February 5, 2026
February 5, 2026
February 3, 2026
I was born in Israel, and my family moved to the U.S. when I was seven and a half. I grew up in New Jersey, and now I’m a fourth-year student at Drexel University, majoring in biology. I work at a cancer immunotherapy research lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and I’m exploring a career in medicine.As an immigrant...
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January 29, 2026
I’m from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I’m a sophomore at Drexel University in Philadelphia, studying marketing. I’m interested in social media and branding, and I also play basketball. I went to Hebrew school until about age thirteen and had my bar mitzvah, but after that, there was a gap. Then the pandemic hit, everything got chaotic, and before I knew...
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January 29, 2026
For most of my life, Israel was something I was supposed to wait for. When I was growing up in a Chabad Chasidic community, the answer was seminary. When COVID-19 shut that door, the answer became “next year.” When my health collapsed, the answer became “when you can walk again.”Once COVID restrictions were lifted, and I had time off from...
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January 28, 2026
I’m from Westchester, New York. I studied cinematography at Ithaca College and graduated in 2023. Now I’m getting an MFA in photography through Savannah College of Art and Design. I’m going through my photos from Birthright Israel and writing about my experiences, hoping to eventually compile them into a book.My dad is Jewish, and my mom is Catholic. My sister...
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January 27, 2026
I grew up in Michigan with a Reform Jewish identity. But if I’m honest, I felt the least Jewish of my siblings. I’m one of six kids, and I was the most secular one. I just didn’t see the relevance. Judaism felt outdated, like the traditions were disconnected from modern life. Then October 7 happened, and it fundamentally changed me. I...
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January 26, 2026
For many Jewish young adults, Judaism doesn’t disappear. It just gets deprioritized. Not out of rejection, but out of momentum. Careers accelerate. Cities change. Communities become harder to hold onto. You don’t stop being Jewish; you just stop structuring your life around it. That’s what happened to me.I live in the San Francisco Bay area now, where I am an...
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January 20, 2026
Birthright Israel Foundation is pleased to announce a transition in board leadership and the appointment of its new Executive Committee, effective January 1, 2026. After four years as Board Chair, Philip de Toledo has concluded his term, with Michael Rashes assuming the role of Chair of the Board of Directors.During his tenure, de Toledo helped guide the Foundation through an...
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January 20, 2026
As he steps into his new role as Chair of the Birthright Israel Foundation Board of Directors, Mike Rashes spoke to us about the urgency of this moment for the Jewish people and his vision for the Generations Campaign and the future of Birthright Israel.What sparked your connection to Israel and support of Birthright Israel?I felt an immediate and palpable...
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January 20, 2026
As he concludes his tenure as Chair of the Birthright Israel Foundation Board of Directors, Philip de Toledo reflected on the personal journey that deepened his connection to Israel, the opportunity for f leadership during an eventful period of time, and the enduring impact of Birthright Israel.How did you become a leader at Birthright Israel Foundation?We’d supported Birthright Israel for...
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December 30, 2025
I’ve spent about 40 years involved in different Jewish philanthropic organizations, and I’ve learned a lot—some of it inspiring, some of it frustrating, and most of it complicated in the way only Jewish life can be complicated. At the end of the day, I try to look at the broader picture of where we are as a people, what’s happening...
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