Despite concerns that the economic downturn would impede the number of free 10-day excursions Taglit-Birthright Israel could offer students this year, program directors say Penn-based trips will continue as usual.
For the past decade, groups like Penn Hillel and Jewish Heritage Project have run the trips, which are sponsored by Birthright. Through donations from philanthropists, the Israeli government, and Jewish foundations, Birthright provides free trips to Israel for Jews between the ages of 18 and 26 who have never previously been to the country on a group tour.
Because the organization relies heavily on donors, and some major donors have been hit hard by the economic crisis, Penn Hillel director Jeremy Brochin said there was a possibility that the number of places on trips would be cut.
But Hillel's Birthright trip will be in full force. Brochin said Penn Hillel's trip hopes to take at least a full bus of students - a bus holds about 40 people - plus an additional 10 to 20 more this summer, or 50 to 60 people total . Hillel's summer trips usually send a full bus. College sophomore Hannah Connor, who went on Hillel's Birthright trip last summer, said she is glad the economy is not impacting Hillel's trip.
She said her trip was "eye-opening" and "educational," and she still keeps in contact with the other Penn students on her trip.
JHP associate director Ephraim Levin said the group plans to take two to three busses of people this year. JHP had four buses last year, with groups of both undergraduates and people who are out of college.
This number of students is consistent with prior years, excluding last year, when Birthright received an "extraordinary gift," according to Levin.
Hillel's and JHP's trips cover many of the same aspects, including visits to Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. On both trips, Israeli soldiers accompany the tour groups.
While the number of people on Hillel's trip will not decline, there will be a change to the trip this summer. Brochin said Hillel is working directly through a new Israeli tour provider to run the trip.
Overall, though, Birthright will be sending fewer young adults to Israel this year. An expected 25,000 will go on Birthright trips for 2009, compared to 45,000 who went on programs in 2008, according to a Birthright spokesperson. Birthright intends to send 10,000 young Jews to Israel this summer.
The Birthright spokesperson, who asked not to be named per the organization's policy, said the number of people going on Birthright trips was boosted for the past two years because of a special grant a donor provided for Israel's 60th anniversary.
The number of trips offered this year is comparable to the last year before the grant. In 2006, Birthright sent 24,000 young adults to Israel.
While the economy will not impact Penn students' abilities to go on Hillel's summer trip, the economy has influenced Birthright's fundraising strategy.
The Birthright Israel foundation's new fundraising campaign intends to raise money through broadening and deepening the scope of donors, according to a press release.
Foundation chair Daniel Och said the purpose of the campaign is to "create a sustainability that will guarantee another 10 years for Birthright Israel and another quarter-million trips."
