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Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Volunteer in Israel: A New Beginning For Me and My Judaism
Alums Trip Highlights

May 5, 2026

Volunteer in Israel: A New Beginning For Me and My Judaism

by Alivia Barker , 2026 Volunteer in Israel Alumna

My name is Alivia Barker, and I’m a 36-year-old woman living in Boca Raton, Florida. Today, I focus my energy on spreading joy and love while building meaningful connections; whether through my work as a personal organizer, my volunteer role as a Big Sister through Jewish Family Services, or my treasured relationships with friends and family. I feel incredibly fortunate...

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From Four Jews in Texas to Thirty on a Birthright Israel Bus
Alums Trip Highlights

April 20, 2026

From Four Jews in Texas to Thirty on a Birthright Israel Bus

by Mallory Friedman , 2026 Birthright Israel Alumna

I am a third-year Health Sciences major from Solon, Ohio, and the Vice President of Administrative Affairs on Ohio State Hillel’s student executive board. I grew up in your average American Jewish household, which is to say that, for as long as I could remember, my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all told me I needed to go on Birthright...

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Birthright Israel: The Feeling You Can't Get Anywhere Else
Alums Trip Highlights

April 15, 2026

Birthright Israel: The Feeling You Can't Get Anywhere Else

by Gabrielle Tirsun , 2021 Birthright Israel Alumna and Madricha

I grew up in Plainview, Long Island, in a Conservative household. My grandfather was a Holocaust survivor, so Jewish identity was very important in my family. We were all raised very Zionist. Israel was always this mystical place in my head. My mom had been there; my dad hadn't. I was dying to go because I'd heard so much about it....

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Lessons in Caring From a 13-Trip Birthright Israel Madricha
Alums Leadership & Supporters Trip Highlights

April 14, 2026

Lessons in Caring From a 13-Trip Birthright Israel Madricha

by Sadie Hilf , Birthright Israel Madricha

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am a former pre-professional ballet dancer with an intense love for reading and writing, a soft spot for crafts, and a burning passion to see and change the world. My Jewish identity was rooted in questioning, learning, and a strong but impersonal connection to Israel. I grew up being told Torah stories...

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Why I Keep Coming Back as a Birthright Israel Madricha
Alums Trip Highlights Leadership & Supporters

April 13, 2026

Why I Keep Coming Back as a Birthright Israel Madricha

by Haddie Daner , 2022 Birthright Israel Alumna

My twin sister, my brother and I were adopted from China and grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, near the ocean. My whole extended family is Ashkenazi Jewish, with a mix of Reform and Conservative. We kept kosher strictly in my home and observed Shabbat, and I had my bat mitzvah and went to Jewish summer camp.  I started college...

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Birthright Israel: Visiting When a Good Friend Is in Trouble
Alums Trip Highlights

March 27, 2026

Birthright Israel: Visiting When a Good Friend Is in Trouble

by Sarah Abraham , 2026 Birthright Israel Volunteer

I'm originally from Brooklyn, and I attended college and law school in New York City. I'm married, I'm observant by choice, and I have teenage twins. I've always known that as an adult, you have to constantly reinvest in your commitment to Judaism. It's not something that just happens. It has to be planned. It has to be intentional. After October...

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Brandeis University: Birthright Israel Reverses Generational Decline in Jewish Identity
Leadership & Supporters Trip Highlights Alums

March 23, 2026

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...

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A Generation Steps Forward: Inside the Birthright Israel Excel Summit
Alums Leadership & Supporters Events

March 13, 2026

A Generation Steps Forward: Inside the Birthright Israel Excel Summit

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Last week, 500 Birthright Israel Excel Fellows from around the world gathered at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York for the Excelerate26 Summit. To understand why this weekend mattered, you first need to understand who was in that room and what brought them there.Who Was In That RoomBirthright Israel Excel Fellows are students from Harvard, Stanford, Penn, Cambridge,...

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Birthright Israel Helped Me Become the Jewish Educator I Am Today
Trip Highlights Alums

March 4, 2026

Birthright Israel Helped Me Become the Jewish Educator I Am Today

by Mitchell Hall , 2026 Birthright Israel Alumnus

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...

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From Quiet, Hidden Judaism to Pride and Responsibility
Alums Trip Highlights

February 17, 2026

From Quiet, Hidden Judaism to Pride and Responsibility

by Tatyana Kheyfets , 2026 Birthright Israel Volunteer

My name is Tatyana Kheyfets, and I live in San Ramon, California. I was born in Gomel, Belarus, and immigrated to the United States in 1995 when I was nine years old. My life has always been shaped by the desire to build meaningful relationships, learn from different perspectives, and stay actively engaged with my community. Growing up in Belarus,...

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