Ezra USA is a

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 ...

youth movement The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise. ...

founded in 2002. The main activities of Ezra are organized trips, including

Birthright Birthright is the concept of things being due to a person upon or by fact of their birth, or due to the order of their birth. These may include rights of citizenship based on the place where the person was born or the citizenship of their paren ...

trips to Israel and "Shalom World" trips, and

educational Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education also fol ...

programs and events.

Goals

The stated goal of Ezra USA is to introduce Jewish youth to, and unite it around, its

cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all heritages of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by socie ...

. Another major goal is to fight the assimilation of the younger Jewish generation in America. Ezra also stimulates Jewish young leadership through seminars and

shabbaton __FORCETOC__ The term ''shabbaton'' () may be translated into English to mean sabbatical. The concept of a sabbatical year (shmita) has a source in several places in the Bible (e.g. Leviticus 25), where there is a commandment to desist from workin ...

s, both in connection with its trips and in independent programs and events. As a further means to this end, group leaders ("madrichim") are recruited from former participants of Ezra's programs.

Activities

Birthright Israel trips

Ezra USA is one of the official trip organizers for

Birthright Israel Taglit-Birthright Israel (), also known as Birthright Israel or simply Birthright, is a free ten-day heritage trip to Israel, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights for young adults of Jewish heritage between the ages of 18 and 26. The program is spon ...

trips for the US, Germany and the

Former Soviet Union The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they ...

states. Trips take place during the winter (December - February) and summer (May - August). Originally, Ezra's trips were particularly geared towards participants from families from the former Soviet Union, but in recent years more participants have come from the general American Jewish youth.

"Shalom World" trips

"Shalom World" trips are organized from all world branches on a yearly basis to Argentina, China, Eastern Europe, Greece, Panama, Russia, Spain, and South Africa. They strive to show participants especially Jewish historical and

cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

sites. , over 15,000 young adults have participated in Ezra trips.

Dmitriy Salita Youth Center

On June 6, 2010, Ezra USA opened a youth center with support from Ukrainian born Jewish-American

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: *Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing * Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

Dmitry Salita. Also in attendance were leaders of Israel's political party

Yisrael Beiteinu Yisrael Beiteinu (, ) is a conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may ...

, traditionally representing immigrants from the former Soviet Union, headed by Israeli MP Danny Ayalon.

References

External links

Ezra USA

Ezra World
{{Organized Jewish Life in the United States, state=collapsed 2002 establishments in the United States Jewish youth organizations based in the United States Organizations established in 2002 Zionist organizations in the United States Zionist youth movements