Short Hills woman part of special Birthright Israel program
This summer, Birthright Israel offers two new programs to address young diaspora Jews’ desire to bolster their knowledge of geopolitics, public diplomacy, and Israel’s counterterrorism efforts. Rebecca Dranikoff of Short Hills is among the participants from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The programs were developed to address the global wave of antisemitism following the October 7 massacre in Israel. That resulted in more Birthright Israel participants wanting to deepen their command of these topics before returning to their hometowns and university campuses.
The first four-week program, the geopolitics and public diplomacy fellowship, was run by Birthright Israel Onward at Reichman University in Herzliya. It combined lectures, discussions, and site visits to provide an understanding of the region’s challenges. Participants, ranging in age from 18 to 35, live in Tel Aviv. They receive housing accommodations in the city, public-bus passes, shuttle buses to and from the university each day, and insurance. They participate in Birthright-funded activities, day trips, and a Shabbaton, and they engage with their Israeli peers.
The second program, the Onward Back to Campus forum, which runs through the summer, is offered to participants of Birthright Israel Onward who already are in Israel for their internship. The goal is to deepen participants’ ability to face the Israel-related challenges they deal with on campuses across North America. The program includes meetings and a retreat, and sessions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem run by prominent lecturers and government spokespersons. They will return to their university campuses equipped with better tools to advocate for Israel.
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