Exploring the Promised Land is an unforgettable religious, cultural, and personal experience that all young Jews should experience with their peers. Some of us are fortunate enough to have an opportunity to travel to Israel with peers on an educational trip through day school, certain congregations, or other programs. However, many Jews who seek to visit Israel attend secular schools, do not live in vibrant Jewish communities, or lack the financial resources or logistical knowledge to travel to Israel with their peers. Thankfully, Taglit-Birthright gives all young Jews the chance to connect with our homeland by providing free trips to anyone age 18-26 who has never been to Israel on an educational peer trip or lived in Israel after age 12.

Taglit-Birthright is a charitable foundation funded by the Government of Israel, local Jewish Federations, and private donors. To date, over 250,000 young Jews have traveled to Israel with the program, and the number of participants has grown each year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to double the government’s contribution to Taglit-Birthright demonstrates Israel’s commitment to this valuable resource. American Jews must put forth the same effort to ensure the continued prosperity of Taglit-Birthright by traveling to Israel and promoting the experience to their own communities.

My own Taglit-Birthright trip, organized through Mayanot and staffed by Rabbi Hershey Novack of Chabad on Campus, was not my first experience with Israel. From hearing about my parents’ experiences, lessons in religious school, and living in Jerusalem for six months during my father’s sabbatical, I have long felt a connection to Israel; my Birthright trip renewed this connection. In just ten days I learned, experienced, shared, and reflected with forty American peers as well as eight extraordinary Israeli soldiers.

After a whirlwind 15-hour travel day, our time in Israel had begun. We explored the amphitheater at Caesarea and then traveled to Yokneam-a sister city of St. Louis-to volunteer at a school. Our group was greeted with screams of joy as the children pulled us into their dance routine. It was amazing to begin our time in Israel with such jubilation. This experience with Israeli children gave us an uplifting glance into the next generation of Israelis.

We spent our first three days in the north of Israel, along the coast of the Sea of Galilee. Excursions to Mount Arbel, the Banyas River, and the Golan Heights highlighted the physical beauty of the region. But it was more than mere aesthetics that made our time in the north so impactful to me. Seeing the vulnerability of Israel’s most abundant source of fresh water first hand gave me a newfound appreciation for Israel’s ingenuity and resourcefulness. As our time in the north came to a close, I anxiously looked forward to our next destination: Jerusalem.

My time in Jerusalem, a city fondly described by our tour guide as the Jewish physical and spiritual capital, was the defining experience of my Taglit-Birthright trip. Spending Shabbat at the Kotel was moving beyond words. Hundreds of Jews of every denomination, age, and nationality prayed, dance, and sang as they welcomed the Sabbath amidst significant rainfall. After years of reading, studying, and hearing about the Kotel, I was finally feeling it, taking it in with my own senses. All of the later discussions we would have about Jewish law and our own Jewish identity certainly carried meaning, but it was my time at the wall that embodied the sense of community that defines my Judaism.

As we continued our trip, we discovered that we were in Israel to do more than strengthen our own connection to the Promised Land and our faith. Visits to Yad Va’Shem Holocaust Museum, Mount Herzl Cemetery, Masada, and Rabin Square reminded us of the darkest chapters in the history of the Jewish people. From the Six Million Jews lost in the Holocaust, to the hundreds of Israeli civilians killed since the outbreak of the Second Intifada, we must always remember that the blessing of a homeland and relative security we enjoy in most of the world did not come without a price. For years I had learned about these tragedies, but actually standing on the land for which so many have fought and died was something I won’t soon forget.

Spending time in the Land of Israel was incredible, but the other members of the group brought unique meaning to the trip. Traveling with peers from all over the United States, Israeli soldiers, and incredible staff members makes the Birthright experience unique. I was able to not only learn about Israel and Judaism by visiting the Holy Land, but also see the impact of Israel from the unique perspectives of other people in my group. More than anything else, this group experience is the driving reason for all young Jews to travel to Israel with their peers. For some it will be life changing, for others a new way to explore one’s Judaism. For everyone, Taglit-Birthright will be simply unforgettable.

(Registration for summer trips began on February 15. During the first eight hours, over 140 local college students registered with Chabad on Campus for Mayanot’s Birthright Israel trip. For more please visit www.mayanotisrael.com.)

Local commentary

Daniel Robinson , a junior from Champaign, Illinois, is majoring in Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis.