You left with the impression that all the kids wanted was Israel to be a state just like any other state, in America. That was the goal. Like the Israelites crying to the Prophets for a King because all of the other countries had a King, these kids wanted to be just like everyone else. The idea and ideals of a Jewish state were gone, flushed away with the spring rain, eroded down into the Dead Sea, and dried up in the torrid sun. One left agreeing that Zionism is dead.
Democracy is Alive.
So it should be. If the remainder of the countries surrounding Israel would adopt the same beliefs, the world would be a wonderful place. But Israel is surrounded by dictatorships. There is one weak Kingdom which has made Peace, but that's not a real Democracy. No where near what Israel is today when it comes to equality and human rights, and sensitivity to world public opinion.