In the winter of 2012, a girl from Seattle, WA, and a boy from Charlotte, NC, both signed up for Birthright Israel hoping to get more connected to their Jewish heritage and have a fantastic experience, but little did they know they'd end up meeting their soulmate. This is the Birthright Israel Love Story of Ruthie Schorr and Simon Menaker.… Read More
Assimilation. A word we hear so often in the Jewish world. It's a tragedy not quite as obvious as the many others that have plagued the Jewish people before. If you grew up Jewish, unlike me, you have likely not felt the sting of assimilation or been able to comprehend what that entails fully. Who would you be if you… Read More
We often hear that some Jewish young adults feel apprehensive when they first learn about Birthright Israel, but we promise this trip to the Jewish homeland isn’t too good to be true. The reason the trip costs nothing to participants is because it is a gift that keeps on giving. Every single Jewish young adult who claims their birthright helps… Read More
Before I left for Birthright Israel in May of 2019, I was scared. I wasn't nervous about the security situation, or sad about being far from my family— I was scared that I wouldn't make the absolute most of this opportunity to make a difference. I'm glad I was scared because, as a madricha (trip staff), I had the responsibility… Read More
I wandered for twenty years until Birthright Israel found me. This is how happened. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, the most Jewish thing we did at my house was on Christmas, when we'd leave rugelach out for Santa. And to make things even more ironic, my last name is Pope. My mom's parents are Jewish but did not raise her… Read More
The Birthright Israel trip was an amazing experience for my son Jacob, he literally came back a changed person with a more insightful view on history, current events and learned so much about the people of his rich heritage. Jacob was amazed by the things he saw and, most importantly, was challenged by the activities he participated in. He told… Read More
My last name might confuse you, but I am, in fact, an American Jew through my mother. My mother’s maiden name is Robin and she was born and raised in Pittsburgh a few generations after our ancestors fled the pogroms of Czarist Russia. And my father came from an Episcopalian background. There was little religion in our home in New… Read More
In Judaism, it is our duty as human beings to perform mitzvot or acts of kindness. These acts of kindness elevate us, drawing us closer to G-d and to the purest and most authentic versions of ourselves. When we contribute to the well-being of society and strive to be the best versions of ourselves, we are practicing an act known… Read More
In 2016, Jenna McCoppin from Dallas, TX, decided the time was now or never to sign up for Birthright Israel. She knew this would be her last chance to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime gift, "It was important to me to take advantage of the opportunity, but there was also hope to find something that I had been searching for… Read More
The summer of 2019 was life-changing for collegiate snowboarder and contender for the 2022 Winter Olympics, Myles Silverman. Although Myles grew up in an interfaith home, he was raised predominantly Jewish. Judaism was always a part of Myles’ life as he attended Hebrew school up until 5th grade and celebrated his Bar Mitzvah when he turned 13. But as Myles… Read More
We asked recent alumnus, Nathan Tecotzky of Claremont, CA, what was the most important lesson you learned on Birthright Israel, and his answer is definitely worth sharing. If there's one major lesson I took away from going to Israel, it was the lesson of the importance of understanding. I have friends from Syria and Lebanon. And I have friends from… Read More
