Birthright restarting trips to Israel as nation nears herd immunity

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BY RON KAMPEAS

(JTA) — Birthright, the organization that flies young Jews to Israel for a free 10-day tour, will resume its trips now that the pandemic appears to be winding down.

“Birthright Israel will resume providing the gift of educational trips to Israel for eligible individuals aged 18-to-32 from the United States who are vaccinated or recovered,” its statement said. “Dozens of trips are expected in May and June, and more than 400 tour groups are planned for July, August and October.”

Participants will be required to test for coronavirus before boarding and upon arrival, the statement said. A factor was Israel, a world leader in coronavirus vaccination, nearing herd immunity.

The organization has brought over 750,000 young Jews to Israel over 20 years, including close to 46,000 in 2019.

Along with a number of other organizations, Birthright suspended trips to Israel after the pandemic outbreak.

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