By Ashley Nesenoff

Today was all about sites, fights and human rights. Our first meeting of the day was with NARAL-Pro Choice America. Kate Vlach, a policy associate, and Rachel Tabamon, a policy aide, told us about women’s reproductive rights. They advocate for more comprehensive sex education programs in schools across America. They work with the government as well to pass legislation for their cause. A recent law passed requiring a pregnant woman seeking an abortion to have to view a sonogram of the fetus is one of the laws that NARAL is opposed to and fighting against.

NARAL Pro Choice America

Our next meeting was with the human rights group Amnesty International. This group works globally to protect the rights of all people to live free from violence and injustice. We met with the Director of the Mid-Atlantic region, Folabi Olagbaju. He was born and grew up in Nigeria. He discussed the inequality of men and women in Nigeria that he saw as a child and this inspired him to work for equality. He also informed us of the importance of taking action on such issues. We learned about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document agreed upon by the U.N. which guarantees certain rights to all people. The problem is that these rights are not enforced or taught in all areas. Folabi emphasized our power as the new and emerging generation. I found his words empowering and truthful.

Amnesty International

After lunch we met with the Israel lobbyist group J Street. Amy Spatolnick spoke to us about Israel in terms of values. She showed us a theory of what is going on in Israel by drawing a triangle. Each side had a different value such as Jewish, democratic and land. J Street believes that Israel cannot continue to be a democratic Jewish state if they hold on to the West Bank and Gaza. So, in order to remain the Jewish democratic state that she is, we need to pursue a two-state solution in the Middle East. J Street advocates for giving Gaza and the West Bank to the Palestinians as a way of establishing their own homeland. This important issue still remains controversial as no one can guarantee that it will work, but the goal of peace remains the same.

J Street

After J Street, we had our meeting about the legalization of marijuana. Both the negative and positive aspects of such a decision were acknowledged and discussed in depth. Personally, in the beginning of the discussion, I was against the legalization of pot. After debating the issue with my fellow Etgarians, I changed my opinion. Legalizing marijuana would be beneficial to the economy by the taxes the government would place on it. The pro side also asked why there is a seemingly arbitrary line placed between alcohol and cigarettes, which are legal, but marijuana is not. After all, the effects of all three are similar.

wrap up in Georgetown

After dinner in Georgetown, we went to a modern Orthodox shul for Friday night services. We davened Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat, and Ma’ariv services. The service was interesting and represented a familiar aspect of Judaism to me, yet with different tunes and melodies. Although I found the experience interesting, it was not comparable to the emotional services we had previously experienced on the trip.  To me, seeing and participating in different services all over America is a true display of human rights in action.

After services, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and explored the sites and monuments of our Nation’s Capital. We saw monuments and memorials to World War 1 & 2, the Vietnam and Korean Wars, as well as the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Washington’s sites, fights, and human rights constantly amaze me. Altogether it was a fantastic Etgar day!

	World War II Memorial
Vietnam Wall
with Albert Einstein