Birthright Israel Helped Me Become the Jewish Educator I Am Today

I grew up in Commack, Long Island, in a Reform Jewish family. My parents are from the Bronx, and although our home wasn’t kosher, I had my bar mitzvah, and spent summers going up to the Catskills for family reunions.

I never originally saw myself as a Jewish educator. I saw myself as Jewish and happened to work in a yeshiva but over the last few years, I began to see myself and my role differently. I’m not a Rabbi or Morah teaching in a classroom. As a Phys Ed teacher, the gym setting is much different. Jewish education happens in a non-traditional aspect. My students learn Jewish values from me in other ways. How to carry yourself, how to treat others through athletics, how to respect various ability levels, how to respect competition, how to represent the school and the Jewish community in public, how to make new friends through sports. I feel like this is just as important in Jewish education as the traditional classroom education.  

I not only learned these values from my upbringing but from the people I’ve met through my Birthright Israel experiences. You can not always see eye to eye, but if you take the time to communicate and respect one another, you can form a sense of a community and a connection where people look out for one another. Birthright Israel has not only made me a better person but someone who is proud to call himself a Jewish educator.

I went on my first Birthright Israel trip in 2009. At that point in my life, I was kind of in a weird place. I had just finished grad school—I got my master’s degree in physical education—and I was struggling to find work. I was figuring my life out and trying to understand what direction I wanted to go in. My mom kept telling me, “You should do Birthright. You’re almost at the age limit.” She kept pushing me to apply. So I did. Looking back, that decision changed my life.

At the time, being Jewish wasn’t a huge part of my day-to-day life. I was always proud to be Jewish, and I always lived by Jewish values in how I treated people and carried myself. But I wasn’t particularly outward about it. Birthright opened something inside me. Being in Israel, meeting people from all different backgrounds, hearing their stories, and experiencing the culture—it made me realize how much I loved being Jewish. I loved Israel. I loved the diversity of people and perspectives. It really awakened something in me and made me want to keep learning and growing. Before that trip, I was kind of floating. After the trip, Judaism and Israel became a central part of my life. And I can thank Birthright for that.

I’ve always been a spiritual person in different ways—through music, travel, or just exploring life. But something about Israel felt like the spirituality guided me in the right direction. It wasn’t wandering anymore. Being there felt powerful and organic. It was like something that had always been inside me was suddenly brought to the surface.

One moment that really stands out was going to the Kotel. Standing there, I was overwhelmed, and I remember crying. It was this flood of emotions—strong, intense, unexpected. Being in Jerusalem felt like a reset. Not exactly a rebirth, but something close to it.

But what made the trip so powerful was the people. You meet strangers, and almost immediately you feel connected. Everyone has a story, and everyone listens to each other and respects each other. On my trip, there were three weddings that eventually came out of our group. I even had a long-term girlfriend that I met there. The friendships were instant. The people I roomed with became lifelong friends in what felt like five minutes. We still keep in touch today. Life gets busy, of course, but those bonds are still there. That trip was the beginning of my love for Israel. As soon as I got back home, I wanted to go back.

Within six months of returning from my first trip, I was back in Israel. Over time, I ended up going five times. Some of those trips were through the Jewish Enrichment Center in New York, where you could take classes and then participate in subsidized educational trips. They were focused on learning and discussion and I loved every second of it.

Each trip deepened my understanding of Judaism and Israel. I met incredible people and incredible teachers. I remember one rabbi we met who was also a surfer. Everyone was surprised, but he was the coolest guy. It completely changed my perception of what a rabbi could be. It showed me that Judaism isn’t just one way of thinking. There are books and traditions, of course, but there’s also room for interpretation, discussion, and personal growth. That openness really spoke to me. It helped me understand that even if you practice Judaism in your own way, it’s still meaningful. Whether it’s putting on tefillin, studying a little more, or simply connecting with Jewish community—it all matters.

One of the first times I truly experienced Shabbat was on a kibbutz in northern Israel. We put our phones away and just spent time together talking, eating, enjoying the moment. Even today, I try to bring some of that into my life. I’m not perfect about it, but sometimes I remind myself: put the phone down for a few hours and just be present.

Israel also taught me something else about life. You see how Israelis celebrate life every single day. People are dancing in the shuk before Shabbat. Friends are gathering in the streets, playing music, laughing together. There’s an energy in Israel that’s hard to explain. People who have been there know exactly what I’m talking about. There’s just something about the feeling in Jerusalem, or in the markets, or walking along the Tel Aviv promenade. It’s powerful. It’s spiritual. Sometimes it feels like you’re having a one-on-one conversation with God.

When I first went on Birthright, I never imagined I would eventually become a Jewish educator. Today, I’ve been teaching in a yeshiva for eleven years. And I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Teaching in a Jewish school is incredibly meaningful to me. Part of being a teacher is connecting with students, really knowing them and their families. After being at the same school for so long, I feel like these kids are almost like my own. There’s also a deep sense of comfort in working in a Jewish environment. You don’t have to explain yourself. You can wear a kippah or a Star of David and simply be yourself. You don’t have to justify who you are. Especially in today’s world, that sense of community matters. Working with Jewish students and families—helping them understand each other and strengthen their identity—is one of the most important things in my life.

After October 7, I felt a strong desire to go back to Israel and help in a tangible way. Donating money is important, but I wanted to do something with my hands. So I joined a Birthright Israel volunteer trip. We were working in the Gaza envelope, about a mile from the border. On the first day, we packed thousands of meals for people in need. Everyone immediately found their role—some people packing food, others organizing supplies. It was incredible how quickly strangers came together to help. Another day we were planting cabbage in a field early in the morning before the heat became unbearable. We also worked on rebuilding a kibbutz, digging water lines and building benches. It was emotional, powerful, and meaningful. I remember thinking that this was exactly what I needed—to contribute in some small way. I was happy to do it. It gave me a sense of purpose.

When I came back to school, I shared these experiences with my students. They observe every move I make, so carrying and conducting myself with Jewish values and principles, many of which I learned from my Birthright trips, creates a lasting impression and a positive impact on them for the rest of their lives. I told them about volunteering on farms in Israel and literally planting food with my hands on the land. I explained that helping the Jewish people and supporting Israel isn’t just something you talk about—you can actually show up and do something meaningful. Even though my students are young—kindergarten through 5th grade—I wanted them to understand that being Jewish also means caring for one another and helping when people need it.

In the gym, I also try to model that pride every day. I wear my necklace with the silhouetted shape of the land of Israel and other Jewish symbols so the kids can see that connection. They notice those things, and it opens the door to conversations about Israel and what it means to be proud of who you are. Sometimes they tell me about their own trips to Israel with their families, and we talk about the places they visited or the food they ate. Those moments help connect their experiences to something bigger.

I bring in Jewish values when I teach sportsmanship. In our gym we have banners that display Jewish values: Torat Yisrael (the Torah of Israel), Derech Eretz (the way of the land), Simchat Chayim (the joy of life) and Achrayut (responsibility). When students get overly competitive or frustrated, I remind them to compete with respect and kindness. For me, that’s also part of what Birthright reinforced—that being Jewish means caring about community, responsibility, and how we treat one another. These are essential lessons I impart to the kids, and I encourage them to go on Birthright when they're old enough.

Being Jewish today can be challenging. There’s a lot of pressure in the world right now. Sometimes it feels like you have to explain or defend things that shouldn’t need explaining. That’s why experiences like Birthright are so important—especially for Jewish educators. You need to understand your identity. You need to be prepared. You need to know your history and your values so you can pass them on. Birthright helped me do that. It helped me grow not only as a Jew, but as a teacher.

If I could meet the donor who made my trips possible, I would say this: Thank you for shaping my life in a way that gave me meaning, value, and purpose. Because of Birthright, I live with a Jewish identity that I’m proud of. I have a deep love for Israel. I’ve met incredible people and had experiences that changed me forever. Honestly, a million thank-yous wouldn’t be enough.

Birthright Israel gave me some of the best experiences of my life—and helped me become the person and educator I am today.