Brandeis University: Birthright Israel Reverses Generational Decline in Jewish Identity

Brandeis University has documented the sharpest decline in Jewish connection among young American Jews in 25 years. Without intervention, campus pressure, misinformation, and political polarization are pulling young Jews away from Jewish life.

Birthright Israel is the proven solution: participants return more connected to Israel, more grounded in their Jewish identity, and more committed to the Jewish community.

The impact doesn't fade — it compounds into how participants build families and raise children. Birthright Israel is the most effective identity-building program in the Jewish world, backed by the most rigorous research ever conducted on a Jewish educational initiative.

The cost of inaction is measured. The solution is proven. What's needed now is investment.

1. Young Jews Are Drifting

Brandeis surveyed 2,285 applicants to Birthright Israel's 10-day trip — those who went and those who didn't. The nonparticipants aren't disinterested. They applied. Same motivation, same starting point. The only difference is the trip.

NONPARTICIPANT DECLINES (SPRING → FALL 2025)

• ↓ 67% → 57% — Connection to Jewish community

• ↓ 67% → 59% — Connection to Jewish history

• ↓ 72% → 65% — Connection to Jewish values

• → +2 pts — Connection to Israel over eight months

LIBERAL NONPARTICIPANTS

• ↓ 31% → 23% — Connection to Israel

• → Flat at 28% — Jewish identity importance — zero change

"Never before in our research on Birthright have we seen such notable declines among nonparticipants." — Brandeis Summer 2025 Impact Report

2. Birthright Israel Reverses the Decline

Participants moved in the opposite direction. Across the board.

PARTICIPANT GAINS (PRE-TRIP → POST-TRIP)

• ↑ 53% → 74% — Connection to Israel — 10x the nonparticipant gain

• ↑ 39% → 57% — Being Jewish is "extremely important"

• ↑ 44% → 56% — Jews ought to help other Jews (strongly agree)

• ↑ 36% → 41% — Responsibility to contribute to Israel's betterment

LIBERAL PARTICIPANTS — THE 32-POINT SWING

• ↑ 40% → 64% — Connection to Israel (vs. 31% → 23% for liberal nonparticipants)

• ↑ 29% → 48% — Jewish identity importance (nonparticipants flat at 28%)

"Considering the high baseline levels of connection to Israel and Jewish life participants demonstrated prior to the trip, it is remarkable that the trip produced broad and substantial impact." — Brandeis Summer 2025 Impact Report

3. The Impact Compounds Across Generations

The Brandeis Longitudinal Impact Report (February 2025) — seven waves of research, nearly two decades of follow-up — confirms that Birthright Israel's impact does not fade. It compounds.

MARRIAGE & PARTNERSHIP

• 63% of Birthright Israel alumni have a Jewish spouse or partner

RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION

• 84% of Birthright Israel alumni with children are raising them Jewish, regardless of whether their spouse is Jewish

• 122% more likely to celebrate their children’s b'mitzvah

• 2x more likely to enroll their children in Jewish day school

• 65% more likely to send their children to Jewish overnight camp

LONG-TERM CONNECTION

• 2x more likely to be strongly connected to Israel, nearly two decades later

• 35% of participants returned to Israel at least once after their trip

"Most remarkable is new evidence that Birthright influences how the children of participants are being raised." — Brandeis Longitudinal Impact Report

4. The Cost of Inaction Is Measured — and Preventable

At roughly $5,000 per participant, Birthright Israel is the most cost-effective identity-building investment in the Jewish world. The Generations Campaign will bring 200,000+ young Jews to Israel between 2025 and 2029.

When they go, they come back stronger. When they don't, we lose them — and the loss echoes forward.

We invite you to read the full studies here:

A Summer of Uncertainty: The Impact on Birthright Israel's Summer 2025 Cohort (March 2026)

L’Dor v’Dor: Birthright Israel's Impact Across Generations (February 2025)