Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

In this week’s edition of What Alumni Are Saying we’re hearing from participants from New Jersey. Since Birthright Israel’s inception, 72,305 young Jewish adults from New Jersey have received this life-changing gift. Do you know how many buses participants from New Jersey would fill? You guessed it, 1,807 buses! So, if you’re ready let’s see what participants from New Jersey… Read More 

Our daughter, Desiree, went on Birthright Israel last July from New York. Up until this trip she had very little interest in her Jewish heritage and absolutely no interest in going to temple, adhering to the traditions of Judaism or dating/marrying a Jewish man. When my wife and I picked her up from the airport, we were amazed and delighted… Read More 

Young adults today live in a dramatically different world than those from the first Birthright Israel groups 19 years ago. Then, many participants got their first passport to embark on their journey to Israel. Today, the sky is the limit for Millennials and Generation Z’ers. International travel has become increasingly affordable. The growth of social media allows anyone to explore… Read More 

Did you know Birthright Israel participants come from every corner of the United States? Many participants choose to go on community buses or join national trips where they meet new friends from around the country. In this week’s edition of What Alumni Are Saying This Week we’re going to hear from participants from the sunshine state of Florida. What made… Read More 

I grew up in the diaspora of New Jersey in the 1950s, where there was no religion. We never belonged to a synagogue, never had a Seder, and didn’t celebrate the High Holidays. When my husband and I had our first daughter, Pamela, I began to realize how important that missing piece of my heritage was to me. So we sent… Read More 

Elizabeth Savetsky's Birthright Israel Story The single most critical decision I made in my life was to apply for a Birthright Israel trip in the summer of 2004.  Almost everything that is important to me in my current life can be traced back to that moment. I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, where my world felt a zillion miles from the… Read More 

Ever since I can remember, Israel has been a big part of my life. My grandparents have a second home in Israel and as kids, we’d go for the entire summer. The minute we landed my mother would start breathing in the air through her nose, almost like she never experienced oxygen before, and when it was time to leave… Read More 

There is no better way to share the light this Hanukkah season than by showcasing our incredible alumni and their favorite holiday recipes. We'd like you to meet Atlantan and passionate Birthright Israel alumna Mallory Hope Schwartz. Her Birthright Israel resume includes being an active Birthright Israel Fellow, 2-time trip staffer and a member of Birthright Israel Foundation's speaker's bureau. When… Read More 

Throughout the summer and winter seasons of Birthright Israel trips, young Jewish adults experience firsthand the ancient and modern streets of Jerusalem. For many, this is the first time they visit this holy city that is so dear to our history. Together, with their bus mates, participants discover the Western Wall, place a note in the cracks and cherish this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… Read More 

Hanukkah is a very nostalgic time for me and brings me very special memories. In 2010, on the eve of the first night of Hanukkah, I went on my Birthright Israel trip. I was finishing up the final year of my Bachelor of Science degree and knew very little about Israel or Judaism. I was born in Belarus into a… Read More 

A huge highlight from any Birthright Israel trip is the hike to Masada. Participants wake up before sunrise, fill their water bottles and begin the ascent to learn about an incredible part of Jewish history. Many participants walk away feeling an overwhelming sense of Jewish pride and understanding of our collective past through their experience atop Masada. Whether it be… Read More