Birthright Israel
Encyclopedia
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that sponsors free 10-day heritage trips
Heritage tourism
Cultural heritage tourism is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring...
to Israel. Birthright Israel's goals are to diminish the division between Israel and Jewish communities
Jewish diaspora
The Jewish diaspora is the English term used to describe the Galut גלות , or 'exile', of the Jews from the region of the Kingdom of Judah and Roman Iudaea and later emigration from wider Eretz Israel....
around the world and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity
Jewish identity
Jewish identity is the objective or subjective state of perceiving oneself as a Jew and as relating to being Jewish. Under the broader definition, the Jewish identity does not depend on whether or not a person is regarded as a Jew by others, or by an external set of religious, or legal, or...
and connection to Jewish history and culture. As of spring 2009, over 200,000 individuals (over 22,000 each year), from 52 different countries have participated since the trips began in the winter of 2000, and 70% of trip participants came from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. From 2007, annual capacity was increased to 37,000 participants a year.
Taglit is the Hebrew word for discovery.
History
Initiated by the former Justice Minister of IsraelJustice Minister of Israel
The Justice Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Justice and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Ya'akov Ne'eman, an independent who is not a member of the Knesset....
Dr.Yossi Beilin
Yossi Beilin
Dr. Yosef "Yossi" Beilin is a left-wing Israeli politician and a former Knesset member, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and Justice Minister, representing both the Labor Party and Meretz-Yachad, of which he served as chairman between 2003 and 2006. He is best known for his involvement with the...
in 1994, the Birthright Israel program was founded in cooperation with Charles Bronfman
Charles Bronfman
Charles Rosner Bronfman, is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion , Bronfman was ranked by Forbes as the 15th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world....
and Michael Steinhardt
Michael Steinhardt
Michael H. Steinhardt is an American investor and philanthropist active in Jewish causes. He was one of the first prominent hedge fund managers, and is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He founded Steinhardt, Fine, Berkowitz & Co., a hedge fund, in 1967...
as well as the Israeli government, private philanthropists, the Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
, and Jewish communities around the world, the Birthright Israel program has invested over $400 million on educational trips to Israel. Top educators, historians and tourism professionals were recruited to plan the program, for which demand is very high. Registration is conducted online and each round there are thousands more applicants than spots.
Tours are held in the winter and summer, and bring in some NIS 1 billion to the Israeli tourist industry. Over 250,000 young people from 52 countries have visited Israel through the Birthright program. On the business side, this has generated tourism revenues of NIS 1.5 billion for services such as hotels, food, security, guides, entrance fees, buses and flights.
Eligibility
Eligible individuals are those who have at least one parent of recognized Jewish descent and who do not actively practice another religion, between the ages 18 to 26, post high-school, who have neither traveled to Israel before on a peer educational trip or study program nor have lived in Israel past the age of 12. As of August 2009 persons who turn 27 before December 1 are not eligible for trips during the next year. Only if you turn 27 after December 1 can you participate in the next year of trips.A Taglit-Birthright Israel trip includes airfare from major cities, hotels, most meals, all transportation within Israel, and costs associated with touring the country for the ten-day trip. A $520 USD deposit is required ($250 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
); the deposit is refunded upon return from the trip. Airfare or transportation from a participant's home to the gateway city is not included, although the trips depart from multiple cities.
Trip organizers
Trips are organized by different organizations and companies accredited by Taglit-Birthright Israel, which sets the logistical, educational and security standards. All groups are led by licensed Israeli tour guides, all groups are accompanied by an armed security guard and include visits to the Western WallWestern Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
and Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, as well as other sites determined by Taglit-Birthright Israel. 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 (who may sign up through Hillel
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
or Chabad), participants from a particular city, Orthodox Jews, Reform Jews, hiking enthusiasts, pluralistic enthusiasts and so on.
Itinerary
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
who join the touring. The purpose for the mifgash is for the participants and the soldiers to get to know each other and to better understand each other's world view and identity. One component of the mifgash is a discussion session, which aims to explore such topics as, What does it mean to be Jewish in a modern world? How does Jewish life in Israel differ from Jewish life abroad? What do Israeli Jewish young people have in common with their Diaspora peers, and what sets them apart? How does mandatory military service impact Israeli young people's perceptions of service and commitment to their country?, amongst others. This encounter with the soldiers aims to give participants the chance to get to know Israel through the eyes of Israelis approximately the same age.
Over 30,000 Israelis (including IDF soldiers) have taken part in the program since 2000.
The itineraries include visits to historical, religious and cultural heritage sites around the country, including in Jerusalem, the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
, and the Dead Sea
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea , also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. The Dead Sea is deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world...
. Required sites include the Western Wall
Western Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
. Most trips also include Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
. The trips are not meant to be an exhaustive tour of Israel but a primer or introduction. The program participants are encouraged to extend their stay in Israel or return again on their own.
Birthright Israel Extension Options
Participants have the option to extend their plane ticket for three additional months and use the time to explore Israel and the region. One popular extension program is the Livnot U'Lehibanot Israel Experience Program in Tzfat. The program offers subsidized programs of volunteering, hiking, workshops and seminars.Security measures
Birthright has policies in place during the trip that it claims "ensure a comprehensive safety umbrella"- The program does not travel to the West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, GazaGazaGaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, or East JerusalemEast JerusalemEast Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
other than the Jewish quarter of the old City. - Participants in each group remain together at all times and follow a set schedule of activities.
- Participants do not leave the groups to travel, explore or visit with Israelis on their own during the ten-day trip.
- Public transportation is not allowed at any time.
- At least one highly-trained, armed escort will accompany each group throughout the entire trip.
Funding
Taglit-Birthright Israel receives half of all its funding from the Government of IsraelPolitics of Israel
The Israeli system of government is based on parliamentary democracy. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the Knesset. The Judiciary is independent of the executive...
. Other sponsors include North American Jewish Federation
Jewish Federation
A Jewish Federation is a confederation of various Jewish social agencies, volunteer programs, educational bodies, and related organizations, found within most cities in North America that host a viable Jewish community...
s through the United Jewish Communities
United Jewish Communities
The Jewish Federations of North America , is an American Jewish umbrella organization representing 157 Jewish Federations and the Network of Independent Communities, 400 smaller Jewish communities across North America. The JFNA was formed from the 1999 merger of the United Jewish Appeal, the...
(UJC), Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal is the central fundraising organization for Israel, with operations in 45 countries. The work of Keren Hayesod is carried out in accordance with the Keren Hayesod Law, 5716-1956, passed by the Knesset in January 1956...
, and The Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
; and many leading private philanthropists through the Birthright Israel Foundation, including Charles Bronfman, Michael Steinhardt and Lynn Schusterman. Steinhardt describes himself as an atheist, and said he supports Taglit because he wants to pass along Judaism's humanistic values. The program also receives funding from the German government (from the Claims Conference
Claims Conference
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, or Claims Conference, represents world Jewry in negotiating for compensation and restitution for victims of Nazi persecution and their heirs...
).
In 2007, Miriam and Sheldon Adelson
Sheldon Adelson
Sheldon Gary Adelson is an American casino magnate. Adelson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited which operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center...
pledged $25 million to Birthright Israel to take applicants off waiting lists and to increase annual capacity from 25,000 to 37,000 in 2007 and 2008.
Criticism
The Birthright Israel program has been criticized by some former participants as well as other members of the American Jewish community for the following reasons:Political screening of participants: Birthright Israel does have a pre-trip screening process to determine the eligibility of an applicant. As Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
has reported a candidate's political opinions may be taken into account: "Potential candidates who are discovered to have a 'hidden agenda' are not allowed onto the [Birthright] trips." However, what constitutes a "hidden agenda" has not been made clear by Birthright organizers, nor does the article document this process.
Political balance of group leaders: Since each trip is organized and run differently, the discussion of political issues is left to the discretion of the trip organizer. However, the larger Birthright organization is Zionist. Numerous articles have documented that according to former participants, the trips lacked balanced discussion concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, or did not encourage political discussion at all:
She [former Participant Susan] didn't like the tour leader expressing his view as universal truth while leaving out facts that supported the Palestinian side...her attempts to redress the pro-Israel slant were not welcome. Group discussions were zealously facilitated and stuck to a narrow script that excluded any conversations about how participants felt about Israeli policy, and does not encourage political discussion.
- In an article in "The NationThe NationThe Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
", Kiera Feldman complained about the ideological bias of Birthright trips:
Today, at a time of rising criticism of Israel, the program has taken on a different meaning. No longer is it simply a project to shore up Jewish identity; Birthright has joined the fight for the political loyalties of young Jews. It invites travelers to “explore Israel without being force-fed ideology,” but you don’t have to be Althusser to know that ideology almost always calls itself nonideological.
Birthright's director of marketing, Gidi Mark, responded to these criticisms: "I don't think it's political for Jews to support Israel. It should be an integral part of every Jew's identity." Philip Getz refuted Feldman's claims of a hidden agenda, saying "The plain fact is that Birthright today is no less and (it bears noting) no more Zionist than it was in 1999. Its trips are administered by a variety of organizations, many of which, by Feldman's own admission, espouse widely divergent ideologies: "from secular to Orthodox, from outdoorsy to LGBT-friendly." Which of these ideologies is Birthright secretly pushing?"
Organizations such as Birthright Unplugged
Birthright Unplugged
Birthright Unplugged was designed as a response to the popular Birthright Israel trips.The name "Birthright Unplugged" is a spin on the Birthright Israel program, whose name and organization are founded upon the idea that Jews have the right to visit the Holy Land...
were founded as a response to what the organizers perceived as Birthright's one-sided approach to the conflict. Birthright Unplugged's goal is to expose people to Palestinian society and its political realities by taking groups to Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps. While the trip is designed for North American Jews, it is open to people of all backgrounds.
Diverting money from other programs
Several articles have accused Birthright of reducing enrollments in post-high school Israel trips, as well as diverting money from TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
education and Jewish social service programs. Marilyn Henry
Marilyn Henry
Marilyn Henry was an American author, columnist, journalist and historian and archivist for matters pertaining to Holocaust reparation, survivor benefits and art looted by the Nazis.-Life and career:...
in the Jerusalem Post states, "While philanthropists want the local communities to kick in more for the [Birthright] program, [Jewish] federations seem tapped out. Like Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, they have more demands than Birthright...Put more starkly: Do we feed the elderly in our own communities or pay for students to visit Israel?"
Similar trips
Trips with similar goals include Birthright ArmeniaBirthright Armenia
Birthright Armenia, also known as Depi Hayk, is a volunteer internship enhancement program which also offers travel fellowships to eligible participants to assist in the development of Armenia.- Organizational background :...
for the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, Irish Way for the Irish diaspora
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
, and Birthright Greece for the Greek Diaspora
Greek diaspora
The Greek diaspora, also known as Hellenic Diaspora or Diaspora of Hellenism, is a term used to refer to the communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands, but more commonly in southeast Europe and Asia Minor...
.
Media Depiction
- The graphic travelogueGraphic novelA graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden, published by DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' Vertigo imprint, depicts the author's participation in this program. In doing so, she finds her negative opinions of Israel's policies concerning its sovereignty challenged despite her perceptions of the trip's propaganda function.
See also
- IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
- Israeli government
- Diaspora politicsDiaspora politicsDiaspora politics is the political behavior of transnational ethnic diasporas, their relationship with their ethnic homelands and their host states, as well as their prominent role in ethnic conflicts...
- Diaspora politics in the United StatesDiaspora politics in the United StatesDiaspora politics in the United States is the study of the political behavior of transnational ethnic diasporas, their relationship with their ethnic homelands and their host states, as well as their prominent role in ethnic conflicts. This article describes case studies and theories of political...
- Birthright Greece
- Robert I. Lappin Charitable FoundationRobert I. Lappin Charitable FoundationThe Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation is a Jewish non-profit organization that operates programs for Jewish youth. Its activities reflects the group's mission of "helping to keep our Jewish children Jewish, thus reversing the trend of assimilation and intermarriage." It is based in Salem,...
External links
- Birthright Israel
- Kelner, Shaul, Leonard Saxe, et al. Making Meaning: Participants’ Experience of Birthright Israel (Waltham, MA : Brandeis University, Nov. 2000)
- The Birthright Israel Program: Present and Possible Future Impacts - Interview with Leonard Saxe at the Institute for Global Jewish Affairs
- Saxe, L. & Chazan, B. (2008). Ten Days of Birthright Israel: A Journey in Young Adult Identity. Lebanon, NH: University Press of New England
- Avi Herring discusses the merits of Birthright Israel in The Current, a Columbia University journal
- Jordan C. Hirsch investigates how Birthright has affected the American Jewish community in Presentense.
- MASA Israel Journey This is a follow up program for birthright Israel alumni and is a long-term Israel experience
- Research on Taglit-Birthright Israel
- Taglit visit to Ein Hod artists' Village June 4 2010
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Lynn Schusterman. First person interview conducted on September 14, 2010 with Lynn Schusterman. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.
- Israel in Touch Taglit Birthright Israel trip