Testimonials

"We just wanted to let you know that our daughter came back from the Panim experience incredibly energized and inspired. She shared every detail of her trip with us - using her journal whenever her memory failed - until exhaustion kicked in.

We were thrilled with all the lessons learned and shared, from making herself talk to homeless people (despite the barrier of shyness), to staying up late researching her lobbying points with two classmates, to listening intently to the various speakers and integrating their ideas with her own. She made a commitment to talk with homeless people from now on, asked us to do the same, and spoke passionately about why this was so important.

Finally, she said that she had always thought of herself as someone who disliked politics (corruption, greed, etc.), but that this experience turned her thinking around, and inspired her to learn more. Thanks to Barrack [her school] for making this a part of our children's educational experience, and to Panim for doing such a tremendous job inspiring young people to take an active role in making the world around them a better place." - Dorel Shanon

"My decision to attend the Summit was really a no-brainer. I felt like it was a program almost designed for me. With a passion for the preservation of human rights and a pervasive disbelief at the existence of genocide, I was gripped with the excitement that this experience could really begin an incredible journey of gaining knowledge and maybe even finding a career path based in topics in which I am deeply interested.

Once there, I was rewarded with the rare sentiment that my expectations were exactly met: accompanied by a self-selected group of truly exceptional peers, I witnessed and contributed to dozens of highly significant, completely honest conversations, spanning topics pertaining to human rights and genocide expertly and seriously.

I very much respect the teens and presenters who attended the Summit and am glad that, armed now with more passion and much more knowledge than when I arrived in Washington, D.C., I will have a strong network of contacts if I ever seek to follow up this wonderful experience with an advocacy initiative."
- Laurel Cohen

"This past week I went to Washington DC as part of a group of teens from Orange County in the Panim Program. Jews from all around the country got together at this seminar to talk about education reform, learn about the homeless, do community service, and lobby to members of the Senate. Over the course of four days I made some amazing friends, got to see our capital, and learned about things that I would have otherwise never known.

On the education reform front we were lucky enough to get to watch a debate between someone from the CATO Institute, and a person from New America Foundation. The former represented the libertarian point of view, while the latter represented the liberal side of the issue. We also got to watch “Waiting for Superman,” and had lengthy debates with other students who were on the program.

While learning about the homeless we talked to people from the National Coalition of the Homeless. They told us their story, how they never expected to be homeless, how they had worked all their lives, and how it had caught them totally unawares. As moving as that was, it was dwarfed when we went out onto the street and had conversations homeless people. It was a truly moving experience.

Finally, on the last day of the trip, we went to a Senate office building where we got to lobby to a Legislative Assistant of Barbara Boxer. I personally lobbied about alternative energy, but some of my friends lobbied on national park funding and education reform.

The whole trip was an eye-opening and amazing time. I really feel like it has changed me for the better and made me even more inclined to take part in political and social action." - Nathan Taft

"To summarize this trip into a few short sentences would not do it justice. The overall experience was one I will never forget. Going to DC, I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know what we would be doing, what we would be seeing; I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if I made the right decision to go. But as soon as the programs started, I was hooked. The interesting speakers we listened to followed by the activities and events we participated in opened new doors in my life. The trip was only four days long, but it felt like it lasted a few weeks. I didn't know that you could cram in so many activities and learning experiences in such a short period of time. Not only did we accomplish so much in regards to learning, but I also made new friends and became closer to the ones I already knew. Encompassed in these four days are lifetime experiences that I will carry with me wherever I go." - Aaron Ezra

"Not only have I gained new friends, a new perspective and a greater awareness of the world, I have also gained a deep passion for tikkun olam.” — Boaz Munrot, Pittsburgh, PA

“I had such an amazing time on DC JAM session 1! I am so glad that I had this opportunity, and I will never forget what I learned, saw, and experienced on this trip. I am already applying what I learned on this trip in planning events for my BBYO chapter.” — Allison Poweski

“I recently attended Panim el Panim in D.C. this past week. I must say that it was an opportunity of a lifetime. It allowed me to grow and educate myself in ways not possible in a normal high-school setting. Your program has supplied me with even more tools to succeed in my field of interest. I am so grateful that you allowed me the honor and privilege of attending your program.” — Brian Teitelbaum