WJC Teens Send Delegation to AIPAC in DC for the First Time

by ADAM BENDER, TEEN ENGAGMENT DIRECTOR

Last month we celebrated Israel’s 70th anniversary of its becoming a  nation. All of Westchester came together at Solomon Schechter to celebrate, remember and rejoice all that Israel has accomplished over those 70 years. Just a month before however, I had the pleasure of attending the AIPAC Policy Conference (PC) in Washington, D.C. with Abagail (Abba) Winters, a junior at Mamaroneck High School.

For the first time, WJC sent a teen delegation to PC, and Abba, having just returned from a semester in Israel, jumped at the opportunity. As she explained, “AIPAC was such an amazing experience and I was so lucky that I was able to go. Hearing what the guest speakers had to say about Israel and the innovations that have sprouted because of Israel was so interesting.”

I believe AIPAC is one of the more powerful experiences any young Pro-Israel student can attend, besides visiting Israel itself. Over the three days in DC, we, alongside 18,000 delegates, heard from elected officials, foreign leaders, Israeli delegates, and more about why the United States relationship with Israel is of the utmost importance.

“The conference really opened my eyes to the information that you have to dig down deep to figure out. I was so fortunate enough to spend three great and eventful days with other teens from Temple Beth El and Adam Bender. I look forward to going again next year with hopefully some teens from WJC,” concluded Abba.