A Free Trip to Israel. How Can You Pass Up Your Birthright to Israel?

Many many years ago my youngest daughter spent 6 weeks in Israel. This trip was not free. Her Jewish youth group went every year usually during the summer of the child's sophomore year. My daughter went during the summer of her junior year. I can say unequivocally it changed her life. It didn't make her more religious; it may have made her more observant. It enhanced her perspective of the way people live and the experiences she had were indescribable. She has on occasion tried to tell us about it even over 10 years later but those memories will be in her mind only forever.

When my oldest daughter was in college I wanted her to go to Israel through Birthright Israel. This organization is 10 years old and pays for everything. The requirements are that your child or you must be between 18 years old and 26 years old. My daughter never wanted to go that far from home at that age so she didn't make the trip. But you can. And it is not too early to register!!

A trip over to the beautiful country of Israel can cost up to and more than $1,000 just for air! I know that people say it isn't safe. Many of my adult friends go regularly and say it is as safe as walking down the streets of Boston. I am not sure that is quite true but still my friends don't feel unsafe when they go. They stay away as much as they can from busy marketplaces and take taxis instead of buses.

Birthright Israel pays for everything - air, hotel and most of your meals. You do have to be Jewish (That would be defined as having a mother who is Jewish.) and you cannot have gone to Israel through Birthright Israel before.

When all is said and done it seems that the Israeli government pays the bill for these kids with the people of Israel's tax money. The kids buy things over there and tell their parents and friends how wonderful the trip was and more often than not I would guess parents and friends might go to Israel when they hear about it from a teen who had an amazing 10-day experience. It is a great PR idea.

Birthright Israel uses guards and the group's itinerary is not shared even with the teens. They do not of course go to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

I remember my daughter telling me of the hours walking through the Negev Desert and I also remember buying her "disposable" clothes. She got dirty. So I would recommend that even for a short stay you not pack any nice clothes!

You will most likely go to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Israel's capital, Haifa, and a Kibbutz. My husband lived on a Kibbutz (My step son was born in Israel.) so hearing about her Kibbutz experiences were particularly memorable for him. I wouldn't pass this up if I were a teen though I will be candid and say that I am leery about going to Israel right now. I have never been there and will one of these days go. Enjoy your trip, take lots of pictures and of course stay safe.