JOURNEYS
ISSUE 9 · JANUARY 2019
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THAT LAST A LIFETIME
TABLE OF
CONTENTS 02 A LETTER FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR & PRESIDENT 03 MY BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL JOURNEY: 12 YEARS IN THE MAKING 05 18 PEOPLE WHO FOUND THEIR BESHERT ON BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL 07 WHAT PEOPLE GET WRONG ABOUT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL: EVEN AFTER 18 YEARS! 09 18 YEARS OF BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL 11 OUR 18TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: HONORING DR. MIRIAM & SHELDON G. ADELSON 13 18TH ANNIVERSARY MISSION TO ISRAEL 14 A MESSAGE FROM BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL 15 WHY I GIVE SPOTLIGHT: MICHAEL & CORIE KOSS 17 WHAT IT MEANS TO ME TO STAFF A BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL TRIP
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DEAR FRIENDS, As we close our 18th Anniversary year, we have so much to celebrate and for which to be thankful. Because of you and your commitment to the Jewish future, nearly 50,000 participants will receive the incredible gift of Birthright Israel in 2018. Thanks to you, these participants are amongst more than 650,000 alumni across 67 countries who have had their lives forever touched by Birthright Israel. At the Birthright Israel Foundation, we are dedicated to ensuring that each and every eligible Jewish young adult can claim their birthright. To make this goal a reality, we have spent much of 2018 enhancing our staff and fundraising processes as well as optimizing our organizational structure. This year we nearly doubled our frontline fundraisers nationwide. We remain laser focused on growing our campaign, enhancing our partnerships with donors and building brand awareness. While we are fortunate to have talented and committed professionals, our efforts would not be fully achievable without our Board of Directors. Each and every Birthright Israel Foundation Director brings a passion for our mission and talents that collectively enable us to achieve our objectives.
The day-to-day partnerships forged between our Directors, professionals and donors makes our fundraising apparatus the success that it is. Birthright Israel Foundation took on some large scale endeavors in 2018, including our Gala honoring Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson and our 18th Anniversary Mission to Israel, which you will learn more about in the coming pages. None of these would have been successful without the teamwork and culture which we have worked hard to build at the Foundation. We are pleased to finally be embarking on a new alumni giving effort and have hired new staff to focus solely on this constituency. We are hopeful that more of our alumni will join all of you and pay forward the gift they received in order to benefit future participants. We hope this issue of Journeys will inspire you as you learn about how your gift has impacted so many. We are extremely proud of the last 18 years of Birthright Israel and are looking forward to the next 18 years. We hope we can count on you to continue to support this very important effort. Wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday season and 2019.
WARMLY, THOMAS D. STERN CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
ISRAEL ("IZZY") TAPOOHI PRESIDENT & CEO
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MY BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL JOURNEY:
12 YEARS IN THE MAKING By Mallory Hope Schwartz The alarm yells at me at 4:30am. I wipe the few hours of sleep away from my eyes. I sluggishly make my way into clothing and sneakers and join the team of sleepy walkers to the front door. We take a stroll to a small pathway that opens up to a bigger dirt road. And as I look up – I know I will never forget today. The hike up Masada is one that is not only physically demanding, but spiritually exhilarating. I am surrounded by other tired smiles – but no one complains. Everyone teams up and makes the hour plus steep incline to the top. There is a feeling of exhaustion followed by an eye-opening calm at the top. The story of Masada still resonates in our culture today. There are no words once you reach the top and see that beautiful sunrise. The same view our ancestors looked out at centuries ago.
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The first time I hiked Masada was a very chilly winter morning in January of 2005. I was a squeaky, little, 18-year-old with a Southern drawl and wacky fashion. I signed up for Birthright Israel with 2 of my best friends. Our families said we could go – only if we went together – a best friend adventure. I was always the more extroverted friend and used my 10 days to make a few memories and get to know new faces. A lot of time has passed since my first trip to Israel – but that early morning view of Masada still glows in my mind. Fast-forward 12 years and I found myself once again being called back to Israel. I don’t have any family there or a bigger connection other than it’s the ‘land of my people.’
4 I participated in the Birthright Israel Atlanta Community Institute – a local leadership program modeled on the Birthright Israel Fellows program. We were introduced to the Birthright Israel experience in a whole new light. Now, as an alumnus of the program, the Birthright Israel Atlanta Community Institute was one way I can give back to my local Jewish community and pay it forward. When I staff a trip, it is more than just planning, assisting with programming and encouraging my peers to take this journey, it is an opportunity for me to help another young Jewish adult ignite their passion for Israel, their Jewish identity and the Jewish people. Since becoming trip staff, I have led two niche Birthright Israel programs. I’m no longer the sleepy participant waking up at 4:30am – I’m the overly energetic group leader (pretending not to be so sleepy) – waking up at 4:00am to stir the herd. My role on the hike has become the helpful cheerleader. My full-time career is in health and wellness, so I use my passion to inspire others by staying towards the back and being the support system for those who might move slower or need help physically. I lovingly embrace this role. I want to show them they can share this experience at their own pace. The hike up Masada is difficult… but when I get to the top now I don’t just look out at the view – I look out at my participants faces and can see the impact the trip is having on them. Those few who know that was the ‘hardest thing they’ve ever done and I know it’s a memory they too will never forget. It is moments like the hike up Masada that inspires me to continue sharing my time and energy with Birthright Israel. I’m coming up on my third trip this October, and I can’t wait to inspire and cheer on another group of fresh eyes and excited faces in my beautiful homeland.
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18 PEOPLE WHO FOUND THEIR
Beshert
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
ON BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL Mackenzie & Ian Amanda & Eric For Ian and Mackenzie, Birthright Israel was much more than a free trip- it was where their love story began. In the mere 10 days of their trip, Mackenzie and Ian grew inseparable and connected on such a deep level. Mackenzie tells us, “I don’t know if it is the spiritual connection you develop when learning about your Jewish history or the connection to Judaism that grows by the end of the trip, but by the end of this journey I knew more about Ian than any guy I have ever dated before. The fact that we had so much in common and somehow got on the same trip, was destiny.”
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Amanda and Eric became fast friends on their Birthright Israel trip. The pair started dating months after they returned from Israel for about three years before Eric proposed. Amanda says, “Birthright Israel was a real adventure for us! Personally, I was across the world with a bus full of strangers, and it was both scary and one of the happiest times of my life. It really bolstered my belief in the idea that you should do what scares you and fill your life with adventures. Life's too short not to. That idea really guides our relationship. Eric and I want to fill our lives with adventures, and we've gotten a pretty good start…”
Carly & Alex Carly and Alex met on their Birthright Israel trip back in 2014. Although they lived under 6 miles from each other in Boston at the time, they didn’t meet until their trip when they were over 5,000 miles from home! Carly and Alex got married on August 26, 2018, almost exactly 4 years to the day of when they met en route to Tel Aviv. Carly says, “We are so grateful to Birthright for bringing us together. We want others to know how life-changing the experience really can be. We do hope to make it back to Israel again one day. Thank you so much for bringing us together. We truly wouldn’t be where we are today without Birthright Israel!”
Becky & Gregory Becky and Gregory first met eight years ago at Toronto Pearson airport, right before beginning their amazing journey to Israel. Over the course of the trip, the two hit it off and became good friends. They continued their newfound friendship long after they returned home, talking over the phone, texting and hanging out together and with other friends. After a while, they grew to love each other and began their relationship. Gregory said, “We’ve been dating for over 5 years and they have been the best years of my life. Without Birthright I would have never met Becky, and we always talk about our experiences and memories of that amazing trip…” Gregory proposed to Becky this past August and describes Becky as his “soulmate.” The two have Birthright to thank and they couldn’t be more grateful!
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Deborah & Max
It was 2014 when Deborah and Max began their Birthright Israel journey together. Max was single, Deborah was not. Although Deborah tried to fight it and insisted it was platonic, there was an unmistakable and real connection between the two. Throughout the trip, they kept finding more things in common. When it was time to go home, the two sat together the entire flight back. They exchanged numbers and hadn’t stop talking since that day. Deborah finally admitted to her boyfriend, and to herself, that her feelings for Max were more than friendly. She and her boyfriend broke up and she visited Max in Philadelphia two weeks later. "I met someone who saw the world, and who perceived the world emotionally, in a way that felt similar to me," Deborah said. That November, Max proposed and even though Deborah cried for what seemed like five minutes, she said, “Of course I’m going to marry you.” They’ve been together ever since.
Dana & Aaron Aaron from California tells us how close Birthright Israel brought him and his wife, Dana. “My wife and I share a bond because of Birthright Israel that can never be broken. We truly believe it was fate that we chose to connect closer with our Judaism on Birthright Israel and want to make sure Judaism is a very important part of our son’s upbringing.”
Daniella & Sagi
Shannon & Or It was 2008 when Shannon and Or met on their Birthright Israel trip. Shannon explains, “A few days into the trip, we were joined by a group of Israeli soldiers. On to the bus walks Or, who immediately caught my attention. I still remember that feeling of excitement, although at the time I didn't really understand why. From the moment we met, there was something special about our connection. We talked endlessly during those first few days and when the trip was over, we continued speaking every day on Skype and through text messages. A few months later when Or finished the army, he traveled to San Francisco to see me. We knew that this was a relationship worth fighting for. For the next two years we managed a long-distance relationship, with occasional trips to see each other. In August 2010 I decided to make Aliyah, to get another degree at IDC Herzliya and of course to be closer to Or.” Shannon and Or are now happily married and have such an appreciation for all that Birthright Israel gave them.
Exactly five years after Daniella and Sagi met on Birthright Israel, Sagi proposed! Daniella says, “Meeting my future husband on Birthright Israel obviously made a huge impact on my life! I wouldn't be where I am or who I am today without him, and now we have a beautiful son together, Mason Josef. I cherish everything about that trip not only because it was one of the best ten days of my life, but because I met incredible people and discovered a country that I will always be connected to.”
Jenna & Jesse
Jenna never imagined she would meet her future husband on her Birthright Israel trip. It was January 2007 when Jenna and Jesse met at the airport, and exactly 10 years later, their son was born. “I feel so fortunate to have gotten to experience Birthright Israel with my nowhusband and some of our closest friends. The trip gave me a love and appreciation for Israel. I want to return one day and share where we met with our family.”
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WHAT PEOPLE GET
wrong ABOUT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL:
EVEN AFTER 18 YEARS! BY GIL TROY
8 Eighteen years and 650,000 happy participants later, you’d think people would get Birthright Israel right. Yet it’s amazing how many people get Birthright Israel wrong. Few understand Birthright’s secret sauce – what I call the Zen of Birthright. They expect it to be as site-oriented as a grand European tour, as partisan as a Zionist pep rally, as self-involved as most student’s freshman years, and as staged-managed as a video game. Not so. Birthright Israel works well, because – surprise! – it’s countercultural. It’s insight-seeking not site-seeing; it’s non-partisan in a highly politicized age, it’s about community-building, emphasizing the “our” in tourism, not just the “i”; and it’s open and welcoming not authoritarian and programmatic. That’s the beauty of Birthright Israel. In 1999, when Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt announced this crazy idea to send young Jews to Israel for ten days for free, I wrote my first article ever in the Jewish media. I warned that if this was yet another guilt trip to be Jewish, yet another attempt to throw money at what they then called the “continuity problem,” and if all participants did was visit the Jewish vale of tears - the Western Wall, Yad Vashem and Masada -- to wallow in our historic woes, the trip would fail. But, if this new program was ready to develop a new, inviting, inspiring, open, Zionist vision – or visions – for this generation of young Jews then it would succeed. In the Jewish world, if you criticize one of two things happens. If you’re lucky, you’re demonized, then ignored, and you go on your merry way. If you’re unlucky, you have to take responsibility for your words. Before I knew it, I was chairing the first Montreal Birthright Israel Task Force, accompanying the first 200 Montrealers to Israel on Birthright in February 2000, then writing a follow-up article: “Birthright Israel why I was wrong.” I had to see it up close to get Birthright Israel right. And I’m proud to say, after 18 years of volunteering with this organization – most recently chairing its education committee since 2010 – we continue to get it righter and righter! Of course, the State of Israel is the star of every trip. Every day is packed as participants rush from site to site, from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, from the Negev to the Golan. But, as Dr. Zohar Raviv, Birthright Israel’s International Vice President of Education says, we’re about insight-seeking not site-seeing. We don’t approach each place as yet another photo-opp but as a growth-opp, a chance to learn, explore, grow – not just check it off your bucket list. One of our great challenges is to slow down, to let participants stop, process, consider – and from there not just see Israel but start developing a vision of who they are, what this all “means to me.” Connected to that, we must always remember that Birthright Israel offers “Israel 101,” a first step, inviting all participants to navigate their own Jewish journeys. Disrupting the trip for partisan purposes, left or right, would be self-defeating.
Birthright Israel is not about the Palestinians – neither fighting them nor defending them; it’s about the Jews, who we are, what our heritage is, where we come from, where we want to go. Note the key pronoun “we” – not I. The program’s founding insight involved not just a free ticket to Israel, but a life-changing opportunity to take a communal trip to Israel. Every Birthright Israel trip features 39 co-stars – the fellow bus members – plus a handful of Israelis as part of the mifgash program. This essential Jewish message is profoundly counter-cultural: you’re not alone and you don’t “do Jewish alone.” You encounter your heritage and your homeland with a peer group. From there, you’re invited to see what kind of community you want to build. Therein lies the final building block – beyond the letter “k” – from site-seeing to insight-seeking, the number 101, and the pronoun “we,” is the verb “invite.” Command-and-control Judaism won’t work for most participants. Most come wary of authority, suspicious of tradition. Birthright Israel offers gifts of a free trip, and a communal Israel experience with no strings attached. In golf terms, it tees up the ball, but encourages every participant to survey, strategize, set sights – and swing away. Our English name – Birthright Israel – emphasizes our inclusiveness, our rootedness. It says to every young Jew: “You belong! You’re part of this amazing people. You’re connected to this extraordinary country. Take it or leave it.” Our Hebrew name Taglit – meaning experience-based revelation, – adds another dimension. It invites – again the key verb – participants to take this recipe of a Jewish state, a Jewish heritage, a Jewish community, and new Jewish experiences and, if they so choose, be open to their own, authentically-generated, Israel-inspired, communally-supported Jewish “aha” moment. If they come open to that – as most do - most walk away transformed. Together, Birthright Israel – means welcome, this is yours too, while Taglit calls you to see where your encounter, your fresh engagement with this old-new land, at once so ancient and so modern, so foreign yet so familiar, takes you.
Gil Troy is the author of The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s. His forthcoming book, The Zionist Ideas, which updates Arthur Hertzberg's classic work, will be published by The Jewish Publication Society in Spring 2018. Professor Gil Troy is Distinguished Scholar in North American History at McGill University.
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18 YEARS OF BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
The first Accessibility/Special Needs trip takes place in conjunction with the National Jewish Council for the Disabled Birthright Israel becomes
2001
officially recognized by the IDF's Education Corps
Birthright Israel welcomes its 100,000th participant
2006
2003
U.S. Olympic swimmer, Ben Wildman-Tobriner of San Francisco becomes the 200,000th Birthright Israel participant
2009
2002 1999/ 2000 Birthright Israel launches with 9,500 participants from 11 countries
In only 2 short years trip participation reaches 17,000
2004
Birthright Israel Foundation is established to build and expand financial support for future trips Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru join the list of countries from South America sending young adults on Birthright Israel trips
2007
Annual capacity is increased to over 37,700 participants a year
Birthright Israel Foundation hosts 18th Anniversary Gala raising $125 million in one night Birthright Israel Excel is launched to provide internship experience to young Jewish adults from the Diaspora and Israel
Over 80 supporters join Birthright Israel Foundation for its 18th Anniversary Mission to Israel
The Israeli Government announces they will donate $100 million to Birthright Israel over three years in order to increase participant numbers
2011
Birthright Israel has impacted an entire generation, 650,000 young Jewish adults and counting
2018
Birthright Israel welcomes its 400,000th participant
2014
Birthright Israel reaches 80,000 Mifgash participants Over $1 billion contributed to the Israeli economy
2016
2013
Birthright Israel now has 350,000 participants from 64 countries, and 65,000 Israelis
2010
Birthright Israel has had 50,000 Mifgash participants
2015
In total, 500,000 participants from 66 countries have experienced Birthright Israel up until this point
2017
Birthright Israel welcomes 600,000th participant, actor and producer, Jonathan Lipnicki
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OUR 18TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: HONORING DR. MIRIAM & SHELDON G. ADELSON
On Sunday, April 15, 2018 we held our annual gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Birthright Israel Foundation celebrated 18 years of Birthright Israel and the extraordinary philanthropy of Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, recipients of the Guardians of the Jewish Future Award. With more than 650 guests, including Birthright Israel alumni, this sold out event raised $125 million dollars to bring even more young Jewish adults to Israel. In addition to numerous donations from institutional and individual donors, the Adelson’s surprised guests by annnouncing a $70 million gift. To date, the Adelson’s have contributed $410 million in support of Birthright Israel. “Before Israel was founded, my father always said he wished there was a place where Jewish people could live. He always wanted to go, but by the time I could send him, he said he was too old and too sick. I don’t want any kid to say they were too old or too sick to visit Israel,” said Sheldon Adelson. This exciting and engaging evening was hosted by actor, comedian, and former Saturday Night Live cast member, Jon Lovitz. We heard from our Founders, Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt who presented the “Guardians of the Jewish Future Award” to the Adelsons. Additional speakers included, Birthright Israel Foundation Chairman of the Board Thomas D. Stern, Birthright Israel International CEO Gidi Mark, Birthright Israel Foundation President and CEO Izzy Tapoohi, a former Mifgash participant and Rachel Gerrol, an alumnus who participated in the first-ever Birthright Israel trip in 2000 and a Birthright Israel Foundation board member. All our speakers beautifully articulated the incredible impact of this program and the responsibility we as a community have to ensure the Jewish future. The alumni who joined us and shared their stories proved that this gift has changed their lives forever thanks to the generosity of the Jewish community.
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EXPERIENCING BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL THROUGH THE EYES OF SUPPORTERS AN INSIDE LOOK AT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION'S
18th Anniversary
MISSION TO ISRAEL WRITTEN BY SHARON SOCOL
If we were 18-32 again and someone said: “There is a gift out there waiting for you to claim! It’s a free trip to Israel. You can go with friends; stay longer and travel; get college credit; volunteer; and best of all you can infuse yourself into the country of your heritage.” We would sign-on in a heartbeat. Wouldn’t you?
It was our time: we weren’t 18-32 year-olds, but we were going to experience the magic of Birthright Israel! The 18th Anniversary Mission, with its early mornings and late evenings, revealed the quality and depth of preparation as well as consistent opportunities to question and learn what makes Birthright Israel, Birthright Israel.
About five years ago, during one of our annual family trips to Israel we met Charles Bronfman, Co-Founder of Birthright Israel. He invited us to attend a Birthright Israel Mega Event in Jerusalem. We had heard about Birthright Israel trips before, but knew little about them, so we accepted his offer.
The leaders and educators, like Izzy Tapoohi, President and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation, Gidi Mark, International CEO of TaglitBirthright Israel, and Dr. Zohar Raviv, International Vice President of Education of Taglit-Birthright Israel, were our “trip counselors” sharing their vision, passion and expectations tirelessly.
When we entered the Mega Event, the hyper-energy flowing from participants representing Argentina, India, United States, Canada, and Australia immediately captured us. Everyone was singing, waving their country’s flags along-side the Israeli flag, and hugging one another with laughter and joy. Their 10-day exploration “into” Israel: her culture, her history, and her beauty was crystalizing with their Jewish identity, present and future.
Our Birthright Israel-style Mission began with a trip up North to Beit Gabriel on the Kinneret, where the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan was reconfirmed by Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein. Here, we participated in a geopolitical conversation with a Jordanian general and a retired IDF Lieutenant Colonel.
Instantly, we were hooked! We instinctively realized this program is the single most significant alliance between today’s young Jewish adults and their future lives as Jews and supporters of Israel. Howard and I live in Miami. Our community sends around 700 participants each year on Birthright Israel trips. Since Miami did not have a designated support team for the program, upon our return home, we offered to create a council dedicated to bringing awareness and raising the necessary funds to ensure trips for the young adults in Miami. This past summer, Birthright Israel Foundation hosted an 18th Anniversary Mission for supporters. We, along with over eighty other participants from around the US, said “Yes!” Many were longtime friends of Birthright Israel Foundation, and others like us, were “freshmen.”
Next, we headed west to Haifa where we visited a Central IDF Naval Base. While there, a few of us ventured “below” on a docked destroyer. I say a few because this experience was not for the claustrophobic! The most rewarding moment about the Naval Base was meeting with the Mifgash participants. Like every Birthright Israel trip, the Mifgash are an essential part of the educational curriculum. Here, we got to spend time and learn what life is like in Israel, from the Israeli perspective. Our next stop on the Mission was Independence Hall where we mingled with current Birthright Israel groups and listened to Zohar and Gil Troy, Chair of Birthright Israel’s Education Committee, discuss stimulating approaches to our relationship with Israel. Having the opportunity to hear from leaders in the Jewish educational experience was outstanding, but being in Independence Hall and hearing the recording of BenGurion announcing Israel’s birth topped their presentation.
After this we proceeded to our cultural session at HaBima in Tel Aviv. Howard and I opted for the photography presentation from renown Israeli photojournalist Ziv Koren while others tasted food from a famous Arab-Israeli Chef Nof Atamna-Ismaeel. And all of this was in the morning: we never skipped a beat, just like a true Birthright Israel trip.
Ending our trip with the cheering and smiling faces of thousands of young Jewish adults was ecstatic. It again secured all of the reasons why Howard and I support Birthright Israel Foundation. When you get the opportunity to meet the next generation in our homeland, you know the work we are all doing is creating the beautiful Jewish future we all want.
That evening we explored The Center for Israeli Innovation by TaglitBirthright Israel, located at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. But wait, what is the Innovation Center? You can think of it as the Start-UP Nation Museum.
As we said our goodbyes and exchanged contact information with our 80 new friends, we felt like true Birthright Israel participants. Our journey was filled with lasting friendships shared on experiences, a love for our people and the State of Israel. We became more informed, more committed, more enthusiastic, and even more convinced that Birthright Israel is the most important young adult program in the Diaspora.
Later the same evening we also had the pleasure of meeting Birthright Israel Excel participants from various universities across the United States.
Thank you to our incredible national and regional co-chairs for making our 18th Anniversary Mission extra special! NATIONAL CO-CHAIRS
REGIONAL CHAIRS
Lori Komisar & Morrie Silverman Judith & Allyn Levy Saskia & Stephen Siderow
Lisa & David Barse Debbie Cable Harriet & Ed Levine Aviva & Eyal Postelnik
It was great to hear from the Excel participants and see how the program highlights Birthright Israel’s commitment to create lasting connections between Israel and young Jewish adults in the Diaspora.
That same day we sat alongside the ancient southern walls of the Kotel where the former Second Temple stood and listened to the confirming statistics and results Birthright Israel is having on an entire generation.
The next day we headed South toward Jerusalem to the Israel Museum where we met with a Birthright Israel Accessibility bus. These participants came from North America and have physical, medical, developmental or cognitive disabilities. The participants who go on these trips have safe opportunities to meet people and make friends beyond their day to day lives while simultaneously being connected to their heritage.
Our trip to Israel this time ended in the way it began so many years ago, with thousands of participants at Summer Mega Event in Jerusalem, but this year, we were celebrating more successes and milestones, specifically the 18th Anniversary.
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A MESSAGE FROM BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL Rather than having a relatively limited number of professionals talking to each other on matters related to politics and religion as was the case for too many years, we have hundreds of thousands discussing issues that interest them such as employment, travel, food, hobbies and more; the basic themes of healthy interpersonal relationships amongst young people. These are the bridge to the future of the Jewish people, and our supporters are the foundation without which it could not stand.
Gidi Mark
International CEO, Taglit-Birthright Israel As I sit and write this, we have just celebrated the Jewish New Year, a perfect time for reflection and contemplation. Looking back at 18 “Chai” years of Birthright Israel, it is hard to believe that from just 2,000 Jewish young adults coming to Israel annually in the mid-1990s, this year has been one of our biggest yet. Based on the brave vision of our founders we’ve scaled this number up to 50,000 participants this year, making Birthright Israel the largest, most successful educational program in the Jewish world. Over the last 18 years, Birthright Israel trips, just like Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, have become one of the most important rites of passage for young Jewish adults all over the world. For me, it is without a doubt the most joyful rite of passage, bringing hundreds of thousands to cherish their Jewish identity, community, and the State of Israel, plus, influencing millions among their families and friends. The 650,000 participants we’ve had so far have created an unprecedented situation in modern Jewish history in which the majority of ties between Israeli Jews and Jews from other countries are on a personal rather than institutional level.
There are many processes taking place in Jewish communities worldwide, and with them much uncertainty. However, Birthright Israel is one project that constantly and consistently shows a positive trend in terms of participant numbers and in the short and long term positive effects on the participants. Due to our history, the Jewish people have an understandable tendency to focus on threats and challenges, but we also have many reasons to be positive and optimistic. The hundreds and thousands of participants that I’ve met have made me an unabashed optimist regarding the future of the Jewish people. When we were planning and preparing the first Birthright Israel trips, if you would have asked us whether it is possible to completely transform the field of Jewish educational travel over 18 years, which is a blink of an eye when considering more than 3,000 years of Jewish history, I doubt we had have foreseen the successes we’ve had. The lesson I’ve learned from this is that the Jewish people never say never - anything is possible and if you believe that change is indeed possible it is much easier to bring it about. These believers include all our supporters and friends, and especially those who chose to believe in an upstart project and have never left us since. I don’t know how the Jewish world will look in the next generation, I do know however that Birthright Israel will continue to be a central element of the Jewish DNA.
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Despite these unprecedented achievements, there is still much work to do and this is an opportunity to thank you for partnering with us in ensuring a better future for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. With the summer season of 2018 behind us, the preparations for the winter are in full swing, and we are working hard to bring as many participants as possible until we reach one million!
WHY I GIVE
SPOTLIGHT
16 We recently sat down with Los Angeles Leadership Council Members Corie and Michael Koss to talk about the importance of Tzedakah and why Birthright Israel Foundation is their top philanthropic priority. Corie and Michael Koss choose to support Birthright Israel Foundation to ensure Jewish continuity and to help young adults strengthen their connection to their Jewish identity. Ten years ago, Corie and Michael remember a Birthright Israel Foundation program at a close friend’s home. Two Birthright Israel alumni spoke about the impact of their educational journey and how their experience and the bond they formed on the trip lead to their future marriage and family. “I remember this event, it was so impactful. I knew after hearing them speak just how important the program was,” Corie told us. Fast forward to today, Corie and Michael are proud members of the Los Angeles Leadership Council and have spearheaded key initiatives for Birthright Israel Foundation directly impacting growth in the Los Angeles Jewish community. Together, they chaired the 4th Annual Birthright Israel Foundation Los Angeles Dinner in October 2017, have opened their home and office for countless Birthright Israel gatherings and have connected key leaders in the community to this organization. When we asked Michael what about Birthright Israel has kept him and Corie avid supporters and leaders he told us, “I have an overriding philosophy about charity and my most important concern is Jewish continuity. I direct my contributions to things that support that specific mission. I believe Birthright Israel does this more than any other organization.” Michael went on to cite, a recent Brandeis University study conducted by Leonard Saxe. The study’s key finding, that Birthright Israel participants are more likely to feel a connection to Israel, have a Jewish spouse, raise Jewish children and be engaged in Jewish life, even a decade or more after the trip, speaks directly to how Corie and Michael prioritize their philanthropy. Michael’s guiding principle, “[when] People are more connected to Israel and the Jewish people. They are more likely to have a Jewish family and marry Jewish.” And that is something that is of utmost importance to Corie and Michael and why Birthright Israel is vital to our Jewish future. And when asked their favorite Israeli food, both Corie and Michael agree, “hummus of course”.
MICHAEL & CORIE KOSS JOURNEYS • ISSUE 8
Michael Koss is a past Chairman of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee Western Region (AIPAC), General Chair and Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation, President of the Jewish National Fund LA Ambassadors Campaign as well as having received the Tree of Life Award from the JNF. In 2004 he was selected by the Los Angeles Jewish Federation to be the annual Real Estate and Construction Division honoree. He is currently the co-chair of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation Centennial Endowment Campaign. Michael also served on the Board of Regents of Brandeis University. Corie Koss began her life of Tzedakh when she became involved her in daughter’s Jewish day school, Sinai Akiba, as a room parent, treasurer and a committee chair. She has been on the Board of the Stephen Wise Temple for six years and Chaired the Brentwood Country Club’s Jewish Federation Luncheon.
JOURNEYS • ISSUE 9
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WHAT IT MEANS TO ME TO STAFF A
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL TRIP By Robyn Schneider
JOURNEYS • ISSUE 9
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When I was in college, a new program started that would allow Jewish young adults who had never visited Israel to go on a free trip as their birthright. Growing up in a very Zionist household, I had already been to Israel several times, and so did not qualify for this new-found opportunity. As I saw the program develop and heard stories from friends about this once-in-a-lifetime trip, I felt that I had to find a way to participate. Fast forward about a decade, I was working for the Jewish Federation and urged my CEO to let me staff a trip. I told him how it would be so much more compelling as a fundraiser to be able to express the experience first-hand. He asked me, “have you been to Israel?” to which I of course said yes, “okay, then you can tell the story.” But my hunger wasn’t satiated. I knew there was something different about this Israel experience that I had to be a part of. It wasn’t until 5 years later that I would have my chance. After relocating to a new community and taking a role at its local Jewish Federation, I was told that there was always a need for knowledgeable Birthright Israel staffers and, if I would be willing, they would love to have me for the next season. To say that I was above the moon is an understatement. Everyone around me wondered why I was so enamored. After all, I had been a staff person on major gifts missions, why would I want to travel at any other level of luxury?! What those people didn’t understand, and what I still try to explain to people today, is that Birthright Israel is magic. There really isn’t any other way to describe it. You see a transformation in people and a spark ignited in them that before was simply a pilot light, waiting for the right moment to flame. There is a special recipe – a touch of adventure, a pinch of history, and a teaspoon of deep connection – that creates a bond within the group and with the land that is unparalleled. I have seen participants make other Jewish friends for the first time in their lives and, more importantly, felt truly Jewish…not Jew-ish. They learn that there was no such thing as “a bad Jew” or “a good Jew” and, even if only one of their parents is Jewish, it doesn’t mean they aren’t wholly Jewish.
A participant once said,
“
I hate when people say I’m half-Jewish… I mean my arm isn’t Jewish, my leg isn’t Jewish. I’m Jewish.
”
I have heard stories of participants worried about telling their Jewish story on their application for fear of being rejected by the program, or worse yet other participants, only to find out that they are perfect (and accepted) just the way they are. I have seen Israelis get to know their country for the first time, some recognizing the importance of sites they’ve seen all of their lives, only because their perspective changes through someone else’s eyes. A year ago, as we were convening the group after going to the Western Wall, an Israeli participant turns to everyone and says, “I have been here so many times, but it never meant anything to me. Now, seeing you, I get it. If it’s ok with everyone, let’s hold hands and sing Hatikvah.” These are not orchestrated moments, they are the ingredients to creating a strong connection to Israel, the Diaspora, and Judaism, whatever that means to you. A few years ago, I participated in the Birthright Israel Fellows program. I thought when I completed my commitment of three additional trips, I would be done, but this winter reminded me why it will be hard to ever walk away. One of my participants asked, “Why do you do this? You’re not getting paid, you have to take vacation, and it surely isn’t easy… so why?” I looked at him and said, “I love Israel. If by staffing these trips I ignite that love in just one other person, it is worth it.” He looked at me, a tear in his eye, and said, “Robyn, you’ve definitely inspired me.”
JOURNEYS • ISSUE 9
NON-PROFIT ORG. ORG. NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE POSTAGE US PAID PAID PERMIT NO. NO. 1090 1090 PERMIT NEW HAVEN HAVEN CT CT NEW
ITS ALL IN THE NUMBERS
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
85% 36% 54% OF PARTICIPANTS CONSIDER
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
OF PARTICIPANTS ARE
40%
get involved
A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
OF PARTICIPANTS ARE MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE JEWISH
74% OF PARTICIPANTS FEEL
A CONNECTION TO ISRAEL
MORE LIKELY TO IN THEIR COMMUNITY
PARTICIPANTS PAY IT FORWARD THEY ARE
30% MORE LIKELY
TO DONATE TO JEWISH OR ISRAELI CAUSES The majority of the statistics shown are reflective of the 2017 study.
OF PARTICIPANTS SAY IT’S VERY IMPORTANT
TO MARRY SOMEONE
JEWISH
30% OF PARTICIPANTS
RETURN TO ISRAEL