Ever wonder how Israeli and American opinions compare on topics like religion, sex, intermarriage and just being Jewish in general? The new Jewish Reconnection Project is here to show you. The cool web video series showcases dialogues between a group of young adult Jews in New York and Jerusalem. The goal of the series is to highlight the diverse individual perspectives among the global Jewish community and to help us all better understand one another, ourselves and our shared history.

Check out the fifth four-minute episode of this series called “Morally Damaged—Occupation?” and then read what four JVibers had to say about it. If you missed our discussions on previous episodes, check out discussion ONE, TWO, THREE and FOUR.

Here’s what Jeffrey Rollman, 16, thinks:
The most recent installment of the Jewish Reconnection Project brings up many difficult questions. First, I would like to clarify a few points implied in the video. The references to the security fence are all accompanied by images of huge towering concrete barriers. During my semester abroad in Israel, I saw the concrete walls; however, the vast majority (more than 90 percent) of the “wall” is actually a short transparent chain-link fence with a road on the Israeli side and sand on the other side. In addition, you cannot argue with the fact that suicide bombings have reached nearly zero in the areas where the security fence was built.

Second, the fighting scenes near the end of the video are displayed with no context whatsoever, portraying the Israeli army as some sort of “aggressor” trying to attack Palestinians with no reason. I believe some sort of context should have been included. In regards to the debate about the “occupation” of the West Bank, I do not consider this an “occupation,” as the West Bank land was fairly won during the Six Day War, and there was no pre-existing Palestinian state to occupy. Regardless, in the sake of peace and security, Israel should slowly hand over the majority of the West Bank, except for small areas which have a large Jewish population, such as Ariel and the Gush Etzion bloc. I visited several West Bank settlements on the other side of the green line, and as painful as they may be to evacuate, the settlements are not worth the security cost.

Elizabeth Kirshner, 13, responds:
Though I do not know much about the conflict, I do know the issue is not one easily solved. The security fence part seems to conflict with the concept of peace at first glance, but I agree with Jeffrey that since it has significantly decreased bombing, the space is necessary. The situation is also difficult to judge because of the common misconceptions, like the safety-wall matter. Israelis are portrayed almost viciously in the media, when in reality the Israeli army tries as hard as possible to only attack people putting safety at risk, rather than any Palestinian civilians.

Jeffrey, I also see many holes in the information, so much so that I am simply not in a position to make a definitive statement on my political position. What I do know is that peace is necessary, and therefore compromises, though not always easy, are needed urgently.

Jaime Bolker, 18, says:
I think this was one of the first videos where many different opinions were shown. There are clearly people who feel that it’s right to have a “security wall,” and others who think it’s morally wrong. I’m really torn on this matter, and like Elizabeth, I don’t feel like I can really make a choice on whether it’s a positive or negative thing without being more educated on the subject.

I don’t think the wall was handled correctly, and I agree that it will probably help breed a new generation of terrorists because of the frustration involved with its installment. I am, however, pleased to hear that suicide bombings in the areas where the wall has gone up have decreased and are almost non-existent. I hope one day some sort of arrangement can be made so suicide bombings are gone for good and this kind of “segregation” is no longer an issue.

Michele Pinczuk, 14, states:
I would have to agree with my fellow JTabers regarding the complexities of the Jewish Reconnection Project’s fifth topic. It seems we’re all in agreement that there’s no clear-cut resolution in terms of occupation in the West Bank or the installment of the security fence. In fact, a statement by Malcolm X during the American civil rights movement holds true for both the Israelis and Palestinians. He said, “We declare our right on this earth to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.”

But when does the struggle outweigh the benefit? Personally, I believe we must protect our homeland “by any means necessary,” always keeping in mind human rights for all. How is this done and what negotiations can be made? I guess we should never give up; we need to keep forums of discussion open until there’s an acceptable resolution.

Michele Pinczuk is a teen journalist who freelances for several publications, including The New York Times. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area. Michele loves New York and Saturday Night Live. Her role models are Gilda Radner, Golda Meir, her grandmom, mom and Aunt Sylvia. She’s also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board.

Elizabeth Kirshner is passionate about being Jewish, being on the JTab, people-watching, living life to the fullest and collecting quotes. She always has a song stuck in her head, usually Regina Spektor (a MOT), KT Tunstall or Jason Mraz. The Style Network is a must, and fashion magazines are more than a guilty pleasure.

Jaime Bolker is a student at International High School in San Francisco. She’s a pop-culture junkie and is currently obsessed with Dawson’s Creek re-runs and Bob Marley. She’s also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board.

Jeffrey E. Rollman recently spent a semester abroad in Israel. He lives in Los Angeles and likes running cross country, politics, reading and weight lifting. He’s also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board.