent way to learn. Now, if I see someone sitting alone, I go over to them and keep them company.

The trip also taught us the importance of inclusion and to always make everyone feel like they are part of the group. Yad B’Yad also taught us about patience - a trait that will get you far in life.

Finally, Yad B’Yad has taught me that no matter where you are, or what you are doing, you can always bring positive energy – like we did together in Israel. Then, you can make a real difference.   

Many thanks to the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island for awarding me scholarships so I could be part of this amazing experience!

For more information about Yad B’yad and Yachad programs, go to www.njcd.org +yby2

RIVI WEISMAN lives in Providence and is a senior at the Goldie Margolin High School for Girls, in Memphis, Tenn.