The Holy Land Democracy Project recently held The Many Faces of Israel, their 5th annual Students Awards Ceremony, where Catholic students whose teachers participated in the program were honored for their creative contributions of poetry, essays, and artwork about Israel.

Dozens of awards were handed out at the ceremony, which was held at The Center at Cathedral Plaza on June 12. The program also included remarks from Jewish Community Relations Committee Co-Chair Terri Smooke, a tribute to Los Angeles Archdiocese Superintendent Nancy Coonis by Holy Land Democracy Project Advisory Council member Stanley Kandel, and a speech by Servite High School teacher Chris Weir, who offered a teacher’s perspective on his experiences in Israel.

“I wanted the students to experience as powerfully as I did that we, as Catholics, have so much in common with this beautiful land and people,” said Weir at the ceremony. “I’m proud to be Catholic, but I’m also proud to share so much with such a beautiful land, such a beautiful people, and such a beautiful faith.”

The Holy Land Democracy Project is the brainchild of Dr. Daniel Lieber and a group of dedicated lay leaders, who, realizing that thousands of Catholic high school students had little or no knowledge about the history of the Jewish people or of Israel, helped found the program in 2004.

Developed by the Federation in partnership with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Jewish Community Foundation, the Holy Land Democracy Project begins with 12 hours of intense training for the Catholic educators who have been selected to take part in the program. After the training sessions, the group travels to Israel for ten days, where they further immerse themselves in Israel’s culture and history. Using their own personal experiences, upon their return, the educators teach their students a week-long curriculum on modern Israel, focusing on its people, government, culture, and history.

At the end of the unit, their students submit essays, poetry, or artwork based on what they’ve learned about Israel. The Students Awards Ceremony provides a forum for both the student award winners as well as all the program’s educators to be recognized publicly for their participation in the Holy Land Democracy Project.

First-prize art contest winner Leanne Villarivera explained how she came up with the concept behind her award winning piece, “The Many Faces of Israel.” “Learning about Israel has taught me to have greater respect for the many faces of Israel. This experience in being able to learn has opened my eyes to the fabulous faces and lifestyles of Israel. I have learned that the many faces of Israel are what makes this country so unique.”

For more information on the Holy Land Democracy Project, please contact Elaine Albert at (323) 761-8154 or EAlbert@JewishLA.org.