By: Joshua Hilfman

Man, cuts through the darkest forest
Leveling all despair in its path. A flattened field,
Illuminated
Full of opportunity
And prosperity, where once there was none.
A vibrant greenery hidden by the trees, its
Beauty unknown to the world, is now
Seen and
Revered. New plants are nurtured
To life in the fertile soil. They are grown
Without knowledge of the past and sheltered from their ancestors’
Oppressive ways. Innocent
At first
But corrupted by experiences,
They grow taller and stronger slowly
Covering the field that gave them
Life. Cared for them from birth.
Soon every inch
Of green is covered
Again
By leafed canopies. They are left
Uncontrolled until they are too a nuisance and cannot be
Tamed, only appeased. Like the ones that came
Before. Despair must
Again be destroyed but
Now more effort is needed
To reveal the luxurious green field so that the cycle
May begin
Again. Will the next trees
Be unyielding or simply just
More stubborn? One thing is for
Certain, they will grow back
Again. 

Perspectives is a fully subsidized trip to Israel-Palestine which is offered to exceptional student leaders interested in exploring socio-political aspects of Israel and the Palestinian territories. This program is designed to break stereotypes and move away from polarizing soundbites and will give students the opportunity to learn about the people and diverse cultures existing in these areas first hand.