The official cancellation of this year’s TIF trip has left students disappointed, frustrated and searching for answers regarding the tiyul, the remainder of the school year and the possibility of a replacement trip.
What was once supposed to be a time full of engaging events and activities like hiking, swimming and figuring out roommates has now turned back into regular school days.
Though the cancellation seemed abrupt to some, many saw it coming because of all the uncertainty and delays surrounding the situation. Flights to Israel were closed and bombs were falling, illustrating what was going through students’ minds while contemplating if the trip would happen.
“I feel disappointed, but part of me knew it was going to happen after a certain point,” said Chloe Yadegar ‘28. “I felt that it was unnecessary that they dragged it out for so long, but I appreciate that they waited to see if things would change before coming up with a solution right away.”
Other students expressed more frustration, especially after spending time, energy, and money into preparing.
“Frankly, I feel scammed,” said Lev Schuldenfrei ’28. “I was really excited to embark on a journey in the holy land of Israel. I wanted to feel the Israeli culture by living there, and I feel like there could have been more done to make this trip possible.”
In addition to disappointment, students feel a sense of loss for an experience they had looked forward to. What makes the situation especially painful is the fact that the TIF students will now have to be in school for months longer than anticipated.
Another problem: initially, the grades of TIF students were meant to freeze. Now, however, instead of taking pass/fail classes in Israel, these students will have to keep their grades up.
“It was tough because I thought I was going to be done with my classes in the beginning of March, so I got burnt out trying to study a lot and make sure I had the best grades before I left – but then they said we were not going and I had to keep studying,” said Tobin Negrin ‘28.
“In classes where I was struggling, I was looking forward to the smaller number of students during TIF because I would be able to have more time with my teachers,” said Adrienne Tiernan ‘28.
Above and beyond issues with homework and grades, some students are just flat out dissatisfied.
“I’m supposed to be in Israel, the best place in the world,” said Lev. “But I’m in class right now learning about f(x). I don’t care about f(x), I care about Israel.”
The cancellation has also raised questions about alternatives. While students understand safety concerns, some feel that they should be taken on a trip to another location.
“I understand the complications and how Europe is not very safe right now,” continued Lev. “But anything they could do to make us happy would be great.”
Fortunately, school administrators were feeling the same way. Ms. Bella Vom Steeg, Israel Programs Coordinator, and Mr. Chris Scarlata, 9-10 Division Head, recently announced that the entire sophomore class would be visiting Disneyland.
Ms. Vom Steeg commented that the school could not go to Europe due to a lack of safety. However, the Disneyland trip was a fun alternative. She and the administration team decided to send not just the tenth grade to a theme park, but the lower grades too.
Student reactions were mixed. For some, Disneyland was a welcome surprise as it is the “happiest place on earth,” though others maintain it does not compare to the Israeli experience.
“I’m a big fan of Disneyland because I like Star Wars land,” said Eli Eshel ‘28. “When I was younger I used to love Mickey Mouse, and it was a really cool part of my childhood.”
“Personally, I like Disneyland, but it doesn’t compare to TIF,” said Josh Taylor ‘28.
Despite the frustration, the trip has deepened some students’ desire to visit Israel in the future.“I really want to move to Israel when I’m older,” Lev said. “Despite this little hiccup in our world.”