By Alexa Fishman, Staff Writer

Among many changes to the senior Poland-Israel trip, the date has been moved up to April 10 – 28 this year, more than a month earlier than in years past.

Officials said the reason was that since Shavuot falls out on May 13th, AP’s had to be pushed off until theier make-up dates, and if the trip didn’t start until after AP’s, it would have to be much shorter.

“As a team we decided that April was the best time of year,” said Judaic Studies director Mr. Noam Weissman.  “Since AP testing was moved for Shavuot, the trip would’ve been shorter—which is not something we wanted.”

Mr. Weissman did not want to do the trip too early in the year because the weather in Poland is freezing, and seniors on sports teams would have to miss much of the season.

Modern Middle East and Jewish History teacher Mr. Jason Feld, who helped plan the trip, thinks that April is the only option for this year.

“There were a lot of issues beyond our control,” said Mr. Feld. “But, the advantages of moving the trip up earlier are greater opportunities for both personal reflection after the trip, and time for the seniors to share their experiences with the student body—which did not really happen in the past.”

Senior Jojo Falls is upset about the date change.

“Making the trip earlier changed it from being the culminating experience that the senior class had together, to being a trip that could potentially be filled with stress and anxiety, as it is just weeks before AP tests,” said Jojo. “I think part of what made the trip so great in the past was that it was the last school event before graduation.”

Other seniors complained that they will have no time to visit colleges after being accepted, since acceptances normally come in the first week in April, which will be finals week for this year’s seniors.

“I need to go on a college trip, but the Poland-Israel tip is April 10-28, which means I have to go on this trip sometime between April 2nd and the 9th,” said senior Rose Bern.  “I have been informed I’ll be taking my non-AP finals during this time, and I can’t go after the senior trip because decisions are due two days later.”

The date change is not the only difference in this year’s trip. This year, at least six members of the faculty will accompany the group.

“We really want to involve more chaperons,” said Mr. Feld. “Some faculty chaperons will begin the trip in Poland and spend Shabbat in Israel. The second shift will be joining the group for the first Shabbat in Israel, and then the Poland chaperons will return back to LA.”

The seniors will also fly in and out of Warsaw, Poland, this year, instead of into Crackow and out of Warsaw, because it’s less expensive.

“A better flight price makes the trip more affordable, and more people will participate,” said Mr. Feld.

Mr. Weissman said financial aid would also be available.

“We want to make it the case that no student misses the trip for financial reasons,” said Mr. Weissman.  “We’re trying to work with the parents to make that possible.”

Of the 51 students in the senior class, three of them are not planning going on the trip.

Last year, Rabbi Segal wanted the trip to take place in February, so students would have time to tour three schools in Israel have more time to consider a gap year.

“We were not doing as good a job as we could to move [students] to make that choice,” said Rabbi Segal.

Now that the trip is in April and not May, students will have a about six extra weeks to consider it.