JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
New York
espite the drop in tourism
to Israel after nearly a year
of Israeli-Palestinian vio-
lence, one Israel experience
program hopes to increase the number
of young Jews it sends to Israel this
winter. Through aggressive marketing
and an array of special-interest trips,
Birthright Israel hopes to draw 10,000
14 00, ea ti
young Jews this winter on its free trips
to the Jewish state.
Whether that's a viable goal is up for debate, and even some Birthright alumni
— who for the most part have given the program rave reviews — are skeptical
that many people who have never been to Israel before will elect to go during a
period of frequent terror attacks.
When Birthright Israel burst onto the scene two years ago, it had to turn away
thousands of people vying for limited spots.
Even last fall, when registration began for this year's trips, it looked like
Birthright would repeat its success. The program, which aims to foster Jewish
identity among uninvolved Jews aged 18 - 26, attracted 17,000 would-be travelers,
but had room only for 10,000.
The outbreak of the Palestinian uprising last September, however, made many
people skittish. Thousands of registrants canceled and Birthright was able to send
only 8,653 people — even after depleting its waiting list.
That was an increase from the 6,041 who went the previous winter, but lower
than the target number. An additional
5,700 young adults went in May and
June of this year, down from the 7,562
initially planned.
Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman,
Birthright's executive vice president in
North America, acknowledges that
recruitment won't be easy this year.
"My kids are saying, Are you crazy
going over there?"' Rabbi Zimmerman
said, referring to the concern that his
own grown children express about secu-
rity issues.
No one has been injured by terrorism
or other violence while on a Birthright
trip. Like last year, security measures this year will be intense.
Birthright will review itineraries daily with the Israeli Ministry of Education
and will work closely on security matters with the government and the Jewish
Agency for Israel.
Unstructured free time to explore and shop will be sharply curtailed, particu-
larly in urban centers. In addition, Birthright is creating a database of itineraries
so parents can locate their child's bus at any moment.
Despite violence, Birthright hopes
to send more young Jews to Israel.
1111 • . . ,d
ti
No Discussion
Despite the added headaches of security and recruitment, there has been virtually
no public discussion of canceling or postponing Birthright trips until the situa-
tion calms down.
The question arose after the June 1 suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv night-
club and again after the Aug. 9 suicide bombing at a Jerusalem pizzeria, but "the
feeling was that now more than ever it's essential to be there and keep the trips
BIRTHRIGHT
From left: Brian Pollack,
Wayne State University; Patina
Zionts, Eastern Michigan -
University; Gianni Elezarof
WSU; Josh Simon, Oakland
University; Israeli Hila
-:Ghana; Michelle Tunik, WSU;
Monica Sklar, WSU, visit the
Heights in May
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on page 168