I grew up in a small Jewish community in Northern California, where I had a broken relationship with my Judaism. After my Bat Mitzvah, I didn’t see any reason to continue with the Jewish community. I knew about Birthright Israel, but it was never something that I was interested in doing. Read More
Birthright Israel was a life-changing experience for me. I found out about this opportunity by getting more involved with my Hillel branch at Florida International University. I had never been to Israel before, so when I learned it was essentially free, I jumped on it and signed up. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to connect with their faith and expand their mind spiritually, emotionally and socially. Read More
My Jewish background was hidden throughout childhood but has been brought forward as I’ve stepped into adulthood. When I was a kid, I was told never to disclose my Jewishness to people. As a mixed child, my family felt that appearing both Black and Jewish would subject me to too much discrimination, therefore, I kept my Jewish observation inconspicuous. Read More
I can’t even fully explain how amazing my Birthright Israel trip was, but I’ll do my best. Birthright Israel No Limits In Motion is a trip designed specifically for young adults with disabilities ages 18-32. This trip promises a completely free and accessible trip to Israel. Each participant gets to bring a companion with them for free, so I brought my former camp counselor Shira Schneeweiss, who knows me so well that I consider her a sister. Read More
July 2000 My name is KC Yasmer and I am a junior at Stanford University. It was my good fortune to join the other hundreds of college students on the Birthright Israel 2000 trip. I was raised in Tucson, Arizona, a southwestern town with a small but cohesive Jewish community. Judaism was and is a part of my life, which included the Holidays and leading to my Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation. Read More
Back in 2013, I received a call that I could go on Birthright Israel, and of course, I took the opportunity and booked my flight to NYC. I had never traveled alone, and the anxiety and excitement were outrageous. When my peers and I arrived at the airport the morning of our trip, we did a quick introduction, got a bite to eat and settled on the plane. Read More
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