Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

Allow us to introduce you to Abigail Dahan, award-winning pastry chef, Birthright Israel alumna, and “Chopped Sweets” champion. Abigail or as you may know her on Instagram as "Abby," participated in Birthright Israel in 2013. In the short video below Abby shares why she wanted to go on Birthright Israel and how the trip was in fact more than just… Read More 

There is no better way to give thanks than with a tasty dessert! That's why Birthright Israel Foundation is excited to bring you 'Chopped Sweets' winner and alumna Abby Dahan's Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake recipe. Abby's coffee cake stands out from the rest with the addition of pumpkin making it the perfect fall dessert. So, how about a slice of… Read More 

Picture this: a small, enthusiastic group of seven-year-olds. Each child has a large poster with a collage of a different Israeli city. Then, they take off flying around the room on their way to Israel. This was Hebrew School for me; I was incredibly lucky to grow up in a very active Jewish community with a plethora of Israeli Hebrew… Read More 

Jewish Community Leader Philip de Toledo Appointed Chairman of the Board. Douglas M. Ross & Lori Komisar Named Vice Chairmen of the Board, Lawrence J. Cohen Appointed as Treasurer. Birthright Israel Foundation, the U.S. funding arm of Birthright Israel, is pleased to announce that Los Angeles based Jewish community lay leader and board member Philip de Toledo has been elected as the organization’s next Chairman of the… Read More 

Birthright Israel is more than just a 10-day trip for our participants. It is a game-changer for the Jewish people: creating an entire generation of young Jewish adults who are connected to Israel and the Jewish community. This connection is a necessity for our people and a huge benefit to our more than 40,000 annual supporters. Each of these supporters… Read More 

On Thursday, October 14, 2021, Birthright Israel Foundation hosted our annual Long Island event featuring Dr. Zohar Raviv, Birthright Israel's International VP of Educational Strategy and alumna and influencer Elizabeth Savetsky. Elizabeth inspired the group of philanthropists by sharing how Birthright Israel changed the trajectory of her life and led her to meet her husband, Dr. Ira Savetsky. MAKE A GIFT NOW Barry Swidler was also… Read More 

In summer 2021, I had the privilege to attend a Birthright Israel trip thanks to the generosity of Birthright Israel Foundation’s donors. However, before I can tell you all about how important this trip was and how it affected me, I should tell you about who I am, and what led me to participate in this adventure. I grew up… Read More 

As someone who was fortunate to visit Israel frequently as a young Jewish adult, what was it like to witness your peers experience Israel for the first time while on Birthright Israel? Elizabeth Sutton: "My entire life I was immersed in a religious, Zionistic community. As such, I never realized how fortunate I was to have spent each summer growing… Read More 

My name is Ido Hayut and I'm 22 and grew up in Atlanta, GA. I have an 18-year-old brother in the IDF and a 12-year-old sister who just had her Bat Mitzvah in Herzliya, Israel. Our parents are Israeli and both spoke Hebrew at home to us. I was lucky to travel to Israel almost every summer to visit our… Read More 

I met a group of strangers at the airport, boarded the plane, and felt apprehensive and uncomfortable about my first trip abroad. Birthright Israel would also be the first time I would be in an environment where I did not speak the native language, which would become a source of discomfort in the first couple of days. I did, however,… Read More 

Preparing for Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays is a perfect time to reflect on and celebrate moments from the past year that matter. At Birthright Israel Foundation, the successful relaunch of our trips in the wake of both a global pandemic and conflict in Israel is one of those moments. Thanks to your belief and commitment to our mission,… Read More