It is that time of the week again when we give you a dose of what we like to call Birthright Israel magic – when participants share their life-changing and most memorable moments from their time in Israel. Drum roll please…

“Without Birthright Israel I would have never felt so proud of my Jewish identity.”
– Alesha

“Every moment from my Birthright Israel trip helped me explore what role Judaism plays and will play in my life. I learned it is okay to practice Judaism in the way you are most comfortable with and it doesn’t make you less of a Jew. I am truly grateful for having the opportunity to experience a feeling of belonging.”
– Samantha

“My favorite moment of the trip was when we went into the desert and observed the stars in the sky and meditated to stories of Moses. It made me realize how vast the Jewish community is throughout the world and throughout history. It also gave me inspiration for my Bat Mitzvah the following day, where I spoke about how incredible it is to be part of the Jewish community and how I hope to contribute to it throughout my life.”
– Elizabeth

“It is hard to choose just one favorite memory from my Birthright Israel trip because the entire experience was so eye-opening and moving. It has played huge part on the path I intend to follow regarding Judaism and my life. If I had to make a choice though, I would say meeting the Israeli soldiers was certainly mind blowing.”
– Zachary