FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 31

A 

new Israel travel 
experience made spe-
cifically for teens will 
give young Jewish individuals a 
chance to learn about gaming 
culture, new media and content 
creation.
Lost Tribe’s Israel 
Journey: Tech & 
Gaming is the first 
trip of its kind. The 
partnership between 
Lost Tribe Esports, 
an organization for 
Jewish youth that 
creates connections 
through gaming, and 
BBYO, a Jewish teen 
movement, offers a new Israel 
travel opportunity that includes 
the fun of gaming culture while 
encouraging teens to build 
Jewish identity and lasting 
friendships.
“We’re seeing a trend every-
where where the interest in 
gaming has increased,
” says 
Bloomfield Hills-based Michal 
Nodel, director of Israel oper-
ations and partnerships at Lost 
Tribe Esports. “We’re seeing 
more of a movement to online 
gaming.
”
Nodel says the COVID-19 
pandemic has brought online 
gaming to the same level as 
sports like basketball and soc-
cer because gaming can often 
be done at home and through 
virtual channels.
Lost Tribe’s Israel Journey: 

Tech & Gaming will take place 
July 5-26, 2022, and is catered 
to teens in ninth, 10th and 11th 
grades. Both Lost Tribe Esports 
and BBYO are closely monitor-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic 
to ensure the trip meets health 
guidelines in the U.S. 
and Israel.
“We’re going to keep 
adapting and adjusting 
as needed,
” Nodel says.
Nodel also believes 
the trip offers a unique 
experience for teens 
to see Israel through 
a different lens. “The 
goal is to bring teens 
who maybe wouldn’t have con-
sidered a trip to Israel, to appeal 
to their interest in gaming and 
digital media and say, ‘Hey, 
here’s an Israel trip. And we’re 
also going to show you really 
cool things that have to do with 
your passion for gaming.
’”
Participants are eligible for a 
$3,000 travel voucher through 
RootOne, which aims to lower 
financial barriers so more peo-
ple can participate in immer-
sive summer trips to Israel. 
Prior BBYO participation or 
membership isn’t required to 
attend the trip, and program 
costs include housing accom-
modations, meals, program 
experiences, ground transpor-
tation and security. 
“The trip will generally 
follow the BBYO Passport 

itinerary,
” Nodel explains. The 
three-week experience is slat-
ed to include visits to sites in 
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Golan 
and the Negev, among others.
Participating teens will also 
have a chance to meet Jewish 
professional esports players, 
advance their skills in games, 
explore tools and innovations 
used by gaming experts and 
platforms, and compete with 
Israeli teens in popular video 
game titles at live events.
“
A lot of amazing tech 
innovations are coming from 
Israeli startups,
” says Nodel, 
who explains that Israel is often 
called Start-Up Nation. “There’s 
one startup that focuses their 
technology on making you a 
better Fortnite player, and they 
do things like analyze your 
end-game statistics and help 
you with strategy.
”
For Jewish teens with an 
interest in gaming, the new 
Israel trip offers both personal 
and professional perks, espe-
cially for those who want to 
pursue careers in the industry.
“It’s an old city, new games,
” 
Nodel says of the blend of 
traditional Israel experiences 
combined with modern gaming 
initiatives. “There’s a juxtaposi-
tion between heritage, history 
and technology.
” 

Find out more about the trip at https://

losttribeesports.org/2022/01/05/lost-

tribes-israel-journey-tech-gaming.

New Israel travel experience 
for teens bridges Jewish 
identity and gaming culture.

Israel Trip for 
Jewish Teen 
Gamers

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Michal Nodel

A group of Lost Tribe gamers

