Birthright Israel & Israel Experiences

For many Jewish students, the first trip to Israel changes everything. Chabad on Campus runs Birthright Israel trips through Mayanot, one of the largest Birthright trip organizers, and many Florida Chabad Houses bring their own student groups each winter and summer.

Traveling with your campus Chabad means you go with friends from your school and come home with a community that keeps the experience going: Shabbat dinners, classes and the people you shared the trip with.

What a Chabad Birthright trip is like

Birthright is a ten-day tour of Israel for Jewish young adults. Groups typically visit Jerusalem and the Western Wall, hike in the north, float in the Dead Sea, climb Masada, spend Shabbat together and meet Israelis their own age. Chabad groups add warmth and depth: your own rabbi and rebbetzin or campus staff often travel with the group, and the conversations continue long after you land.

Eligibility

Birthright Israel sets its own eligibility rules, and they change from time to time. In general, trips are for Jewish young adults roughly 18 to 26 who have not previously traveled to Israel on an organized educational program or lived there after age 12. Always check the current requirements on the Birthright Israel website before you register.

After Birthright: going back and going deeper

Birthright is often a beginning. Students who want more can study for a few weeks or a semester at Mayanot Institute in Jerusalem, join a Chabad on Campus heritage trip such as Living Links, or take the Your Israel course on campus to explore the ideas behind the headlines.

How to sign up

Registration usually opens several months before each season, and spots fill quickly. The simplest path is to contact your campus Chabad House: they will tell you when their group is traveling and help you register through the Chabad (Mayanot) Birthright application.