in case anyone wanted to read it...

Here is my final paper. I don't know if anyone else chose to research Birthright, so maybe this paper could help those who are not as familiar with the trip. If anyone reads it, I hope they enjoy it.


There are many Americans who identify themselves as Jewish, yet do not practice any forms of Judaism. Many of these individuals do not attend High Holiday services, do not observe Jewish laws, and have never traveled to Israel. Therefore, these non-affiliated Jews transmit their lacking religious identity onto future generations who have difficulty forming their own religious identities. One way which has been beneficial to thousands of Jewish young adults is to initiate the formation of one’s Jewish identity isthrough Birthright, a free ten day trip to Israel. Although people take away different experiences, the main goals of the trip are to create or strengthen one’s Jewish identity, form a connection to the Jewish people, and to abolish the existing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world. There are several Birthright trips ranging from affiliated to non-affiliated thereby allowing any Jew to participate on a religious level which they feel comfortable. Two specific trips, Birthright Oranim and Birthright Mayanot share the same goals yet lead their trips in different manors, with respect to religious involvement and education. I have not been a Birthright participant and therefore am unaware of the dynamics of the trip. By interviewing past Birthright participants from both Oranim and Mayanot, I plan to investigate the role and meaning that the differences play in the formation of one’s Jewish identity by means of their personal Israel experience.
The formation of one’s religious identity is a process which takes place through exposure to religious ideals, figures, beliefs, values, and historic sites to name a few. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and allows for the formation of one’s Jewish identity through exploring the land, culture, people, and society. Since there is a limited amount of time, Birthright tries to incorporate as many aspects of Israel as possible through teaching, recreation, and Judaism. The two Birthright participants I interviewed went on different trips meaning they had different experiences forming their Jewish identities. Katie, who was on Oranim, formed her Jewish identity during the trip, and Ashley who was on Mayanot, did not. Katie had been to Israel where she became a Bat Mitzvah and did the typical Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and North touring. She went back to Israel on Birthright and she said, “… it was a great experience that every eligible Jewish person should go on. I learned a lot about my religion and culture and by interacting with other Jews I met on my trip.” Katie told me that although Birthright did provide her with a religious experience, she felt more Judaism on her own. She said, “While we were guided through the country from a Judaic perspective, it was pretty light because Oranim is not directed at an Orthodox, Conservative or Reform movement they had to appeal to the masses.” When I asked Katie to discuss how Israel led to the creation of her Jewish identity she responded by saying, “Israel is a country that you feel at home even if you’re not Israeli. I think this is greatly attributed to the Jewish culture of being so welcoming. It is an experience to travel throughout the country and see for yourself where many of the events of our history took place. This is special, because in America we grow up learning about our Jewish history in Hebrew or day school but to experience it first hand is like nothing else.”
For Ashley, Birthright was her first time in Israel, and a different experience from Katie. When I asked her about her overall thoughts on the trip she said, “Overall, I wouldn’t call Birthright the best experience of my life, but it was fun. My thoughts on Birthright differ greatly from my experience on Birthright. I think the purpose of Birthright has gotten turned around and the reason people go on the trip is very skewed. Its founders had a very distinct purpose behind their money and hard work and from what I know of Birthright the purpose is not being carried out. While I had fun and enjoyed the sights I saw, experiences I had, etc. I think I have negative feelings toward Birthright as a whole. Today the mentality is ‘its ten days to get drunk in a foreign country with kids your age and to make friends’. Fun? Yes. The purpose of Birthright? Questionable.” When I asked her about the level of religious involvement she answered that Mayanot is an Orthodox affiliated provider. She said that she felt her trip was significantly more religious than others because almost everything they did had Jewish significance. She told me that she had many friends who went on Oranim and had a completely different experience than her. She said, “My friends on other trips came back absolutely in love with Israel. They had the most amazing trip of their lives and would give anything to go back. I wonder though if they would give anything to go on their trip again because getting drunk and being in a foreign country with great people was the fun part, or actually being in Israel was the fun part. I think the Oranim trips are voider of Judaism than the trip that I went on. They focused more on the recreation aspect of the trip while my trip focused more on the education and Judaism.”
Katie and Ashley provide me with two different experiences they had on Birthright. For Katie, traveling, learning, and experiencing Israel led to the creation of her Jewish identity. Although the trip revolves around Jewish ideals, she formed her Jewish identity through personal religious experiences. Although Ashley’s trip was more religious, she did not walk away feeling a sense of Jewish identity. She felt that the trip allowed her to experience Judaism in many forms yet did not make a religious connection while in Israel. Ashley associates with Chabad and therefore the Mayanot trip should have best suited her. She felt an understanding of what she learned, was happy with her experience, but felt that the formation of her Jewish identity did not take place in Israel. Based on the answers Katie and Ashley provided me with, I better understand some of the differences between the two trips.
During the formation of one’s Jewish identity, it is not so much the physical environment but rather how you feel in that physical environment. Although many people have established their sense of Jewish identity through Birthright, the specific experiences, learning opportunities, and interactions with external factors serve as the first step in the identity formation. It is what one takes away from those experiences that lead to the complete creation of a religious identity. In Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett’s article, “Reflections on the Nature and Efficacy of Youth Tours to Israel”, the issues of feeling Jewish and one’s identity are addressed. When discussing tours to Israel she says, “The ultimate destination of this voyage of discovery is not Israel, but the Jewish identity for each individual participant” (37). Although these programs allow for Jewish identity to be built, it needs to come from within. Kirshenblatt-Gimblett makes an extremely valid point at the end of her article. She writes, “To be Jewish is to have a Jewish identity. That identity arises from a process of discovery. It is something that can be explored and possessed, as in ‘my Judaism’, ‘my spirituality’, ‘my roots’, ‘my heritage’ and underpinning it all, ‘my experience’”. (38). Kirshenblatt-Gimblett is suggesting that all these aspects which comprise a Jewish identity are found in Israel and on a tour such as Birthright. Through experiencing different meaningful Jewish areas, one is more likely to be able to create their Jewish identity if they can form a meaningful connection from Israel to certain areas of their personal lives.
When researching the two trips, I came across differences which I felt could impact the Birthright experience. The first was the way the eligibility for participants was worded. The Oranim trip which is known to be less religious than Mayanot states, “Our trips are co-ed and non-denominational. Our trips are suitable for and sensitive to participants from all Jewish backgrounds”. The Mayanot eligibility requirements state, “Mayanot trips are co-ed and our participants come from all Jewish backgrounds”. All though these two messages are virtually the same, the wording from the Oranim one seems to be more inclusive of any Jew. Another difference that exists is the breakdown of time spent in specific locations. Oranim tours Israel from north to south allowing participants to experience the wholeness of the country. The trip generally does not stay overnight in the same location and moves rapidly in order to incorporate as much as possible. Mayanot is based mainly in Jerusalem and the North and although travels through Israel, significantly less time is spent in certain areas. A religious difference that arises is the schedules both trips follow. Oranim does not spend Shabbat in Jerusalem, rather in Tel Aviv. There is a Kabbalat Shabbat on the beach followed by a traditional Friday night dinner and then experiencing Israeli night life at the port. On Saturday, there is a walking tour of the city, time for friends and family is allotted, as well as time to relax on the beach. There is a speaker on Middle Eastern issues followed by a Havdalah service and then another night of partying at a night club. In contrast, Mayanot spends Shabbat in Jerusalem. Mayanot participants spend Friday nights experiencing a meaningful Shabbat at the Western wall and having a traditional Shabbat dinner. On Saturday, there is an optional Shabbat service followed by a Shabbat lunch in an Israeli family’s home. There is then a group discussion on Jewish identity, dinner, and a Havdalah service. Through these three differences of language usage, locations, and Shabbat one can see that Mayanot focuses more on a religious aspect than Oranim does.
Although several differences exist between the two trips, what is of greater interest is what these differences mean. Through my interviews, it is evident that Oranim and Mayanot function on different levels religiously, and therefore participants have different experiences. The way that the two websites word their mission statements, eligibility requirements, and general usage of terms allows one to see that differences exist linguistically. Oranim clearly states that anyone Jewish who meets the age requirement are eligible for the trip. The statement is more inclusive and more inviting than that of the Mayanot. Jerusalem and areas of the North are known to be the most religious areas in Israel. Mayanot participants spend three nights in the North, four nights in Jerusalem, one night in Tel Aviv, and one night at a Bedouin tent. Oranim takes participants to Tiberias for two nights, Tel Aviv two nights, Eilat for one night, Haifa for one night, a Bedouin tent for one night, and Jerusalem for two nights. By spending significantly more time in Jerusalem and the North, Mayanot participants are indirectly engaging in a more religious experience. By traveling and exploring more areas of the country, Oranim participants are still able to experience the holiness of Jerusalem and the North, yet are able to experience Israel from a not-as-religious point of view based on locations. The significance between the locations of the trips allows one to infer that by spending time in many different locations as opposed to mainly two, one will get a broader more open-minded experience.
The most significant difference I found between the two trips is the way Shabbat is observed and spent. Shabbat is an essential part of Judaism and as Jews; we are commanded to observe the holy day. I found it very interesting that the trips incorporate Shabbat so differently into their schedules. First, a major difference is the location of the trips. Mayanot spends Shabbat in Jerusalem while Oranim spends it in Tel Aviv. On Shabbat in Jerusalem, the city shuts down and all are observing. In Tel Aviv, many Jews observe Shabbat yet many act as if it is just another day. By being in Jerusalem, Mayanot is providing its participants with the real Shabbat experience. Going to the Western Wall for a Friday night service allows one to directly experience a meaningful Shabbat. By using Saturday as a day of rest, thought, and group learning, one is able to experience an observant Shabbat in Israel. Oranim does include aspects of Shabbat on these two days, yet it is not the focus. By going out and partying on Friday night, one is actively participating in not observing the Shabbat. The Saturday itinerary is significantly different than the Mayanot one in the way that instead of a day of rest and reflection, it is almost like any other day on the trip. When I asked Ashley about the level of religious involvement on her trip, she responded, “We went to the wall on Shabbat, spent a lot of time talking about the Jewish significance of the things we were doing, and took time out of everyday to ask questions and discuss things that pertained to Judaism. The men wrapped teffilin on a daily basis, there was a minyan, and on Shabbat the Orthodox customs were abided by.” Through this statement one can understand that the goal of Mayanot is in some way a religious one. By taking participants to Jerusalem on Shabbat, it allows them to experience firsthand the spiritual meaning of the day. Oranim acknowledges Shabbat but places less emphasis on the religious aspect than Mayanot does. Through Shabbat, we can identify significant differences of the trips.
The Birthright trip is an amazing opportunity for Jews to travel to Israel for the first time. Through the organization of the trip, one is able to explore Judaism in relation to Israel. The different trips, Oranim and Mayanot allow one to distinguish between the underlying goals they both promote. Although similar, the trips have different agendas which could foster the formation of one’s Jewish identity. Through interviewing two participants from each trip and researching specific differences, one can understand what the differences mean and how personal experiences did or did not lead to the creation of a Jewish identity.