Shelter Rock Jewish Center - Rabbi's Email 122107

My oldest son, Max, is off to Israel next week to be a leader for one of the Birthright trips that bring young Americans (in this case-but there are Birthright groups from almost every country) to Israel for about ten days. He's worked for them before on two different occasions, so he knows what to expect...and both were very positive, interesting and uplifting experiences. Talking to him about his plans has prompted me to wonder if there might not be people in our community who don't know all about this whole undertaking, so I thought I'd write about it for you today.

Birthright exists to bring young Jewish people between the ages of 18 and 26 to Israel for free. (The participants pay only a minimal registration fee, which is then refunded after they return from Israel. All expenses, including airfare, lodging and food, are completely covered.) Founded in 2000 by Michael Steinhardt and Charles Bronfman, the foundation has spent about $200,000,000 on this single effort, and the results have been just amazing. I believe firmly that, in the long run and when the story of Jewish life in America in our day is finally written, almost nothing will be shown to have had as profound effect on our growth, and on our stability as a community committed to the Zionist ideal, as the Birthright endeavor. As of last summer, 145,000 young people had gone on these trips. None had been to Israel previously as part of an organized tour or trip. Almost all came home with a deep understanding-or as deep an understanding as you can acquire in a week-of what Israel is all about, and why the support of world Jewry is crucial to the ongoing survival of the state. Almost more to the point, the participants often come back with a deep sense of their own Jewishness, and a strong desire to find an outlet back home in which to express those feelings of re-awakened commitment to their own Jewish identity.

Birthright also receives funding from the UJA and from the State of Israel, and there are very generous other donors as well. Earlier this year, philanthropists Sheldon and Miriam Adelson announced a gift of $25,000,000. That will be enough to cover the expenses involved in bringing an extra 20,000 young people to Israel.

I have met many young people who have gone on these trips. There have been some glitches along the way, and it is probably worth mentioning that the participants are all self-defined as Jews, and that there are among them, certainly, people whose ultimate Jewishness might be just a bit suspect to some of us. But the overwhelming sense I have gotten over these last years has been that the project is an amazing success...and one that will continue to alter the face of diaspora Jewry for many, many years in the future. I can't stress enough how real this whole thing is: a full week of touring, strong bonds established with Israelis and with each other, a renewed and incredibly deepened sense of commitment to their own Jewish identity-this is what Birthright offers. And, along with all that, it also offers a big challenge to those of us who are too old personally to participate. Do you know a Jewish person between 18 and 26 who has never been on an organized tour to Israel? It could be a grandchild...or a neighbor's child, or someone you work with, or the child of someone you work with. It could be someone you know intensely, or someone you only know casually. It could even be someone you don't really know at all, but only somehow know of. The challenge is to think of people who might be interested...and who deserve to see what Israel is all about for themselves...and then to get them to think about signing up. The starting point is www.birthrightisrael.com. Plans are now underway for spring and summer trips. There is, apparently, enough money for the organizers to feel confident that no Jewish young person will be turned away. So...who do you know that should be going on one of these trips? (Note that the Hebrew term Taglit is used here and there on the website. Taglit is Birthright, and the program is sometimes called Taglit Birthright. It's all the same thing.) How great would it be for us, as a community, to inspire a dozen-or a hundred-young people to go off to Israel at no expense to themselves at all, and for the experience to yield that many committed, involved Jewish adults in the coming years and decades? If you want me to become involved in encouraging someone to go, just ask! And I'll try to think of some names as well....

Sincerely yours,

Rabbi Martin S. Cohen