Dear Birthright,
The first time I wrote about Birthright I was hopeful. I was inspired by friends and family supporting me in my quest to finally have this inclusive Israel experience that so many of my peers have had. I thought that my application would be looked at holistically and it would be taken into consideration what I experienced in Israel beyond how many days I'd spent there. I have been completely honest in my application because I believe in what Birthright can be, an opportunity for Jewish young adults to experience Israel with their peers and build a relationship with the land.
I am no longer hopeful. Nor inspired. I'm disappointed.
And it doesn't have to do with whether I will actually get to go on Birthright or not. I'm disappointed because I don't believe you're living up to your potential. As I work toward my Masters degree and plan to work in higher education (i.e. with the same age group you cater to) I understand better the opportunities for growth and development in students. Something I believe Birthright should be taking advantage of rather than neglecting.
Shortly before Pesach I was interviewed for Birthright and subsequently received an e-mail offering me a spot on an Israel Free Spirit trip. I paid the $260 that was asked of me with trepidation. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled. But I'd gone through this process once before and then been denied. I didn't want to get my hopes up. As the weeks passed I became more excited at the idea of getting to see parts of Israel I've only heard stories about. I feel a deep relationship with Judaism but I do not believe Israel is my home. This is ironic now that the ADL has come out with a report claiming that the most stereotypical belief about Jews is that we care more about Israel than about our home country. And at least for this Jew, that is not the case. Sure the country matters to me in the sense that my religion has a strong history there and I have many friends living there. But I do not prioritize it over my actual, physical home.
A few weeks ago I received a phone call telling me that my eligibility was still being determined and at the end of the conversation when I pressed for more information, they said I should hear back in 1-2 weeks. I continue to receive e-mails asking me to complete my secondary application and last week when I tried to log in, my password would not work. This is exactly how I was "denied" the first time I applied when I had only been on March of the Living. The trip I applied for a few months after another "March" alum had participated. I needed to be the one to call Birthright to find out why my application was locked.
I'm not going to call this time. I know what this passive-aggressive statement means. And this time, I'm older and maybe a bit wiser. I'm not angry or upset like that first time. My Jewish identity has not taken a turn for the worse. And I harbor no ill feeling toward Israel.
But I am disappointed in you, Birthright. According to the new eligibility requirements (from what I can understand), people who went on Ramah Seminar can go on Birthright. People who have an Israeli passport and/or visit every summer can go on Birthright. People who have a Jewish parent can go on Birthright because they know to answer the question "Do you identify as Jewish" with the answer you're looking for. It is for this reason that so many people view Birthright as just a "free trip to Israel" as opposed to being an educational trip about identity, history, and a special country. It is for this reason that I've heard stories about how on certain provider trips everyone drinks all night and sleeps on the bus as they drive past historic and beautiful landscapes.
"We believe that the experience of a trip to Israel is a building block of Jewish identity, and that by providing that gift to young Jews, we can strengthen bonds with the land and people of Israel and solidarity with Jewish communities worldwide." This is a quote from Birthright's website. I believe that this is the vision of Birthright but I do not think that, in its current form, you are living up to this goal. My Jewish identity is rooted in my family and local community. My Jewish identity has grown due to my love of traditions and culture. My Jewish identity has but a vague connection to Israel.
You may have noticed that this time I did not address you as Taglit unlike in my first message (you probably didn't notice). According to your website, Taglit means "discovery". And I discovered quite a bit in the process of trying to further discover Israel. But the best discovery is that while Israel may not be the place I'm destined to visit again, I have so many other valuable connections to Judaism. My religion has shaped who I am and who I hope to be, both professionally and personally.
I don't expect to hear from Birthright again for a while. It will be a frustrating process getting my deposit back, which doesn't seem right considering that I don't understand why I was offered a spot if my eligibility had not been determined. And since I won't be voluntarily giving up my spot, I believe I'm entitled to all $260 of my deposit.
We'll see what happens but I've actually reached a point where I'm just not as interested in going at all. If whether I can go hinges on if I was on JNF for 7 days instead of 6, that's just not the kind of organization I want to support.
Thank you, Birthright, for your attentiveness to detail.
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