Mind The Gap: Gap Year Graduates Oppose Annexation
We, the over 210 undersigned graduates of Israeli gap year programs, mechinot, yeshivot, and midrashot, call upon our elected representatives and American Jewish leaders to unequivocally condemn illegal unilateral Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
If you’d like to sign, add your name here.
Though we came for a variety of reasons, we all decided that spending a year of our lives in Israel was an important step in strengthening our connection to the Jewish State. For many of us, the time we spent in Israel was the most formative year of our life. Across the country, we volunteered in local communities, learned Hebrew, and hiked with our Israeli peers. Our years’ abroad inspired us to take positions of leadership within our local Jewish communities. As American and Israeli Jews, we are concerned for the safety, security, and future of the state of Israel. As leaders of America’s Jewish youth, we see it as our obligation to object to the dangerous steps toward annexation being pursued by the current Israeli government.
On April 20th, 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and political rival Benny Gantz signed an agreement for a unity government that endorsed the process of unilateral annexation of large parts of the West Bank to begin July 1st. President Trump’s administration has given its support to this plan. As American and Israeli Jews who took gap years in Israel, we oppose this decision in the strongest possible terms.
During our gap years, we were inspired by the vision of Israel as a Jewish and Democratic state. However, we know that this can only be maintained through a mutually agreed-upon resolution between Israelis and Palestinians. Only when Palestinians’ human and political rights are secured, will Israel’s democratic and Jewish character be preserved. However, unilateral annexation seriously endangers the possibility for this peaceful solution. Palestinians annexed into Israel will be denied the rights of full citizenship, permanently entrenching over 50 years of second class status. The piecemeal cutting away of West Bank land will destroy its territorial continuity, making the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state impossible. In effect, Israel will be forced to decide whether it will be a Jewish, non-democratic state which denies political rights to millions of Palestinians or a democratic state which loses its Jewish character. That’s why a majority of Israeli Jews oppose this dangerous plan. For the sake of the irrevocable rights of Jewish and Palestinian self-determination, this plan must be condemned.
Furthermore, our time in Israel gave many of us a deep appreciation of the need for Israeli security. However, we know that in the long run, Israel’s security can only be truly secure through negotiation and cooperation with Palestinian and regional partners. Former Israeli military leaders have already pointed out that unilateral annexation will threaten regional security cooperation with Jordan, strengthen Hamas, and cost Israel billions of dollars annually. For the sake of our friends and families who would be directly affected by renewed violence, we condemn this dire threat to Israeli security.
Finally, as young Jews deeply invested in both Israel and America, we fear that unilateral annexation threatens to irreparably damage the relationship between these two allies. The cornerstone of the US-Israel relationship is American Jewry’s strong bipartisan support for Israel and most American Jews back a two-state solution. As leaders of America’s Jewish youth, we feel that it is especially important for us to emphasize our generation’s expectation that Israel live up to the commitment envisioned in its declaration of independence — to be a state “based on freedom, justice, and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel”. However, unilateral annexation is antithetical to these values and threatens to erode over seven decades of bipartisan support. If it is enacted, we know that much of American Jewry, and our generation especially will become disillusioned with Israel. Support for Israel cannot be sustained as a partisan issue. Without broad, bipartisan American-Jewish support, the Israeli-American relationship will never recover.
As young American Jews, who spent a formative year of our lives in Israel, we unequivocally condemn the threat of unilateral annexation. We know that this plan undermines the dream of Israel as a Jewish and Democratic state, threatens Palestinian human rights, and endangers Israeli security. If enacted, it will irreparably harm the strength of the US-Israel relationship. Therefore, we believe it is our obligation to oppose this plan. We demand that our elected officials and leaders of American Jewish organizations stand with us, and issue public statements condemning annexation.
Sincerely,
Zachary Harris, Mechinat Nachshon ‘18
Adam Shaham, Mechinat Rabin ‘18
Yonatan Shargian, Bina ‘17
Donna Shashoua, Aardvark ‘18
Zev Mishell, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘18
Alex Harris, Nativ ‘16
Leah Shwartz, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘15
Lior Ben-Zvi, Shnat Hachshara Hashomer Hatzair ‘15
Jonathan Horowitz, Young Judea ‘09
Lonny Moses, Workshop ‘06
Gabriella Grunfeld, Hevruta ‘20
Afik Zaarur, Mechinat Rabin ‘19
Shahar Hartman, Mechinat Rabin ‘19
Sam Hirschhorn, Yeshivat Orayta ‘18
Zack Hirchhorn, Yeshivat Orayta ‘18
Mattan Berner-Kadish, Mechinat Telem ‘15
Aaron Sher-Schiff, Hevruta ‘18
Seiji Shaw, Technion ‘18
Rachel Fishman, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘14
Aaron Kay, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘13
Hanna London, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘17
Hannah Chonkan-Urow, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘17
Elizabeth Kirshner, Nishmat ‘13
Meital Smith, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘17
Helen Landau, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘20
Anya Friedman-Hutter, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘13
Noam Jacobs, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘18
Nicholas Levy, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘13
Marina Levy, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘16
Tzivia Gross, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘16
Erica Kushner, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘16
Eli Katzman, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘15
Ariel Hasak-Lowy, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘17
Hannah Lieberman, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘12
Eliza Smith, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘18
Julia DeVarti, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘13
Ronnie Hecht, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘15
Freida Greenthal, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘16
Aviel Fradkine, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘19
Jonah Anderson, Nativ ‘15
Lonny Moses, Workshop ‘06
Hannah Faber, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘14
Zak Newbart, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘13
Naomi Goldman-Nagel, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘15
Sarah Pincus, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘16
Yona Benjamin, Yeshivat Maale Gilboa ‘16
Bekah Diamond-Bier, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘14
Jake Newbart, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘15
Jacob Ball, Career Israel ‘16
Tom Benamram, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘15
Eden Olsberg, Mechinat Telem ‘15
Ilan Cohen, Yeshivat Orayta ‘12
Jeremy David Voss, BBYO Beyond ‘16
Cameron Pearl BBYO Beyond ‘15
Noam Katz, Mechinat Nachson ‘18
Manuel Zimberoff, Aardvark ‘15
Noah Zimberoff, BBYO Beyond ‘15
Mandela Franciscono, Shnat Hachshara Hashomer Hatzair ‘17
Ben Marsh, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘09
Sarah Joyce, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘19
Joshua Rosen, Beyond 15
Avi Porath, Bina 2016–17
Adina Teibloom, Nativ ‘06
Miriam Lucking, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘18
Eve Lifson, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘09
Ze’ev Dvir, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘09
Nehama Dormont, Bina ‘19
Maddy Connelly, Shnat Hachshara Hashomer Hatzair ‘18
Lili Greenberg, Bina ‘20
Elior Waskow, Conservative Yeshiva ‘20
Yasmine Porath, Bina ‘20
Sarah Pomeranz, Aardvark ‘16
Talia Inbar, Bina ‘14
Naomi Heiman, Bina ‘16
Ariela Katzman-Jacobson, Bina ‘17
Mika Yaakoba-Zohar, Shnat Hachshara HaShomer HaTzair ‘15
Benzion Sanders, Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah ‘10
Jacob Portman, Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi ‘10
Helen Bennett, Nativ ‘06
Monica Blitzer, Young Judaea Year Course ‘06
Revital Bernstein, Shnat Hachshara HaShomer HaTzair ‘13
Molly Kulwin, Aardvark ‘12
Leah Weinstein, Mechinat BINA, ‘14’
Aliza Nussbaum Cohen, Hevruta ‘18
Jonathan Horowitz, Young Judea ‘09
Sophie Haeuber, Kivunim, ‘15
Charlotte Apter Kivinum ‘18
Max Deutsch, Reishit ‘17
Ben Markbreiter, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘17
Naomi Tamura, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘14
Katyann Harris, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘17
Paul Weissfellner, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘16
Nathan Young, Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi ‘11
Ari Farber, Bina ‘17
Moshe Gelberman, Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh ’14 and ‘15
Julie Ugoretz, Bina ‘14
Leah Miller, Nativ ‘20
Ellie Shiovitz, Aardvark ‘18
Shahar Sztainer, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘13
Aliza Lifshitz, Nishmat ‘16
Ilan Friedland, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘16
Natasha Marder, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘18
Yasaf Warshai, Habonim-Dror Workshop 61
Ellie Shiovitz, Kivunim ‘20
Elisheva Malomet, Kivunim ‘20
Samantha Allie, Aardvark ‘15
Elias Asher, Aardvark ‘16
Clara Epstein, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘18
Mike Schwartz, Young Judaea Year Course ‘05
Eliana Franks, Aardvark Israel ‘20
Rebecca Charlotte Perl, Nativ ‘16
Akiva Lichtenberg, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘11
Joshua Lewis, FZY ‘10
Eli Krule, Nativ ‘16
Aaron Portman, Yeshivat HaKotel, ‘12
Jacob Fortinsky, Hevruta ‘17
Marina Cemaj, Nativ ‘16
Jory Harris-Blumenthal, Nativ ‘16
Beckey Portman, Midreshet Harova ‘16
Daniel Kraft, Young Judaea Year Course ‘09
Jacqueline Shwartz, Nativ ‘16
David Schwartz, Nativ ‘82
Ascher Goodman, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘15
Rebecca Krevat, Midreshet Lindenbaum ‘09
Samantha Brody, Nativ ‘20
Cliel Shdaimah, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘15
Liana Berlin-Fischler, Aardvark ‘15
Amichai Feit, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘18
Ben Gelman, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘18
Henry Wolle, Hevruta ‘18
Sam Strickberger, Hevruta ‘18
Jenny Steinberg, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘16
Mathew Nelson, Nativ ‘14
Gabriel Klapholz, Hevruta ‘18
Avital Krifcher, Hevruta ‘18
Manny Weinstein, Aardvark ‘17
Dani Goodman Rabner, Hevruta ‘18
Toby King, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘14
Aaron Marans, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘12
Matan Skolnik, Nativ ‘12
Jake Kosowsky, Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa ‘18
Marah Birnbaum, Shnat Hachshara Hashomer Hatzair ‘17
Lily Sheldon, Bina ‘19
Josh Pitkoff, Yeshivat Maale Gilboa ‘12
Eve Strickberger, Hevruta ‘19
Racheli Cohen, Hevruta ‘19
Meira Chasman, Hevruta ‘19
Dina Kirshner, Hevruta ‘19
Iris Berman, Hevruta ‘19
Judah Ariel, Young Judaea Year Course ‘00
Shaina Wasserman, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘99
Nadav Raz, Aardvark ‘15
Matan Bilavsky, Aardvark ‘15
Miriam Michaels, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘11
Michael Guggenheim, Yeshivat Orayta ‘12
Beth Badik, Young Judaea Year Course ‘97
Talia BarNoy, Shnat Hachshara Hashomer Hatzair ‘18
Amy Brotslaw Schweiger, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘74
Elisheva Goldberg, Midgal Oz ‘07
Lilly Rivlin, Machon Le’Madrichi Chutz ‘55
Yael Dormont, Hashomer Hatzair Shnat Hachshara ‘16
Jenna Abrams, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘16
Jenna Weinberg, Young Judea Year Course ‘08
Ada Marcovitz, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘18
Liana Slomka, Hevruta ‘19
Hyatt Aronoff, Hevruta ‘19
Mordy Labaton, Eretz HaTzvi, ’10
Aviva Michaeli, Hevruta ‘18
Yael Marans, Hevruta ‘17
Madeline Nelkin, Hevruta ‘17
Sara Zebovitz, Habonim Dror Workshop ‘10
Jonathan Oppenheimer, Kivunim ‘16
Danny Moss, Kivunim ‘16
Adin Field, Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi ‘16
Anna Kalm, Nativ ‘15
Shira Michaeli, Midreshet Amudim ‘20
Lia BenYishay, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘13
Netanel Hutman, Yeshivat Maale Gilboa ‘18
Michaela Davenport, Young Judaea Year Course ‘16
Sophia Katz, Hevruta ‘17
Elisheva Goldberg, Masa Kibbutz Ulpan ‘18
Gabriella Cantor, Mechinat Beit Yisrael ‘18
Jonah Levitt, Bina ‘17
Lital Weizman, Bina ‘16
Clara Sandler, Midreshet Lindenbaum ‘20
Daniel Roth, HaShomer HaTzair Shnat Hachshara ‘00
Joshua Fishman, Yeshivat Birkat Moshe ‘15
Ariel Brickman, Young Judaea Year Course ‘09
Yaneev Hacohen, Mechinat Galil Elyon ‘18
Joe Lustig, Young Judaea Year Course ‘09
Shani Rosenbaum, Midreshet Lindenbaum ‘08
Benjamin Perlstein, Kivunim ‘09
Nina Price, Young Judaea Year Course ‘92
Ruth Becker, Young Judaea Year Course ‘92
Karen Goodman, Young Judaea Year Course ‘84
Hannah Greenwald, Young Judaea Year Course ‘13
Lonny Baskin, Young Judaea Year Course ‘76
Sharon Litwin, Young Judaea Year Course ‘93
Ari Weinstein, Young Judaea Year Course ‘93
Allison Brown Karabin, Young Judaea Year Course ‘92
Sivan Yair, Young Judaea Year Course ‘13
Marshall Green, Young Judaea Year Course ‘63
Kayla Lesch, Young Judaea Year Course ‘18
Barbara Pinkser, Young Judaea Year Course ‘75
Janice Isaac, Young Judaea Year Course ‘77
Avital Rachmilevitch, Habonim-Dror Workshop ‘96
Jacob Chatinover, Yeshivat HaTorah ‘08
Chelsea Garbell, Nativ ‘09
Hannah Pollack, Nativ ‘09
Elie Lauter, Kivunim ‘09
Arlen Weiner, Kivunim ‘09
Tamara Velasquez, Kivunim ‘10
Stephanie Blitzer, Young Judaea Year Course ‘14
Vicki Weinberg Singer, Project Otzma ‘92
