<p>ShawD asked me last night about an AISH trip to Israel this summer. What exactly is AISH?</p>
<p>thanks all for the feedback re: UArizona. As you know, I don’t have a HS senior this year,was just curious.</p>
<p>@shaw: I think she’s referring to one of the Taglit Birthright trips. It’s probably one of the more spiritual ones offered.</p>
<p>…also, it’s interesting to hear about UOregon and Colorado.</p>
<p>Aish Ha’Torah. It’s an orthodox organization that offers a lot of classes and study opportunities for adults of all observance levels.</p>
<p>AISH is NOT Taglit. From family’s personal experience (just talking for us, here), there is a fair amount of religious prosletizing (two cousins who grew up with no Jewish education or practice are now ultra-Orthodox and made aliyah.) Wonderful people, big life change. Again, just one family’s experience.</p>
<p>a non-Jew here but have a friend who is getting involved in our local Aish. as a result of this involvement, her level of observance has definitely stepped up and she attends services at the Aish wearing the traditional garb for orthodox women. when I spoke with other Jewish friends about it, they said it could be a bit cult like. i don’t know if that’s a fair characterization, but I can see where if one member of the family (say one child) starts to become more observant than the parents and other children, that could create friction in the family, esp if that child demands that the rest of the family follow along.</p>
<p>Wanted to join in all of the congratulations regarding the new acceptances! </p>
<p>Shawbridge - I would steer her away from Aish. I frequently hear Aish described as cult-like and also people who go to Aish are “drinking the cool aid”. I also have family members involved in Aish and from what I have seen, I would agree. Aish will offer a free trip (probably), I know they do a lot of them for adults, but then they will NEVER stop hitting you up for money and will also want you to fundraise for them. </p>
<p>I would push a birthright trip. It sounds like your D is in a great place in defining/discovering her Judaism, I just think that there are better places to do it then Aish.They really do suck you in.</p>
<p>Aish is very upfront about their goal of increasing the level of observance. I have a family member who became quite observant after spending some time with them in Israel, and had the opportunity to hear a series of taped lectures by their leading rabbi at the time. There was nothing dangerous about it, although the line of argument relied strongly on your accepting the original premise that Torah is true, revealed, and binding on all Jews. I would imagine there’s a strong pressure to conform while on an Aish trip or visiting their yeshiva, but I’m willing to give them a pass on the constant fundraising. Seems like every Jewish organization does that!</p>
<p>Any deviation in religious observance from one’s family of origin … becoming more observant or choosing to intermarry and giving one’s heritage less importance in everyday life … can create conflict in the family.</p>
<p>I thought that Aish HaTorah offered trips through Birthright…
either way, it sounds like ShawD is going through some serious changes. Perhaps a different Birthright trip advisor would satisfy her desire to explore her Judaism, without going the full-on Orthodox route.</p>
<p>Thanks for the heads-up on Aish. She was planning to go to a dinner every Sunday night at the house of a couple sponsored by Aish. I’ll suggest a birthright trip, maybe for her spring break. ShawSon has been on the wait list for the last two summers, so summers clearly don’t work, although ShawD might be apply to apply from Canada.</p>
<p>However, she won’t be doing the Aish dinners in Canada as she got into nursing school today in Boston. A nurse on CC actually suggested the school and told us it was highly regarded in Boston. </p>
<p>This all happened breathtakingly quickly. As we called the school on January 5th hoping for information about how to fill out the application for Fall 2012 and they said, if you get all the materials in by today, they’d consider her on Tuesday the 17th. Well, everything arrived today and they admitted her today. ShawD is beyond elated. Orientation is on Tuesday, advisor meetings on Thursday and classes start on Friday. Whew.</p>
<p>I guess we drive up tomorrow AM and load the fan. Maybe she can get one of the boys who likes to help to help carry boxes. [They may be less interested now that she is leaving].</p>
<p>Congrats Shawbridge. Just our of curiosity, what is the name of nursing school.</p>
<p>Shaw, thanks so much for the private message. Could not respond as your message box is full. Good place to be. Know it well. Family went there. Best of luck to your D.</p>
<p>SlitheyTove: thanks! Glad you got the connection! (cue horse whinny!)</p>
<p>Things are back to normal here after having guests come and go since mid December. Congratulations on all of the acceptances I have been reading along but haven’t had time to write. Shawbridge, I think that the availability of birthright trips varies widely from one school to the next. My S1 got to go over the summer the first year that he applied on his small campus that is about 10% Jewish. Also congratulations on your daughter’s whirlwind acceptance. How exciting!</p>
<p>I apologize if this has already been shared–I’ve been out of the country and not keeping up. I just came across this and thought this group might enjoy watching this.</p>
<p>[“I</a> Am Jewish” - YouTube](<a href=“"I Am Jewish" - YouTube”>"I Am Jewish" - YouTube)</p>
<p>It’s a young man expressing his views about being Jewish. Complex, articulate, and moving.</p>
<p>DeskPotato - thanks so much for posting. I’ve watched it twice already, tearing up a little each time. Can’t wait to share it with my DDs.</p>
<p>He is a student at Pardes in Jerusalem. If he’s single, I’d love for my daughter (living in Israel for the year) to meet him!</p>
<p>He graduated from Lehigh with degrees in international relations and theater, studied Arabic, plans to do further Middle Eastern Studies. He’s from Long Island.</p>
<p>
Funny… I had the same thought 
(except my D isn’t living in Israel)</p>
<p>Loved it! I am forwarding to my sons. Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>deskpotato: Thank you for that link. I just sent it to my DD. She will love it … and will want to meet him too! Maybe when he comes back to Long Island…</p>