The Tucson Chapter of the America-Israel Friendship League (AIFL) is made up of individuals who represent different faiths, political persuasions, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. AIFL promotes dialogue and awareness about cultural and spiritual values shared by the people of the United States and Israel. The charge: to invigorate people-to-people ties.

History

The Tucson Chapter opened its “doors” on January 9, 1990 when past participants in the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Interfaith Missions convened at the home of John and Nancy Huerta to express their ongoing commitment to Israel. The Mission graduates envisioned a local organization with an overwhelming emphasis on education for both adults and young people. Their aspirations melded with the existing national program of the AIFL, inspiring this core group to establish a chapter in Tucson.

Since 1990, the Tucson Chapter has sponsored over one hundred Tucson-area high school students in the U.S.-Israel High School Student Youth Ambassador Exchange program. The exchange program formerly was restricted to high school juniors from the Tucson Unified School District, however, in 1999, the Chapter expanded the program to include the participation of four more Tucson-area school districts: Amphitheater, Catalina Foothills, Marana and Sunnyside. Few things inspire more hope than listening to students who have an unvarnished ability to see the world as it could be. Students from Tucson return home with stories of how Israeli students are just like them, despite living in completely different circumstances. First-hand exposure to world affairs and having an opportunity to learn tolerance and acceptance of people of differing faiths and objectives has an immense impact on these teens.

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National Web site:

National AIFL Office in New York