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By Clara CaseyJ2001 - 03
Birthright Israel: lack of funding keeping many eligible applicants from a “life-changing” trip
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Birthright IsraelBegan in 2000
Purpose: to send Jewish young adults, ages 18-26, to Israel for a 10-day experience of a lifetime free of charge.
+
Alumni call birthright “life-
changing.”Alumni who described the trip as a life-changing experience
Very much
Somewhat
A little
Not at all
45%
28%
16%
11%
Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe
45%
28%
16%
11%
+“Meeting the soldiers that fight for our homeland day in and day out made me appreciate everything I have, including my religion, on a deeper level. The trip changed my life in unexplainable ways.”- Ariella Hecht, Birthright Alumni, Summer
2010Participants perception of how much closer the trip made them feel to Israel
Very muchSomewhatA littleNot at all
72%
18%
7% 3%
72%
18%7%
3%
Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe
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Influential supporters of
birthright“Birthright is life changing, huge, and motivating," he said. "It increases the likelihood of a connection to Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish continuity.”
- David Sherman, chairman of the board for the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
+ Application numbers are at a
high.Summer 2010
•73% of applicants were waitlisted because of a “lack of funding.” – Irit Gross, Birthright Israel Foundation
Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe
+ Lack of funding
“My understanding is that one of the major funders is still a major funder, but not at the level that he was last year.” - Sherman
Many devoted to birthright seem optimistic.
How will birthright sustain funding?
With devoted donors and The Foundation, the fundraising branch of birthright.
+ The Foundation
The fundraising branch of birthright
Currently working on a 5 year plan to get more funds.
Adelson/New Founders Challenge Grant
Every dollar a person donates to the foundation will be matched.
+ Sample itinerary includes:
Tel Aviv
Jaffa
Jerusalem
Haifa
Tzfat
Caesarea
Nahal Oren
Golan Heights
Rabin Square
Independence Hall
Western Wall
Old city of Jerusalem
Tel Dan Reserve
Jordan River
Bedouin village
Masada
The Dead Sea
Yad Vashem
Mt. Hertzl
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Dancing after the arrival, summer 2010
On the bus going to Jaffa, summer 2010
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Participants on a beach in Tel Aviv, summer 2010
At the top of Mt. Sinai, summer 2010
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Meeting Israeli soldiers
Americans and Israelis get a different perspective of each other.
“One of my favorite parts of Birthright was getting to know the soldiers. It made me
care a lot more about what is going on in the war in Israel.”
- Hecht
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The soldiers are affected too.
“Birthright changed me because now I appreciate serving in the army even more than I did before. I know that I am doing the right thing. I also got to see what another culture is like.”
- Adi Stolero, Israeli soldier
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Breaks stereotypes of Americans
“I was expecting to meet young people that were shallow. I quickly found myself proven wrong and was pleasantly surprised to find that almost everyone was interested in how life is here, and how they can help the cause in Israel.” - Orr Shilon, Israeli
soldier
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More Knowledge of Current Events
50% of
alumni were “more likely to
feel ‘very confident’ of
their ability to explain the
current situation in Israel.”
•Become more knowledgeable of current events•Form connections with people involved•Form a connection with Israel
Those who go on birthright are likely to:
Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe
+
Connection to Israel is stronger
Sense of Connection to Israel after birthright
Very much
Somewhat
A little
Not at all
58%
29%
10%
2%
Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe
+
How can people help?
•Alumni fundraising councils
•Donate the $250 deposit that is required to go on birthright
•Donate online
•Volunteer
$250 is enough to host one
person for one day in
Israel.
+People are hoping for birthright to
continue to prosper
“I want my kids to be able to experience what I did, and be able to say, ‘I went on Birthright, and it changed my life,’ just like it changed mine.” - Hecht
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"Birthright Israel merits our support for the next ten decades."- Benjamin Netanyahu , Israeli
Prime Minister, 2010
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Birthright Participants with the soldiers on their last day, Summer 2010
+ Sources Saxe, Leonard, Benjamin Phillips, Theodore Sasson, Shahar
Hecht, Michelle Shain, Graham Wright, and Charles Kadushin. Generation Birthright Israel: The Impact of an Israel Experience on Jewish Identity and Choices. Brandeis University: Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Oct. 2009. Web. Sept. 2010.
Ariella Hecht (State University at Albany Junior, Birthright Alum) – 914-316-6906
David Sherman (Jewish United Fund (JUF) Chairman of the Board) – 312-735-4470
Irit Gross (Senior Development Associate, Alumni & Young Leadership CampaignBirthright Israel Foundation) – 212-419-2870
Orr Shilon – 21-year-old Israeli soldier
Adi Stolero – Israeli soldier