Birthright: free trip to Israel

Avi Smith ’09 sends in the following info:

Heard of Birthright? It’s a free trip to Israel, happening over winter break, and you’re eligible as long as you have at least one Jewish parent and haven’t been on a peer trip to Israel since you were 12. The trip will probably be all Wesleyan students and their friends.

Registration for Birthright is Sept 10th, a week from Wednesday, so if you’re thinking of going, you need to act fast!! They are having fewer and fewer Birthright trips each year because of rising gas prices and the dollar going down, so this is the year to go!

Informational meetings:
– Sunday, Sept 7, 3pm, the Bayit (157 Church St) and
– Thursday, September 4, 7:30 pm also at the Bayit
You only need to come to one meeting, and bring your laptop if you can.

If you’re considering going at all, you should come to the meeting. registration is soon and fills up fast!

If you have more questions, check out www.israelexperts.com/taglit or
email Avi Smith(aesmith) or Rachel Berkowitz (rberkowitz).

It’s a pretty sweet (and totally free) trip full of interesting dialogue, and Avi and Rachel are pretty much going to be the greatest leaders ever. I highly recommend it.

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16 thoughts on “Birthright: free trip to Israel

  1. Mad Joy

    Also, Israel Experts (the provider that Wes has been using, and I assume will still use) is pretty cool. While it’s not completely balanced, it’s still relatively so. When I went, they did take us to meet with a bunch of Arab Israeli high school students who wanted to practice their English and were completely honest/upfront about their major problems with the Israeli gov’t. And going with Wesleyan students is nice, too – you’re going to be surrounded by intelligent people who keep an open mind.

  2. Mad Joy

    Also, Israel Experts (the provider that Wes has been using, and I assume will still use) is pretty cool. While it’s not completely balanced, it’s still relatively so. When I went, they did take us to meet with a bunch of Arab Israeli high school students who wanted to practice their English and were completely honest/upfront about their major problems with the Israeli gov’t. And going with Wesleyan students is nice, too – you’re going to be surrounded by intelligent people who keep an open mind.

  3. Mad Joy

    I went on Birthright and I’m still not a Zionist. A free trip is a free trip; just keep a critical attitude, and be aware that they ARE trying to sell you something, it’ll be fine, and if you’re eligible, just enjoy it.

  4. Mad Joy

    I went on Birthright and I’m still not a Zionist. A free trip is a free trip; just keep a critical attitude, and be aware that they ARE trying to sell you something, it’ll be fine, and if you’re eligible, just enjoy it.

  5. Jacon

    Because these trips are sponsored by rich Jewish philanthropists and the Israeli government as a way of attracting and cementing support for Israel.A word of warning: the propaganda is less-than-subtle. To be fair, I was not on the Wesleyan trip, and I don’t know which organizer Wes uses. I am also sure that a group of Wes students would be exponentially better-informed and far more inclined towards critical thinking than the group with whom I traveled. But make no mistake: they are trying to sell you something.On the plus side, Avi is the man. So that’s a plus.

  6. Jacon

    Because these trips are sponsored by rich Jewish philanthropists and the Israeli government as a way of attracting and cementing support for Israel.

    A word of warning: the propaganda is less-than-subtle. To be fair, I was not on the Wesleyan trip, and I don’t know which organizer Wes uses. I am also sure that a group of Wes students would be exponentially better-informed and far more inclined towards critical thinking than the group with whom I traveled. But make no mistake: they are trying to sell you something.

    On the plus side, Avi is the man. So that’s a plus.

  7. Anonymous

    Dumb question: why can’t non-jews who have an interest in jewish studies go? Why be so discriminatory?

  8. Anonymous

    Dumb question: why can’t non-jews who have an interest in jewish studies go? Why be so discriminatory?

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