Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of Taglit-Birthright Israel, a free 10-day trip to Israel for young adults with Jewish heritage.
Birthright
The Latest
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News The pandemic cancelled a year of Birthright trips. That pause may have unexpected side effects.
Over two decades, Birthright Israel delivered more than 750,000 free-of-charge trips to young Jews, but amid the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many organizations, its programming came to halt. More than a year of inactivity and cancellations later, the group is now beginning to think about what a return to normalcy might look like. For Birthright,…
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Community The joy of Hanukkah gift giving — even during a pandemic
There is often confusion among Jews around the globe about why, when and how the tradition of Hanukkah gift-giving originated. Has exchanging gifts with loved ones and friends always been a part of the tradition? Why do we do it? There is nothing in religious texts nor the original retellings of the Maccabees that specifically…
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News New data suggest Birthright effect on Jewish marriage, connection to Israel lasts up to 2 decades
New data from researchers at Brandeis University show that participants in the Birthright program that provides young adults free trips to Israel continue even up to two decades later to be more likely to marry other Jews, raise their children Jewish and have a strong attachment to Israel than their peers. The study, which compares…
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Fast Forward Is Birthright too late? New program to fund pre-college Israel trips
A new program will lower the cost of Israel trips for high school students by about $3,000 in order to give them that experience before they get to college — not during or after, as Birthright does. The Jewish Education Project will lead the RootOne initiative, which will subsidize trips by five Jewish youth groups…
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Opinion These Hasbara Tours Bribe Jews To Be Pro-Israel And Make Birthright Seem Lefty
Last week, J Street U, the campus arm of J Street, wrapped up its inaugural free trip to Israel for Jewish college students. The “Let My People Know” trip was conceived as a response to protests against Birthright, which does not include meetings with Palestinians on its trips, or discussions about the occupation. While the…
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The Schmooze ‘Sexiest Doctor Alive’ Saves Birthright Participant’s Life On Israel Flight
It sounds more like an NC-17 dream than reality — the man People magazine called “The Sexiest Doctor Alive” leaped into action to save a life when a passenger on his flight to Israel went into anaphylactic shock. But you know what they say about Israel: If you will it, it is no dream. 29-year-old…
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Fast Forward J Street Launches Birthright Alternative, Featuring ‘Occupation 101’
A first-of-its-kind “alternative Birthright” tour aimed at progressive-minded young American Jews kicks off in Israel on Tuesday. Forty participants are set to take part in the 10-day inaugural trip, titled “Let Our People Know,” which is sponsored and financed by J Street. The tour includes visits to the West Bank cities of Hebron and Ramallah,…
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News IfNotNow Made An Impact With Its Birthright Protests. Now It’s Stopping Them.
Birthright Israel has sent 650,000 young Jews to Israel over the past two decades, and few have complained about their free trip to the Jewish state. But last summer, something strange started happening. Members of IfNotNow, the Jewish organization that raises awareness about Palestinian suffering and American complicity in it, would go on the trips…
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Opinion I’m a UCLA professor. Why didn’t the administration stop last night’s egregious violence?
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News The great tent conspiracy theory: Are ‘outside agitators’ supplying protesters’ tents?
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Opinion I teach Israel studies at NYU. We are importing the worst of Israel and Palestine to our campuses
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Fast Forward Marjorie Taylor Greene says she opposed antisemitism bill because it rejects ‘Gospel’ that ‘the Jews’ handed Jesus to executioners
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward Marjorie Taylor Greene says she opposed antisemitism bill because it rejects ‘Gospel’ that ‘the Jews’ handed Jesus to executioners
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Film & TV Just how accurate is the Peacock series ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz?’
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Opinion I’m a UCLA professor. Why didn’t the administration stop last night’s egregious violence?
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Opinion Violence at UCLA will only produce more violence. A remarkable Palestinian peace activist showed me an alternate way