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From Track Star to Skeleton Slider: Birthright Alum Jared Firestone's Olympic Dream for Team Israel
Alums

January 12, 2024

From Track Star to Skeleton Slider: Birthright Alum Jared Firestone's Olympic Dream for Team Israel

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Jared Firestone, a 33-year-old former track athlete from Miami Beach, has traded his running shoes for a skeleton sled on a remarkable journey toward the 2026 Olympics. His passion for representing Israel ignited in his youth and rekindled by a Birthright Israel trip, now takes him down exhilarating and treacherous ice tracks head-first at 80 miles per hour! .embed-container {...

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350 Young Adults Will Participate in Birthright Israel Trips This Month
Alums Trip Highlights

January 6, 2024

350 Young Adults Will Participate in Birthright Israel Trips This Month

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel is thrilled to welcome 350 young adults from primarily the U.S. on our classic 10-day trip this month, marking the program’s welcomed return after a temporary hiatus following the October 7th terrorist attack. These participants will join the vibrant community of 850,000 Birthright Israel alums who have discovered their heritage and deepened their connection to Israel since the...

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"Only One Home": A Song of Resilience After October 7th's Shadow
Alums Trip Highlights

December 28, 2023

"Only One Home": A Song of Resilience After October 7th's Shadow

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Following the October 7th attack, siblings Ally and Daniel Rodnunsky turned to music as a refuge and a way to express their solidarity with the Jewish community and Israel. "Only One Home," their powerful song born from pain, brings awareness to the tragedy while offering solace to those affected. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width:...

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"Israel stitched friendships and memories forever woven into my Jewish identity"
Alums Trip Highlights

December 22, 2023

"Israel stitched friendships and memories forever woven into my Jewish identity"

by Nicole Lucas , 2022 Birthright Israel Alum

My name is Nicole Lucas; I am a Junior at Washington University in St. Louis (originally from Chicago) studying Global Health and Biology, hoping to become a physician. I am President of WashU’s AEPhi chapter, a research intern at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and a volunteer at senior centers running improv workshops with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. My parents have been involved...

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Hineini: My Quest to Embody and Find Humanity in War-Torn Israel
Alums Trip Highlights

December 21, 2023

Hineini: My Quest to Embody and Find Humanity in War-Torn Israel

by Andrea Rice , Birthright Israel Onward Volunteer

On October 7th, inhumane acts were committed against Israelis who, as a Jew, I consider extensions of my own family. These atrocities took place in a land that I consider a second home, the place where my soul resides. We have all experienced loss and heartbreak in our lives but on this day, something much deeper within me was broken,...

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United Under the Israeli Sun: How Birthright Israel Became a Beacon of Solidarity in 2023
Alums Leadership & Supporters Trip Highlights

December 20, 2023

United Under the Israeli Sun: How Birthright Israel Became a Beacon of Solidarity in 2023

by Birthright Israel Foundation

In 2023, Birthright Israel witnessed an extraordinary outpouring of connection and resilience. Over 27,000 young Jewish adults embarked on transformative journeys, immersing themselves in Israel’s vibrant culture and rich history through our programs. These programs, be they the classic 10-day trip, Onward or Excel, were more than just sightseeing; they sparked personal growth and ignited a sense of belonging to...

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Video: Inside Birthright Israel Onward's Volunteer Program
Alums Trip Highlights

December 5, 2023

Video: Inside Birthright Israel Onward's Volunteer Program

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Following the horrific October 7th attack, Birthright Israel Onward invited alums of all Birthright Israel programs and any young Jewish adult aged 18-40 to apply to volunteer in Israel. This program invites Jewish young adults to participate in the shared value of Arvut Hadadit (mutual responsibility) through volunteerism. In the video below, we invite you to meet several of the...

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Show Your Jewishness
Alums

November 27, 2023

Show Your Jewishness

by Isabel Allard , Birthright Israel Alum

As I write this, I’m looking at my hand, where scattered flecks of cobalt blue trace the outline of a Magen David. While this could be an ad for waterproof blue eyeliner – the pigment clinging on for dear life four days later – I find myself now wishing to retrace the lines when I get home. After all, for...

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Who We Are and How We Keep Going
Alums

November 27, 2023

Who We Are and How We Keep Going

by Risa Polansky Shiman , Birthright Israel Alum

I’m listening to a guided meditation, back straight, eyes closed, when the deep, soothing voice in my headphones says, “if you’re feeling agitated, if you’ve got lots of thoughts and feelings today, that’s OK.” This is not a reference to the war in Israel. But of course that’s the source of my agitation, of my endless thoughts and feelings. The...

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Do Anything and Everything in Your Power to Help
Alums

November 24, 2023

Do Anything and Everything in Your Power to Help

by Julia Pratt , Birthright Israel Onward Alum

Two weeks after the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel, I took to a stage in Miami and in front of 500 people screamed into the microphone, “My name is Julia Pratt and I am proud to be Jewish.” The events of October 7th shook me to my core. It was only two weeks after the bloodiest attack on the...

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Without your donations to Birthright Israel Foundation, this gift isn't possible. Secure the Jewish future today by investing in this transformational trip for Jewish young adults.

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