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Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Q&A with University of Kansas Student Jake Niefeld
Alums Trip Highlights

June 16, 2022

Q&A with University of Kansas Student Jake Niefeld

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel alumnus Jake Niefeld is currently a student at the University Kansas studying Spanish Education. He's originally from Minneapolis, MN, and absolutely loves to be outdoors. Jake also enjoys playing his guitar and any kind of sport, most specifically, Ultimate Frisbee. In our interview below, we caught up with Jake and wanted to know why he thought Birthright Israel...

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Meet Photographer and LA Birthright Israel Alum Levi Meir Clancy
Alums Trip Highlights

June 16, 2022

Meet Photographer and LA Birthright Israel Alum Levi Meir Clancy

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Levi Meir Clancy was born in Los Angeles, CA, and is of Ashkenazi and Okinawan descent. Levi's work, passions, and hobbies are all one and the same. He explained that growing up with a minority’s perspective on survival from both sides of his family — an estimated one-third to one-half of Okinawans perished in atrocities during World War II —...

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Alums Trip Highlights

June 13, 2022

Meet Birthright Israel and Onward Israel Alum Caleb Esrig

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Caleb Esrig grew up in New Rochelle, NY, where he attended Solomon Schechter School of Westchester (now The Leffell School), where he first developed his passion for Judaism. For college, Caleb attended Harvard, where he studied Economics and worked closely with Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Harvard Hillel. Today, Caleb works as an associate consultant in Bain & Company's New...

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Reflections From a Campus Rabbi on Staffing Birthright Israel
Leadership & Supporters Trip Highlights

May 31, 2022

Reflections From a Campus Rabbi on Staffing Birthright Israel

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Rabbi Jordan Gerson is a 14-time Birthright Israel trip staffer, a Birthright Israel Fellow and serves as a rakaz for Hillel International Birthright Israel trips. Originally from St. Louis, Rabbi Jordan landed his dream job when he took the position of Campus Rabbi at Washington University and was glad to be back in his hometown. Most recently, Rabbi Jordan staffed...

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Birthright Israel's Connection to Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut
Trip Highlights

May 3, 2022

Birthright Israel's Connection to Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Every year, Israelis and Jews worldwide come together to commemorate and celebrate two important days on the Jewish calendar: Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. Yom HaZikaron is Israel's Memorial Day to remember those who lost their lives fighting for the establishment of the State of Israel and all military personnel killed in active duty. Yom Ha'atzmaut is Israeli Independence Day...

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Video: How Birthright Israel Ignited My Never Ending Love Affair with Israel
Alums Trip Highlights

May 2, 2022

Video: How Birthright Israel Ignited My Never Ending Love Affair with Israel

by Amy Albertson , 2013 Birthright Israel Alumna

Coming from a mixed family, with what many might call an unorthodox Jewish upbringing, I’m probably the last person you’d expect to dedicate my professional and much of my personal life to advocating for the Jewish people and Israel. I grew up with a very unaffiliated Jewish father, a Chinese-American mother, and an uber-liberal, atheist Jewish grandmother. I always knew...

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Yad Vashem: The World Holocaust Remembrance Center
Alums Trip Highlights

April 27, 2022

Yad Vashem: The World Holocaust Remembrance Center

by Birthright Israel Foundation

There are many lessons and sites young Jews on Birthright Israel will never forget, and perhaps the place that impacts participants the most is Yad Vashem. The museum, known as the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, was established in 1953 and is the globe's leader in Holocaust education. Tripadvisor ranks it as one of the Top 25 Museums in the World....

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courtneysimmonsdemri
Alums Trip Highlights

April 16, 2022

Birthright Israel is Life-Changing and I'll Keep Saying It

by Courtney Simmons Demri , 2012 Birthright Israel Alumna

To start, Birthright Israel changed my life. It has changed my life spiritually, mentally, romantically (which you will hear about later). I want to leave you with suspense! When I am asked to share my Birthright Israel story, it's difficult to decide where to begin because my experience has provided me with so many different outlets and avenues that impacted...

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Alums Trip Highlights

April 12, 2022

Meet Indiana Birthright Israel Alumna Ellen Voskoboynik

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Ellen Voskoboynik was born in the United States to former Soviet immigrants. Her parents, who fled the former Soviet Union as refugees, raised her to have a strong respect for her Jewish heritage. Ellen participated in Birthright Israel through the Indiana University Hillel, where she became a Bat Mitzvah on the trip. Ellen is now a practicing emergency room nurse...

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Alums Trip Highlights

April 11, 2022

Jeremy Ettlinger: Recalling My Bar Mitzvah at Masada

by Jeremy Ettlinger , 2019 Birthright Israel Alumnus

I went on Birthright after my second year of college in May 2019. Like many Birthright Israel trips, my journey started at the airport. My dad and stepmom dropped me off at the airport. Margot, my stepmom, wanted to come with me to the airport so she could see a Birthright Israel trip up close. After two goodbyes and many...

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