A Letter from our Board Chair and President

Dear Friends,

We hope that 2017 is o! to a wonderful start for you and your family. As the new Chairman of the Board and President & CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation, we are excited to work in tandem to take the Foundation to newfound heights. The opportunities before us are significant, and we are working diligently to develop and implement a fundraising program that has lasting and successful impact. Our goals will be bold, but achievable. Our focus will extend nationwide and across all giving levels. We are committed to enhancing our institutional and major gift e!ort, addressing the potential of our significant alumni base, building a world-class digital marketing and philanthropy program, and ensuring no opportunity to increase our funding is overlooked.

For the two of us, Birthright Israel is the most important organization in the Jewish world. It is absolutely unique in its ability to foster Jewish generational continuity and Jewish peoplehood. 500,000+ participants strong in 17 short years, we are making a meaningful di!erence one Jewish soul at a time. It is this impact that gives us the enthusiasm and drive to help steward Birthright Israel to the next level.

While we have achieved great success to date, we know there is much work to be done. Birthright Israel currently

sends 45,000 participants to Israel annually. While a remarkable figure, we know that there are roughly 70,000 eligible Jewish men and women in the U.S. who age out of the program each year. That means if we don’t increase our current participation rate, nearly 600,000 current 18-26 year olds will be left behind. Birthright Israel is working hard to make sure our unique gift is evolving, innovative and relevant. We are investing more in program enhancements and innovative marketing and recruiting - all with the mindset of delivering the most impactful experience to the most participants.

We hope this issue of Journeys will bring you pride in our work and will encourage you to continue to support our e!orts. With your help, we can make sure we find a seat on the bus for every young Jewish adult who raises their hand and says “I want to go on Birthright Israel.”

As we plan for the future of Birthright Israel Foundation, we are thankful for your generosity and commitment, and look forward to continuing our partnership of ensuring that the gift of Birthright Israel is available for generations to come. The strength of our community and our future depend on it.

Sincerely,

THOMAS D. STERN Chairman of the Board ISRAEL ("IZZY") TAPOOHI President & CEO