Jenn and Elie Zussman met as college students on one of the first Birthright Israel trips in 1999. They married in 2006 and live in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with their two daughters.

Jenn:

I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, in Pikesville, with a strong Jewish community. My upbringing felt very natural and supportive. But when I went to the University of Georgia, I rushed a sorority and got cut from 16 houses right away. I’m 4’11” and came in wearing khakis and Birkenstocks; I stood out. I joined the Jewish sorority and got involved with Hillel. That was how I heard about Birthright. I was figuring out what I wanted my life to look like and needed guidance. I was craving a deeper spiritual connection, but didn’t know where to find it. So, when the opportunity for a free trip to Israel came up, I just said yes. I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t know anyone else going, and I liked that. I wanted this to be my own journey.

Elie:

My dad was born in British Palestine and left for America to go to college. He was proud of Israel, but it wasn’t a land of opportunity in his eyes like America was. He never spoke Hebrew to us. My mom grew up Orthodox in Pennsylvania. By the time I came along, we lived in Northern California and were Reform: Hebrew school two days a week, bar mitzvahs, and that was it. My dad would eat a ham and cheese sandwich on Yom Kippur without guilt. But being Jewish was 100% a part of my values—how you treat people, the emphasis on education.

In college at Emory University, I joined a Jewish fraternity. Birthright wasn’t even on my radar until Hillel mentioned it. I signed up, not thinking much of it, and I ended up 80th on the waiting list. I figured that was the end of it. Then, out of nowhere, I got a call that many applicants had dropped out—it was 1999, during the intifada. I had to decide within an hour. I said yes and packed my bags.

Jenn:

It was just before New Year’s Eve. The president of El Al was aboard our flight, and there was so much energy. It felt like Club El Al. But then, something crazy happened. We were on the runway, ready to take off, and there was a bomb threat. Everyone had already taken sleep meds, so we were groggy when we had to disembark and wait for hours. They gave us hot dogs to keep us going. Eventually, we boarded the plane again. When we landed, I had a strange feeling of familiarity. I let my guard down. Even though I’d never been to Israel, I felt like, “Wow, Israel is home. This is where I’m supposed to be.”

Elie:

It snowed in Jerusalem, the first time I’d ever experienced snow. It was amazing to hear Hebrew being spoken, to see the cultural diversity. Every hotel we stayed at was filled with Birthright participants. So, everywhere we went, it felt like we were with our people. It sounds silly to say, but as American Jews, we thought Israel was very solemn and somber. But we were shown that being Jewish and being in Israel could be joyful and fun, too.

Our group was one of the very first Birthright trips. The organizers told us we might have even been on the first flight. The fact that it was so new and groundbreaking made it feel even more special.

Jenn:

Climbing Masada at sunrise was where I first noticed Elie. When we met, I asked him to carry my journal in his backpack, just to break the ice. I’ve always been very instinctual, and I could tell right away he was solid and trustworthy. I just knew he was a good person. I thought, “I’m not letting this one get away.” That night was New Year’s Eve, the dawn of the new millennium, and we were celebrating at the Dead Sea. I didn’t know what to say, so I asked him, “What’s your major?” He said, “Chemistry.” I said, “Oh my gosh, do you feel the chemistry between us right now?” He thought I was insane. I asked, “How tall are you?” He said, “Five-five.” I told him, “Elie, I’m perfect for you. I’ll always make you feel tall.” When the clock struck midnight, we kissed for the first time.

Elie:

Jenn had this incredible energy. When she asked me to carry her journal in my backpack, I was thrilled. It gave me a reason to talk to her. She had an aura about her, and it’s hard to explain, but I had a feeling she was my kind of person. She was exciting and I wanted to get to know her better. We didn’t actually kiss at midnight—it was more like 12:45am.

Jenn:

We went to the Kotel together. If you want to be cynical, it’s a wall. You might just be, like, I don’t get it. But Elie and I stood there in front of the Kotel, and there’s a picture of us holding hands, our foreheads touching. There we are, in front of G-d, in the most spiritual place on earth, thinking, “I found my soulmate.” It was just so clear to me. Everything happened because of this trip.

At 20, my life was like a deck of cards. There were certain cards I couldn’t change—my family or where I grew up. But on Birthright, I began to see the cards I could play differently. I could decide what major to choose, how I wanted to live, and who I wanted to spend time with. That gave me so much clarity and strength to find my voice. I felt empowered to create the life I wanted. When I came back from Israel, I was Jenn 2.0.

Elie and I started dating seriously after the trip. He was at Emory—a much more Jewish school than mine, and I felt comfortable there. We got married in 2006. I always say, our relationship is like a zipper: it just goes up; we fit together. Now, we have two incredible daughters. It took a while to figure out how to introduce Judaism to the girls. But now, they both attend Jewish day school. The girls need to understand where they come from, why they’re so special, and the amazing gifts they have. I teach them that they have the power to make choices, just like I did. We’re planning to Bat Mitzvah our youngest daughter at Masada. To have her stand where Elie and I first met.

Elie:

Without Israel, I wouldn’t be here. My grandfather came to Israel from what is now Lithuania; back then it was Poland. His family owned a couple of microbreweries. He was so sick of the antisemitism and violence, his family managed to get him a visa to go to British Palestine. So, he did. And although he was educated, he ended up paving roads in the desert. Now comes the sad part of that story. His parents missed him and asked him to come visit. He had been visiting them for a few weeks, when the family was rounded up and put on a train to Auschwitz. His grandfather told him, “You need to jump off. You have papers that will let you leave the country.” And so, he jumped off the train and never saw his family again. I am named after his brother, who died in the camp.

My grandmother was from Poland, too. She didn’t want to join the family business, which had something to do with fishing, so she went to study early childhood education in the Netherlands. There, she saw the writing on the wall. She fled to British Palestine and opened a daycare. My grandparents met at a sandwich shop.

Jenn:

I love the Jewish people—how altruistic and interconnected they are. Especially after October 7th, we don’t have the luxury of not being there for each other. We can’t live life with blinders on. Now more than ever, we have a responsibility to show up for our fellow Jews.

Birthright is just the most incredible program. You can read books and see pictures, but until you’re on the ground, you can’t truly grasp what makes Israel so special. I feel so indebted to the founders of Birthright. That one experience gave me my life—a successful marriage of 18 years, two Jewish children. That never would’ve happened if it weren’t for that one trip.

Elie:

Our ancestors taught us what’s important—that your faith, your values, your family, and your education are all that matters. And if you have that foundation, you can rebuild anywhere, anytime. It may not be easy or pleasant, but with sacrifice and the right set of values, you can do it.

Birthright was one of the seminal moments of my life. It put me on the path to a Jewish life, which was never a guarantee. Jenn and I will always feel connected to Judaism and Israel because of our story.

Related Posts