Mayanot and Birthright: Participants Say it’s the Opportunity of a Lifetime

Philadelphia, PA — As the first groups of Chabad on Campus students return home this week from their 10-day free trips to Israel, all courtesy of Taglit-birthright Israel and Mayanot, another slew of plane-loads are gearing up to take the next batch. All told, a full 2,500 students and alumni will make the trek to Israel this summer, Mayanot’s largest contingent ever.

Many students, like University of Pennsylvania junior Andrew Kayvan, are taken aback by the fast-paced nature of the trips. They literally are a chance to see all of Israel in just 10 days.

“Quickly packing our towels, changes of clothes, and everything else we needed, we sauntered to breakfast sleepy-eyed and fatigued,” writes Kayvan in a blog post regarding one day of his recent trip to Israel, which ended on May 17. “However, our day took a bright turn as we visited and spoke with the reserve border patrol security chief and anti-tank special unit members.”

As evidenced by Penn junior Meredith Fineman’s comments, visiting Israel has given these birthright benefactors the ability to appreciate the many facets of Jewish life in Judaism’s homeland: “The best part of the [Western] Wall was dancing with groups of other girls who did not hesitate to extend their hands to us. For once, we were all the same, awed by the tone of the seriousness and significance of the spot where we were praying.”