Birthright Israel offered two new programs this summer to address young Diaspora Jews’ desire to bolster their knowledge of geopolitics, public diplomacy and Israel’s counter terrorism efforts.
The programs were developed to address the global wave of antisemitism following the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel by the Hamas terror group and the war in Gaza, which resulted in more Birthright Israel participants wanting to deepen their command of these topics before returning to their hometowns and university campuses.
One four-week program–June 20 to July 18–Geopolitics and Public Diplomacy Fellowship, was run by Birthright Israel Onward at Reichman University, in Herzliya. It combined lectures, discussions, and site visits to provide a nuanced understanding of the region’s challenges. Participants will develop strategic communication skills to effectively articulate Israel’s story, and connected with a global network of advocates.
Participants, Jews ages 18–35, lived like locals in Tel Aviv. They received housing accommodations in the city, public-bus passes, shuttle buses to and from the university each day and insurance. They participated in Birthright-funded activities, day trips and a Shabbaton. Participants also engaged with their Israeli peers, visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza (one of the Jewish communities victimized by Hamas terrorists) and attended an exhibition about the Nova music festival massacre.
The cohort included 16 participants from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Birthright Israel plans to expand participation next year.
The second program, the Onward Back to Campus Forum, which ran through the summer, was offered to participants of Birthright Israel Onward already in Israel for their internship. The goal of the Forum was to deepen participants’ ability to face the Israel-related challenges they deal with on campuses across North America.
The program has three goals: to deepen knowledge and Jewish belonging, strengthen resiliency against antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, and develop skills and tools for combating these forces, especially in university campuses.
During the program, which included 4 meetings and a 2-day retreat, participants attended meetings and sessions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem run by prominent lecturers and government spokespersons. Hopefully, they returned to their university campuses equipped with better tools to advocate for Israel.
