Taglit-Birthright Israel recently loosened restrictions on eligibility, and is opening the program to anybody who went on an educational trip to Israel prior to turning 18. The Taglit-Birthright Israel Facebook page shared the news with its over 65,000 fans: “Guess What? Those who participated on peer educational trips to Israel prior to turning 18 years of age are now welcome to apply! Taglit-Birthright Israel will have specific details on eligibility posted on the website the week prior to registration opening on February 19th, 2014.”
Previously, the program, which enables young Jews from all over the world to go to Israel for free, wasn’t open to people who had ever been to Israel on an educational program, regardless of how old they were when they went. Due to the latest change in Taglit-Birthright Israel policy, as long as a person hasn’t been on an educational program to Israel after the age of 18, the program will be open to them. This means that anybody who has gone to Israel for a post-high school program will most likely be ineligible for a Taglit-Birthright trip, but most people who went on a summer program to Israel in high school are eligible.
Because of the previous requirements, thousands of college-age Jewish students who had enjoyed a trip during high school were unable to go on the trip, even if they hadn’t spent a year in Israel at yeshivas and seminaries. Hindi Kornbluth was one of those 20-somethings who missed out on the trip, but thanks to the changes to the requirements, she’s now able to apply.
“I went on a trip in 10th grade with my class, and I took part in Write On for Israel during the summer after 11th grade,” said the Bergenfield resident. “Originally I was kind of annoyed; like back during my first years of college when a lot of my friends were going, I really wanted to experience the trip and it was frustrating that I wasn’t eligible. Now, I’m not sure if I want to go. I feel like I’m too old and cynical to enjoy these frivolous ‘let’s all hold hands and talk about our Jewish connection’ trips. I think my parents want me to go though, just to take advantage of the trip while I still can. I’m not sure what I’ll end up doing.”
Both Hindi, who will shortly be graduating from Cooper Union, and her younger sister Nicki, who is a junior at the Macaulay Honors College at Queens College, CUNY, are now eligible to apply for Birthright thanks to the new requirements.
Nicki went on the same programs as Hindi so was also ineligible, but Nicki feels a little bit differently towards the recent changes.
“I’m really excited about the new requirements because it gives me another chance to visit Israel again. I missed out on a lot of things by not going to Israel for a year after high school, and this is giving me the chance to get to do a lot of what I missed out on. I’ll probably go on the Taglit-Birthright Israel trip if I can find the time. But since I’m older, I now have to worry about internships and graduate school, so there may not be a good time for me to go.”
The reason for the change, according to Taglit-Birthright Israel, was because people who have visited Israel when teenagers will be able to gain a deeper understanding and connection to Israel now that they are adults.
Gidi Mark, the CEO of Taglit-Birthright Israel, expressed delight at the prospect of opening up Birthright to many more Jewish young adults. “I believe that the decision will strengthen the ties between Israel and the Diaspora and will provide tens of thousands of young Jews the knowledge needed in their efforts to present a positive image of Israel to the world.”
The news was announced at the end of January, nearly a month before applications opened on February 19th for the Summer 2014 Birthright trips. Anybody between the ages of 18 and 27 who fits Taglit-Birthright Israel’s requirements is now able to apply for a free 10-day trip to Israel.
By Tamar Herman
