Birthright Israel Made Me Ask: How Can I Be a Better Jew?

I’m from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I’m a sophomore at Drexel University in Philadelphia, studying marketing. I’m interested in social media and branding, and I also play basketball. I went to Hebrew school until about age thirteen and had my bar mitzvah, but after that, there was a gap. Then the pandemic hit, everything got chaotic, and before I knew it, I was starting college.

When I got to Drexel, I didn’t know anyone and looked for my tribe. I started going to Shabbat dinners at Chabad, where I loved being able to walk into a room and immediately connect with people over a shared identity. That’s where I heard about Birthright Israel. I believe strongly in traveling and seeing the world, getting an outside perspective on life. Birthright ended up being the first time I ever traveled outside the United States. It was winter break, the timing worked, and it felt like the stars were aligning. I thought, It’s time to go now.

Growing up, I knew Israel was important to the Jewish people, but the history wasn’t covered in depth in Hebrew school, which focused more on customs and traditions. I wasn’t very knowledgeable, especially about modern events. Birthright felt like a chance to change that.

I’ll never forget this trip. We had an incredible tour guide, and an amazing group—about ten students from Drexel, ten from Penn, and a few from other schools. By the end of the trip, it was genuinely hard to say goodbye. We played games together, had inside jokes, and really bonded. A lot of us still talk today and keep each other updated on our lives.

Even the bus rides were special. Normally, if you’re on a long drive, you’re glued to your phone. But in Israel, we kept telling each other, Don’t look down—look outside. The views were incredible. Everywhere we went, I was learning something new. It felt like my brain was expanding. If I could do it again a hundred times, I would.

Some experiences were fun and unforgettable—hiking Masada, riding ATVs, swimming in the sea, going to the shuk, just exploring with friends. It was the perfect balance of adventure, sightseeing, and learning. Enjoying the food—shawarma, pita and falafel—was such a fun and meaningful way to experience the culture firsthand.

But some moments were much heavier. Visiting sites connected to October 7 and the Nova Festival was difficult. Standing there and reading the stories made everything feel real. On the news, you hear numbers—hundreds, thousands. But when you’re there, you understand that every single person had a life, a future, something special they were going to do. It made me realize how lucky I am just to be alive, just to be there.

We also visited Majdal Shams, a Druze community, and that experience really stayed with me. I’ll admit—I had never even heard of the Druze community before this trip. What I remember most is how warm and welcoming everyone was. I still think about a candy shop we went into—the owner was so kind and let us all try something. We took photos together, shared a meal at a local restaurant, and even danced to Druze music afterward.

We also heard from a woman whose daughter had been killed when a rocket hit a soccer field. Listening to her talk about her daughter—how optimistic she was, how much light she brought into the world—and then hearing about how she continues to move forward despite unimaginable loss was incredibly inspiring. It made me reflect on my own challenges. Life is about how you respond, how you move forward, and how you choose to live with purpose.

Another deeply personal moment for me was visiting the Western Wall. Neither of my parents had ever been to Israel, so I was the first in my family to come to Jerusalem in many years. My parents had written a letter for me to open and read at the Wall. Reading it was such an emotional experience. It made me feel connected not just to the place, but to my family and our history.

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was the mifgash—spending time with Israeli peers. You hear about the IDF, but you don’t always think about the people your own age who are actually serving. Getting to know them, hearing about their lives, and realizing they’re out there protecting people like me—it gave me a whole new level of appreciation and respect. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest parts of the trip.

Birthright Israel lit a fire under me. When I came back to the States, I kept asking myself: How can I play my part? How can I be the best Jew and the best person I can be in my community?

Before Birthright, I might have been hesitant or uncomfortable telling people I went to Israel. After the trip, I felt proud. If someone asked where I went over winter break, I talked openly about it. I wasn’t afraid anymore. Birthright filled a gap I didn’t even realize I had: a sense of belonging. Coming home, I felt like I truly belonged to something bigger—to a people, to a history, to a homeland.

The trip also helped me put things into perspective. Stressful moments in my life suddenly felt smaller. I realized that even small actions—giving tzedakah, helping someone, holding the door open—can make a real difference. It made me want to be more intentional, less focused on just myself, and more focused on how I can help others.

Birthright also helped me connect more deeply with my own Jewish community back home. There were several other Drexel students on my trip. After spending ten days together, I became much closer with those I hadn’t really bonded with before—or didn’t know well at all. A few of us realized we had attended the same campus events but had never introduced ourselves. After the trip, we started getting together and staying connected. Birthright was an opportunity to build new friendships with people who were in my community all along.

I don’t think I could fully express how thankful I am. This was one of the best experiences of my life, because of how much I had grown. The friendships I made, the lessons I learned, the perspective I gained—I’ll carry all of that with me forever.

I truly hope more young people get the chance to experience what I did. There’s no better time than college to go, to put all the pieces together, and to come home changed. Even if it’s hard to measure, I can say without hesitation: it was more than worth it. I’ll always be grateful for this trip, and I’ll never forget it.