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Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Josh Rose FEATURED - 1
Alums Trip Highlights

August 22, 2025

Birthright Israel Showed Me a Proud Future I Never Imagined

by Josh Rose , 2025 Birthright Israel Volunteer

I’m from Manchester but have lived in London for 7 years. I am passionate about writing, particularly writing about being gay and Jewish. My short film Sinnerman—about two gay Jewish men—was selected for the BAFTA-accredited UK Jewish Film Festival, as well as 6 other film festivals. I am currently writing a feature film about a similar topic. My connection to...

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Emma Rothman FEATURED
Alums Trip Highlights

August 22, 2025

Birthright Israel Helped Me Finally Feel “Jewish Enough”

by Emma Rothman , 2025 Birthright Israel Alumna

I grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, and I’m now a senior at Skidmore College. I study education and psychology with a minor in dance. For as long as I can remember I thought I would become a teacher, but recently I’ve considered going into school social work or child psychology instead. My earliest memories of Judaism are from the preschool...

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Yair Szlak FEATURED - 1
Alums Trip Highlights

August 22, 2025

Birthright Israel Helped Me Lead the Montreal Jewish Community

by Yair Szlak , 2002 Birthright Israel Alumnus

People say, “Birthright changed my life,” and you wonder, what does that actually mean? Well, 23 and a half years after my Birthright Israel trip, I’m the President and CEO of Federation CJA in Montreal. And when I look back — on my personal life, my marriage to a Jewish woman, my professional path in the Jewish community, and everything...

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Jennifer Levine FEATURED
Alums Trip Highlights

August 22, 2025

Helping Farmers and Hostage Families as a Birthright Israel Volunteer

by Jennifer Levine-Emdur , 2025 Birthright Israel Volunteer

I grew up in Montreal in a home where we didn’t need to be told why Judaism mattered; it was ingrained. My parents and grandparents set the example. Every Friday night, without exception, we had Shabbat dinner. We weren’t strictly Shomer Shabbat, but family always came first. From the time I was little, Israel was part of my life. My...

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Ashley WB FEATURED-min
Alums Trip Highlights

August 21, 2025

Birthright Israel Opened My Eyes and Made Me a Global Activist

by Ashley Waxman Bakshi , 2003 Birthright Israel Alumna

I was born in Canada to Israeli parents who had left Israel before my birth. My three brothers were born there. My parents were very Zionist, but they immigrated because my dad had PTSD from the Yom Kippur War, and didn’t want his sons to go into the army and experience what he went through. At home we spoke Hebrew,...

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Events Leadership & Supporters

August 20, 2025

Debra Messing Joins Aspen Community to Support Birthright Israel

by Birthright Israel Foundation

On August 6, friends and supporters gathered in Aspen for Birthright Israel Foundation’s Annual Event, a night of celebration, connection, and shared commitment to the Jewish future. We heard from Birthright Israel alumna Abby Fish, who shared how her experience in a bomb shelter on Shabbat became a turning point in her Jewish identity. Elias Saratovsky, our President & CEO,...

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Maddy's photos FEATURED
Trip Highlights

August 14, 2025

Birthright Israel’s Summer of Jewish Connection

by Birthright Israel Foundation

After June’s disruption, Birthright Israel has fully rebounded. In this challenging year for Jewish communities, giving young adults pride, connection, and resilience has never been more important. This summer, 10,000 young Jews from North America, Europe, Latin America, India, Australia, South Africa, and the former Soviet Union participated in our 10-day trips. They join our global family of more than...

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lone soldier reunion hug2
Events Trip Highlights

August 14, 2025

Lone Soldier Families Reunited in Birthright Israel Volunteer Ceremony

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Last week, our Birthright Israel Volunteer program had the privilege of welcoming an extraordinary group of participants to Israel — parents of Lone Soldiers from the U.S., Russia, and Argentina. These brave young men and women have chosen to serve in the Israel Defense Forces far from home, and their parents traveled thousands of miles to not only see them...

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Leadership & Supporters

August 6, 2025

Elias Saratovsky on How Birthright Israel is Transforming Jewish Life (Podcast)

by Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel Foundation President & CEO Elias Saratovsky joined Jewish Funders Network’s What Gives? podcast for an inspiring conversation about Birthright Israel’s enduring impact and where we go from here. From his own transformative Birthright Israel trip in 1999 to leading the organization today, Elias shares how immersive Israel experiences continue to shape Jewish identity, pride, leadership, and connection. “The...

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