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Unique Approach 2023

Mifgash
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THE MIFGASH

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EDUCATION AND INSTITUTE

greening
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GREENING BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL

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EVALUATION

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RESEARCH

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REGISTRATION AND OPERATIONS

THE MIFGASH

The Mifgash, a cornerstone of Taglit Birthright Israel, offers a unique encounter between participants and their Israeli peers, infusing the trip with authentic experiences. Through open dialogue and shared moments, participants delve into diverse themes, fostering deep connections and mutual understanding.

Proven to be transformative, the Mifgash encourages participants to engage in meaningful discussions on complex topics directly with Israelis. This exchange cultivates lasting friendships and broadens perspectives, enriching their sense of Jewish identity and connection to Israel.

For their part, the Israeli peers gain important insights into the global Jewish world and its significance, as well as their own connection to Israel, and forge friendships that extend far beyond their time in Israel. Research also indicates that Israelis return from the Mifgash with a renewed sense of pride and motivation to further contribute to both the Israeli army and the country.

With over 850,000 young Jews, including 130,000 Israelis, benefiting from the Mifgash, it stands as a significant educational initiative in IDF history. Seamlessly integrated into all Taglit programs since the merger with Onward Israel in 2022, the Mifgash continues to evolve, enhancing participant experiences and fostering global Jewish unity.

In 2023 alone, commanders and soldiers from 227 IDF units and young Israeli professionals from dozens of leading Israeli companies and youth centers, joined their peers from abroad, students from 21 campuses, on a journey to gain greater understanding of Israel and their Jewish heritage.

The MIFGASH in Taglit Birthright Israel Classic 10-Day trip

In January – March 2023, the Mifgash Program saw 2,012 Israelis actively participating in the Classic 10-Day trip, holding 182 intensive sessions across 150 groups, making up 46% of all group activities. Additionally, eight specialized officer groups focused on developing leadership skills. In addition, Mifgash partnered with Hillel, executing 24 Birthright Israel Connections Engagement Project (BICEP) groups, fostering even deeper connections.

Summer 2023 saw 2,632 Israelis engaged in Mifgash programs, with 210 intensive sessions within 179 groups. Additionally, seven officer groups were formed for leadership development. Continuing the partnership with Hillel, Mifgash held 34 BICEP group initiatives, expanding the reach and fostering meaningful connections.

Mifgash

The MIFGASH in Birthright Israel Onward

Following the merger in May 2022, Birthright Israel initiated a pilot Mifgash program specifically tailored for Onward participants. This program included the creation of the Onward Israeli profile, establishing relationships between participants, designing the Mifgash framework, defining the staff’s role for a successful encounter, and organizing preparatory conferences. The pilot involved Onward participants, predominantly, although not exclusively from the USA. Feedback from this pilot initiated adjustments that were implemented for the winter of 2023.

In the winter of 2023, 34 Israelis participated in the revised pilot, leading to further refinements for the subsequent summer pilot of 2023. During the summer of 2023, 115 Israelis from nine IDF units took part, with additional improvements made post-pilot for the 2024 program.

For international participants, these meetings offer a unique opportunity to connect with young Israelis of similar age and life stage, fostering long-term relationships both with Israeli peers and the broader Israeli community.

For Israeli participants, the meetings offer the chance to engage with young Jews from the Diaspora, who often share similar professional interests. This encounter provides an avenue to shape the image of Israel and fosters connections between young Jews from the Diaspora while also contributing to the development of participants’ professional and personal network.

The MIFGASH in Birthright Israel Excel

A total of 60 Israelis participated in the Excel Mifgash program, consisting of students from eight campuses and personnel from four military units. This participation ratio was equally balanced with participants from abroad. Insights gathered from interactions with the Israeli participants revealed several significant findings. The main drivers for Israeli involvement included their desire to foster community and a sense of belonging among participants, and gaining opportunities for networking. Additionally, Israeli participants brought considerable value to the program through their inherent connection to Israel, enriching the community’s cultural diversity and depth. Engaging in meaningful conversations facilitated self-discovery and prompted shifts in perception, particularly regarding Judaism, benefiting participants from Israel.

The discernible high caliber of participants positively influenced the program’s overall effectiveness. Moreover, participants established meaningful connections, fostering a spirit of friendship and collaboration. Ultimately, the program effectively nurtures future leaders by offering valuable experiences and resources for personal and professional development.

Looking Ahead

Following the war, enhancements were implemented across all facets of the Mifgash program within the organization. These enhancements included modifications to the Israeli participant profile, enriching the depth of the meetings, refining the preparatory conference, elevating the quality of in-depth discussions, and redefining the role of the guide. The adjustments were meticulously aligned with the educational principles of the Education Department of the organization.

Mifgash 2024 by the Numbers
  • 4,000

    Israelis

    Classic 10-day Trip

  • 150

    Israelis

    Birthright Israel Onward

  • 1,400

    Israelis

    Birthright Israel Onward Volunteer Program

  • 60

    Israelis

    Birthright Israel Excel

The Mifgash project holds significant importance and necessity. It enables a profound connection with Diaspora Jews, allowing me to forge new friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. It provided me with a fresh perspective on Israel, one that I hadn't previously considered. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity and would be happy to participate again in the future, hoping for a similar enriching experience and the chance to meet new people.

Israeli participant

The Israelis on our program helped elevate Taglit experience to a different level. We are very lucky and grateful to have had them with us every step of the way in a foreign country. They are our family now!

Participant from abroad

EDUCATION AND INSTITUTE

EDUCATION AT TAGLIT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL

Nurturing Meaningful Experiences

The Education department at Birthright Israel plays a pivotal role in shaping the transformative experiences offered through its programs. With a focus on providing participants with a “meaningful long-lasting experience,” the department employs various methods of supervision and guidance, collaborating closely with Trip Organizers to ensure program goals are met. This commitment extends to constant evaluation and adaptation, reflecting the department’s dedication to the evolving relevance of program aspects.

The merger of Onward into Birthright marked a significant expansion in both size and responsibility for the Education department. Introducing the roles of Onward Educational Director and the Director of Global Partnerships, the department intensified efforts to streamline workflows and processes, leveraging the tools essential for Birthright Israel’s success.

Educational Integration and Innovation: A Year of Growth in 2023

The year 2023 witnessed substantial growth and learning within Onward Education. This phase provided a closer examination of the participant experience, focusing on educational components such as the enrichment component of elective Friday tours and Shabbatonim (Elective Shabbat Experiences).

Previously, Onward managed their Enrichment component through temporary coordinators hired for the summer. However, 2023 marked a shift, with a Trip Organizer assuming responsibility for creating and executing these components under the guidance of the Educational department. Shabbatonim explored diverse topics, accommodating over 400 participants. The partnership with an Organizer facilitated the introduction of the Shabbaton experience for Russianspeaking participants.

A key tool for supervising programs is an online system where all programs must be updated and approved by the Education department. The integration of Onward into this system began in 2022 and reached fruition in 2023, when all Trip Organizers submitted their programs.

Looking Ahead: Adapting Standards and Elevating the Educational Platform

The future of Birthright’s education programs is marked by a continued commitment to adapting standards. This includes the incorporation of a Group Shabbaton and a shift towards community building.

As the organization continues to evolve, an educational team is poised to reevaluate the Onward Educational platform in the upcoming year, ensuring it aligns seamlessly with the organization’s educational principles and values.

In summary, the Education department at Birthright Israel remains dedicated to fostering transformative and meaningful experiences. The integration of Onward has not only expanded the department’s scope but also sparked innovations that promise to enhance the educational journey for all participants, with a constant eye towards the future.

TAGLIT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL TAINING INSTITUTE

Nurturing Transformational Guides

Taglit Birthright Israel Training Institute stands as a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to shaping a fresh cohort of Tour Educators. Beyond mastering conventional tour guide skills, our educators delve into the intricacies of Taglit Birthright Israel’s educational framework, emerging as adept “facilitators for transformation.”

Educational Pillars:

  • BRI Platform Language: Focused on a shared educational language.
  • Tour Educator Identity: Nurturing personal and professional development.
  • Contemporary Jewish World: Exploring the evolving landscape.
  • Contemporary Israel: Addressing innovation, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Sociology and Psychology: Understanding Taglit Birthright Israel participants.
  • Informal Jewish Education: Balancing theory and practice.

After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Birthright Israel faced challenges, including the departure of trained Tour Educators from the field, particularly in certain languages. Responding dynamically, we doubled the Tour Educators Seminar, organized one-day trainings, and held in-person and online seminars to bolster staff numbers.

Adapting to Unique Challenges:

  • War in Europe: Overcoming hurdles with Russian groups via online training.
  • Mental Health Focus: Instituted preliminary training with the Keshev Center to address increasing mental health concerns among participants and develop a holistic approach towards our participants if needed.

In 2023, the Institute achieved significant milestones:

  • Conducted a comprehensive Tour Educator’s seminar and nine one-day in-person training courses.
  • Established a mentoring program for new Tour Educators.
  • Expanded staff training internationally, including specific sessions for France, Germany, the UK, and Russia.
  • Tailored Onward staff training based on identified needs.
  • Enhanced Taglit Birthright Israel’s Yesodot platform with four new courses.
  • Enriched Birthright groups’ perspectives through the Diverse Perspectives program.

In essence, Taglit Birthright Israel Training Institute thrives in its mission to mold educators who not only guide tours but also foster transformative experiences, embodying values that resonate beyond the journey’s end.

I just finished a pretty intensive week-long training to become a Taglit-Birthright Israel Tour Educator. The Director of Education opened and closed the seminar with the same line ‘When people ask me what we are looking for in tour educators, I tell them one thing – we are looking for people who are kind, compassionate, and humble. Anything else is extra. At the end of my last educational group this summer this is exactly what I told the teens – If they got one thing out of this summer, I hope I was able to teach them the values of being a good person. As I am starting this new exciting journey of tour guiding – the most incredible job ever – it feels amazing to start off the year knowing I am at the right place.

Ilana, Tour Educator

GREENING BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL

Advancing Sustainability and Environmental Education at Taglit Birthright Israel

In the pursuit of a sustainable and environmentally conscious future, Birthright Israel has taken significant strides through the establishment of a dedicated task force and the adaptation of innovative strategies. These are the key initiatives and accomplishments taken by Taglit Birthright Israel in the areas of Sustainability and Environment during the past year.

Task Force: A special task force was created, and a comprehensive Road Map developed outlining the work and strategy for Taglit Birthright Israel in the areas of Sustainability and Environment.

Educational Framework and Pedagogy: A chapter on “Environmental Sustainability” is now an integral part of our tour educator’s training as well as a standard in our Trip Organizer Handbook. The Green Pedagogy Development Project was launched with a team of experts in Environmental Judaism, advanced training strategists, and content specialists.

Training: A series of training sessions were held for: Trip Organizer Educational Directors, Tour Educators, as well as all Birthright Israel employees. Ongoing training is planned in partnership with Trip Organizers for madrichim, Tour Educators, and staff.

On-Site Initiatives:

  • Successful completion of the pilot project offsetting carbon emissions through tree planting,
  • with plans to scale up to 5,000-10,000 trees annually.
  • The Onward Green Energy cohort facilitated internships for 30 US college students in Israeli
  • environmental companies.
  • Birthright Israel Excel program participants engaged in sustainability internships with prominent organizations, contributing to real-world impact.
  • Growth and development of specific “Green” modules for participation on Classic 10-day trips.
  • Enhancing a bank of Green sites along main trip routes that speak environmental sustainability while weaving in Jewish content.

greening

Environmental Footprint Reduction: Birthright Israel partnered with the EY environmental department to conduct an ESG measurement, leading to a comprehensive reduction recommendation plan.

Baseline Measurement: The Henrietta Szold Institute conducted a baseline measurement in the summer of 2023 to gauge participant interest in the Greening initiative and its relevance.

Birthright Israel remains steadfast in its commitment to sustainability and environmental education. Through strategic planning, comprehensive training, and on-the-ground initiatives, we are shaping a more environmentally conscious and responsible future for our organization and the participants we serve.

Taglit Birthright Israel is deeply appreciative of The Claudine & Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation and The Bronfman Hauptman Foundation for their transformational gift in support of the Greening Initiative.

EVALUATION

The assessment of all Taglit Birthright Israel programs stands as a fundamental pillar in our educational endeavors. Through a year-long collaboration with both the Szold Institute, responsible for program evaluation, and the Cohen Institute, overseeing research on how we have cultivated tools that facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the program’s effectiveness in both the short and long run.

Over the past year, we have collaborated with The Henrietta Szold Institute and the Cohen Institute to integrate the evaluation for the Birthright Israel Onward program into our evaluation systems. This initiative has two primary objectives:

  • Develop an evaluation system that enables us to monitor and understand participants’ experiences, fostering informed decision making regarding program modifications.
  • Establish a user-friendly database accessible to all program stakeholders, ensuring both immediate and long-term analysis of the educational programs.

Taglit Birthright Israel Business Intelligence

Since 2019, Taglit Birthright Israel has employed a Business Intelligence (BI) program to present data for the Classic 10-day groups. This BI tool has become a daily resource for our department, aiding both us and organizers in identifying program strengths and challenges and facilitating timely intervention.

In 2023, we established a basic BI platform specifically for Onward evaluation, providing us with enhanced access to data. By January 2024, we will seamlessly integrate Onward into our primary database, granting all involved parties immediate access to monitor the educational evaluation in real time. Additionally, we are initiating training sessions for Tour Organizers to harness the power of this data to their advantage.

RESEARCH

Since its inception, Taglit Birthright Israel has sponsored an independent research program to assess its impact on participants. The research is conducted by the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University and is led by Professor Leonard Saxe. The evidence from the Brandeis studies indicates that participation in Taglit Birthright Israel positively alters participants’ trajectory of Jewish engagement. CMJS’s long-term research study, the Jewish Futures project, measures significant impact of participation even 15 – 20 years after participation. Given the magnitude of the program, and the vast evidence that participation produces meaningful changes in Jewish engagement, it is one of the few Jewish initiatives with the potential to change the course of Jewish life.

In addition to the long-term research program, CMJS studies individual cohorts to monitor the program’s impact in the months after participating. Although the summer 2023 trips took place before the beginning of the war, in the days and weeks after participants returned, the events of October 7 and their aftermath changed the landscape of Jewish life. The Birthright Israel Summer 2023 study was one of the first studies of how a Jewish educational experience impacted participants’ response to October 7.

The data we gathered in November and December from our participants from the summer of 2023 trips resoundingly affirms Birthright’s unparalleled impact in igniting profound emotional connections and solidarity with Israel as well as stronger connections to the worldwide Jewish community.

Summer 2023 Birthright Israel participants are:

59%

more likely to be strongly connected to Israel than nonparticipants. (59% vs. 37%)

25%

more likely to strongly support Israel than nonparticipants. (65% vs. 52%)

Jewish Community:

From the spring to the fall of 2023, the increase in feeling very much a part of the worldwide Jewish community among Birthright participants was 2x the increase as among non-participants.

Pro-Israel Activism:

78% of summer 2023 participants have taken some pro-Israel action since the start of the war as compared to 58% of nonparticipants.

Social Media Activism:

54% of summer 2023 participants have been active on social media since the start of the war as compared to 44% of nonparticipants.

34%

Birthright participants are more likely to have taken some pro-Israel action since the start of the war.

23%

Birthright participants are more likelyto be active on social media since start of war.

Birthright Worked

REGISTRATION AND OPERATIONS

Registration

Taglit Birthright Israel’s Customer Experience department oversees the global registration process, from application initiation to participant arrival in Israel. Collaborating with the IT department, it oversees registration worldwide, coordinates with Trip Organizers, and provides direct support to applicants. In September 2023, the department responsibilities expanded to include registration for the Birthright Onward program, marking a significant departmental evolution.

Efforts in late 2023 focused on integrating Onward registration into Birthright Israel’s systems, resulting in improved processes for Trip Organizers and applicants. November witnessed the successful launch of the Birthright Israel Onward Volunteer program, showcasing organizational agility in response to post-October 7 events in Israel.

The established business processes for Classic 10-day trips and the customized Onward infrastructure facilitated seamless implementation of the Volunteer program’s registration. Additional Onward team members joined the broader registration team in September, with ongoing integration expected to refine workflows and responsibilities by mid-2024. This amalgamation fosters the exchange of valuable experience and knowledge, enhancing overall organizational growth and adaptability.

Operations

The Operations Department at Taglit Birthright Israel plays a crucial role in connecting various service units and products within the company.

It oversees critical areas including flights, housing, internships & volunteering placements, and safety & security . Following the merger of Birthright and Onward, the Operations Departments were integrated to provide comprehensive services across all products.

Key contributions include:

  • Tailored Internship Placement Services: Customize placement services for both Onward and Excel interns, working directly or through Trip Organizers to match candidates with relevant companies and organizations throughout Israel.
  • Standard Setting: Develop and set clear and relevant standards. During each season, the department monitors Trip Organizers’ activities ensuring they are operating according to the Birthright Israel standards. Special focus is placed on safety & security and accommodations for Classic 10-Day trips, Onward, and Excel.
  • Comprehensive Database Development: Streamline operations across products through the development of organization-wide databases for internships, volunteering placements, and housing to meet diverse product needs.
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