birthright israel family trips

#BIRTHRIGHT – ISRAEL OUTDOORS

The gift of a free adventure is yours on a Birthright Israel trip with Israel Outdoors.

Choose from a wide selection of trip dates, program options, and departure cities across North America. This fully subsidized trip covers your international flights, accommodations, two meals daily, and touring.

Travel with Israel Outdoors for your Birthright Israel gift because our trips are fun, adventurous, and inspiring! Our approach is pluralistic and we encourage open-minded exploration all along the way.

FOR AGES  |  18-26

DATES  |  Year-Round

DURATION  |  7 or 10 Days

What to Expect from a Birthright Israel Trip

If you’re thinking about applying for a Birthright Israel trip, there might be a heap of questions on your mind. Things like: What’s included in this free trip? Who will be in my group? And is there such a thing as too much hummus? Well if details are what you want, keep reading to find out all you need to know about this free trip to Israel.

How Long is a Birthright Israel Trip?

Great question! Most of our trips last 10 days. We feel that’s plenty of time to explore the country (more here). Short on time? We also offer 7-day trips. If you want to spend more than 10 days in Israel, it’s also possible to extend your trip.

Who Will I Be Traveling With?

You’ll be traveling with other Jewish peers in your age group. We like to bring a range of participants from different places around the USA so you can make new friends you wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to meet. However, you can also choose to go with your local community or campus. One of the highlights of a Birthright Israel trip is the opportunity to meet Israeli locals who will also join you for a portion of the trip. And of course your bus wouldn’t be complete without staff members, a medic, and a tour educator who will help you make the most of this experience.

What’s on the Itinerary?

There’s so much to do, see, and eat when you’re in Israel. That’s why each day is jam-packed with activities. You’ll explore the bustling street markets in Tel-Aviv, go for a night hike in the desert, and take selfies as you float in the Dead Sea. Some of the highlights also include hiking Masada, visiting the Old City in Jerusalem, and gorging on falafel and hummus. We offer classic trips and themed trips. All trips include the essential sites in Israel, but some experiences and attractions differ depending on the trip organizer and type of trip you choose. Visiting the trip organizer’s website is the best way to learn more about what you can expect on a specific trip.

What’s Included?

Roundtrip airfare, room accommodations, and admission tickets are all included with your Birthright Israel trip. We also cover transportation and two meals a day. All we ask is that you bring along some extra cash for one meal, and of course- any souvenirs to remind you of your amazing trip to Israel. Are you ready for an adventure in Israel? Get started on your application today.

FREE 10-DAY TRIPS TO ISRAEL

For young Jews (18-26) who’ve never been

to Israel on the Jewish GROUP tri p

(Israeli citizens who left Israel before the age 12 qualify as well) ​

Direct flights from S. Francisco, Los Angeles,

New York, Chicago and Washington DC

TRIPS ARE TAKING PLACE

TWICE A YEAR (JUNE & DECEMBER)  

Sponsored by: TAGLIT - Birthright Israel Foundation

Organized by : Mayanot Israel - one of the largest providers of Birthright Israel experience

Supported and marketed in the US : EZRA USA & partnering Russian-speaking Jewish communities

Summer Registration

Sign up for a future trip:, already signed up, we are mayanot.

Thousands of people choose MAYANOT for their Birthright Israel trip each year for good reasons. We spare no expense to give you the experience of a lifetime! We are all about creating memories.

Age 18-22 Ages 22-26

Don't Just Take Our Word For It

@mayanotisrael

Nice to meet you.

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This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel.

The gift of  a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to tens of thousands of donors including individual donors and foundations, and alumni and their families that support Birtright Israel Foundation in the United States as well as the people of Israel through the Goverment of Israel and Jewish communities and Federations around the world. 

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BirthrightGuru is your source for everything Birthright Israel.

The BirthrightGuru team is made up of young Jewish adults, with multiple Birthright Israel and family trips to Israel under our belt. We know what it’s like travel to Israel on Birthright and what it’s like to be there. We also have been keeping track of Birthright Israel for many years to stay on top of the latest developments. Our perspective is unbiased — we’re not affiliated with the official trip program or any trip organizer.

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Israel For Free? Here's How to Do Birthright

It feels great to turn your hard-earned points into travel. But you know what feels even better? Traveling for free.

Every year thousands of young Jewish people do just that through the Birthright Israel Foundation , a nonprofit with a mission to connect Jews to Israel. This popular trip is a favorite on college campuses, where students can partake in a once-in-a-lifetime experience — for free!

Wondering how to hop on board? Here's a one-stop guide to all things Birthright, from what to expect to how you can apply, plus a few exclusive pointers from several Points Guy team members who have taken the trip themselves.

What Is Birthright?

Birthright Israel is a nonprofit foundation that sends up to 40,000 young Jewish people to Israel every year for free. While the program's stated goal is to help Jewish youth explore their identity and build stronger ties to Israel, it doesn't have a religious agenda and accepts Jews of all denominations.

Who Can Go?

Going on a Birthright trip is pretty straightforward: Almost any Jewish non-resident from the US between the ages of 18 and 26 is eligible — check out Birthright Israel's FAQ section for more info. If you do qualify, you'll hop on a summer or winter trip and head out to explore the land on your air-conditioned coach bus chock-full of guides and new friends.

Should I Go With Friends?

A Birthright trip is what you make of it, and whether or not you know anyone else on the trip beforehand could have a huge impact on your time there. TPG Editor-in-Chief Zach Honig went solo back in 2011, a decision he said helped him open his mind to new experiences and people, while TPG Social Media Editor, Samantha Rosen, says she cherished the chance to go on Birthright with some of her closest friends from college.

Which Trip Should I Choose?

10 different tour providers work with Birthright Israel to coordinate trips, and while all follow similar itineraries, each brings a different taste to the table. Hillel International sends you to the Holy Land with other kids from your college campus, while Mayanot, Ezra World and Israel Free Spirit all tend to attract many Orthodox Jews. Every trip has a "mifgash" (or meeting) in which Israeli soldiers tag along for a portion the tour, but Shorashim has soldiers stay on for all 10 days. This was a key piece for Rosen, who went on a Shorashim trip in the summer of 2013.

"The soldiers give you insight into what life is like in Israel, to give you a perspective and become your friends," Rosen said. "They become a part of the group."

Many providers also offer single gender, LGBTQ, culinary and other specialty trips as well. If you do some research into what you want from your trip and what's available, and it will pay off in delivering exactly what you want when you get there.

What You'll Do in Israel

Think of Birthright as your passport to Israel's hottest spots. You'll place a note in Jerusalem's Western Wall, hike to the top of the Masada mountaintop fortress and explore the lively seaside streets of Tel Aviv. You'll also take some time to reflect on Jewish history by visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center and Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery. In between, you and your new friends will get some time to explore on your own. Try plenty of street food to get a taste of the local flavor, but stay away from "Jerusalem mixed grill" if you're squeamish around mystery meats.

Can I Earn Miles on My Flight?

Honig traveled with Israel Outdoors in 2011, and like the points-hound he is, he managed to score some mileage out of his 5,500-mile flight. But it did take a bit of wrangling; though he didn't book the ticket himself, he was able earn miles by eventually adding his frequent flyer information to the Delta itinerary.

"It depends on how [the provider] books the tickets," Honig said. "Sometimes they have deep discounted group fares that aren't eligible for mileage accrual." While Honig's experience may be a fluke, there's no harm in trying.

Have you ever been on a Birthright Israel trip? Tell us about your experience, below.

What Is Birthright and Why Is It So Controversial?

What is Birthright?

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Are small colleges overlooked by Hillels of Georgia?

J ewish students at small colleges and universities across the state say they’ve been overlooked by Hillels of Georgia, an umbrella organization created in 2003 to engage and empower Jewish students on campuses.

Hillels of Georgia has an active presence at Emory University, the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia State University. All have dedicated full-time staff members and funding for various programs for their Jewish students.

Hillels’ website claims to be expanding its reach to provide programming resources to students at Agnes Scott College, Georgia College, Oglethorpe University, and Georgia Southern University. But Hillels of Georgia CEO Rabbi Larry Sernovitz acknowledged that the website page is not up to date. Sernovitz, who has been at the helm of Hillels of Georgia since July 2023, is focused on bringing more Hillel resources to small Georgia campuses.

Sydney Perez, who moved to the Kennesaw area from New Jersey as a young child, is one of a handful of Jewish students attending Columbus State University, a public university in west central Georgia. She said she would “love to connect with other Jewish students, and a Hillel would help.”

Atlanta-born Ruáin Rosenberg estimates that there are probably fewer than two dozen Jewish students among the 1,100 enrolled in Agnes Scott College, a private women’s liberal arts college in Decatur. A self-proclaimed “outspoken Zionist,” Rothenberg said she’s been trying to “drum up support” for a Hillel on her campus.

“I need someone to support me,” she said.

When Erin Vaughn attended Agnes Scott from 2013 to 2017, Hillel International ran a national program for Jewish students on small campuses called “the small but mighty,” she recalled. In 2014, she attended a national program representing Agnes Scott.

“Hillels of Georgia didn’t give Agnes Scott the time of day, but Hillel International did,” she said. Vaughn recalled that Hillels at the larger Atlanta universities “competed” for Agnes Scott students to attend their programming.

Today, Vaughn works at the Marcus Jewish Community Center as a development officer. She recalls her time at Agnes Scott with mixed feelings. Growing up in Dunwoody, it had been her dream to attend Agnes Scott – which she still describes as an excellent school academically. But she felt like the school blocked any of her Jewish initiatives, like attending Haifa University for a study abroad program. She traveled on a Birthright Israel trip and went on a volunteer program in Israel, but said other Jewish students “antagonized” her because she was pro-Israel. 

“I have painful memories of Agnes Scott,” she said, although she acknowledged that her experience there “made me feel how important my Jewish identity is. I became an obnoxious Jewish student.”

Vaughn hadn’t been a very involved alumnus, however, until the Oct. 7 Hamas led attack on Israel. She said she reached out to Hillel to find out what was going on at Agnes Scott, and she reached out to the alumni office and other administrative offices “to help protect students on campus.” She received no response from the college, and she is angry.

Rosenberg said she too has contacted the Agnes Scott administration for help. She said she’s been harassed by anti-Zionists who yelled at her in hall meetings, “saying antisemitic things. The administration wasn’t very interested.” The school offered to mediate a meeting, but she declined, so they told her they couldn’t help her.

A sophomore, Rosenberg said she misses her Israel. Not only does she have family in Israel, she also went on a Birthright Israel trip in 2023. As she was starting to study for finals, Rosenberg set her eyes on next year when she’s hoping there will be Jewish students among the freshman class. At that point, she said she will “fight for” a Hillel at Agnes Scott.

That fight might not be as difficult as she thinks. Sernovitz said Hillel “supported Agnes Scott and Oglethorpe in the past,” although without a full-time director. He said that the Jewish students there are “not getting what they need.” He has been in touch with Rosenberg at Agnes Scott and hopes to contact Oglethorpe.

“My goal is to have one campus director to work with both schools,” Sernovitz said. Funding for these professionals is the only thing holding Hillels of Georgia back, he added.

Without many Jewish students at Columbus State, Perez said she’s at least lucky that her non-Jewish friends are open minded and want to learn and understand what is happening in the Middle East.

“That’s a huge blessing,” she said.

Part of the problem for Hillel and even Jewish students at small campuses themselves, said Sernovitz, is that incoming students are no longer asked their religion. “There are probably hundreds of Jewish students on these small campuses,” he said.

Sernovitz is eager to have traditional Hillel programming available to them, such as Shabbat meals where Hillel representatives can “get to know the students, their majors, interests and hobbies and empower them to create programming and support their sense of Jewish identity on campus.”

The post Are small colleges overlooked by Hillels of Georgia? appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta .