Are you going to be in Israel this summer? Going on Birthright? Studying abroad for a semester? Have friends who will be in Israel or the Palestinian Territories?

Throughout the Talmud, the volumes of rabbinic interpretation written between the 2nd and 5th centuries, the rabbis invoke the refrain Ta Shema (“come and listen” or “come and learn”) when asking each other for deeper study. This summer, come and learn with J Street U as we explore Israel and the region with leading Israeli and Palestinian activists, scholars, politicians, security officials, and experts. Delve into the challenges and opportunities facing Israelis and Palestinians working on behalf of peace, democracy, social justice and a two-state solution. Hear from leading figures across the political spectrum. Deepen your understanding of the major issues around a resolution to the conflict. Learn what you can do to contribute to a secure and peaceful future for all those that live in the region.

Join J Street U for a series of day-long study tours and evening panels designed for American college students. Each study tour and panel focuses on some of the most urgent and critical issues impacting Israelis and Palestinians. Join us to engage with Israeli and Palestinian security, political, grassroots, and civil society leaders to offer new perspectives and challenges old ones.

All programs are from approximately 8:00am - 4:00pm on Fridays, or 8:30am - 6:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, start and end in Jerusalem, include all transportation and lunch, and cost 60 NIS ($15). Pick-up location is in central Jerusalem. If finances are a barrier, please email Aviv Celine, J Street U’s Israel Organizer, at aviv@jstreetu.org. Exact departure locations will be emailed to registrants. Due to space limitations on our bus, trips are capped. Priority is given to undergraduate students studying in American universities and colleges.

Register Below. Email Aviv Celine, J Street U’s Israel Organizer, at aviv@jstreetu.org with any questions. Find more info on Facebook here.

US-BASED STUDENTS: Please use this form instead if you have a US address.

The Separation Barrier: Security, Human Rights, and Shifting Borders

Join us to explore how the separation barrier has impacted Israeli and Palestinian society since its initial construction in 2002. Has the barrier positively impacted Israeli security? What are the human rights implications for residents of the West Bank? Meet with security officials, Palestinian community leaders, settlers, and activists as we explore this critical topic.

Register here

Dates: June 13

The South Hebron Hills: Communities on the Brink

Join us as we travel to the South Hebron Hills in the southern West Bank to meet with Palestinian residents who live under duress and face frequent challenges to their right to live in the area alongside settlements and significant Jewish archaeological sites. Hear stories of displacement and violence while also exploring the significant history of the area and meeting with settler leaders.

Register here

Dates: June 19

Jerusalem: Can the Capital be Shared?

Jerusalem is holy to three religions and a center for both Jewish and Palestinian society. How do events unfolding in Jerusalem affect the prospect of a two-state solution, and what can we do about it? How can Jerusalem be a home for all its residents? Join us to learn from those living and working in the city.

Register here

Dates: June 25, August 8

Palestinian Citizens of Israel: Unpacking Equal Rights and Equal Access

Join J Street U as we explore the issues of equal rights and equal access for Israel’s non-Jewish and Palestinian citizens. Meet with Arab Israeli political leaders, activists, lawyers, and community officials. How does the situation of Palestinian citizens of Israel relate to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the possibility of a two-state solution?

Register here

Dates: July 4 upcoming

Exploring the Divided City of Hebron

Join us as we travel to Hebron, a West Bank city holy to Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Hebron is one of the only places in the West Bank with an "urban" Jewish settlement organized in the heart of a largely Palestinian city. Join us to meet members of the Jewish settlement community as well as former Israeli soldiers who will, from different perspectives and experiences, lift up the history and contemporary events which have led to a city deeply and physically divided between Jews and Muslims.

Register here

Dates: July 10

Holy Beyond the Barrier: The City of Bethlehem

Join us as we travel to Bethlehem, a city revered for its significance to the Christian faith, is partially surrounded by the separation barrier and various settlements. Meet with grassroots Palestinian leaders, religious leaders, and delve into the relationship between Christians and Muslims within Palestinian society. See some of Christianity's most sacred sites as well as important geopolitical locations.

Register here

Dates: July 24

Meeting Palestinian Leadership: Visiting Ramallah and Qalandia

Join J Street U as we travel to Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinian Authority, to meet with leaders of the PLO. Unpack the challenges and opportunities facing the Palestinian governmental body. Stop at Qalandia to better understand the largest Israeli checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah with members of an Israeli NGO. Meet activists leading Palestinian non-violent efforts.

Register here

Dates: July 18, August 15