Realizing a Birthright

By Eric Yoffie

When Birthright Israel was launched 10 years ago to provide free trips to Israel for Jewish young adults, there were many skeptics, myself included.  But we were wrong.  Birthright has changed our perceptions in fundamental ways.  It has demonstrated that at a time when commitment to Israel is supposedly withering, even the most disengaged young Jews have a yearning for connection to the Jewish state.  And it has proven that despair over the future of our young people is unwarranted:  We can, if we are serious, offer them experiences that change their life, foster Jewish identity and draw them into the Jewish people.

Rabbi Eric Yoffie is president of the Union for Reform Judaism.