Testimonials
“I learned more about the Israel-Palestine conflict on this trip than I ever could’ve in a classroom (or have ever learned in a classroom, honestly). In fact, I don’t think I’ve really ever been able to speak about an academic subject with such confidence. I find myself able to speak on the issue, and feel a distinct responsibility to discuss what I saw with others.”
- Yale ‘21
“When closing out our trip, our leaders emphasized an idea I will seek to honor for the rest of my life: with the gift of this experience comes responsibility, for 'those who have the privilege to know, have a duty to act.' I will surely bring all that I’ve learned with me moving forward as a developing leader and future military officer who aspires to help pave pathways toward a more peaceful future.”
- West Point ‘18
“The greatest take-away for me lay in simple, small moments, where we could see the richness of intangible things—like the concepts of home and belonging. After seeing the gut-wrenching stories of familial loss at Yad Vashem, I remember watching a father kiss his son on the forehead while saying a blessing at Shabbat dinner, and realizing the precious value of a parent being able to comfort a child in peace, without fear, without war.”
- Yale ‘20
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“PDLI had a profound impact on me. I formed great connections and friendships with both West Point Cadets and Yale students I didn’t know before the trip. Getting to learn about the conflict in such a comprehensive and challenging manner completely changed the way I think about the conflict, and influenced how I approach complicated issues as well as my own biases in general. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of PDLI.”
- West Point ‘19
“I loved PDLI. It was an eye-opening experience, a chance to make many new lifelong friends, and a great hands-on way to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. From meeting with leaders on both sides of the issue, I had the opportunity to hear from speakers who each had decades working towards peace and, in many cases, spent time in the negotiations.”
- Yale ‘23
“I am so grateful to have been chosen to take part in this experience. I was blown away by the VIP-like access we students had to the key leaders, diplomats, and thinkers on both sides of this conflict. I will never again experience the same depth of exploration into an international relations issue with the same breadth of speakers and sites we had access to—it was a gift to be a part of.”
- West Point ‘20
“For me, the most formative PDLI experiences included being able to visit the homes of the people who were most affected by the conflict…Through these visits, we were able to gain the personal perspectives that the political media often fails to capture. Such experiences provided us with a nuanced perspective of what this conflict actually means to Israelis and Palestinians”
- Yale ‘23
