One morning in Israel last June, my Taglit-Birthright group listened closely to Neil Lazarus, a short man who spoke with a lively British accent, gestured wildly and paced around the room while lecturing on the conflict in the Middle East. The fact that I was listening to him in Jerusalem made the talk more personal. Sitting at lectures about Israel back in the States didn't hit home the same way. But hearing him speak about Israel in Israel captivated me.