Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

I am a Jewish Inclusion Fellow at RespectAbility, but I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my Jewish identity. I have always enjoyed eating potato latkes at Hanukkah, and appreciated the ritual of reevaluating oneself during the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but I know very little about Judaism, beyond these cultural touchstones. Some of this is because… Read More 

There were many years when Judaism was not a priority for Mark and Renee Kaufman’s daughter, Desiree. She had no interest in going to temple, following Jewish customs and traditions, or marrying a Jew. Then Desiree received the gift of a Birthright Israel trip, traveling for free along with a group of her peers. In Israel, she experienced what one… Read More 

How do you decide what organizations your philanthropic dollars will support? For Jill Roberts, Chair of Birthright Israel Foundation's New England Council and Birthright Israel parent, the choice of supporting the program is simple. Jill, like so many of us, wants a world free of hate and antisemitism. She’s a firm believer that the gift of Birthright Israel provides a… Read More 

As Birthright Israel entered its 20th anniversary year no one could have imagined a global pandemic would change the course of the program for the year. Young Jewish adults worldwide were disappointed as their trips were postponed and communities everywhere went into lockdown. Take future participant, Isabelle Wigon of Boston, MA who wasn’t surprised to learn her June Birthright Israel… Read More 

Rooted in regional and continental influences with a dash of traditional Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi flavors, Israeli cuisine is a collection of ever-evolving delicacies developed by a long-wandering people who are now living in a young and burgeoning nation. Traditional Israeli food isn’t only tied to Jewish holidays like Passover and Shavuot, or relegated to Israeli BBQ. The Israeli culinary… Read More 

Birthright Israel participants are typically pretty clueless about life in Israel before their trip. They return from the Middle East with a visceral connection to the Jewish State and these 15 lessons on life in Israel. Life in Israel is modern ... When alumnus Nathan Lightman claimed his birthright, he was surprised to find that the streets of Tel Aviv… Read More 

In 2004, a Birthright Israel trip inspired Marina Yudborovsky to reconnect with her Jewish identity, something it has done for 800,000+ young Jews worldwide. Marina, a Soviet Jewish émigré to the US, was then motivated to join the Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) in 2009 to help in its mission to strengthen the Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews around the world.… Read More 

Birthright Israel Foundation’s donors all have their own special and unique reasons for supporting the program. Many of our supporters grew up only dreaming of visiting Israel. Birthright Israel to them is almost a miracle. For others, giving to Birthright Israel Foundation fulfills their philanthropic priorities in supporting educational experiences for the next generation. Long-time Michigan donors Andi and Larry… Read More 

As the US fundraising arm for Birthright Israel trips, Birthright Israel Foundation aims to raise nearly $57 million every year to help nearly 50,000 Jewish young adults claim their birthright. While it’s clear why the Jewish State and major US Jewish organizations would help fund this educational, life-changing trip, you may be wondering what’s in it for our individual donors.… Read More 

When I started as a freshman in 2017 at Michigan State University, I had no idea how big of an impact my Jewish identity would have on my experience. During my sophomore year, I signed up for a May Birthright Israel trip through the MSU Hillel. I had never been to Israel before, and I was eager but nervous. I had… Read More 

Since we are in the month of giving thanks, we want to share a message of gratitude. Thank you for believing in Birthright Israel through these uncertain times. Thank you for your unwavering support of what this educational trip can do for young Jews worldwide. In the video below, you'll hear why 10 Birthright Israel alumni are thankful to you!… Read More