Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Gabriela Cohen is a Birthright Israel and Onward Israel alum born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Throughout her childhood, she spent a lot of time in Israel but felt Birthright Israel gave her a deeper connection to the country. After her Birthright Israel trip, Gabriela participated in Onward Israel. Upon returning from her internship, Gabriela finished her Sustainability Science and… Read More 

Having attended Jewish day schools in the Atlanta area through high school, I learned all about Israel in the classroom — the history of the Western Wall, the wonders of the Dead Sea, and occasionally the complexities of Middle Eastern conflict. I even had the chance to visit the typical Israeli attractions during each of my two visits before summer… Read More 

Abbie Barkan was fortunate to participate in Onward Israel this past summer. Recently, Birthright Israel announced its merger with Onward Israel. Birthright Israel Foundation is lucky to make experiences like Abbie's possible for young Jews in Atlanta and around the country. Below you will learn more about Abbie's Onward Israel internship and time living in Israel. Q&A with Abbie Barkan… Read More 

My name is Zoe Newman, and I am a Kindergarten teacher in Cincinnati, OH. I am originally from Cleveland, but I went to the University of Cincinnati for college, got a job after graduating, and decided to stay! Coming back from Birthright Israel, I would say without a doubt that I had the best ten days of my life. I… Read More 

Eric Kenyon is a 2022 Birthright Israel alum currently living in Columbus, Ohio, who wanted to take advantage of a free trip to Israel. However, like countless others, Eric quickly realized this trip was turning out to be life-changing. Eric’s wife and son convinced him that spending two weeks away was a good idea, and he is grateful that they… Read More 

Ted Rosner is a 2022 Birthright Israel alumnus from Westchester County, New York. He grew up in an interfaith family and was excited to participate in the program to learn more about his Jewish roots. Before his Birthright Israel trip, Ted worked at the Cato Institute as a Development intern, which he enjoyed very much. He graduated from Sacred Heart… Read More 

Alumnus Mike Boulrice did not discover his Jewish heritage until adulthood and through Birthright Israel's targetted advertising, learned of the trip's pilot program for 27-32-year-olds. Mike quickly signed up, despite opposition on social media for traveling to Israel, and began a deep dive into his Jewish heritage. Q&A with Mike Boulrice What inspired you to sign up for a Birthright… Read More 

Adam Shapiro is a 2022 Birthright Israel alumnus who participated in an accessibility trip for those on the Autism spectrum. In the video and interview below, you'll meet Adam and hear why he loved his Birthright Israel experience and what he learned while in Israel. My name is Adam Shapiro. I live in Huntington, Long Island, New York. I am… Read More 

More than 3,000 enthusiastic attendees gathered on Wednesday for an extravaganza, known as the Birthright Israel Mega Event, which caps each summer’s gathering of the organization’s trips to Israel. Yet this event was more special than usual, marking as it did the return, after a two-year break due to the coronavirus crisis, of the free summer trips to Israel for… Read More 

Noah Friedman is a 2022 Birthright Israel alumnus from San Antonio, TX. He is currently a sophomore chemistry major at Texas A&M University. At campus, Noah is a leader at the Hillel and is also involved with MOVE Texas, a progressive grassroots student organization focused on increasing voter registration. Noah is outspoken on issues that face the Jewish community, and… Read More 

It’s simple: I am the person I am today because of Onward Israel. Growing up, I was a handful, especially when it came to being Jewish. If there was a world record for the number of times someone faked being sick to stay home from Hebrew school, I would hold it. In fact, if you asked my Rabbi who was… Read More