Birthright Israel (Taglit-Birthright Israel)
Fact box:
- Founded: 1999
- Co-founders: Charles Bronfman, Michael Steinhardt (alongside coordinating partner consortium)
- HQ: Jerusalem, Israel (with US fundraising operations)
- Scale: 800,000+ alumni since founding
Birthright Israel operates as the philanthropic program providing free educational Israel trips to young Jewish adults age 18-26. Founded in 1999 by Charles Bronfman (Samuel Bronfman Foundation), Michael Steinhardt (Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life), and a coordinating partner consortium including the Government of Israel and the major Jewish federations.
The program operates through multi-pillar funding combining major private philanthropic donor commitments, sustained Government of Israel funding, Jewish federation system funding through the overseas-allocation channel, and Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal funding for international participants.
Annual program operating budget runs in the multi-hundred-million-dollar range; trips operate as 10-day group experiences through approximately a dozen Israeli-based trip operators.
Coverage in The Olam:
/philanthropy/birthright-design//glossary/birthright-israel/