Articles

The Power of Birthright

I must admit that I was skeptical of Birthright programs when they started. Like many other educators, the payoff did not seem to justify the massive investment of resources. Ten days of partying at clubs and tanning on a Tel Aviv beach was meant to awaken the “pintele yid” – the Jewish spark – inside of Jewish young people? Why not use the cash to radically lower the cost of Jewish education? Why not add in more Jewish content to the trips? Why not make shul membership free? Why not …. I have many ideas and projects that could make a real difference if only the funding were available. Why this?

While questions remain about Birthright’s long-term effectiveness, and many other initiatives do need funding, after almost ten years we can certainly conclude that… I was wrong. Ten days in Israel do have an effect. First of all, there are many different Birthright trips and some include a strong educational component. Secondly, even the “fun side” has its benefits – feeling connected to other Jews and falling in love with Israel are crucial to Jewish youth.

Jewish families should not rely on Birthright. Birthright’s follow-up programming is negligible and many positive Jewish feelings disappear in the weeks and months following the trip. Ten days cannot replace a strong Jewish upbringing. So give your kids a Jewish education. Take them to Israel on a family trip (they’ll still be eligible for a Birthright trip later). And do all the things we regularly talk about in this newsletter.

That being said, if your college-age kids are lukewarm to Judaism, get them to Israel on a Birthright trip. It can work wonders.

In that spirit, here is a short piece based on a real Birthright experience. Enjoy.

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Birthright made me Jewish.

I know, I know. It sounds like putting the cart before the horse. You are supposed to be Jewish to go on Birthright, so how can it make you something that you already are?

If you knew me, you'd understand. I was born in 1983 and grew up in northern California. My Mom is Jewish. I never knew my biological father. Mom re-married a couple of times (it is, after all, California) and none of the "father figures" in my life were Jewish. To be honest, the lack of Jewish connections never seemed to matter. We weren't Christian. We weren't anything. Free spirits. A little New Age. Somewhat Buddhist, depending on my Mom's mood at the time.

I was raised to love everyone. Including animals. And Mother Earth.

I decided to go to UC Santa Cruz because of the trees. Really. It is a beautiful campus lodged in the middle of an enchanting forest. The students' gym was constructed to look out over the ocean, so you have a great view while you jog. That is how I chose my place of higher education.

When I walked passed the student union building and a Rabbi asked me, "Are you Jewish?" I said yes. To honest, I would've said yes if he had asked me if I was Buddhist, New Age, Sufi, searching, or many other labels. He offered me a free trip to Israel, as part of Birthright. I'd heard of Birthright but never really considered it. But I had nothing special going on during the dates he mentioned and I considered it for a moment. Ten Days. Free. Happy Grandmother. Cute guy signing up beside me. Why not?

The trip was awesome. Fun. Interesting. Non-stop. And surprisingly deep. There weren't many classes on Judaism, but the guide would share ideas and keep me thirsting for more.

Growing up with meditation, I never really understood the attraction of formal prayer until I saw it at the Western Wall. The people I saw were as connected as anything I'd ever felt. No wonder. The whole country was magic. There was a form of spirituality around that I'd never imagined – one that was deeply involved in daily life.

And I started to feel more. I felt a connection to these people. To my people. They regarded me as one of their own, and the feelings were reciprocated. Old ladies would stop me on the street and ask if I was eating enough. Half the country was my Jewish grandmother.

Towards the end of the trip, we visited the Ghetto Fighters' Museum and met with a Holocaust survivor. She told us her story. What happened to her. And her family. The cruelty. The terror. The incredible miracles that allowed her to survive. How she rebuilt her life. Of course I knew about the Holocaust, but I'd never met a survivor before. I cried during her entire talk. She was persecuted and tortured because she was Jewish. And it could have happened to me as well.

At the end of her talk, she said something that has stuck with me ever since:

"I am speaking to you today for two reasons. I am here for you and for me. For you, it is vital that you know what happened. Read about it. Understand it. And meet survivors. Already in my lifetime, they are denying it. It will get worse when we are all gone.

That is the first reason. But I also come for myself. Because seeing you here makes me happy. I see you coming to Israel. Coming to learn about your heritage and your religion. Trying to make Jewish friends. Trying to stay Jewish. You are my sweet revenge

They wanted us all dead. Men, women, and children. By visiting Israel, you are beating the Nazis. By staying Jewish, you are beating the Nazis. You are my sweet revenge."

That phrase has stuck with me. Sweet revenge. I feel Jewish now for the first time ever. And I owe it to Birthright.

'Keeping Our Families Jewish' is a free e-newsletter written by Doron Kornbluth, author of Raising Kids to LOVE Being Jewish. The newsletter is designed to help Jewish parents, grandparents, educators and activists keep Jewish identity strong. To join the list, or contact Doron directly, email info@doronkornbluth.com or visit www.doronkornbluth.com.