<p>Ok this might be a good thread to get some info on Birthright Israel. D is going to Israel this May through Hillel anyone have any experience or sent their kids? Also she has to go with an Israeli passport and release from military service because My H lived there and served in the army (even though he has been here for 20 yrs and is naturalized US citizen). I am worried about her travelling with both a US and Israeli passport but that is what she needs to do when traveling to Israel ( as well as my other kids).
Any experience with this program and with this situation would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Cama
Posted this on another thread but was advised that this might be good info to open up to other students.
Birth Right Israel is a free trip open to all Jewish people between the ages of 18-25 who have never been on a peer trip to Israel. Everything and I do mean everthing is free. Just spending money for 10 days.</p>
<p>Israel is great. Don’t worry too much. When we visited (three years ago), I felt safe due to all of the constant security. It is a once in a lifetime trip. I have a good friend whose daughter will also be going with Birth Right in May and, from her description, it sounds like a well organized and safe venture.</p>
<p>Actually, it is not always totally free - depending on where you live, you may have to pay to cover your travel to a departure city. It is also possible to extend your stay if you want to visit family, do more sightseeing, volunteer, etc. And I have a feeling that one meal a day may be the kid’s responsibility…</p>
<p>The pace is really hectic - they keep the kids going nearly every minute as they try to squeeze in as much as they can. It is hard to have time to make a phone call or do some email, let alone visit relatives, so kids shouldn’t plan too much for the days they are actually on the tour bus. It works better to plan to stay extra days, if you can.</p>
<p>The itineraries vary somewhat by the trip you pick - some trips are themed, some are more suited to secular vs. religious kids, etc. It can also vary by the leaders. My D felt that her leaders could have given them more info about what they’d really need to take along each day. She occasionally found herself in the wrong shoes, wishing she had a light jacket, etc. She soon learned to ask the night before for more detailed info about the next day’s itinerary and she was then better prepared for the variety of things they did, one right after the other. </p>
<p>Kids from 18 to 25 span a wide range of maturity levels. My 24 year old D was happier on a trip with young 20somethings that she would have been on one with recently graduated HS kids. The difference between a 24 year old young woman and an 18 year old young man can be vast…</p>
<p>She went alone, by just joining a trip from the website. Often trips are organized on college campuses and so the kids already know eachother, or perhaps a trip will include kids from a few campuses.</p>
<p>It is a wonderful program. We are hopeful that our S will go on one soon too.</p>
<p>I just got confused, when i didn’t see my post, until I realized that there are two BirthRight threads - one on the Parents Forum and the other on the Parent Cafe. Seems the Parent Cafe is the more appropriate spot.</p>
<p>Mods, can you merge them?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>My d is going through Hillel. Since we live in NY we do not have to travel to a departure city. She cannot stay more then the 10 days due to other summer commitments and truthfully we want her back ASAP with the political situation going on there right now.</p>
<p>Cama</p>
<p>This trip is very safe, security is definitely a top priority, so try not to worry…
You can rent a cell phone in the US for your daughter to take to Israel. Her Hillel trip coordinator will know, which companies rent those phones (her American cell phone will not work in Israel).</p>
<p>Thanks nngmm,
I’m sure she will be fine and we are excited for her, of course she informed me that this is just the beginning of her trips to Israel. With her dual citizenship I’m more concerned that she will want to enlist in the military once she sees all the good looking soldiers. When H went with her to the Israeli consulate she was sure to pont out to him all of the “hot” looking guards. Oh to be young and 19 yrs old…</p>
<p>Cama</p>
<p>Haha, maybe you can compromise on a semester of study abroad in Israel instead of the army…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=609391#post609391[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=609391#post609391</a></p>
<p>The army is a great option, too. There is a wonderful program called Sar-El.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.sar-el.org/[/url]”>http://www.sar-el.org/</a></p>
<p>If my kids were looking for study abroad in Israel, this is a program I would be willing to consider:
<a href=“http://www.bgu.ac.il/osp/index.html[/url]”>http://www.bgu.ac.il/osp/index.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks so much!!! Already book marked these sights for future reference. My D is an art and design student (Pratt) do you know of any program in Israel for art and design (preferably college credit)?
Thanks, Cama</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bezalel.ac.il/sitee/homepage.asp[/url]”>http://www.bezalel.ac.il/sitee/homepage.asp</a></p>
<p>This is a very well known and respected school of art and design. I am not sure if they have a running student exchange program though…</p>
<p>My son did not go on birthright trip, but did do a 6-week program through Young Judaea. The security was amazing, down to having the same bus drivers on the same bus everday. Nothing was left to chance. And, although we were concerned (lol its my nic), he had the time of his life.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all the info!!! The anxiety is somewhat diminishing.
Cama</p>
<p>My son went to Israel with Birthright last summer and absolutely loved it. The trip was very well planned and the kids had a great time despite all of the security precautions. My son rented a cell phone during his stay (Birthright makes them available) and called home often to share his excitement with us. He is going to Israel at the end of May with a friend’s family, and will stay at a B&B in Jerusalem, which will be an entirely different experience–I’m a little worried because he will not have the security that was supplied by Birthright, and he will be going to a lot of places that can be “targets”–how do you tell a 20-year-old not to go out? He will also be studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem next Spring semester . I think I’ll be losing a lot of sleep.</p>
<p>boysx3,
I understand your worry, but what’s a parent to do? When D wanted to go in HS with USY we wouldn’t let her because it was right after 9/11. I don’t think I can lock her up in her room for the next 10 yrs, we have to let them live. It also helps us that my H has alot of relatives there. I was concerned about D’s dual citizenship situation but the Israeli passport came in the mail along along with the release from military service, and of course D thinks it’s “cool”. We will rent her a cell phone too. I’m sure both your S and my D will be fine. d already linformed us that she plans to go back for an extended time like your S.</p>
<p>Cama</p>