Yes, you read that right. A completely free ten-day trip to Israel. What’s the catch? There isn’t one, really. If you are a Jewish youth, aged 18 to 26, Birthright provides a free “peer-group” experience in the Holy Land. You don’t even need to be a practicing Jew, just Jewish by birth. As a matter of fact, they’d prefer that you are a “less knowledgeable” Jew. The trips are their way of strengthening Jewish identity abroad.
Young people spend the week and a half with Israeli students, soldiers, and community leaders. What I found really interesting was that there are many different trip organizers under the same umbrella, but each of whom has their own flavor. They all adhere to basic guidelines, but the philosophy, mission, and goals may be slightly different. For instance, one trip organizer from New York is mostly concerned with the unity and history of the Jewish people. His Birthright tours focus on travel to historic places within Israel. Another’s focus is the current environmental state of Israel, geared more toward college students whose focus is on the sciences. Still another caters to those with physical disabilities. Each is unique, yet each has a common purpose – to expose non-Israeli Jews to life in Israel, and to foster a global community within the Jewish people.
These are not simply fly-you-over-and-drop-you-off-trips. Yes, there is some free time, but most of the trip revolves around scheduled tours and events. It’s sort of like a college trip that’s taken between semesters, except that you don’t have to actually be in college to take advantage of it. The trips are funded in part by the Israeli government, though their primary support is from Jewish organizations and individuals.
To find out more about Birthright trips, see their page here.