Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Robert Tanen FEATURED

Alums Trip Highlights

Alums Trip Highlights

June 25, 2025

Birthright Israel Inspired My Work to Preserve Holocaust Memory

by Robert Tanen , Southeast Regional Director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

I grew up in Wellington, Florida, a quiet suburb on the western edge of Palm Beach County. Back then, it felt like the middle of nowhere, the last stop before the hinterlands. To the north was rural Loxahatchee, with its giant trucks and Confederate flags. To the west and further inland, you had Belle Glade, then one of the most...

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Trip Highlights

Trip Highlights

June 20, 2025

Joy and Pride on a Birthright Israel Trip, Interrupted

by Adam Graham , Birthright Israel Educator

This article appeared in The Times of Israel on June 20, 2025. This is what it felt like to be there — leading a magical LGBTQ+ Birthright Israel group through 10 days of joy, three days of shelter, two days evacuated to safety in the Dead Sea and an emergency sunrise cruise international mission. The Pride Parade in Tel Aviv...

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June 20, 2025

Birthright Israel Participants' Resilience and Deep Love of Israel During Evacuation

by Fraidy Moser , The Jerusalem Post

This article appeared in The Jerusalem Post on June 20, 2025. When a group of young Jews landed in Israel with expectations of volunteering in their ancestral homeland and enjoying a milestone trip many in the Diaspora partake in, they hadn’t anticipated Israel launching an attack on Iran and the resulting war that would follow. Many would assume these young...

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Alums Trip Highlights

Alums Trip Highlights

June 17, 2025

My Brother Joshua Led Me to Birthright Israel and Jewish Education

by Jordan Feinberg , 2016 Birthright Israel Alumnus

I've always been proud to be Jewish. Growing up as an Ashkenazi Jew, I found joy in celebrating holidays and traditions with my family, watching the Rugrats Passover special on an orange VHS tape, and listening to Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song.” Of course, my pride and connection to Judaism was also deeply rooted in food. My Grandma Mindy’s matzo ball...

Yasmeen Ohebsion featured

June 11, 2025

Why I Fight: Birthright Israel Helped Me Speak Up and Take Action

by Yasmeen Ohebsion , 2024 Birthright Israel Excel Alumna

In honor of Birthright Israel’s 25th anniversary, we’re proud to spotlight 25 outstanding alumni and share their inspiring stories with you. I was raised in Los Angeles in a proud, close-knit Iranian Jewish family. My father left Iran during the Revolution. My mother grew up in Israel and moved to the U.S. when she was seventeen. Most of my extended...

BIRTHRIGHT FOUNDATION

Events Leadership & Supporters

Events Leadership & Supporters

May 29, 2025

Powerful Reflections from Birthright Israel Foundation’s Guardians Society Mission

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Last week, Birthright Israel Foundation’s Guardians Society returned from an unforgettable mission to Israel. In just a few days, they experienced the solidarity, resilience, and hope that define this moment in Jewish life — and saw firsthand the power of Birthright Israel in action. The mission began in the Golan Heights, with a helicopter tour and meetings with IDF officers...

NYC Birthright Israel Alumni Gather to Celebrate, Reflect & Give Back

Alums Events Leadership & Supporters

Alums Events Leadership & Supporters

May 17, 2025

NYC Birthright Israel Alumni Gather to Celebrate, Reflect & Give Back

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On May 14, Birthright Israel alumni, supporters, and friends gathered at The Ivory Peacock to celebrate the program’s 25th anniversary and launch a new era of alumni leadership. From cocktails and conversations to inspiring remarks and a stirring alumni spotlight, the evening was a testament to what’s possible when young Jews step up to lead—and give back. Together, we raised...

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May 15, 2025

New Brandeis Data Shows Birthright Israel’s Impact in a Year of Resilience

by Birthright Israel Foundation

In this defining moment, Birthright Israel is a guiding force for Jewish resilience. Brandeis University has the data. In 2024, as Israel faced war on multiple fronts and antisemitism surged, especially on college campuses, 18,700 Jewish young adults chose to travel to Israel with us. They weren’t deterred. They were determined — to understand the reality on the ground, affirm...

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Events Leadership & Supporters

Events Leadership & Supporters

May 14, 2025

New Jersey Community Sends 142 Participants on Birthright Israel

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On May 7, the New Jersey Jewish community gathered at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club for an evening in support of Birthright Israel Foundation. Together, attendees raised enough to send 142 Jewish young adults to Israel — thanks in part to a generous anonymous matching gift. At an intimate VIP reception prior to the event, Dr. Zohar Raviv, International VP...

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Events Leadership & Supporters

Events Leadership & Supporters

May 12, 2025

Detroit Hosts Powerful Evening in Support of Birthright Israel Foundation

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On April 23, 2025, Michigan’s Jewish community gathered for a meaningful evening in support of Birthright Israel Foundation. Hosted by Cathy and Charlie Schwartz together with Allie and Andrew Sherman, the event marked the 25th anniversary of Birthright Israel and celebrated its enduring impact on Jewish identity and community resilience. Charlie Schwartz opened the program with a moment of silence...

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