Taglit-Birthright Israel (), also known as Birthright Israel or simply Birthright, is a free ten-day heritage trip to

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, and the

Golan Heights The Golan Heights, or simply the Golan, is a basaltic plateau at the southwest corner of Syria. It is bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south, the Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in the west, the Anti-Lebanon mountains with Mount Hermon in t ...

for young adults of

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

heritage between the ages of 18 and 26. The program is sponsored by the Birthright Israel Foundation, whose donors subsidize participation. ''Taglit'' is the

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

word for 'discovery'. During their trip, participants, most of whom are visiting Israel for the first time, are encouraged to discover new meaning in their personal

Jewish identity Jewish identity is the objective or subjective sense of perceiving oneself as a Jew and as relating to being Jewish. It encompasses elements of nationhood, "The Jews are a nation and were so before there was a Jewish state of Israel" "Jews are ...

and connection to Jewish history and culture. Since the program's first trip in 1999, more than 900,000 young Jews from 68 countries in the

Jewish diaspora The Jewish diaspora ( ), alternatively the dispersion ( ) or the exile ( ; ), consists of Jews who reside outside of the Land of Israel. Historically, it refers to the expansive scattering of the Israelites out of their homeland in the Southe ...

have participated in Birthright Israel. It is the largest educational tourism organization in the world. Participation in Birthright Israel has been called a

rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of social status, status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisa ...

for young Jews.

Pew Research The Pew Research Center (also simply known as Pew) is a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. It als ...

estimated that by 2020, around 20% of American Jews ages 18–46 had participated in Birthright. Birthright has been called the most influential organization in relations between Israel and the Jewish diaspora.

History

The Birthright Israel program was founded in 1994 by philanthropists Charles Bronfman and

Michael Steinhardt Michael H. Steinhardt (born December 7, 1940) is an American billionaire Hedge fund, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, and former antiquities collector. In 1967, he founded a hedge fund, Steinhardt Partners which he ran until he closed it in 19 ...

in cooperation with the Israeli government, the

Jewish Agency for Israel The Jewish Agency for Israel (), formerly known as the Jewish Agency for Palestine, is the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world. It was established in 1929 as the operative branch of the World Zionist Organization (WZO). As an ...

, and

communities, with the first program trip in 1999. The purpose of Birthright was to strengthen diaspora Jews' connection to Israel and increase a sense of Jewish identity, in response to the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey. By 2007, annual capacity had increased to 20,000 participants a year. That year, the late

Sheldon Adelson Sheldon Gary Adelson (August 4, 1933 – January 11, 2021) was an American businessman, investor, and political donor. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which founded the Marina Bay Sa ...

pledged $25 million to Birthright Israel to take applicants off waiting lists and to increase annual capacity to 37,000 for 2007 and 2008. Birthright launched Birthright NEXT in 2007 as a post-trip follow-up program. One NEXT initiative was ''I.D.'', in which Birthright Israel alumni would perform monologues based on their experiences. Ultimately, a lack of funding for alumni programs in the face of an increased emphasis on youth Israel trips led NEXT to shut down by 2015. In 2010, Birthright launched an extension program called Birthright Excel. Birthright Excel is a 10-week summer program where students can either create a venture or intern with a business. The number of participants averaged approximately 45,000 per year, with about 80% from the United States and Canada. After peaking at more than 48,000 participants in 2018, only 35,000 participants attended a Birthright Israel trip in 2022. Due to budgetary cuts, only 23,500 participants were anticipated to participate in the program in 2023. In 2022, Birthright Israel merged with Onward Israel, part of the Jewish Agency, which offers programs for young adults to travel to Israel for 6 to 10 weeks to live, work and study. In 2023, Birthright had its first second-generation participant. Since the program's first trip in 1999, more than 900,000 young Jews from 68 countries in the

have participated in Birthright Israel.

Eligibility

To participate, individuals must have at least one parent of recognized Jewish descent or who have converted to Judaism through a recognized Jewish movement, and who do not actively practice another religion. They must also be between the ages of 18 and 26, have completed high school, have never traveled to Israel on a peer educational trip or study program after the age of 18, and have not lived in Israel for more than 3 months after the age of 12. Between 2017 and 2022, Birthright raised the upper age limit for eligibility to 32 to reflect the broader cultural shift of young adults delaying major life decisions like getting married and having children.

Trip organizers

Trips are organized by different organizations and companies accredited by Birthright Israel, which sets the logistical, educational, and security standards. All groups are led by licensed Israeli tour guides and are accompanied by an armed security guard. Tours may vary according to age group and the religious background of the participants. Trips may be geared for graduate students, undergraduates at a particular university, participants from a particular city, participants who identify with a particular stream of

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

, tours for hiking or music enthusiasts, and a diverse array of other interests, such as trips for the LGBTQ community, campus trips and accessibility trips.

El Al EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. (), trading as EL AL (, "Upwards", "To the Skies", or "Skywards", stylized as ELAL; ) is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve ...

, Israel's largest airline company, is the major operator of the trips' flights.

Trip details

A Birthright Israel trip lasts for 10 days, including travel to and from Israel. Tours travel throughout Israel and Jerusalem to religious and cultural sites, including the

Western Wall The Western Wall (; ; Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: ''HaKosel HaMa'arovi'') is an ancient retaining wall of the built-up hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount of Jerusalem. Its most famous section, known by the same name ...

and the

Dead Sea The Dead Sea (; or ; ), also known by #Names, other names, is a landlocked salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east, the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the west and Israel to the southwest. It lies in the endorheic basin of the Jordan Rift Valle ...

. Trips also often include a Mega Event for all participants featuring speeches by dignitaries, including the Israeli Prime Minister, and musical performances by popular Israeli artists. Taglit

The tours also include a 5- to 10-day ''mifgash'' (Hebrew for 'encounter') with Israeli peers, usually soldiers serving in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

. The stated purpose for the ''mifgash'' is for the participants and the soldiers to get to know each other and to better understand each other's worldview and Jewish identity. Guided discussion sessions explore topics such as the Jewish tradition in the modern world, how Jewish life in Israel differs from Jewish life abroad, and how mandatory military service impacts young Israelis' perceptions of service and commitment to their country. More than 115,000 Israelis have participated in the ''mifgash'' program since 2000.

Funding

The cost for each participant, approximately $4,500 as of 2020, is covered by a variety of funding sources. According to Birthright Israel, 67% of funding comes from individual donors, 27% from the Israeli government, 3% from Jewish federations, and 3% from the Jewish Agency. The program's largest individual donors have included

and Miriam Adelson, who gave more than $250 million to Birthright Israel by 2015. Other major donors include prominent philanthropists Charles Bronfman, Edgar Bronfman Sr.,

Daniel Och Daniel Och (born 27 January 1961) is an American billionaire Hedge fund, hedge fund manager, and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman and former CEO of Och-Ziff Capital Management, a global hedge fund and alternative asset management ...

, Marlene Post, Lynn Schusterman, and Michael Steinhardt. The program also receives funding from the German government through the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Impact

Impact on Jewish identity

Participation in Birthright Israel has been called a

for young Jews.

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

's Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies has evaluated the program's impact since its inception in 1999. As of 2020, findings include: * Birthright participants were 16 percentage points more likely to have a Jewish partner than similar nonparticipants. * Birthright increased participants’ likelihood of engagement in Jewish life. * One out of four Birthright participants marry another Birthright participant. Birthright has been called the most influential organization in relations between Israel and the Jewish diaspora. Sociologist Shaul Kelner of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

described Birthright Israel as a "diaspora-building enterprise" to "ensure the continued existence of vibrant, Israel-oriented Jewish communities abroad". According to a

study in 2020, there was an 85% increase in American participants who reported attachment to Israel after the trip, a 54% increase in feelings of belonging to the Jewish people, and a 58% increase in feeling closer to their Israeli counterparts. In addition, there was an 160% increase in participants' desire to have a Jewish spouse. Birthright trips have been described as a form of

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

. Jewish Currents wrote, "Birthright has served as one of the most effective propaganda campaigns on behalf of the Israeli government and its occupation of the

Palestinian territories The occupied Palestinian territories, also referred to as the Palestinian territories, consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip—two regions of the former Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine ...

." The organization has been scrutinized for the large proportion of its funding coming from major Trump and Netanyahu backer Adelson. In 2006, Salon.com alleged that Birthright Israel screened out applicants for political reasons.Come, see Palestine! Upstart tours of Palestine are challenging fully paid "See Israel" holidays in a battle for the hearts and minds of young American Jews
Rachel Shabi, Salon.com, Jun 5, 2006 Birthright Israel claims it does not ask applicants for their political views. The pro-Palestinian Jewish Voice for Peace runs a campaign called Return the Birthright, which criticizes the Birthright Israel program and urges young Jews to boycott it, stating: "it's unjust that we get a free Birthright trip, while

Palestinian refugees Palestinian refugees are citizens of Mandatory Palestine, and their descendants, who fled or were expelled from their country, village or house over the course of the 1948 Palestine war and during the 1967 Six-Day War. Most Palestinian refug ...

can't return to their homes." In recent years, Birthright has added optional activities involving

Israeli Arabs The Arab citizens of Israel form the country's largest ethnic minority. Their community mainly consists of former Mandatory Palestine citizens (and their descendants) who continued to inhabit the territory that was acknowledged as Israeli by ...

Impact on Israeli economy

According to a study by

Ernst and Young EY, previously known as Ernst & Young, is a multinational professional services network based in London, United Kingdom. Along with Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, it is one of the Big Four accounting firms. The EY network is composed of member firms ...

, Birthright Israel had contributed more than $1.1 billion to the Israeli economy by 2016, including $840 million in hotel, tourism, and flights revenue, and $325 million in participant spending. During the two main period when Birthright trips are operating, Birthright participants make up as many as 12% of tourists in the country. The cancellation of Birthright and other heritage trips due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

cost the Israeli economy $200 million, according to ''

Calcalist ''Calcalist'' (, a Hebrew wordplay on ''The Economist'', from כלכלה, ''kalkala''; economics) is an Israeli daily business and economics newspaper and website. History and profile ''Calcalist'' was first published on 18 February 2008, and c ...

''.

Inspiration for other heritage trips

Birthright Israel has inspired similar heritage programs for other diasporas, including Birthright Armenia for the

Armenian diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...

, ReConnect Hungary for young adults of the

Hungarian diaspora The Hungarian diaspora or Magyar diaspora refers to ethnic Hungarians (''Magyars'') living outside the borders of present-day Hungary. The diaspora can be divided into two main groups: the first group includes those who are autochthonous to their ...

in the U.S. and Canada, Birthright Greece for the

Greek diaspora The Greek diaspora, also known as Omogenia (), are the communities of Greeks living outside of Greece and Cyprus. Such places historically (dating to the ancient period) include, Greeks in Albania, Albania, Greeks in North Macedonia, North Maced ...

, and Domovina Birthright Program for Croatians. Birthright also loosely inspired CubaOne Foundation for Cuban-Americans and Birthright Africa for young Americans of African descent, which was founded in 2015. In 2022, college basketball coach Bruce Pearl launched "Birthright for College Basketball," a 10-day trip bringing American college men's basketball teams to Israel. In 2023, the trip included a stop in the

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...

Notable participants

Jamie-Lynn Sigler Jamie-Lynn Sigler (born May 15, 1981) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' from 1999 to 2007. Early life Sigler was born in Jericho, New York, on May 15, 1981, the daughter ...

, actress * Ethan Klein, podcaster * Jonathan Lipnicki, actor * Abbi Jacobson, actressAbbi Jacobson
''The Forward''. 14 November 2016 * Max Steinberg, IDF soldier killed during the 2014 Gaza war

References

External links

*
Official Foundation website
{{Authority control Zionist organizations in the United States Zionist organizations in Canada Zionist youth movements Tourism in Israel Jewish Agency for Israel Organizations established in 1994 Youth organizations based in New York (state) 1994 establishments in New York (state) Organizations supporting immigration and travel to Israel