Birthright

A rally against rising antisemitism under the banner of "No Hate, No Fear," Jan, 5, 2020. (Gili Getz)

‘Anti-antisemitism’ was meant to unite American Jews. Why is it backfiring?

For years U.S. Jewish leaders tried to center diaspora identity around Israel. But the battle to redefine antisemitism shows it is no longer working.

By Nathan J. Brown and Daniel Nerenberg June 13, 2023

Illustrative photo of Birthright visitors lining up to race into the Dead Sea on July 10, 2015. The northern Dead Sea, including Kibbutz Kalia and Kibbutz Almog, are fully in the occupied West Bank. (Matt Hechter/Flash90)

Israeli settlements are a regular destination on Birthright trips

For years, Birthright has been taking participants into the occupied territories, usually without their knowledge or consent. ‘At the end of the day, we Israelis always have been less than truthful about where those lines and boundaries are for tourists,’ one former tour operator says. Before Zachary Popkin-Hall embarked on his Birthright Israel trip in…

By Mairav Zonszein July 16, 2019

American Jewish activists protest outside the Birthright offices in New York, April 5, 2019. (GIli Getz)

In these dark times, young American Jews are a ray of hope

The recent campaigns taking aim at Birthright and the American political establishment are more than symbolic — they are sowing the seeds of a powerful resistance movement against Israel’s occupation. By Oren Kroll-Zeldin Passover is a celebration of freedom, justice, and liberation. In Hebrew it is referred to as zman heruteynu, the season of our freedom.…

By +972 Magazine April 24, 2019

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Arab citizens of Israel seen dancing in the village of Baqa al-Gharbiyye. (Moshe Pridan)

When Israel planned ‘fantasy’ tours to Arab villages under martial law

New documents reveal how Israel’s leaders prepared to celebrate the country’s 10-year anniversary: by bringing tourists to participate in orientalist ‘fantasy’ tours to Arab villages, then under military rule. If you’re a young Jewish person, chances are you or someone you know has gone on a Birthright trip. If you have gone on Birthright, chances are…

By Edo Konrad July 23, 2018

Breaking the Silence staffer Frima (Murphie) Bubis is seen speaking with Israeli police after a settler child threw paint on her head during a tour in Hebron, July 16, 2018. (Mairav Zonszein)

Birthright walk-offs get a taste of settler violence in Hebron

Eight Birthright participants who walked off of their trip earlier this week to learn about the occupation were on a tour with Breaking the Silence when settlers began harassing them, culminating with paint thrown on their guide’s head. If the settlers of Hebron were trying to show a group of Birthright participants who had walked…

By Mairav Zonszein July 16, 2018

Illustrative photo by Shutterstock.com

Jewish education’s sin of omission

Despite years of Jewish education, much of which focused on Israel, this young American Zionist was still ignorant of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. By David Sarna Galdi The Israeli occupation of the West Bank will mark its 50-year anniversary next year. For five decades, since 1967, that occupation has been a central theme…

By +972 Magazine May 16, 2016

The Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, June 26, 2008. (Photo by Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

Why do LGBT Israelis leave the country?

Whether because of growing homophobia or their criticism of the occupation, some queer Israelis are leaving and say they’re not coming back. By Hila Amit Most academic literature on the issue of emigration from Israel is written from a Zionist perspective, thus telling a one-sided story. According to the story, Israeli emigrants feel a strong…

By Haokets February 29, 2016

All That's Left American occupation of West Jerusalem action (Photo by A. Daniel Roth)

The American occupation of West Jerusalem

A group of activists attempts to show Israelis and American tourists the occupation that’s taking place just a few blocks away, by simulating an American occupation of West Jerusalem. By Moriel Rothman What do you do when rammed by a man in an electric wheelchair who’s fundraising for needy Holocaust survivors? Just walk away. OK,…

By +972 Magazine May 10, 2014

birthright flyer

Birthright now offering skateboarding, hip hop-themed trips to Israel

As if it wasn’t enough to offer Jews around the world a trip to Israel totally free of charge, the Birthright industry is now marketing “the only skateboarding trip to Israel” and a “hip hop” trip. This is in addition to the already popular “niche” tours that include those catering to the LGBT community, food…

By Mairav Zonszein February 14, 2013

Breaking the Silence marketing tours to Birthrighters

Breaking the Silence — the organization of former IDF soldiers who talk about their experiences serving in the Occupied Territories in an effort to expose the everyday reality of Israeli control of the West Bank — is now marketing its tours of the West Bank to participants of the Birthright-Israel trip while here in Israel.…

By Mairav Zonszein July 10, 2011

VIDEO: Birthright’s “Take back Zionism” is an embarrassment

Following the cancellation of the J Street U-Birthright trip I reported on here, I discovered a campaign called “Take Back Zionism” initiated by Birthright alumni who feel the need to reclaim the term. From their website: Contemporary discourse seeks to narrowly define Zionism and attack it by limiting its scope. We refuse to accept others’…

By Mairav Zonszein February 6, 2011

J-street under attack – Birthright trip canceled

J Street was in the headlines recently for two incidents that reporters are deeming to be indicative of the self-declared “pro-Israel pro-peace” lobby’s inability to gain acceptance in the mainstream American Jewish establishment. The first incident was Congressman (Jewish and democratic) Gary Ackerman’s public disassociation with J Street over its urging the US not to…

By Mairav Zonszein February 4, 2011