Politics aside, it goes without saying that an incredible, personal, mind-blowing experience in Israel is one of the best and most concrete ways to experience your Judaism.
And you have likely already heard about the birthright Israel program, which sends vast quantities of young Jews to Israel for FREE each year. But I just got some really cool news. About a brand new kickass trip you want to be on! Especially if you're a smart person, interested in literature and journalism (which of course you are if you read Jewcy, right?)
There are a slew of different birthright trips… trips for people who like to hike and trips for Reform Jews and Sephardic Jews, or trips for people interested in studying the Holocaust… but the reason I'm blogging this TODAY is that there's now a trip I would've died to go on when I was a few years younger.
A trip to Israel, for FREE, with a special focus on journalism, writing, and literature, brought to you by the Jewish Book Council.
You get to do all the regular stuff—hiking, jeep rides, climbing Masada, floating in the Dead Sea… But you also get to join in discussions with journalists and authors in Israel. You get to explore the Israeli literary scene.
It sounds amazing! When I lived in Israel, I got to know a lot of Israeli writers in Jerusalem, and it was so incredible, a community so different from the literary scene in the US. This trip could provide all kinds of opportunities for you. It might spark an interest in translation, expose you to new styles of writing, and help you create some new work of you own. Seriously, this is a chance of a lifetime. Check it out!!!
(And for the record, the birthright program is totally above board, with no strings at all. Just Jewish philanthropy at work. I was skeptical myself at first. It sounds too good to be true… but truly, I've never known anyone to come home unhappy with the trip.
The only weird thing about it is that I've got a sneaking suspicion the ulterior motive is to get you to meet a nice Jewish boy or girl so you can get married… but that's not so evil. Especially not if they're HOT!)