Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

When alumnus Neil St. Clair first entered the workforce, his family encouraged him to hide his Jewish identity, “suggesting that if I want to succeed, I should not display my Judaism.” He didn’t identify publicly as a Jewish person for the first time until he was in his 30s. Married, with his second child on the way, he decided to… Read More 

“Tradition!” Loveable milkman Tevye belts out his famous song in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof, vocalizing the traditional family roles of shtetl Jews in Czarist Russia. Our people’s connection to tradition dates back to long before the 1964 show and the time period it depicts. Our rich cultural heritage has been passed down since Abraham, generation after… Read More 

While Jewish Americans and Israelis are kindred spirits, you were likely in for a culture shock the first time you visited the holy land. Americans, for instance, tend to sugarcoat things. Israelis tell it like it is. As one Birthright Israel trip provider puts it, “If you want the hard truth (or even if you don’t), Israelis are more than… Read More 

JERUSALEM – Arel Moodie, the son of a white Jewish mother and a Black father, experienced a core identity struggle through most of his teenage years. "It was one of the biggest pieces of turmoil in my adolescence," said Moodie, who was raised in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Brooklyn and attended Jewish camps every summer. "I asked myself, 'Who… Read More 

While everyone’s a bundle of nerves about meeting new people and making Jewish friends before their Birthright Israel trip, the fear quickly melts away when they instantly connect with their group. The 40 or so Jewish young adults from throughout the Diaspora and Israel grow as close as family as they embrace their homeland and heritage on this life-changing trip. … Read More 

My experience with Birthright Israel began as soon as I got on the bus in front of the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, wearing an IDF uniform along with seven other Israelis. We were greeted by a group of about 40 Americans from San Francisco with cheers and stormy applause. It started at that moment, and not a minute before,… Read More 

2017 Birthright Israel alumnus Aaron from Massachusetts, always knew he wanted to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and took advantage of the trip to further his desire to defend Israel and the Jewish people. Aaron returned home after Birthright Israel to finish his degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering before returning to Israel. In Israel, he became a… Read More 

This summer, Birthright Israel is back and Israelis everywhere are saying Bruchim Habaim: "Welcome Home." As trips resume after a pause due to the pandemic, young Jews in the Diaspora are not the only ones ready for the journey — Israelis are too! They play a crucial role in the Birthright Israel experience, from El Al flight attendant Ortal, to Luba… Read More 

This Father’s Day, we’re excited to feature an exclusive interview with Birthright Israel alumnus Alexei Brovarnik. Alexei participated in Birthright Israel in 2013, where he met Loren née Goldstone, who would eventually become his wife. The couple fell in love during their trip and would go on to have the most famous Birthright Israel love story in the program's 21-year… Read More 

Alex Lin-Goldsmith participated in Birthright Israel over 10 years ago and says he's still reaping the benefits of his trip. Like many LGBTQ+ participants, Alex discovered Israel's diverse culture and got an inside look at the country's LGBTQ+ community. From then on, he made lifelong friends and frequently spoke about his experience. In the years following his trip, Alex met… Read More 

We often hear that some Jewish young adults feel apprehensive when they first learn about Birthright Israel, but we promise this trip to the Jewish homeland isn’t too good to be true. The reason the trip costs nothing to participants is that it is a gift that keeps on giving. Every single Jewish young adult who claims their birthright helps… Read More