January 2000 Dear Mr. Bronfman, Hope all is well. I’d like to begin by saying thank you for making the Birthright Israel trip possible for me and the thousands of others that took part in this experience. For me, it was an experience that can never be relived again. I can’t imagine the time, thought and effort that was put… Read More
From the Dead Sea, to the Western Wall, to the night time meditation in the Negev desert, my entire Birthright Israel trip was enlightening, joyous, spiritual, and insightful. The people, places, views, bus naps, pillow talks, jokes, late night convos, and nights of 3 hours of sleep all became worth it when the country of Israel left a mark on… Read More
You may be even more familiar with expressions like Sababa or Yofi after a trip to Israel, but there is so much more to learning Hebrew. Hebrew is one of the world's most ancient languages. The Jewish people have used the Hebrew language in dialect, praying, writing, and in correspondence with each other for as long as time can tell.… Read More
Palm Beach native and longtime Temple Emanu-El member Susan Pertnoy recently took a trip that she had spent nearly two decades promoting and supporting for others. Pertnoy joined other donors on a specially designed Birthright Israel trip celebrating the organization’s 18th anniversary. Founded in 1999, Birthright Israel Foundation, the largest educational tourism organization in the world, sends Jewish young people… Read More
Laura Fenton is originally from Memphis, TN. She thought she'd never make it to the land of milk and honey... that was until she heard of Birthright Israel! Israel was never a place I thought I would visit until the opportunity to go on Birthright Israel opened up. I am so grateful to had gone at the age of 31… Read More
The first time I traveled to Israel was when I was fourteen and then most recently with Birthright Israel in the summer of 2018. Something about going as a young adult the second time around changed my life. Before, I did not recognize all the beauty and the significance of Israel. I could not see all the small aspects like… Read More
The first words said to me upon arriving in Israel were “Welcome Home.” It is amazing how meaningful two words can be and how much they resonated through Birthright Israel. I have been on more trips than I can count. I have a yearning and passion for travel and each place I go. I relish in the culture, the people,… Read More
When you grow up in a Jewish Community, go to Jewish Day School, and have a grandfather who is a prominent Rabbi in the Upper East Side of Manhattan the last thing you expect is for a short 10-day trip to totally shift your Jewish identity. When going on the Birthright trip was presented to me, I thought it would… Read More
In the state of Maine, Judaism is uncommon. To illustrate this, imagine everyone’s eyes in your class directed at you every time your grade school teacher would mention the Jewish religion. I did appreciate the attention but was sorry Ms. Jackson (oh), I am for real “Outcast”. This isolation from growing up in Portland, Maine’s public school system only augmented… Read More
In a little over 18 years thousands and thousands of young Jewish adults from San Francisco to San Diego, California have experienced the once-in-a-lifetime educational trip of Birthright Israel. Many visit Israel for the first time and feel the warmth of community by interacting with Israelis, but most of all they gain a deeper sense of their Jewish identity that… Read More
Growing up, you’d hear so many stories in Hebrew or Sunday school about how amazing Israel is. But, it is only once you actually travel there does everything come together, and you feel the connection you have always wanted to feel. This is exactly what happened to me when I traveled to Israel in June 2018 with Birthright Israel. Before… Read More
