Birthright

Undeterred by war, North American Jews continue to immigrate to Israel

“My worry was, how could I get there as fast as possible?” said Deluca, 39, who arrived in Israel on March 9, just eight days after the war with Iran began.

New immigrants from North America arrive at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport on March 25, 2026.
Participants on a Birthright Israel program.

Birthright travelers look different after October 7, but the effect remains the same, study shows

Kikar Hamusica: View of Jerusalem’s Music Square with its various restau rants and outdoor music performance spaces.

Saved by a square: A rainy-day miracle at Jerusalem’s Hebrew Music Museum

(L-R) Silver medalist Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman of Team United States celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Speed Skating Men's Team Pursuit on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026, February 17, 2026.

Jewish-American speedskater, four-time Olympian Emery Lehman wins silver in Winter Olympics


Jewish Federations, Birthright to expand Israel volunteer efforts

JFNA and Birthright Israel are launching a major effort to send 10,000 Jewish volunteers to Israel in 2025.

Birthright Israel participants.

A movement, not a moment: How Birthright Israel can help ensure Jewish continuity - opinion

To ensure lasting change, we need to build a generation that is strong enough to withstand the storm. If our generation isn’t rooted in Jewish identity, we have nothing to defend.

Birthright Israel participants

Purim Spiel: Dog Birthright, the newest frontier Israeli tourism, caters to the furriest Jews

Purim Shpiel: The following is a satirical article from The Jerusalem Post's annual parodic Purim page, The Jerusalem Roast. Enjoy!

  DOG BIRTHRIGHT promises to connect four-legged friends with all that Israel has to offer.

Fearless Zionism: American Jews need to reshape their view of Israel - opinion

Even many who haven’t visited Israel – yet! – have been shaped by their Birthright buddies’ identity revelations.

 PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Birthright event held at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem in 2011. ‘Strategically – and ideologically – I focus on Generation Birthright, not the Bibi-bashers,’ says the writer.

Birthright participants say visiting Israel post-Oct. 7 is a transformative experience

After the October 7 attacks, Birthright made some adjustments to the core 10-day trip.

 Visiting Israel on Birthright in the year and a half since Oct. 7, 2023, many trip participants said they felt safer in Israel than they did back home.

Birthright Israel works: Alumni are more Jewishly active than their peers, study finds - exclusive

The study assessed that due to Birthright participants having an increased chance of having a Jewish spouse, there were consequent indirect increases in Jewish engagement.

Birthright Israel participants

The clear and urgent need for Evangelical trips to Israel - opinion

By working with pro-Israel Jewish groups on campuses, this initiative could amplify efforts to defend Israel, counter misinformation, and build a united front for the future.

 MIKE HUCKABEE attends a Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, in 2021. The appointment by US President Donald Trump of Huckabee, an Evangelical Christian and vocal supporter of Israel, as ambassador to Jerusalem underscores the pro-Israel orientation of this administration

Birthright’s resilience: Why young Jews continue to come to Israel even amid crisis - interview

“Especially after October 7, I think everyone clung on to whatever piece of the Jewish community they could,” said a Birthright participant.

Birthright Israel participants

The impact of first impressions: How early Israel experiences shape leaders’ views - opinion

Do early visits to Israel shape political leaders’ lifelong opinions on the Jewish state?

 US SEN. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) arrives for a news conference on legislation that would have blocked offensive US weapons sales to Israel, at the Capitol, last week.

Despite war, 13,679 young Jewish adults visited Israel with Birthright this summer

The young Jews, hailing from around the world, had a choice to join the traditional 10 day Israel tour, or the newly created volunteer program.

Photos of summer participants