Marcus Foundation triples down on teen travel to Israel

Alison Rombough

The RootOne teenager Israel travel initiative announces a $60 million 3-yr grant from the Marcus Basis.

Released in September 2020 by the Jewish Education Undertaking, RootOne drastically lowers the charge of teenager travel to Israel by as a lot as $3,000 for every participant. The system also supplies meaningful pre-and write-up-trip finding out activities so teens can connect with their Jewish friends and sort their own Jewish communities.

Far more than 4,000 teens are collaborating in RootOne journeys this summer operate by much more than 20 teenager organizations and summer months camps.

“This grant is our immediate reaction to studies expressing teens’ link to Israel is waning, or that Jewish id between youth has declined,” states Bernie Marcus, chairman of the Marcus Foundation, which supplied RootOne with an original $20 million seed reward in 2020. “Especially as anti-Semitism on campuses and throughout the world improves, we ought to develop a generation of proud Jews linked to Israel and the Jewish persons.”

He pressured that the exertion is “designed to do precisely this. We hope other funders be part of our attempts to remake teen Israel travel at this significant time.”

“I have not traveled any where in a 12 months-and-a-50 % for the reason that of COVID,” reported substantial faculty graduate Hannah K. of Houston, a participant on a RootOne Israel vacation. “To go to Israel for the very first time as my initially journey after the pandemic is incredibly unique.”

Even a single thirty day period ago, summer season vacation to Israel on this scale seemed not likely. But a partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel assisted navigate Israel’s rigorous COVID regulations and regulations. Registration has been sturdy with most visits bought out.

RootOne also connects teens to an ongoing trajectory of Jewish mastering. The teens touring to Israel this summer time have concluded on the net finding out to support put together them for their trips, engaging in educational chances this sort of as deep dives into Israeli political historical past examining present-day geopolitical realities in Israel binge-observing and looking into preferred Israeli Tv set reveals how to create meaningful (and interesting) Israeli songs playlists and researching Hebrew as element of an ulpan.

The iCenter for Israel Instruction serves as RootOne’s main adviser, training educators and leaders who both immediate excursions and interact with teens just before and following they go.

The Marcus Foundation, as a significant supporter of Hillel, will assistance streamline the connection among two significant stages in the life of young Jews.

“As teens changeover from significant college to higher education, we strive to generate Jewish activities that are most meaningful—and most relevant—to them,” says Simon Amiel, govt director of RootOne. “We have a vibrant cross-area of local community corporations welcoming teens dwelling just after their visits. Excursion alumni will then be linked to businesses like Hillel, Birthright Israel, MASA, Moishe Household and others to keep on their Jewish journeys on campus and outside of.”

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