As a journalism student, I was taught that there is a truth in every story and that it is my duty to tell the truth. As a JUF Israel Education Center intern, I learned that the concept of truth is not so black and white. I spent months searching for an ultimate truth in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On my Taglit-Birthright trip, I floated in the Dead Sea, explored the shuk in Tel Aviv, and discovered my affinity for iced Aroma coffee. I returned home with questions and a deep longing to return to Israel.

When I learned I was one of 13 Illinois university students selected for IEC’s first Student Leadership Delegation to Israel, I was ecstatic. The itinerary was loaded with Israelis and Palestinians who could provide unparalleled insight. When we departed from Chicago in late December, I was certain I would have the opportunity to discover the truth about the conflict.

The delegation was a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish students from eight universities, including Sikh, Muslim, and Christian. For many, it was their first time engaging with Israel. Others had gone on gap-year programs to Israel, while one student had served in the Israel Defense Forces.

The first days in Tel Aviv were the heaviest for me. I felt immense pride to be a Zionist at Independence Hall. I was fascinated by the politics revealed in the street art we examined on a graffiti tour. In the guest book at the Rabin Museum, I read an entry inscribed in messy handwriting.

“I was named after you. I remember you. – Jack. Age 9. USA.”

Jack’s message reminded me of the importance of Rabin’s legacy. At times when peace feels impossible, it’s comforting to remember the strides that have been made.

At night, we met with a Jewish/Arab band. The musicians were our age and played a few songs for us. The conversation that followed was fascinating. One of the musicians, a 19-year old girl from Haifa, said she would never identify as Israeli, despite having Israeli citizenship. She felt like a second-class citizen in the country. She said she is accused of normalization and wonders if playing music with Israelis is right or wrong.

Why did she feel that way? What truth is in her narrative? Her testimony stayed with our group throughout the week.

Through a tour of south Tel Aviv, we learned about the history of African asylum seekers in Israel. We heard the sounds of rebuilding in the Gaza Strip from Nahal Oz, a kibbutz 500m from Gaza City. We met with soldiers at an Air Force base and learned about the abundance of precautions the IDF takes to prevent civilian casualties. We heard from former Knesset member Einat Wilf who challenged us to consider what it means to be a Jewish and Democratic state.

We learned about Israel’s security challenges through a visit to Shekef, a moshav near the Green Line in JUF’s Partnership Region. Bassam Eid, founder of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, revealed the rifts in Palestinian politics that keep the peace process at a standstill.

When we reflected on our time in Israel, we were all emotional. Some of my non-Jewish peers also came from a people without a land and empathized with the Zionist narrative. For others, the trip pushed them out of their comfort zone to consider other perspectives.

Throughout the week, we heard conflicting narratives about Israel, security, peace, and politics. Each speaker gave us what they knew to be facts, and my peers and I were able to sculpt our own understanding of how those facts fit with other narratives.

Before the trip, I was determined to decide who was right and which narratives are invalid. Through the IEC Student Leadership Delegation, I let go of that goal. I embraced the complexities and cannot wait to continue advocating for Israel on my campus this semester. I will not go home and tell my friends about amazing falafel or beautiful beaches. The trip’s agenda was not increasing Hillel attendance or convincing us to make aliyah . There are a lot of tragedies, complexities, and misunderstandings. However, I learned that Israel’s complexities are what make it so meaningful to me.

Abigail Seitz is JUF’s Israel Education Center Israel Intern, and a sophomore studying journalism at Columbia College.