Registration for the next round of free trips to Israel with Birthright Israel begin on September 13/14 2011. If you’re Jewish, between the ages of 18-26 and have never been on a peer-based trip to Israel, this is your opportunity to enjoy a free 10-day trip to the Land of Milk and Honey! You can get more information on the Birthright Israel site. There’s lots of information available there. Lots and lots. But not everything you need/want to know.

That oversite is what inspired our Unofficial Guide to Sex on Birthright Israel and it is what inspired our decision to compile this guide on getting high in the Holy Land. I mean why not? You’re not at work, you’re traveling with your friends in an exotic setting – what’s wrong with a little recreational pharmaceutical fun? Before you contemplate such a course of action there are a number of things you ought to know.

There is no right against unreasonable search and seizure in Israel
Yup. Even if you’re American, Israeli police are allowed to search you any time they feel like it. The Fourth Amendment’s privacy rights will not protect you here. And when the po-po stop someone Jewish, between the ages of 18 and 26, the thing they’ll be looking for the most is illegal narcotics. If they find any, you’re going to jail. And that’s just for starters.

Drug transactions in Israel involving tourists usually don’t end well
At best you’ll get ripped off – you’ll either be sold something that isn’t drugs, like a bag of dried parsley instead of weed or an aspirin instead of ecstasy – or the “drug dealer” will simply take your money and give you nothing in return. What are you going to do? Complain to the Police? Not likely. Fight? I doubt it. Heck, if I had the opportunity, I’d rip you off too, just on principle. Another thing you might want to consider is that the way the authorities keep the drug situation under control in Israel is by using a network of snitches. These are petty criminals who stay out of prison by ratting out other criminals. Thus, even if you do get your hands on drugs, you might be met with an unwanted interaction with the local constabulary a few moments after scoring. Afterwards, you will go to jail. In either case, you won’t get high.

Marijuana in Israel mostly sucks
A businessman/pothead friend of mine who occasionally visits Israel tells me that because of the relatively low quality of the weed in Israel, he has to smoke three times as much in order to get sufficiently high. After one week of this, his voice gets all scratchy and he develops a persistent cough. Do you really want to risk jail and deportation for a little skunk weed?

Cocaine in Israel mostly sucks
Blow is not indigenous to the Middle East. As such it has to be smuggled in from far away. By the time it gets into the hands of coke heads, it is so stepped on that it is mostly pablum. It is so stepped on that I have seen otherwise dedicated users refuse to imbibe. It is so stepped on that old people use it as a naughty pick me up. Despite its suckiness, it still costs around $100 a gram.

Ecstasy in Israel mostly isn’t
I’m sure you’ve read all the newspaper accounts involving Israeli drug kingpins flooding Europe and the US with high quality ecstasy. Perhaps you assumed that this drug would be readily and cheaply available throughout Israel. If so then maybe you ought to lay off the drugs a little given that all said Israelis are in the news because they have been arrested and their operations shut down. Anyone selling you Ecstasy in Israel is actually selling you something else. What that something else is, is anyone’s guess.

Hashish in Israel comes from terrorists
If it didn’t involve so many dead people, the story of how hash gets into Israel is kind of heartwarming. It is the only time Lebanese-based terrorists cooperate with Israelis in the furtherance of mutually beneficial transactions. The drug wholesalers approach the fence separating Israel from Lebanon and throw a pack of Hashish over it. The Israelis on the other side throw a pack of money back. It’s heartwarming because under different circumstances, these entrepreneurs would be killing each other. Not so heartwarming because the money is used to fund the Hezballah terrorist infrastructure in South Lebanon, paying for guns and rockets used to kill Israelis.

Opiates in Israel come from terrorists
The Poppies that are used to manufacture opiates are found mostly in Iran, Afghanistan and even in parts of the Sinai. Either way, by buying these types of drugs you are enriching terrorists, be they the Taliban, Al Qaeda militias or the Mullah led government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, all of whom wish to wipe Israel off the map in one way or another. Yes, that’s Israel the country whose taxpayers paid for half your free trip.

Getting arrested in Israel is the opposite of fun
Jails anywhere are not pleasant places and jails in Israel are particularly foul. Israel frowns on the illegal use of narcotics – if you manage to avoid jail time or a court appearance you will still be deported and barred from returning to Israel for up to 10 years or more. Not a big deal, until jack booted thugs start marching in your town and you have nowhere to go to. It could happen! I’m just saying…

Bottom Line
Your trip lasts only 10 days. It’s a fast paced, intense and immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Drinking too much, let alone illegal drug use of any kind, will not enhance your experience at all. Drug use will detrimentally affect your experience and may detrimentally affect the experience of the group you’re travelling with as well. In fact, if you read this post in the hopes of figuring out how to score drugs in Israel while on Birthright you’re obviously a shallow, thoughtless and selfish prick. I strongly urge you not to apply at all. If you get caught using drugs, you will get kicked off the trip, sent home and Birthright Israel may bill you and your family for the expenses involved. That could be like… $6000! That’s a lot to pay in order to get high. So please, just stay at home until such time as you are mature enough to take a trip like this and make the most of it. As for the rest of you, please by all means apply. Please by all means come to Israel. We’d love to meet you! Just stay sober. For 10 days. How hard can that be???

10 things I learned at Livnot

1. Tearing down a wall takes one day. Building a wall takes three months.
2. Who is wise? One who learns from every person.
3. Snake eagles are the only birds (at least in Israel) that can hover in one spot.
4. Realy good oven cleaner will eat through rubber gloves.
5. When stuffing a pita, open it by tearing a piece off the top and then stuff the piece into the bottom so it will not leak.
6. You can fit more people into a van than there are seatbelts. or seats.
7. There is not a plant or insect that does not have a Jewish story to tell.
8. Kabbalah has surprising similarities to Chaos Theory.
9. It does get cold in Israel.
10. Waking up at 4am, with very little sleep, to hike up a mountain and see the sunset is well worth it.

- anonymous

Visit Livnot U’Lehibanot for more information and a wide variety of programs

Sunset over Mt. Meron

I CAME for the hiking, the sunsets over Meron.
I walked the ancient alleyways and felt Tzfat was my home.
We hiked, we learned, we cooked, we danced.

WE ATE olives and carob, hiked sea to sea.
Flas floods in the Negev, rainbows in Tzfat.

THE STAFF was awesome,
answered our questions and shared from thier hearts.
We cried, we laughed, we sang, and we ate.

MONTHS LATER it was time to go back,
but what would I do about Shabbat and the spiritual lack?

OFF TO NY with past Chevre galore, Alumnot, Shabbat Livnot-style wherever we were.
Then to Berkeley with Chevre so dear.
But all along Israel kept calling, always yearning to be near.
The time was right, Aliyah finally happened,
Livnot involved in its own special way.

THANKS TO EVERYONE who has been on Livnot, the Chevre, the staff, the teachers-my friends.
Keep shining your light and doing what you do.
Every day you touch the life of another special jew.

-Heather Meiselman
Livnot U’Lehibanot Alum

Visit Livnot U’Lehibanot for more information and a wide variety of programs

I had just completed a bicycle ride from London to Jerusalem, crossing North Africa and riding throughout the Sinai desert. I was searching. For what? Perhaps for meaning. Perhaps for comradeship. Or-more likely-for home. I was exhausted, but still had plans to ride on to India. A friend saw how tired I was and suggested I take a break. Little did I know the physical and spiritual challenge that was ahead of me at Livnot. There were multiple hikes a week in our backyard of the Galilee- night hikes to ancient synagogues, desert hikes, treks through olive groves, sea-to-sea hike; There were 3 days of back to back hikes. Even the fit people were wrecked. It was exhilarating to conquer this unexplored territory, everyone felt more powerful and confident afterward. Our guide was cool and sincere. We blindfolded ourselves to redefine nature. With our most important emphasized sense obstructed, we were forced to trust in ourselves and our partners to understand the world differently.

Livnot U’Lehibanot was the most important program that I have ever attended; I include my own university education in that description. It has captured the imagination, admiration, and loyalty of hundreds of young people. It has transformed lives. It certainly did mine. It instilled in me a deeper appreciation of Judaism, a stronger grasp of my own identity and a love for the land of Israel.

Gabe Matza
Lover of all outdoor activities, guitar player

Registration for Summer 2011 Taglit Birthright Israel trips is right around the corner. Previous applicants can begin their registration on Monday, February 14th at Noon EST and general registration begins on Tuesday, February 15th at 10 am. The Birthright Israel web site is full of information meant to help you prepare for and make the most out of your trip. Often dubbed “Birthrate Israel”, oddly enough, the information you are least likely to find relates to sex. Consequently, as a public service, I put together this little guide to educate the next cohort of Birthright participants about the ways of ahava (love) on their trip.

General Advice
Condoms/Birth Control/STDs: With a GDP of $30,000 per capita, Israel is not considered a poor or developing nation. And yet, in many ways Israel often acts like a third world banana republic. How so? International trademark and copyright laws are rarely enforced. Merchants openly sell knock off name brand products and pirated DVDs – not as much as in the Far East or in Chinatown in NYC but often enough that it’s readily visible. One of the products that often get knocked off are name brand condoms. Usually sold in corner bodegas or makolets, these condoms are unreliable and poorly manufactured. When in Israel, if you plan on being sexually active, only buy condoms from large pharmacies like SuperPharm or better yet, bring a freshly purchased stash from home.

Should the condom break during sex, and you fear an unwanted pregnancy, Morning after pills are readily available over the counter at most pharmacies in Israel. These are effective up to 72 hours after sex and cost about 125 NIS or about $33 each. If you are a woman on birth control and you are about to hook up with an Israeli man, don’t tell him as sometimes Israeli men will latch on to any excuse not to use a condom. Remember, birth control pills do not protect against STDs. And boys? If you manage to hook up with an Israeli woman, while they tend to be more sensible, they too often prefer to ride bareback. Don’t do it. Jews get STDs too!

Other than that, the regular rules apply. Get condoms with spermicide like nonoxynol-9 and if you have to use lube, use a water-based lubricant to avoid damaging the condom.

Sex on the Trip
Now that that’s out of the way, what kind of sex goes on on the trip? While Birthright Israel has a reputation for encouraging hook ups, the reality is not quite as straightforward. On a typical ten-day trip, participants tour from early morning till late at night on most days. It’s a grueling pace and if you factor in late night drinking and 2-3 people to a room, actually being able to have full-on sex is quite challenging. Your typical Birthright Israel participant is many things, but when it comes to getting it on, one thing they are not is uninventive! What then are the chances of and issues related to sex with the sorts of people one is likely to come into contact with on a Birthright Israel trip?

Israeli Soldiers
Most Birthright Israel trips are joined by a group of Israeli soldiers for 5 of the ten days of the trip. Being able to join a Birthright Israel trip is a very coveted privilege in the IDF. Most of the soldiers are close to the end of their mandatory service period and getting a 5-day reprieve from Army food and Army work is fantastic, let alone the opportunity to travel the country in relatively high style while interacting with young Jews eager to learn more about Israel.

For the male soldiers the possibility of uncomplicated sex with their choice of dozens of exotic foreigners serves as added incentive to join the trip. In Israel, being a soldier is a very common thing, but in the eyes of new friends, their otherwise humble service takes on heroic and very sexy dimensions!

But approach with caution. These men, well… boys really, have prodigious appetites, especially if they are in a combat unit. It’s not unheard of for one soldier to hook up with more than one female participant. Furthermore, you ought not underestimate how much more attractive you are to them by sole virtue of your American passport and apartment in the US. You see, it’s not uncommon for young Israelis to take a year or two off after the army in order to travel and/or work in the US. In the ordinary course of events they are willing to do the hardest work while living in cramped apartments shared with other Israelis. Your passport and apartment are the key to a comfortable stay in the US – especially if you live in New York or LA. Yes, they can be that mercenary.

Try not to be swept away by your perception of romance. If you think your interaction with one of these soldiers represents the budding of true love, then take it slowly, gauge their sincerity and don’t rush into anything that might leave you hurt or disappointed. If on the other hand, you just want to fuck an Israeli soldier, then by all means, go for it. But again, be cautious – while Israeli men are rapacious they sometimes form attachments quickly and what you thought was a quickie turns into something else when Shimon soldier starts asking you how many kids you think you’re going to want to have. With him.

And what of the storied sexy female soldiers of the IDF? As you can imagine, the IDF is a very male dominated institution. Its female members often have to deal with unwanted advances from overly macho warriors. This gives them an accelerated understanding of the male species and if you are going to try to make a move on her you better have your very, very best game on. And it will be an uphill battle given that compared to the men she is used to, you are quite literally a child – soft in the middle and tremendously immature. Israeli women are supremely sensible compared to their male counterparts and are not known for their promiscuity. If you manage to get anything off of them, consider yourself a master.

As an addendum, you may meet Israeli soldiers or former Israeli soldiers in bars, cafes or restaurants during or after your trip. If they tell you or even hint that they were in a top-secret elite unit, it’s pretty much guaranteed that they weren’t.

Madrichim
These are your trip counselors. Most trips have one male and one female counselor. Their job is to make sure the trip runs smoothly, that participants are informed of schedules, that everyone wakes up on time and that no one gets too drunk. If they get caught sleeping with a participant, they will be summarily and unceremoniously fired. You may be attracted to their idealism, their knowledge of and passion for Israel or the forbidden nature of a possible dalliance. But do everyone a favor, try to keep it in your pants until after the trip. Participant, madrich “encounters” are discouraged because of their potential to be very disruptive to a trip. A madrich or madricha has to be attentive to the needs of all the participants and their ability to do that is diminished if they are cooing over someone, showing favoritism or if they disappear every night to have sex with the object of their affection. If you do not heed my advice and have sex with your madrich or madricha, please at least exercise extreme discretion for the sake of everyone involved and try not to be clingy or too obvious, ok? But seriously, don’t do it.

Tour Guide
No. If caught they will lose their jobs and be blacklisted.

Medic
They are usually young Israelis recently released from the Army, trying to make a little cash before they begin their University studies. They are usually quiet and reserved and are working in this poorly paying job because they really need the money. If they have sex with a participant they too will lose their job and get fired. Wait until after the trip, extend your ticket and do what you like, but during the trip, leave these people alone.

Bus Driver
No. Are you insane???

Fellow Trip participants
These are usually your safest bet for sex. The shared experience of seeing Israel for the first time creates a strong, albeit fleeting bond which can translate into sex. It will be easier for you to finagle your own room if the person you are fucking is on your trip. And it might even be fun as long as you are aware of the potential pitfalls of vacation sex. That sudden bond you feel with the other person might be artificial, fueled by your shared experiences or by a night of hard drinking. If you do not require substance then it’s ok, but if you think your encounter might be serious, I mean people have married each other after meeting on Birthright, then taking it slow might not be such a bad idea.

Conclusions
That having been said, the outside perception of Birthright trips being giant drunken orgies is actually grossly exaggerated. Based on my large trove of anecdotal evidence and personal experience, the vast majority of people participating in Birthright do not have sex on the trip. The amount of sexual activity taking place may be slightly above average, but not by that much. If you are a guy please know that Birthright sex is not a given – try not to be too disappointed if you don’t score, but do feel free to lie to your buddies back home about how much hooking up you managed – sex sells after all! If you’re a gal, it might be a touch easier for you to have sex but like in all things, nothing good is easy to come by.

Please keep in mind that your Taglit Birthright Israel trip is a brief and unique experience. You should make the most of your 10 days, try to extend your ticket and see a little more of the country. If in the midst of it all, you manage some sex, try to make sure it is good and please make it safe!

The tension in the story is based on the fact that Sarah, like many of her cohorts, is critical of the State of Israel, particularly its treatment of Palestinians. Her Muslim boyfriend, while supportive of her trip, is concerned that the experience will be full of propaganda. Sarah for her part, chooses a trip provider, Israel Experts, that she feels will be able to provide a more nuanced experience.

The journey theme in literature is often a metaphor for something greater – discovery, a process etc. and this is the aspect of Sarah’s story that makes it universally interesting. Sarah’s pre-conceived notions were sometimes confirmed, sometimes challenged and she emerges from the whole experience perhaps more confused but definitely more enlightened. Welcome to the Middle East where nothing is black and white.

I read How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less in one sitting – immediately after it was delivered. This is a testament to the compelling nature of the story – I was able to immediately relate to Sarah’s struggle and wanted to see how it would turn out. However, just like in life, there was no neat happy ending – only an understanding that objective realities are hard to come by!

OK and I also enjoyed seeing people I know and have met rendered in comic book format! Full disclosure time: I led two trips with Israel Experts and designed their Web site. They are an excellent trip provider and they don’t need my endorsement as their stellar record speaks for itself.

As part of its 10th Anniversary, Taglit Birthright Israel is undertaking an unprecedented project aimed at introducing Taglit participants to a broader swath of Israeli society, while at the same time, introducing more Israelis to Taglit. This will take place on May 10th and 11th throughout Israel, culminating on May 12th at a Mega Event in Jerusalem. What can we expect? Marches, Tikkun Olam projects, informal meetings with diverse groups from Israeli high tech companies to cultural and community institutions. All this will be covered by major Israeli media and I guess at least one Jewish blog. Taglit is doing this to encourage greater participation in its programs from different and diverse groups in Israeli society and also to celebrate the tenth anniversary of a project that brought close to 250,000 young Jews to Israel.

Ada Spitzer, the VP-Marketing for Taglit Birthright Israel had this to add:

Today, Taglit-Birthright Israel serves as the main bridge between Jewish youth and the State of Israel and it is Taglit-Birthright Israel’s goal to deepen the relationship between Israeli society and the Jewish world . We are celebrating the program’s success and the more than 250,000 young Jews and 50,000 young Israelis who have taken part in this outstanding educational experience. The various events, to be held during El-Israel, will allow Taglit-Birthright Israel participants to meet the many faces of Israel society and will provide an outstanding opportunity for Israelis to meet the participants and to develop awareness of Taglit’s strategic importance. The quarter of a million Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni, and their home communities, play a strategic role ensuring a strong connection between Israel and world Jewry.

Above and beyond the PR hype, I think it’s a good thing for Israel and Taglit participants to get to know each other better. I mean Israel funds a big chunk of Taglit and the Federations that service these kids send significant funding to Israel. Get to know each other! Such projects enrich Taglit participants’ experience and allow Israelis to be exposed to a wider cross section of world Jewry. Stay tuned for our coverage of the events.

There may be many sides in a genteel debate, but in the Safire world of politics and journalism it was simpler: there was his own unambiguous wit and wisdom on one hand and, on the other, the blubber of fools he called “nattering nabobs of negativism” and “hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.”

He was a college dropout and proud of it, a public relations go-getter who set up the famous Nixon-Khrushchev “kitchen debate” in Moscow, and a White House wordsmith in the tumultuous era of war in Vietnam, Nixon’s visit to China and the gathering storm of the Watergate scandal, which drove the president from office….
And from 1979 until earlier this month, he wrote “On Language,” a New York Times Magazine column that explored written and oral trends, plumbed the origins and meanings of words and phrases, and drew a devoted following, including a stable of correspondents he called his Lexicographic Irregulars.

The columns, many collected in books, made him an unofficial arbiter of usage and one of the most widely read writers on language. It also tapped into the lighter side of the dour-looking Mr. Safire: a Pickwickian quibbler who gleefully pounced on gaffes, inexactitudes, neologisms, misnomers, solecisms and perversely peccant puns, like “the president’s populism” and “the first lady’s momulism.”

There were columns on blogosphere blargon, tarnation-heck euphemisms, dastardly subjunctives and even Barack and Michelle Obama’s fist bumps. And there were Safire “rules for writers”: Remember to never split an infinitive. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors. Proofread carefully to see if you words out. Avoid clichés like the plague. And don’t overuse exclamation marks!!

Time to register if you want to go to Israel this winter with Birthright Israel! When? Like NOW! Join Jewlicious and Israel on the House for the best Israel trip ever! Well… we don’t actually know if it’ll be the best trip EVER. But it will be pretty darn good given that it’ll feature all the usual Birthright stuff, the top notch programing and tour professionals of Israel on the House and additional input and participation by Jewlicious! The possibilities are endless but the registration period IS NOT.

Go to IsraelOnTheHouse.com Right now. Registration is expected to end rather quickly. Follow the links and register and soon enough you’ll be travelling up and down the country with some very awesome folks and seeing some excellent and thought provoking Israel things. OK. Enough yapping. Do it!

this trip is a gift from Taglit-Birthright Israel.

Why indeed! The crew at IsraelOnTheHouse.com already enjoy a sterling reputation for great programing. Taglit-Birthright Israel has already sent over 215,000 young adults from around the world to Israel. So why should you want to go on a Jewlicious themed trip to Israel?

No matter what trip you’ll choose for your once in a lifetime Birthright Israel experience, you will benefit from Ministry of Tourism licensed tour guides, visits to key points of interest in Israel and an experienced infrastructure focused on making sure your trip is safe, informative and fun. So again, why add in a Jewlicious component?

Well. This is a Jewish site so allow me to use a food analogy. Are all doughnuts created equally? Why do you buy hamburgers from one place and not another? You know exactly what I mean. Jewlicious has been providing folks with co-branded trips for years and we accompany every single trip. We’re passionate about Israel and Jewish issues and we are just as cool and cosmopolitan as you are. Possibly cooler even. We’ll answer all your questions thoughtfully, even the ones you might think are dumb. We won’t just wake you up in the morning, we’ll also stay up at night sharing with you our perspectives on Israel and Jewish life in a way that’s not preachy or condescending. We’ll introduce you to our friends who include everyone from a Rabbi who hangs out at the Kotel every day to a dude that sells pitas at the market, from members of an Israeli indie band to a young journalist making her way. And we’ll plan special events that will allow you to have fun and really make the most out of your 10 days. Afterward, we’ll always be available to you should you need further information, a place to crash or a friendly ear.

The Jewlicious trip has always kicked ass. Be a part of it by signing up for the pre-trip mailing list and selecting Jewlicious as your referrer. This way you’ll be informed as soon as trip registration begins and you’ll give yourself a leg up on getting accepted into what will in all likelihood be a very in demand program!

OK? OK! See you this winter in Israel!!

Yo! It’s that time of the year again. Time to start thinking about going on a free Birthright Israel Trip next winter. If you are between 18-26, Jewish and have never been on a peer-based trip to Israel before, start thinking about floating in the Dead Sea, visiting the Kotel in Jerusalem, sipping a cappuccino in Tel Aviv and hiking and touring the width and breadth of Israel. For free. Registration is going to begin in September but you can give yourself a leg up by pre-registering at IsraelOnTheHouse.com. Don’t think about it. Just do it. It doesn’t cost anything and signing up does not obligate you in any way. Now here’s the fun part. Ready?

Select “Jewlicious” as your referrer and you will be able to go on a co-branded Jewlicious trip. What does that mean? Well, you will get all the usual good stuff mandated by Taglit-Birthright Israel, all the remarkable creative programming and planning skills of the team at IsraelOnTheHouse.com AND further enhancements introduced by the witty, knowledgeable and irreverent folks that you know and love here at Jewlicious.

How has that manifested itself in the past? Unplanned excursions to less frequented locales, special live music events by local indie acts, a variety of hip, interesting speakers, the ongoing commentary of people passionate about Israel, all kinds of awesome stuff and really, really good hummus. Seriously, it’s that good. So… yeah. Sign up now, select “Jewlicious” and by all means feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.

this trip is a gift from Taglit-Birthright Israel.

MomObama:CHANGE!

Well, thanks to an article in the New York Jewish Week, the cat’s finally out of the bag so I can freely write about what many of us have known for weeks: the relationship between Taglit Birthright Israel and Oranim’s “Momo” Lifshitz is in jeopardy. Last week, Oranim officially informed Birthright Israel that it was not planning on participating in this winter’s session, calling into question the future of their relationship.

Why is this relevant? Because Oranim is the largest trip provider that recruits participants and runs trips for Birthright Israel. In the 10 years that Birthright has been in operation, Oranim has brought in nearly 50,000 of the 200,000 young Jews who have come to Israel – and Momo, in his trademark style, has greeted nearly every single one of them. So what transpired that would cause such a rift?

First it’s important to understand how Birthright Israel works. The Birthright Israel Foundation takes care of fund-raising for the trips. Taglit-Birthright Israel takes care of the programmatic, educational and management aspects of the trips. Finally a series of pre-approved and duly vetted Israel Trip providers are paid by Birthright to recruit and offer free Israel trips to participants. Right from the start it was decided that Birthright would use Independent trip providers to run the trips so that as many unaffiliated young Jews could be engaged to participate. Of all the trip providers that have worked with Birthright, none have been as successful as Oranim, thanks in no small measure to the loyalty inspired by Momo and his staff due to their very personal approach. Oranim used that loyalty to create a network of young Jews who by word of mouth encouraged their friends to choose Oranim as their Taglit Birthright-Israel trip provider.

So successful were these efforts that Taglit was forced to institute what was known as the “Momo Rule” whereby the percentage of participants that could go with any single trip provider was restricted to a smaller and smaller percentage. It was widely acknowledged that such restrictions were aimed squarely at Oranim, one of the few trip providers that was actually affected by these rules. Thus many people recruited by Oranim either could not go or were forced to go with another trip provider not of their choosing.

Oranim’s success did have its detractors. Some claimed that by appealing to the lowest common denominator – ie unaffiliated college aged students – Momo ran trips that were more about the experience and the passion (some say the party atmosphere, despite the fact that Oranim strictly forbids inebriation and does not allow staff to drink) than they were about imparting a strong educational message. There were issues with the message Oranim was imparting as well: “alumni say he routinely pushes aliyah, pressures participants to date only Jews and stresses that they should “make Jewish babies”” The New York Jewish Week wrote as follows:

Lifshitz cited an ideological reason for his move… “Due to new rules and regulations within the project, I have been instructed that there were certain things I was simply not allowed to talk about,” Lifshitz wrote. He noted that Birthright had prohibited him from using the phrase “raise your children Jewish” or encouraging aliyah to Israel. And he said he could no longer promise his free Israel honeymoon gift to brides and grooms who had met during their Oranim Birthright trips… “I cannot continue to allow my messages to be muted,” Lifshitz continued in the letter.

Momo can be a bit gruff, and he does not hide or make excuses for his agenda. Jewlicious has run 6 trips with Oranim and I can tell you the man doesn’t give a rat’s ass about political correctness. Consequently, some participants have taken umbrage with his message:

“Oranim’s ‘honeymoon package’ and emphasis on ‘making Jewish babies’ commit a cultural faux pas that carries the potential to damage Birthright’s image in the U.S.,” said Ruth Stein, who attended an Oranim trip in June 2007. “Such ‘religious’ choices are regarded as private matters that are none of anybody’s business… “Momo’s lectures on the unsurpassed beauty of Jewish women, among other topics,” continued Stein, “are especially risky given the trip’s reputation as a secular option for non-religious Jews.” … Apart from what some see as Lifshitz’s hard sell on dating Jewish, some participants were put off by what they saw as his hard line on Israeli politics… “The right-wing perspectives presented were rather unsettling, and the indoctrination was unappealing,” said a 23-year-old 2005 Oranim trip participant, who requested to remain anonymous due to his work at an American Jewish organization. “[Momo] spoke to our group, saying, ‘Some people say the Iraq war was good for Israel. Wrong. The Iraq war was great for Israel,’ representing a rather astonishingly narrow viewpoint.”

While Momo definitely has his own agenda, in his defense, when we ran trips with them, he gave his speeches but he never told us what we could and could not tell the participants. Anyone that’s been on an Oranim trip with us can tell you that they were exposed to a more nuanced message that encouraged hard facts and continued study after the trip.

It’s clear that the vast majority of the participants seem to have enjoyed their experience tremendously, especially judging by the continued success of Oranim’s word-of-mouth (and Facebook, and email etc.) marketing strategy. This past summer, Oranim accounted for 70% of the registered participants, although they were only given 14% of the available spots (another sore point mentioned by Momo). Birthright Israel seems nonplussed, some might say relieved even, by Oranim’s latest move. They lost no time sending an email to all of Oranim’s alumni encouraging them to tell their eligible friends to choose any of 2 dozen remaining trip providers for their Israel trips.

Momo’s letter leaves the possibility of Oranim’s return to Birthright next summer open. I don’t know if Birthright and Oranim will be able to bridge their differences and I don’t know if it even matters. Oranim is still doing great business running traditional tourist programs as well as MASA initiatives, and Birthright, for its part, seems kind of relieved at Momo’s departure. As for the legions of kids that would have gone to Israel with Oranim, will no doubt find other trip providers. But one can’t help but wonder – was this turn of events good for the Jews? Was Momo reviled for his message and personality or was pressure put to bear on him by jealous individuals and groups who simply could not compete with his marketing prowess?

An interesting aspect of the whole Taglit-Birthright Israel project is the fact that it is a unique partnership between philanthropists, a non-profit entity and a group of organizations and for-profit entities like Oranim and others. For-profit entities were included because it was understood at Birthright’s inception, that existing Jewish organizations had historically failed to adequately engage secular and unaffiliated young Jews. It was hoped that the profit motive would inspire these companies to scour the world for and engage disenfranchised young Jews. But over the past ten years it is possible that a sense of entitlement had settled upon some of the trip providers who found that marketing cut into their profits and that the lure of a free trip was enough to get people to fill their buses. Let’s hope that this development does not signal the victory of mediocrity over talent.

And one other thing. I have very good relations with several very good Israel trip providers as well as with Birthright Israel. Please don’t get mad at me – I’m just reporting the story. If you have any issue with anything I have written, feel free to leave a comment. We don’t censor anything except for the occasional Nazi or racist. OK?

Addendum: Yes, I created that MomObama graphic, obviously inspired by Shepard Fairey of ObeyGiant and his Obama HOPE and CHANGE posters. No I won’t make one of you for free. Sorry. Stop asking. Yes you can use it on your Web site but only if you credit both Shepard Fairey and me, David Abitbol – you know © David Abitbol 2008. All Rights Reserved. That sort of thing – first used here, remember?

Israel is Jewlicious

It’s been a while but we’re back! This summer, Jewlicious, along with Amazing Israel and Taglit Birthright Israel, is running two free trips to Israel. The first leaves out of Los Angeles on May 24 and the 2nd leaves out of New York on July 13. These are preliminary dates for now but each is a free 10-day trip to Israel that includes all the usual education, touring and sight seeing as well as a little extra dose of Vitamin J – each trip will be staffed by Jewlicious madrichim and the program will benefit from our contacts and uh… unique insights. Participants can expect to interact with diverse elements of Israeli society – Israeli music acts courtesy of the Israel Artist Agency, home hospitality for shabbat with funky Jewish families (seriously), a chat with eco-activists in the Negev, meetings with young writers and journalists, a tour of “underground” Jerusalem (it’s not just old rocks and rabbis!) and more – basically these are Israel trips for the inquisitive, those that want to have a good time, learn a thing or two and come back feeling that they’ve really seen the Israel you never get to see on TV or whatever. Stay tuned for further details and do note that registration begins February 19th! See the Amazing Israel and Taglit Birthright Israel Web sites for more details. Tell your friends, spread the word and hopefully, we’ll see ya in Israel this summer!

“Birthright’s Hidden Cost” by Josh Nathan-Kazis — http://newvoices.org/editorial/birthrights-hidden-cost.html

Nathan-Kazis writes in his article (which you can read at the link above) that Birthright Israel (BRI) billionaire donor, Sheldon Adelson, has pushed Birthright to indoctrinate its participants with a right-wing agenda.

However, no where in this nicely written article is there any connection, statistic, or relevant fact that connects Adelson to indoctrinating Birthright Israel participants to a right-wing / pro-Netanyahu agenda.

Josh Nathan-Kazis does not draw out a case for this, rather, he explains how Birthright Israel is reliant on such wealthy donors, who like to take up certain causes.

Firstly, has Nathan-Kazis interviewed a statistically relevant number of Birthright participants over the past few years to make your conclusion about propaganda and indoctrination? If he did, why weren’t these findings included in his article? Clearly, he had none.

Secondly, the article does not discuss at all the fact that Birthright Israel does not actually run any of its programs. Rather, there are some 30+ organizations running various types and styles of Birthright Israel trips (called trip providers), all deciding how to educate and even indoctrinate its participants. It’s up to the trip provider, not Birthright Israel. BRI merely has a set rules and requirements each trip provider must follow, and working for one of them myself, I know that teaching a pro-Netanyahu or pro-right-wing agenda is NOT one of those requirements.

Thirdly, even if this analysis were true, how would indoctrinating non-Israelis affect the Israeli elections? Last I checked, BRI participants live in the Diaspora, which typically means they can’t vote in Israel (most of them at least).

While I do have my own personal problems with BRI, namely the lack of actual education that goes on during the 10-day program, this false analysis of a right-wing indoctrination is far from the truth.

I agree, it is important to look into the donors that fund an organization, but this article has not proved any connection between the cause (the donor) and the stated effect (right-wing indoctrination). Unfortunately, this is just another piece of shoddy yellow journalism.

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I HOPE you can come. Spend a long time in Israel for a CHANGE

Five months free in Israel? That’s crazy! I mean 10-days is audacious enough as it is, but 5 months? Crazy or not I spoke to Momo Lifshitz, founder and owner of Oranim Educational Initiatives who claims that thanks to a partnership with Masa (an initiative that helps subsidize long term study for young diaspora Jews in Israel) and some private philanthropists, he can help you weather the economic storm as you spend time in Israel learning, traveling and doing service work on a program called Israel Service Corps (ISC). For free. That’s nuts right? No. As you’ll see, it’s just Momo. As usual, my questions are in italics.

So Momo… what’s the deal here?

Momo: We are going to have at least 200 people participating in ISC through Masa. We are going to be the biggest Masa organizers thanks to this awesome, long term, service oriented Israel program – that is free!

You want to tell us what ISC is?

ISC is my dream. To bring young Jews for a significant experience in Israel, to give back, to do tikun olam, to grow up, to learn Hebrew. Basically it’s a 5-month Masa sponsored program that focuses on education and community service. It began as a pilot program based out of Ramleh and now we will have it in other smaller towns like Netivot, Acco, Arad, Haifa, Yokne’am – in as many cities as we can in Israel. On top of all that, this coming January we have an internship-based program based out of Tel Aviv that already has 50 participants working in exciting areas like high tech, business, education, hospitalty, non-profit management etc.

ISC Participants will enjoy communal life in furnished apartments. Each will be assigned a host family in their respective communities who they can use as a resource, for family dinners and things like that so that they can enjoy a more intimately Israeli experience. There will be intensive Hebrew language courses, tours in Israel, lectures and conversation about Jewish identity and Israel. In return they do volunteer work in education and related issues in the community they live in.

OK, so what does this whole thing cost?

Momo: Cost? It costs $6000. But what do the participants pay? A refundable $500 deposit. That’s it. Masa covers $3000 and the balance comes from private donors who wish to remain nameless at least for now.

Oooh! You’re so mysterious Momo. Come on… give me a hint.

Momo: אל תתחיל איתי דוד

OK, ok relax. So this is pretty much the only Masa-sponsored program that’s free, right? What you’ve done here is kind of bold, some would say audacious. Others would just say crazy.

Momo: Am I crazy? Of course I am, but that’s nothing new.

Well, it kind of makes sense, I mean given Oranim’s position as a leading Birthright-Israel trip provider, this seems like an ideal post Birthright experience for those who want to supplement their initial trip with something a little more long term, no? I mean when you think about it… not really so crazy…

Momo: Of course! And you get the full Oranim atmosphere – warmth, family, welcoming – a positive jewish experience in a pluralistic, open minded environment. ISC is the only MASA program that is completely free – and as far as your airfare goes, we help participants connect with their local Federations and other programs that help subsidize or pay that.

That’s awesome. Where can you go to get more information?

Momo: Just go to the Israel Service Corps Web site and all your questions will be answered.

So why do you do this Momo?

Momo: It is all about love.

I knew you were going to say that.

*Matisyahu is headlining Saturday night, and will join festival goers Friday night, May 2 for a free shabbat dinner, just blocks from the festival stages.

*This event is FREE and geared towards Jewish college students and young professionals (ages 18-26)
and sponsored by Jewlicious, Birthright Israel NEXT, and Hillel of Memphis.

*Seating is limited to 150 — registration is strongly recommended.

RSVP For Dinner | Learn More About the Festival | Facebook Event

Well, the video entries have come in–about 80 of them–and a team of judges narrowed the list to 18–Judaism’s magic number. The panel of judges consisted of filmmakers, journalists, educators and alumni, but now it’s your turn to vote… The nine videos with the most votes will win, sending between 9 and 18 parents or guardians to Israel for the first time.

The trip is taking place in July, so if you’re in Israel at that time–like I will be–keep your eyes peeled for a Birthright bus with a little more life experience…still, it will be a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and the parents will experience everything an 18-26 year old would experience on their trip.

Reality show, anyone?

View the videos and vote here.

[cross-posted at MyUrbanKvetch]

Applications for the 2008 ROI Summit are due by Friday, March 28. The ROI Summit is an annual affair bringing together 120 young Jewish leaders from around the world to Jerusalem for 4 days of networking, skills sessions and fun. ROI120 attracts young Jewish leaders from all kinds of backgrounds, affiliations and orientations with the aim of creating some kind of crazy synergy. Now I know, many of you are thinking that this is yet another one of those Jew things where Jew geeks get together and talk interminably about Jew stuff. Well, you could think that but you’d be wrong. The ROI Summit has in the past united Jewish innovators as diverse as musicians, journalists, activists, writers, business men, tech geeks, bloggers, educators, environmentalists, yoga instructors, editors, animators, you name it. Each participant brought a little something different to the table and most people involved emerged from the Summit with their horizons broadened and new friends.

The strength of ROI, and this is just my personal opinion, is in its diversity. Consequently, this post is a plea for those of you who are passionate about what you do, who have projects that could use the support such a networking opportunity could bring or who have expertise that might help someone else in the furtherance of their project – this is a plea for you to consider applying – even if, actually especially if, you don’t feel you fit the typical profile of the kind of person who might be interested in something like this.

I have been involved in ROI since its inception. Since then I have participated in or personally provided assistance to people involved in many projects. ROI120 is an organization that keeps on giving. They have set up a fund that has been used to seed fund promising projects. They provide continued assistance to alumni wishing to travel to and participate in other conferences. They have facilitated reunions in Israel, Europe and the US. Everywhere I go, anywhere that cool stuff is happening, I see ROI alums working together – including, but not limited to, our recent Jewlicious Festival.

So go on. Apply. It’ll take you maybe 20 minutes to fill out the form. And if it all works out and you make it to Jerusalem, first beer’s on me. Seriously.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the support of Taglit -Birthright Israel, The Center for Leadership Initiatives, The Schusterman Foundation and the fine staff at ROI120 for making this amazing thing happen.

It really is amazing. I’m not kidding. Apply today!

The following is an excerpt from Haimish L’ChaimPublished by Metzorah Press Inc. ©2003/5763 The Haimish L’Chaim Legacy Foundation

Chapter 1: Halachic Issues in Arranging a Shidduch

1. Though everyone feels qualified to be a shadchan, one must exercise great caution.[1]
2. Children born of marriages arranged by untrained shadchanim, G-d Forbid, decide to work, and not learn full-time.[2]
3. Most matchmakers are in it for the money, therefor poskim agree that you should sign pre-shidduch agreements, limiting the amount they can charge.[3]
4. In the event of a good shidduch, a shadchan receives their honorarium, according to all authorities, after the main meal is
served.[4] Some say it can be even after desert.[5]
5. Min Ha Torah[6], Parents have no right to veto or approve potential shidduchim. However, Rabbinically, they can veto a shidduch for any good reason.[7]
6. Speed dating, on-line dating, virtual dating, single-socials, venues where singles may meet, Heaven Forbid, and personal ads are strictly forbidden, because aino makom l’bnei melech.[8] They are permitted in Teaneck.[9]
7. One must first ascertain that you know very little about the potential shidduch, so that you will be impartial.[10]
8. Most authorities permit knowing just a little bit about the other party, however, this is only in a case of hefsed merubah.[11]

______________________
Footnotes
1. See Shadchanut K’Hilchasa vol.3, Meor L’Shadachan and Pri Shadchan. The
Bidet Shadchan is lenient here. Most people who get into shidduchim are looking
for quick get-rich schemes and fail to take into account the responsibility.
According to an alternative understanding of the destruction of the Second Beis
Hamikdash found in Midrash Kacha Kacha, G-d destroyed his Temple because of
poor shadchanus. The RU”M of Havana explains this apparent contradiction with
conventional understanding. Was it sinas chinam or poor shadchanus that caused
the churban, destruction? He writes that it is really no contradiction. People
enjoyed setting up their neighbors with children of families they were
incompatible with, so that their own kids could marry the desirable children from
good families. Needless to say, in order to fix the sin that caused the expulsion
from our land, and the destruction of our Holy Temple, we must learn on a daily
basis the halachos of Shidduchim. Only in this way can we hope for a restoration
of our glory, the rebuilding of the Temple, and an end to the Exile.
2. Zohar
3. See Hardsell’s® Matchmaker, Matchmaker Make Me A Match, Find Me A Find,
Catch Me A Catch, for a suggested pre-shidduch agreement text.
4. See Inyanei Chatunot, by HaRav HaGaon I. M. Broke.
5. The Meor l’Shadchan is lenient. Some say he is actually more stringent, because
he liked to serve desert first, at the Shmorgasborg, and then he had the fruit and
salad plate.
6. Somewhere it says this, trust me.
7. According to the klal in Chosen Mishpat, “Zeh sheh meshalem, hu ha boss.” In
other words, the one who will pay for the mistake gets to nix any good match if it
is financially risky.
8. See Hilchos Bnei Melech. Since it would be unseemly for President George
Bush, Shlita, to put his children into an online dating program, for example, this
is forbidden for all B’nai Yisrael, who are Children of Hashem.
9. As is known, the laws of tinok sheh’ nishbar, are more lenient in regards to
dating and other things.
10. The Alhapanim Gaon, admonishes those who think they know it all. “Who
knows it all if not Hashem. So you think you are so great that you want second-
guess Hashem? Who made you so high and mighty?” See Mussar For Dummies.
11.Commonly translated as “great financial loss.” In our context it refers to “loss
of a great shidduch.”