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Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Jerusalem Wailing Wall sunset
Trip Highlights

December 28, 2020

Embracing Jewish Heritage Across Generations, in Israel and at Home

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Though more and more young Jews these days are conflicted about their heritage and faith, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z’’l was optimistic about the future of the Jewish people. “We are super-resilient people,” said the respected spiritual leader. “The more pressure we’ve been under, the stronger we’ve become.” Take Israel, for example. The Jewish State has faced unrelenting threats to...

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Reflections on an Accessible Trip to Israel
Alums Trip Highlights

December 22, 2020

Reflections on an Accessible Trip to Israel

by Blair Webb , Alumna and Jewish Inclusion Fellow

I am a Jewish Inclusion Fellow at RespectAbility, but I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my Jewish identity. I have always enjoyed eating potato latkes at Hanukkah, and appreciated the ritual of reevaluating oneself during the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but I know very little about Judaism, beyond these cultural touchstones. Some of this is because...

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How Birthright Israel Broadens Exposure to Jewish Customs and Traditions
Trip Highlights

December 21, 2020

How Birthright Israel Broadens Exposure to Jewish Customs and Traditions

by Birthright Israel Foundation

There were many years when Judaism was not a priority for Mark and Renee Kaufman’s daughter, Desiree. She had no interest in going to temple, following Jewish customs and traditions, or marrying a Jew. Then Desiree received the gift of a Birthright Israel trip, traveling for free along with a group of her peers. In Israel, she experienced what one...

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Why Future Birthright Israel Participant Isabelle Remains Hopeful
Alums Trip Highlights

December 14, 2020

Why Future Birthright Israel Participant Isabelle Remains Hopeful

by Birthright Israel Foundation

As Birthright Israel entered its 20th anniversary year no one could have imagined a global pandemic would change the course of the program for the year. Young Jewish adults worldwide were disappointed as their trips were postponed and communities everywhere went into lockdown. Take future participant, Isabelle Wigon of Boston, MA who wasn’t surprised to learn her June Birthright Israel...

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15 Ways Birthright Israel Exposes Participants to Life in Israel
Alums Trip Highlights

December 7, 2020

15 Ways Birthright Israel Exposes Participants to Life in Israel

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel participants are typically pretty clueless about life in Israel before their trip. They return from the Middle East with a visceral connection to the Jewish State and these 15 lessons on life in Israel. Life in Israel is modern ... When alumnus Nathan Lightman claimed his birthright, he was surprised to find that the streets of Tel Aviv...

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Alums Leadership & Supporters Trip Highlights

December 3, 2020

The Role Birthright Israel Played in Marina Yudborovsky's Life

by Birthright Israel Foundation

In 2004, a Birthright Israel trip inspired Marina Yudborovsky to reconnect with her Jewish identity, something it has done for 800,000+ young Jews worldwide. Marina, a Soviet Jewish émigré to the US, was then motivated to join the Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) in 2009 to help in its mission to strengthen the Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews around the world....

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Alums Trip Highlights

November 29, 2020

Meet Maya Rosen, Birthright Israel Intern at Michigan State University

by Maya Rosen , 2019 Birthright Israel Alumna

When I started as a freshman in 2017 at Michigan State University, I had no idea how big of an impact my Jewish identity would have on my experience. During my sophomore year, I signed up for a May Birthright Israel trip through the MSU Hillel. I had never been to Israel before, and I was eager but nervous. I...

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Alums Trip Highlights

November 23, 2020

Birthright Israel and Connecting to My Jewish Identity

by Gabrielle Alter , 2019 Birthright Israel Alumna

Like so many young Jewish adults, I was raised in a mixed-faith family. With my mother identifying as Presbyterian and my father identifying as Jewish, it was up to them to decide how both my brother and I would be raised. Judaism is hugely important to my father’s side of the family and my parents decided that the best way...

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Exploring Scientific Innovations Within Jewish Organizations
Trip Highlights

November 20, 2020

Exploring Scientific Innovations Within Jewish Organizations

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel Foundation has helped more than 800,000 Jewish young adults claim their birthright. From Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and many destinations in between, those who sign up for this free trip are wholly immersed in Israeli life, values, culture, history, and heritage. While there is much to do and see in Israel, one of the biggest eye-openers for participants...

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Birthright Israel Love Story: Julie Deutsch & Asher Mayberg
Alums Love Stories Trip Highlights

November 16, 2020

Birthright Israel Love Story: Julie Deutsch & Asher Mayberg

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Julie and Asher’s love story began in Israel in 2015 on a Birthright Israel trip when a nice American girl met a nice Israeli boy. After the trip, Julie returned to New Jersey and Asher moved to Munich, Germany but the distance couldn’t keep them apart. Asher soon caught a flight to New Jersey to celebrate Thanksgiving and to hang...

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