All posts by jitli
Jitli, where to start? Jitli has been one craziest thing I have ever been a part of. I did things many people would think as a grewat experience or simply wild. Before going on the trip I expected to have similarities in culture with people I was going to meet because my parents are from the Iran. When I got…
Peace comes to the Holy Land – 40 Arabs and Jews at a time. Since 2000, a foundation led by Qualcomm heirs Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs has brought together 10 San Diego high schoolers, all Jews; 10 Israeli Jews; and 20 Israeli Arabs for tours of Israel. Together, they visit sacred sites like the Western Wall and the Temple Mount.…
What do Jewish American teens from San Diego, Israelis from kibbutzim near Gaza and Bedouins from the Negev have in common? Quite a lot, it turns out. Teenagers have many ways to spend their summer these days. They can go to the mall. Or go bowling. Few choose to delve into the complex and often emotional histories of their national…
Jitli. What is Jitli? Jitli stands for Jacobs International Teen Leadership Institute. It is a summer program where there are 10 participants from Lakiya, 10 from Segev Shalom, 10 from Shar ha Negev, and 10 from San Diego. We start off and we begin as strangers but quickly transform into brothers and sisters. For me Jitli was much more than…
When I was originally accepted into the JITLI program I was overwhelmed with the daunting task of spending three weeks in a country with thirty absolute strangers. But as the meetings progressed and I saw how fast ten strangers could turn into the “San Diego family” I realized that it was possible to develop friendships, but would it be possible…
A word about peace, people and life. Who are we? And where do we come from? Does our past define our future? Or is the future that defines our present? Do goals guide our life? Or is history that guides our goals? Why? Why? Why? These are hard questions; they are questions of doubt of curiosity. A funny thing about…
It was my first time in Israel and I didn’t know what to expect. After a whole day of travelling I landed in the airport feeling fatigued but excited. Our group made it through customs and we were greeted by a mob of yelling people holding balloons and waving signs, 30 people of different race, religion, and cultural backgrounds in…
Where to begin? JITLI has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was certainly the most unique and unexpected. Leading up to JITLI, I didn’t know what to expect. One of my biggest obstacles in life is meeting and befriending new people. I knew that I not only would meet new people, but that I would…