Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

I grew up in a small Jewish community in Northern California, where I had a broken relationship with my Judaism. After my Bat Mitzvah, I didn’t see any reason to continue with the Jewish community. I knew about Birthright Israel, but it was never something that I was interested in doing. After I became sober, I began to explore what… Read More 

Birthright Israel was a life-changing experience for me. I found out about this opportunity by getting more involved with my Hillel branch at Florida International University. I had never been to Israel before, so when I learned it was essentially free, I jumped on it and signed up. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to connect with… Read More 

My Jewish background was hidden throughout childhood but has been brought forward as I’ve stepped into adulthood. When I was a kid, I was told never to disclose my Jewishness to people. As a mixed child, my family felt that appearing both Black and Jewish would subject me to too much discrimination, therefore, I kept my Jewish observation inconspicuous. Growing… Read More 

I can’t even fully explain how amazing my Birthright Israel trip was, but I’ll do my best. Birthright Israel No Limits In Motion is a trip designed specifically for young adults with disabilities ages 18-32. This trip promises a completely free and accessible trip to Israel. Each participant gets to bring a companion with them for free, so I brought… Read More 

July 2000 My name is KC Yasmer and I am a junior at Stanford University. It was my good fortune to join the other hundreds of college students on the Birthright Israel 2000 trip. I was raised in Tucson, Arizona, a southwestern town with a small but cohesive Jewish community. Judaism was and is a part of my life, which… Read More 

Finding Love in a Holy Place Back in 2013, I received a call that I could go on Birthright Israel, and of course, I took the opportunity and booked my flight to NYC. I had never traveled alone, and the anxiety and excitement were outrageous. When my peers and I arrived at the airport on the morning of our trip,… Read More 

"My daughter loved every minute of the Israeli people, places, food, information and experiences. She went in convinced that while the trip would offer exposure to valuable historical and cultural insights, she'd be bored. Instead, she returned in awe. The group explored from sunup to sundown daily, and my daughter felt like no sightseeing stone was left unturned. The education… Read More 

My No Limits Birthright Israel trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life! A person with a disability can often feel alone and isolated. I have Cerebral Palsy and this trip was so special because I met people who are going through the same challenges and have similar fears and anxieties as I did. I realized for the… Read More 

There’s a difference between being Jewish and being Jew “ish.” I was born Jewish, but I was not raised Jewish. Back in the 1940’s, my Ashkenazi grandmother was born and raised Jewish in Brooklyn, New York. Although it was very unusual for women of her time to receive proper Jewish education, she continued to practice Judaism well into her adulthood.… Read More 

One word that I would use to describe my Birthright Israel trip would be “breathtaking.” My Birthright Israel trip was humbling and very meaningful. Not only did I learn about Israeli culture, but I also discovered a deeper connection within myself that I hadn’t felt before. There’s that saying, “expect the unexpected” and that really rang true on this trip.… Read More 

Israel has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My father was born in Tehran, Iran, and moved to Israel with his family during the Revolution of 1978. He would later immigrate to the United States, alone and as a teenager, while his family remained in the Middle East. Growing up with half of my… Read More