This is 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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Opinion Sorry, Haters: Birthright Had Its Biggest Year Ever
At the end of last year, Haaretz reported that Birthright had seen a drop in numbers, of up to 50%. This was shocking news, and seemed to confirm the growing disaffection among young Jews with Israel, emblematized by activists staging walkouts of their Birthright trips. But it turns out that this narrative is far from…
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Community What Really Happened During The Birthright Walkouts
In recent months, several young Jews have walked off of or have been asked to leave their Birthright trips as part of an initiative by the anti-occupation group IfNotNow called Birthright: Not Just A Free Trip. I was a participant on the same bus as the three recent participants who allege they were kicked off…
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Community You Can’t Be An Effective American Zionist Without Witnessing The Occupation Firsthand
Like most American Jews, I live with the tension between Israel the dream and Israel the reality. I remember the hope of Prime Minister Rabin approaching peace with his lifelong enemies paired with the dismay at his assassination, I believe that every person living under Israeli sovereignty should receive equal treatment, though I know that…
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Fast Forward Zoroastrians Can Travel To India On Birthright-Inspired Trip
Young Zoroastrians now also have a chance to connect with their heritage with a Birthright-inspired trip. Return to Roots is an organization that caters to the once-thriving religious minority, offering a 15-day trip through western India to discover and connect with their heritage, Religion News Service reported. There have been five trips so far, which…
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Opinion Birthright Will Fail If It Doesn’t Evolve With Young Jews
On New Year’s Day, a young woman rushed the stage at the “MegaEvent” held in Jerusalem for participants in Birthright, the program that takes young American and other Diaspora Jews to Israel on a free ten-day trip. BREAKING: Young Jew disrupts Birthright’s ‘MegaEvent’, a nationalist rally in Israel with all Birthright participants, holding a sign…
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Opinion Walking Off Birthright? Check Your Privilege
The activist group IfNotNow has a webpage devoted to arranging disruptions of Birthright trips. At notjustafreetrip.com you can sign up with them if you’re attending a Birthright trip and fill out a form letting them know what kind of support you need. One of the options is, “I want to take action on my trip.”…
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Israel News After Getting Kicked Off Birthright, Trio Regroups In West Bank
A day after being kicked off a Birthright Israel trip, three young American Jews went to the exact place Birthright would never take them: the West Bank. They are meeting with residents of a Bedouin village to ask them about living under Israel’s occupation of the territory, Emily Bloch said. Bloch, 29, along with Shira…
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Opinion Birthright Alumni Reflect On The New Trip Guidelines
Last summer, 13 activists staged dramatic walkouts from their Birthright trips. To prevent more, Birthright added a clause to their Code of Conduct, that participants commit not to “highjack” discussion by turning it toward the occupation. Last week, they made good on the new contract when several Americans were kicked off their Birthright program for…
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