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Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

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November 24, 2024

Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes Courtesy of Birthright Israel Alumni

by Birthright Israel Foundation

When it comes to Thanksgiving, many people have a different idea of what they want to see on the table. Some have waited all year for traditional turkey with all the fixings. Others want something more inspired. And there are always one or two vegetarians who appreciate a meatless dish that they can dig into. With these fast, easy and...

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Embracing Israel as My Own

November 12, 2024

Embracing Israel as My Own

by Amanda Doss , 2024 Birthright Israel Alumna

Though I was raised in a Christian household, I always felt a pull toward Judaism. From childhood Shabbat dinners at my best friend Sigal’s house, to my admiration for Barbra Streisand, Judaism always felt familiar, even comforting. But it wasn’t until I met my boyfriend, David, that my connection to Judaism truly deepened. At the time, I was at a...

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October 28, 2024

Birthright Israel Made Me Proud to Be Jewish and a Stronger Zionist

by Claire Roffman , 2024 Birthright Israel Alum

I had been to Israel twice before. But not since October 7th. I wanted to strengthen my bonds with my sorority sisters, but never realized it would connect me so deeply to others. This time visiting Israel was different. On the fourth day of Birthright Israel, we went to Har Herzl. There I stood on what used to be a...

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Birthright Israel Parent Michelle Ahdoot: Building Strength and Unity

September 26, 2024

Birthright Israel Parent Michelle Ahdoot: Building Strength and Unity

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Activist and mother Michelle Ahdoot is an alumna of one of Birthright Israel’s very first pilot trips in the mid 1990s, when founders and philanthropists Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt first conceived of the program. Fast-forward a few decades, and it’s “full circle,” said Ahdoot, now Director of Programming and Strategy at End Jew Hatred, a grassroots Jewish civil rights...

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September 18, 2024

Inspiring Stories: Alumni Voices at Our Evening in Scarsdale

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On Tuesday, September 18, 2024, we gathered together in Scarsdale at the home of Robin & Jerry Silk for a spectacular evening in celebration and support of Birthright Israel Foundation. The energy and passion were truly inspiring! It was a great reminder of how important it is for us to continue to pass the torch of Jewish resilience from one...

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A New Reality: How Birthright Israel Participants Are Shaping Their Jewish Identity Post October 7th

August 14, 2024

A New Reality: How Birthright Israel Participants Are Shaping Their Jewish Identity Post October 7th

by Birthright Israel Foundation

The horrors of October 7th and the fallout since have changed Jews and Jewish life in ways both tangible and intangible. This is of course true also of the Birthright Israel program: it’s different now – and, like Israel and the Jewish people, still going strong. In the summer of 2024, Birthright Israel brought 13,500 participants from across the diaspora...

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Supporting Birthright Israel: A Private Fundraising Event in the Hamptons

August 13, 2024

Supporting Birthright Israel: A Private Fundraising Event in the Hamptons

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On Friday, August 2, Birthright Israel Foundation hosted an exclusive event at a private home in the Hamptons, gathering donors for an evening focused on the impact and future of Birthright Israel. The evening featured special remarks from Charles Bronfman, co-founder of Birthright Israel. Guests also heard inspiring stories from Birthright Israel alumni. Isabel Allard, a 2021 Birthright Israel alum,...

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August 7, 2024

See and Hear Directly from Summer Participants Embracing Israel Post October 7th

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Mention a Birthright Israel trip in today’s climate, and you may be met with surprise. They’re sending buses now? During the war? And young Jews are choosing to go, even with all the protests, the blatant antisemitism? Yes to all of the above, and yes because of all of the above. Now more than ever it’s crucial for Jewish young...

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Must Watch Videos: Staff and Participants Hope for a Transformative 2024 Summer

May 29, 2024

Must Watch Videos: Staff and Participants Hope for a Transformative 2024 Summer

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel's summer season is officially underway, which means thousands of young Jewish adults are ready to volunteer, bear witness, and connect to their Judaism and ancestral homeland like never before. Thanks to your generosity, 13,500 Jewish young adults will participate in our program offerings (classic 10-day trip, Onward and Excel). As many of our participants prepare to leave their...

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New Study Released: "Birthright Israel's Impact in the Shadow of the Israel-Hamas War"

May 14, 2024

New Study Released: "Birthright Israel's Impact in the Shadow of the Israel-Hamas War"

by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University

Since our program’s inception, the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University has rigorously evaluated Birthright Israel’s impact on participants once they return home. New research from the Summer 2023 cohort underscores the transformative impact of Birthright Israel on our participants, particularly after October 7th. Compared to Birthright Israel applicants who did not participate on a trip last...

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