Birthright Israel is back

After almost a year and a half of postponed trips due to the pandemic, Birthright Israel is back! We couldn’t wait to see our first groups arrive in May and it was a summer like no other with groups returning to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Our participants were able to take part in the magic that is Birthright Israel and while it was seamless for them, there was tremendous effort behind the scenes to make their trips possible. We had the chance to sit down with Birthright Israel International CEO Gidi Mark to hear how this miracle came to be.

BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL IS BACK! Thankfully, through careful planning, the feedback for these trips has been very positive. Trips have been able to take place basically unchanged and participants have told us that the smaller-than-normal, intimate sizes of the groups have made their experiences very enjoyable. What relationships exist with government agencies that helped you, as an organization, make the best decisions for the program and the participants? Throughout these difficult 18 months and these unprecedented circumstances, we have worked closely and stood side by side with the Prime Minister’s office and Israel’s Health Ministry to address the challenges posed by COVID-19. We are proud of the long-standing relationship that we have with the government and that we further solidified by closely cooperating and sharing resources related to the pandemic. The invaluable expertise of both the public servants from the Ministry of Health and of Birthright staff and advisors is the reason we have been able to safely resume our programming.

How did you adjust trips to ensure participants’ safety while also guaranteeing they’d have a life - changing experience?

Throughout the pandemic we have remained steadfast in our commitment to prioritizing the safety of our participants and our staff. Though it pained us, we took the highest level of precaution early in the pandemic and canceled trips for thousands of participants for more than a year. When the time was right, we erred on the side of caution and opened registration to individuals who were vaccinated or recovered and vaccinated with at least one vaccine shot. We ensured that all participants presented a negative PCR test which was taken within 72 hours of their departure and took another PCR test again upon their arrival in Israel as well as an antibodies test. We made sure that all of our flights to Israel were direct and planned trips with fewer participants and gave out protective equipment. We also planned more activities outdoors and ensured that trips adhered to the guidelines dictated by Israel’s Ministry of Health. As we have for 21 years, we ensured enjoyable experiences for all of our participants built on the foundation of safety. What do you think was the biggest lesson you learned navigating trips during the COVID -19 pandemic?

Frankly we learned three important lessons. The first lesson is that we need to be less dependent on one single offering and find ways to diversify into other fields that meet our mission such as multiweek experiences (which allow time for quarantine if needed), and online engagement which can continue when there is no travel to Israel. The second is that change is something that should be embraced, not feared. The situation over the last 18 months has been incredibly fluid and the only way we have been able to successfully resume programming has been to roll with the punches. The third lesson is that preparedness is key. Over the past year, there have been many developments that we haven’t been able to predict. However, that did not stop us from planning for as many scenarios as possible. A great philosopher once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Our luck in bringing participants to Israel safely during a pandemic has been the result of our tireless preparation and seizing opportunities that became available. Finally, I learned that changes bring new opportunities that you can’t ignore, and new great things are expected to be introduced from Birthright Israel in the near future, due to lessons learned from the pandemic.

How have you communicated with young Jews interested in the program during the pandemic knowing that things such as travel plans can change daily? What else do you want to say about how Birthright Israel navigated the COVID -19 situation?

We’ve known throughout the pandemic how important it is to effectively communicate changes and updates to protocol so that potential participants have the most up-to-date information available. That’s how you give them confidence to travel when possible and that’s why we’ve bolstered our social media teams and platforms and continued to meet potential participants where they are. We were the leaders in the market with new updates and announcements of updated entry restrictions and we also kept our Q&A page up to date at all times and created media informative ads that included up to date info about our COVID protocols. Lastly, we leveraged the traditional media, with stories in popular travel publications like Travel + Leisure and Jewish community publications including The Forward and JNS helping us get our message out. The fact that this pandemic is global, and we are all in the same boat, made it easier for people to understand the constant change and be more accepting, being authentic is key. One of the biggest things we learned during the pandemic is that you can never take anything for granted. 2020 was set to be a celebration of Birthright Israel’s 20th anniversary year. We had grand plans for celebrations and recognition of the wonderful work of our staff and the invaluable support of our donors over the years. Then, basically overnight, everything came to a halt. We were not sure when trips would resume or frankly, what our future held. COVID allowed us to reflect and reconnect with our cherished donors. It allowed us to get back in touch with Birthright Israel alumni, who have not only gone on to do amazing things professionally, but many of who founded organizations that were specifically designed to help those suffering from the impact of COVID-19. This pause also allowed us to check in with our guides, who have shown so many young people the wonders of Israel and strengthen our relationships with our trip organizers through this rough time. As trips slowly resume, we look forward with optimism but also remember those participants, staff and donors from our past who are the foundation upon which our success is built.