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By Clara CaseyJ2001 - 03

Birthright Israel: lack of funding keeping many eligible applicants from a “life-changing” trip

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Birthright IsraelBegan in 2000

Purpose: to send Jewish young adults, ages 18-26, to Israel for a 10-day experience of a lifetime free of charge.

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Alumni call birthright “life-

changing.”Alumni who described the trip as a life-changing experience

Very much

Somewhat

A little

Not at all

45%

28%

16%

11%

Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe

45%

28%

16%

11%

+“Meeting the soldiers that fight for our homeland day in and day out made me appreciate everything I have, including my religion, on a deeper level. The trip changed my life in unexplainable ways.”- Ariella Hecht, Birthright Alumni, Summer

2010Participants perception of how much closer the trip made them feel to Israel

Very muchSomewhatA littleNot at all

72%

18%

7% 3%

72%

18%7%

3%

Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe

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Influential supporters of

birthright“Birthright is life changing, huge, and motivating," he said. "It increases the likelihood of a connection to Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish continuity.”

- David Sherman, chairman of the board for the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago

+ Application numbers are at a

high.Summer 2010

•73% of applicants were waitlisted because of a “lack of funding.” – Irit Gross, Birthright Israel Foundation

Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe

+ Lack of funding

“My understanding is that one of the major funders is still a major funder, but not at the level that he was last year.” - Sherman

Many devoted to birthright seem optimistic.

How will birthright sustain funding?

With devoted donors and The Foundation, the fundraising branch of birthright.

+ The Foundation

The fundraising branch of birthright

Currently working on a 5 year plan to get more funds.

Adelson/New Founders Challenge Grant

Every dollar a person donates to the foundation will be matched.

+ Sample itinerary includes:

Tel Aviv

Jaffa

Jerusalem

Haifa

Tzfat

Caesarea

Nahal Oren

Golan Heights

Rabin Square

Independence Hall

Western Wall

Old city of Jerusalem

Tel Dan Reserve

Jordan River

Bedouin village

Masada

The Dead Sea

Yad Vashem

Mt. Hertzl

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Dancing after the arrival, summer 2010

On the bus going to Jaffa, summer 2010

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Participants on a beach in Tel Aviv, summer 2010

At the top of Mt. Sinai, summer 2010

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Meeting Israeli soldiers

Americans and Israelis get a different perspective of each other.

“One of my favorite parts of Birthright was getting to know the soldiers. It made me

care a lot more about what is going on in the war in Israel.”

- Hecht

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The soldiers are affected too.

“Birthright changed me because now I appreciate serving in the army even more than I did before. I know that I am doing the right thing. I also got to see what another culture is like.”

- Adi Stolero, Israeli soldier

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Breaks stereotypes of Americans

“I was expecting to meet young people that were shallow. I quickly found myself proven wrong and was pleasantly surprised to find that almost everyone was interested in how life is here, and how they can help the cause in Israel.” - Orr Shilon, Israeli

soldier

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More Knowledge of Current Events

50% of

alumni were “more likely to

feel ‘very confident’ of

their ability to explain the

current situation in Israel.”

•Become more knowledgeable of current events•Form connections with people involved•Form a connection with Israel

Those who go on birthright are likely to:

Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe

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Connection to Israel is stronger

Sense of Connection to Israel after birthright

Very much

Somewhat

A little

Not at all

58%

29%

10%

2%

Generation Birthright Israel, Saxe

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How can people help?

•Alumni fundraising councils

•Donate the $250 deposit that is required to go on birthright

•Donate online

•Volunteer

$250 is enough to host one

person for one day in

Israel.

+People are hoping for birthright to

continue to prosper

“I want my kids to be able to experience what I did, and be able to say, ‘I went on Birthright, and it changed my life,’ just like it changed mine.” - Hecht

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"Birthright Israel merits our support for the next ten decades."- Benjamin Netanyahu , Israeli

Prime Minister, 2010

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Birthright Participants with the soldiers on their last day, Summer 2010

+ Sources Saxe, Leonard, Benjamin Phillips, Theodore Sasson, Shahar

Hecht, Michelle Shain, Graham Wright, and Charles Kadushin. Generation Birthright Israel: The Impact of an Israel Experience on Jewish Identity and Choices. Brandeis University: Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Oct. 2009. Web. Sept. 2010.

Ariella Hecht (State University at Albany Junior, Birthright Alum) – 914-316-6906

David Sherman (Jewish United Fund (JUF) Chairman of the Board) – 312-735-4470

Irit Gross (Senior Development Associate, Alumni & Young Leadership CampaignBirthright Israel Foundation) – 212-419-2870

Orr Shilon – 21-year-old Israeli soldier

Adi Stolero – Israeli soldier