Why I Went on Birthright

Alana Taub recently returned from a free Birthright Israel trip with Israel Outdoors and Rutgers Hillel. She shared her experience with Rutgers Hillel. Thanks Rutgers Hillel for sharing!

Recently I returned from a 10 day experience that was in simple words… life-changing-ly awesome. Israelis call the Birthright experience Taglit, which is Hebrew for “discover”. This experience was not only discovery of the promised land and the people of Israel; it also provided me with the opportunity to discover a sense of self in regards to being a Jewish young adult in today’s global world. During the jam packed and adrenaline-filled days (with little sleep), we visited some historic sights, chatted with and befriended some awesome locals, and overall were able to explore (and have fun).

A Noticeable Difference?:

Honestly, going into the trip I was really nervous: I am an Asian Conservative Jew (who also attended a Catholic high school, but also knows prayers and can daven/chant moderately well). I knew going into this there was going to be a barrier of difference and that people can never have a second “first impression.” However, it was liberating to realize that the majority of the people I met on my journey were welcoming of all types of Jews. The best part was having no expectations in regards to how to act, what to think/say, who to befriend, when to talk, etc. Read More!