Taglit-Birthright Israel was established in the winter of 2000 with the vision of assuring the continuity of the Jewish people worldwide. Today, Taglit-Birthright Israel features as the single most important bridge to Israel for hundreds of thousands of Jewish young adults between 18-26 years-of-age.  

Taglit Birthright Israel has a special connection to Israel’s periphery communities, with almost every group spending significant time in the south. Close to 800,000 Taglit Birthright Israel participants have visited and supported Israel’s southern communities over the years.  

As the clouds of the initial shock at the barbaric massacres of Oct 7th 2023 by Hamas dissipate, Israeli society went into action, doing everything to assist and relieve the unbearable anguish of tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters whose homes were destroyed, whose families have been torn apart and whose lives have been changed forever. 

In addition to a national state of dismay and deep mourning in the wake of this unfathomable catastrophe, tens of thousands of southern Israelis were in immediate need of temporary relocation and scores of provisions to assist in restoring some level of stability into their shattered lives. 

Furthermore, with the continually evolving security landscape and escalating tensions along our Northern border, our focus extended to families in need of urgent relocation from their communities as well.  

The unprecedented scale of this crisis demanded an equally unprecedented response. 

At this crucial time Taglit Birthright Israel committed to focusing its efforts and dedicating its resources to assist families from Israel’s war torn southern and northern communities. To achieve this, we facilitated safe and welcoming temporary accommodations for these families in select hotels and hostels with whom Taglit has a long-standing and trusted partnership. Our primary objective was to provide a safe haven for those affected, offering them the solace and assistance they urgently required. This support enabled them to gradually rebuild their lives, helping them recover from the physical and emotional toll of these traumatic events. 

Leveraging longstanding and trusted partnerships with select hotels, Taglit Birthright Israel facilitated the temporary residence of close to 1000 Israelis from the war-torn regions in Jerusalem and Tiberias. Beyond providing essential room and board, our commitment extends to offering enriching activities as only we know how. These activities, including a Kabalat Shabbat, museum tours, visits to chocolate factories, nature hikes, and more, which are orchestrated by Taglit Birthright Israel’s education department. Many of our dedicated employees are actively involved in spearheading these efforts, ensuring that these families find solace and stability during this challenging period.

As we look towards the future, we are fervently hoping and preparing for the day when Taglit Birthright Groups from all corners of the world can wholeheartedly engage in an initiative to rebuild the ravaged communities of Southern Israel.