Current Events > Sharp decline in number of American Jews going on birthright trips to Israel

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-sharp-declinein-number-of-american-jews-coming-on-birthright-trips-this-winter-1.6739756

Birthright is experiencing a sharp drop in participation rates this current winter season, according to five providers who spoke to Haaretz. The downturn is mainly being felt in the United States, which is by far the largest provider of participants to the program that brings young Jewish adults on free trips to Israel.

According to some of Birthrights key trip providers, who spoke to Haaretz on condition on anonymity, the drop ranges from 20 percent to 50 percent depending on the provider in comparison with the last winter season. The winter season extends from December through March.

Birthright has experienced drops in numbers before, especially during spates of terror attacks and violence in the region. But it seems a downturn of this magnitude, unrelated to the security situation, is unprecedented.

The trip providers told Haaretz they were not entirely sure of the reasons for the downturn, but offered several possible explanations.

One explanation was that because eligibility requirements have been loosened in recent years, young Jews feel less of a sense of urgency nowadays to register for the program. In the past, the program was open only to participants aged 18 to 26. In a bid to expand the applicant pool, Birthright announced a few years ago that anyone up to the age of 32 would be eligible.

Trip providers have also speculated that the downturn could reflect the well-documented fact that young American Jews are growing increasingly disengaged from Israel, and have less and less interest in visiting the country even when the trips are free.

Recent studies have shown that Jewish millennials, who are largely progressive, feel less connected to Israel than their parents and grandparents because they perceive the country's policies as antithetical to their values. In particular, they cite Israels treatment of Palestinians and of asylum seekers.

Last week, for instance, a petition signed by 1,500 Jewish students demanding that Birthright include in its itinerary Palestinian speakers able to address the realities of occupation was delivered to Hillel directors at over 30 campuses across the United States.

The petition was organized by J Street U, the campus affiliate of the pro-Israel, anti-occupation advocacy group. Hillel, the largest Jewish student organization in the world, is a major recruiter for Birthright.

The exclusion of voices of Palestinians and Palestinian citizens of Israel from Birthright runs counter to our core values, the petition said. On a trip to Israel, we should experience the countrys history and culture, but we should also learn about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and hear the voices of Palestinians living under occupation. Last year, Birthright decided to discontinue these encounters, saying "further analysis of this module in the context of the educational trip as a whole" was required.

Last summer, left-wing activists organized several highly publicized walkouts on Birthright tours to protest what they described as the very one-sided approach of the program to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Birthright works with about 10 trip providers. Trip providers are required to recruit a certain quota of participants in order to maintain their status. If they fall below the quota two seasons in a row, they automatically lose their contract with Birthright. Last year, for example, the Reform movement lost its status as a trip provider because it failed to fill its quota.

Several trip providers expressed concern to Haaretz that because of the downturn in numbers experienced this winter, they were at risk of losing their contract with Birthright.

---

good. israel sux

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?
---

Progress
---

I'm a proponent of Israel but I don't really care about this. It's a shame the only good actor in that region is villainized but beyond that, who travels where doesn't mean anything to me.
---

lww99 posted...

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?

I wonder if lack of awareness is the real issue here.

lww99 posted...

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?

I know right lol. Where's my free fucking trip to Spain and Germany so I can visit my conquistador-laden and bratwurst loving homelands?!
---

lww99 posted...

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?

1999
---

I cant go
Moms not a Jew:(
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

lww99 posted...

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?

I wonder if lack of awareness is the real issue here.

Yeah, I think so. Ive never heard of anything like this before, for any ethnicity, race or religion.
---

I'm pretty sure they would have parents or relatives that would inform them about this somehow.
---

lww99 posted...

Yeah, I think so. Ive never heard of anything like this before, for any ethnicity, race or religion.

let me assure you:

we know about it.
---

It is a North Korean style propaganda tour.
---

Cheater87 posted...

It is a North Korean style propaganda tour.

um, no.

it's a contiki-style propaganda tour.
---

American Jews are anti-semitic!!!!!!

/sarcasm
---

spudger posted...

I cant go
Moms not a Jew:(

Is your dad a Jew?

I know Judaism is passed through the mother, but do they really exclude people who are only half-Jewish on their father's side?
---

hockeybub89 posted...

American Jews are anti-semitic!!!!!!

/sarcasm

You joke but...
---

Cheater87 posted...

It is a North Korean style propaganda tour.

Lol it's not.

I did it a few years ago. There is no agenda, there is nothing forced on you. It's a fun 7 or 10 day trip around Israel. Few nights in Tel Aviv, few in Jersalem, stay in a few hostel-like places, and even a night or two in Bedouin Tents.

It's a great experience. Sucks to hear about the decline, but I for one am shocked that they have the ability to fund something like this at all. I mean there were 25 people on my trip alone.

AmericaTheBrave posted...

spudger posted...

I cant go
Moms not a Jew:(

do they really exclude people who are only half-Jewish on their father's side?

No. My dad is Jewish and my mother is Catholic, but I was still accepted.
---

I don't even live in the USA and I know about the general concept
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

lww99 posted...

Young American Jewish people get free trips to Israel? Since when?

I wonder if lack of awareness is the real issue here.

I would never have known about this had I not gone to a college that was 60% Jewish.
---

Im almost 30 and have done next to zero traveling. Wheres my free 10 day trip?
---