2018
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
THE PROJECT
THE TRIP
Established:
Duration:
1999
7-14 days
Participation:
Bus Composition:
700,000 participants including 100,000 (Mifgash) Israelis
40 participants, 8 Israelis, 2 staff members and 1 tour educator
Participating countries:
Buses per year:
1,200
68
THE IMPACT Jewish future:
Participants are
54% more likely say it's very important to marry someone Jewish Community involvement:
Participants are
36% more likely to get involved in their community Connection to Israel:
74% of participants feel a connection to Israel Returning to Israel:
30% of participants return to Israel Contributions to the Israeli Economy:
1.5 billion
Cumulatively, more than has been contributed to the Israeli economy by Birthright Israel and its participants
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION FUNDING PIE CHART
28% 3%
4%
68%
WORLDWIDE DONORS GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL JEWISH FEDERATIONS JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL
It takes a programming cost of $150 million to provide the gift of Birthright Israel to more than 48,000 participants. The funding chart is in line with the 2019 projected budget.
PROGRAM EXPENSES VS. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 50,000
$160
40,000
MILLIONS
$120
30,000
$80
20,000
$40
10,000
$0 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Participants
2015
2016
2017
2018*
Program costs
*Notes 2018 projected and 2019 estimated budgets
2019*
YOU MAY THINK IT’S JUST A TRIP, BUT IT’S SO MUCH MORE: HERE’S HOW WE’RE MEETING THE DEMANDS OF MILLENNIALS AND GENERATION Z
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL'S
NEW VENTURES SELF-EXPLORATION The “Self-Exploration” module provides participants the chance to explore an Israeli city on their own within a structured framework. Trip Organizers are responsible for supplying participants with a map, points of interest and additional tools to encourage engagement with the Israeli street and people. We aim to strengthen the group experience by empowering the personal journey and allowing for discussion once again within the group setting. We piloted this educational module within the “YourWay” module successfully over the last year, testing it on 30% of the trips. Given its extraordinary success, we aimed to broaden its appearance in group itineraries. In winter 2019 it was offered to 100% of groups. We will be offering Self-Exploration opportunities during the Summer 2019 trips, while working with each TO to ensure the quality of tools they give to the participants in order to Self-Explore.
NICHE AND POPULATION SPECIFIC TRIPS Niche trips are innovative educational trips reaching out to a special interest group, demographic or cohort. A Niche trip should develop innovative itineraries that incorporate Birthright Israel’s overall thematic and pedagogic standards, while enhancing the program in the relevant areas of interest in an integrative fashion. Niche trips must have four unique components tied to the focus of the trip, the intended population, or a combination of the two. Population Specific trips serve a unique community and do not require special programming and can be implemented through the classic Birthright Israel program. The most popular categories for niche trips were Sport and Extreme, Culinary, Hiking, Art and Culture and LGBTQ.
27-32 YEAR OLD TRIPS A two-year pilot for trips for young Jewish adults ages 27-32 began in summer 2018 to meet the shifting behavioral patterns of our target population. When Birthright Israel was founded in 1999, the average age of marriage in North America was 26. Accordingly, Birthright Israel set the age range for its participants at 18-26. Today, the average age of marriage in North America is 32 years old. Both the summer 2018 and winter 2019 27-32 year old trips saw a record number of participation, exceding our expectations. We were thrilled to welcome young Jewish adults from North America, Argentina, FSU and the UK.
STUDY ABROAD TRIPS Birthright Israel Study Abroad partners with Israeli universities to offer participants a 12 to 14-day program that combines the classic experience with a three-credit academic course. The academic content is taught in an experiential manner, using the landscape of Israel as the backdrop for learning. Students explore Israel based on their personal interests, while building their resumes. During winter 2019 we had 6 groups in the fields of Counter Terrorism, Hotel Management and Culinary, Multiculturalism in Israel, Archaeology, Innovation, and Sustainability. For summer 2019 we intend to add two campus-based groups. This will bring us to 8 groups during the summer.
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL PLUS TRIPS Birthright Israel Plus programs are designed for participants who wish to continue their Birthright Israel journey while remaining in the country. The Birthright Israel Plus program provides added content and experiences, tailored to meet a participant's interests and passions which will serve to enhance the connection forged on their trip to Jewish life and Israel, with the potential to have a remarkable and lasting impact. Birthright Israel Plus programs last between 4-7 days and are open to current participants and all alumni. During winter 2019, Birthright Israel Plus had over 550 registered participants coming from 8 countries (Argentina, USA, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Russia, UK, Ukraine). We offered 5 programs over 6 sessions, 4 of which were guided in Spanish. This season we are excited to announce a new program called Multi-Cultural Israel which is being run in conjunction with Hinam the Center for Social Tolerance in Israel. Additionally, 20% of all Argentineans and 19% of all Brazilians registered on Birthright Israel Plus. On the same note, we have 99 participants from the ages of 27-32 and 13 alumni participating in Birthright Israel Plus trips. We are thrilled to have a waiting list of 47 applicants who are interested in this program.
WINTER 2018 ALUMNA
Brooke went on Birthright Israel in the winter of 2018. Although she didn't know much about Israel before her trip, she knew that it existed and that it's a place for the Jewish people to call home. Her expectations included meeting Israeli peers, going on hikes, learning about Israeli culture and eating hummus. Never did she think that her trip would be one of the most amazing experiences of her life. Growing up without much of a Jewish background, Brooke explains that she went into her trip "blind." She made long-lasting friendships, learned about her people's history and experienced a culture different than her own. Brooke's Jewish journey didn't end when she returned home, it was just starting. Birthright Israel is just the beginning of the road for hundreds and thousands of young Jewish adults just like Brooke.
18 YEAR BIRTHRIGHT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel becomes becomes officially officially recognized recognized by by the the IDF's IDF's Education Education Corps Corps The The first first Accessibility/Special Accessibility/Special Needs Needs trip trip takes takes place place in in conjunction conjunction with with the the National National Jewish Jewish Council Council for for the the Disabled Disabled
2003
2001
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel welcomes welcomes its its 100,000th 100,000th participant participant
2006
U.S. U.S. O O Ben Ben Wi Wi San San Fran Fran 200,0 200,0 Isra Isra
2004 1999/2000 Birthright Birthright Israel Israel launches launches with with 9,500 9,500 participants participants from from 11 11 countries countries
2002
In In only only 22 short short years years trip trip participation participation reaches reaches 17,000 17,000
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel Foundation Foundation is is established established to to build build and and expand expand financial financial support support for for future future trips trips Bolivia, Bolivia, Ecuador Ecuador and and Peru Peru join join the the list list of of countries countries from from South South America America sending sending young young adults adults on on Birthright Birthright Israel Israel trips trips
2007
Annual Annual capac capac increased increased to to ove ove participants participants aa
RS OF ISRAEL
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel now now has has 350,000 350,000 participants participants Olympic Olympic swimmer, swimmer, from from 64 64 countries, countries, Wildman-Tobriner Wildman-Tobriner of of and and 65,000 65,000 Israelis Israelis ancisco ncisco becomes becomes the the ,000th ,000th Birthright Birthright rael ael participant participant
2009
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2010
2013
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel has has had had 50,000 50,000 Mifgash Mifgash participants participants
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel welcomes welcomes its its 400,000th 400,000th participant participant
2014
2011
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel Excel Excel is is launched launched to to provide provide internship internship experience experience to to young young Jewish Jewish adults adults from from the the Diaspora Diaspora and and Israel Israel The The Israeli Israeli Government Government announces announces they they will will donate donate $100 $100 million million to to Birthright Birthright Israel Israel over over three three years years in in order order to to increase increase participant participant numbers numbers
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel Foundation Foundation hosts hosts 18th 18th Anniversary Anniversary Gala Gala raising raising $125 $125 million million in in one one night night Over Over 80 80 supporters supporters join join Birthright Birthright Israel Israel Foundation Foundation for for its its 18th 18th Anniversary Anniversary Mission Mission to to Israel Israel Birthright Birthright Israel Israel has has impacted impacted an an entire entire generation, generation, 650,000 650,000 young young Jewish Jewish adults adults and and counting counting
2018 Birthright Birthright Israel Israel reaches reaches 80,000 80,000 Mifgash Mifgash participants participants Over Over $1 $1 billion billion contributed contributed to to the the Israeli Israeli economy economy
2016 2015
In In total, total, 500,000 500,000 participants participants from from 66 66 countries countries have have experienced experienced Birthright Birthright Israel Israel up up until until this this point point
2017
Birthright Birthright Israel Israel welcomes welcomes 600,000th 600,000th participant, participant, actor actor and and producer, producer, Jonathan Jonathan Lipnicki Lipnicki