Free Trip to Israel

calmom
Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:07:17 +0000

CRD, those posts refer to events concerning an attempt J Street to sponsor a trip – not related to the issue of youngsters affiliated with or supportive of J Street to opt to travel with any other group. My d. went with her college Hillel. I don’t know what the selection process entailed, but I seriously doubt that she was questioned about her political viewpoint.

It looks like J Street might have been a little too overt in the way they labeled & promoted their trip. It’s not just a matter of Taglit-Birthright’s policy agenda – it could also be related to their tax exempt status. J Street is a political advocacy group; calling their trip ““Explore Israel: Progressive Zionism and Social Justice” probably was not the best move on their part. You don’t know what the back story was and what the lawyers may have advised Taglit-Birthright … but it would be financially disastrous to them if they couldn’t continue to bombard parents of Birthright alum like me with year-end appeals for tax-deductible donations. (I figure I’m on the Taglit/Birthright mailing list forever… your doubts are enough to prompt me to pony up $50 before year’s end, after I had vowed to myself that I was just going to donate to the food bank this year.)