Mission & History

What is Etgar 36?

America is the journey and destination of any Etgar 36 Journey. On an Etgar 36 Journey, you experience the sites, sounds, culture, food, and people of each city. You will learn about the American history that shapes us, the issues that confront us, and how the political process impacts us.

The goal of the Journey is to empower you to get involved politically and socially to create change in the world. We meet with people, organizations, educators, politicians, activists, artists, musicians as well as community, business, and religious leaders in order to better understand what we are experiencing and how it relates to the various themes and issues we are discussing and debating.

 

History of Etgar 36

Etgar 36 is an independent, pluralistic, nonpartisan, and nonprofit Jewish educational venture. The beginnings of Etgar 36 can be traced to 1995 when Founder, Billy Planer began to take the youth group he was running on annual weekend trips to various cities. Etgar 36 was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on September 11, 2002. The first Summer Journey was run in 2003.

In the Fall of 2004, Etgar 36 was contacted by a youth group in California to assist them in the planning of a Civil Rights Journey in the southeast. The success of that Journey has led to many adult groups, Jewish high schools and middle schools, synagogue confirmation classes, and youth groups, going on Etgar 36 Civil Rights Journeys during the academic year.

To date, more than 23,000 adults and teens have “gotten on the bus” with Etgar 36!