One individual can significantly impact the world. Recently this lesson was experienced by the tenth grade class at the Academy when they traveled to Washington D.C. for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) third Annual High School Summit devoted to exploring Israel advocacy best skills and practices. Attending the conference were 76 seniors, 94 juniors, 70 sophomores and 2 freshmen from 17 different states associated with Jewish day schools, synagogues and youth groups. The delegates pondered five essential questions over the course of the journey to the Nation’s capitol from November 11-13.

We pensively considered why partner as day schools and synagogues and not as individuals? The answer is because as full partners, we help our students navigate through the American political process and how Israel fits into the equation. We seriously asked ourselves what we hope to accomplish? We answered by inspiring the best and the brightest Jewish teens in the Nation to be empowered to lobby their representative on Capitol Hill. We asked ourselves why we were there as individuals? Each came away with a different meaning. The trip was about connecting the dots with what we as a class are doing in ninth and tenth grade at school. It was about allowing students the ability to discover the support system of the American political and legislative process. The summit was about engaging students in the work of the American Pro-Israel political movement today and the ability and practices it takes to make a compelling difference. Finally, we thought how involved in pro-Israel advocacy do we want to be after the summit has concluded? The class is now working on a proposal for AIPAC to plan an engaging program locally.

At the summit, the students gained the skills needed to be successful in the legislative process by emphasizing learning by doing the political process. There were many students on the trip who were very politically orientated and interested in politics. Every student attending met with a member or staff person on Capitol Hill and worked on building and strengthening their local community’s relationship with their elected official. We learned that lobbying once a year is an oxymoron. Lobbying is a conversation and is not something to do only once. Even though it does seem like a large accomplishment, the hundred of students dwarfs the size of the total population of nearly half a million Jewish day school students in America. By becoming policy makers themselves, students were able to think through the tough issues facing Israel today such as a nuclear Iran, the arms deal with the Saudis and the Annapolis Summit.

During the summit, students also had the opportunity to visit the Holocaust museum, take monuments by night tour, advocate for Israel on Capitol Hill with a legislative director for Congressmen Dennis Moore’s office, hear an amazing Idan Reichel Project Concert and see the White House. I was so inspired at the conference, I decided to write this original poem to sum up what the conference was about and the multitude of issues facing Israel today: Iran is trying to obtain nuclear arms Growing terrorists in their cities and on their farms Extremist ideology is way to the right The future of a nuclear Iran isn’t bright

The revolutionary guard despises Israel The threat they pose is for real We use sanctions as our way to the end We must continue to work together and mend. was so inspired at the conference, I decided to write this original poem to sum up what the conference was about and the multitude of issues facing Israel today:

In Annapolis we’ll meet to discuss peace Hopefully the meeting will be cozy as a warm fleece We can agree to disagree Live together in democracy and be free

The Saudis want our best gun They want to use it to have a little fun But we want to make sure they don’t use them against us Supporting our allies is always a must

Freedom and democracy are our mottos Treating others with respect and support is like winning the lotto May Arabs and Jews one day live side-by-side in two states It’s our only hope and our true fate