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JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA TRAVEL & TOURS

Volunteer in israel.

Rebuild Israel With Us

We Stand With Israel

TOUR ISRAEL WITH US IN 2024

Jewish National Fund-USA is currently running much-needed volunteer missions in Israel for variety of ages and groups, from teens to adults. JNF-USA Volunteer in Israel Missions are your opportunity to build Israel now and make a difference for the future. Rebuild communities with us by planting, cleaning, painting, and repairing to prepare them for returning evacuees.

Spend 4 meaningful days with us providing hands-on support to our beloved friends from communities across the Israel Envelope and the Galilee. When you help a community move back, watch a child walk into their school, dance with an IDF soldier, see the gratitude in a farmer’s eyes, you will never be the same. You will be part of history.  First there was Herzl. Then there was Ben-Gurion. Now, there’s you .  Make history. Volunteer in Israel. 

Volunteer in Israel With Us

“Our experience on the Jewish National Fund-USA volunteering mission was so meaningful. “ - Zachary Narrett. 

Read more about our mission participants’ experience here.

UPCOMING TOURS

Volunteer in israel: 4 day mission.

An exceptional chance to volunteer & build Israel now.

Upcoming Tours

VOLUNTEERING DAY TRIPS

Volunteer for a day with Jewish National Fund-USA in Israel

SOLO TRAVELER MISSION (30S & 40S)

Experience, volunteer, and make a difference in Israel. Join other like-minded solo travelers in their 30s & 40s.

• June 30, 2024 - July 07, 2024

PARENT-TEEN VOLUNTEER IN ISRAEL MISSION

Bond with your teen on this meaningful experience helping the land and the people of Israel.

TEEN VOLUNTEER IN ISRAEL MISSION

An exceptional chance for high school students to volunteer in Israel now.

AMHSI ALUMNI VOLUNTEER IN ISRAEL MISSION

Join fellow AMHSI alumni on an experience volunteering & rebuilding in Israel.

COLLEGE STUDENTS VOLUNTEERING TRIP - ALTERNATIVE BREAK

Volunteering opportunity for college students with JNF-USA's Alternative Break

EDUCATORS' MISSION

An International Educators’ Seminar in Israel powered by Keren Kayemet L'Israel

• July 09, 2024 - July 16, 2024

FAMILY TOURS

A meaningful family trip with Jewish National Fund-USA.

• December 22, 2024 - December 29, 2024

WOMEN FOR ISRAEL VOLUNTEER MISSION

Women's Mission - An exceptional chance to volunteer in Israel now.

SUNSHINE TOURS

Specially designed tours of Israel for active seniors.

• May 04, 2025 - May 13, 2025

2ND ANNUAL BROTHERHOOD MISSION TO ISRAEL

Bond with your Israeli brothers & raise money for the land and the people of Israel.

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS FOR ISRAEL MISSION

One-of-a-kind opportunity exploring Israel’s healthcare system and innovative medical breakthroughs.

• February 16, 2025 - February 23, 2025

SUKKOT, PASSOVER, AND HOLIDAY DAY TOURS

Join Jewish National Fund–USA’s holiday day trips in Israel.

• October 21, 2024
• October 21, 2024 - October 21, 2024

PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY MISSION

Experience Israel like never before on a tour reserved for our members of President’s Society. New mission dates coming soon.

LEADERSHIP MISSIONS

Exclusive experience for leaders and JNF-USA ambassadors.

QUEEN OF SHEBA - WOMEN'S MISSION TO ISRAEL

Embark on a journey with fellow women supporting Israel. New mission dates coming soon.

SOUTHERN ROOTS TOURS

Travel to Israel with friends old and new from the South. New tour dates coming soon.

TASTE OF ISRAEL TOURS

Experience the rich flavors of Israel’s north through food, wine, and cooking. New tour dates coming soon.

INTERFAITH TOURS

Discover the diverse cultures, communities, and religions that were born in Israel and coexist today. New tour dates coming soon.

CONGREGATIONAL TOURS

Come home for a visit.

Join our weekly day tours once resumed. Volunteer day trips are currently running regularly.

Jewish National Fund-USA is a living, breathing organization and it's part of building the future of Israel. On every trip, they show me something I've never seen or heard of or shine a new light on a place I've been to and loved before. They have the connections to offer a perspective on Israel that most tourists never get to see. – Dr. Kenneth Fried

About Jewish National Fund-USA's Travel & Tours

Jewish National Fund-USA is currently running volunteer missions in Israel. Additional tours have been postponed to late 2024 and early 2025. We look forward to returning home; visiting our communities in the Negev and Galilee, meeting the special people that make Israel the incredible land it is, and taking a behind-the-scenes look of how vision comes to life with Jewish National Fund-USA's work on the ground. 

Discover the magnificence of southern Israel and the Negev, take in breathtaking views of the Galilee, experience the rich culture and multi-layered history of the old city of Jerusalem, visit the iconic neighborhoods of Tel Aviv, enjoy authentic cuisine, but most importantly, make memories that will last a lifetime. Start your adventure by exploring Israel’s iconic sites including the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv's sunny beaches, Masada's grand views, and more. From there, take the path less traveled to explore Israel’s north and south. Travel to southern Israel with us; get glimpses of blooming fields in the Negev desert, taste delicious local fruits and vegetables, and meet the farmers who are making innovative agri-tech advancements. Get to know the people who have made new lives all across the region, and see how we inspire the transformation of the sand dunes into vibrant communities. Northern Israel brings with it a change of scenery. Travel through the lush green mountains, experience local wineries, enjoy an authentic kibbutz experience, and connect with local artisans, businesses, and entrepreneurs who make the region into a thriving community. Join us on our exclusive, curated, high-end tours that will take you off the beaten path. Find the trip that's right for you. We've got your backstage pass to Israel.

Read about our travelers' experience  here.

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Hillel International

Birthright israel trip.

Jewish students and young alums between the ages of 18-26 years old are eligible for a 10-day trip to Israel. Through Hillel: Birthright Israel, they’ll explore their Jewish identity in the Jewish homeland.

Applications are now open for Hillel: Birthright Israel trips for Summer 2024. Scroll down to browse all trip dates for campus and national trips. If you have any questions, please submit a help request or call  202-449-6695 .

More pre-trip information.

Find information about eligibility, how to apply, and frequently asked questions below.

Explore Your Heritage

Float in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Embark on a sunrise hike through the desert. Pray at the ancient Western Wall. Go Jeeping in the Golan Heights. Long lasting memories…you don’t want to miss out.

Through Hillel: Birthright Israel, Jewish college students and young adults can explore different facets of their heritage.

If you have any questions about the Hillel: Birthright Israel trip,  submit a help request or call  202-449-6695 .

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University of California, Los Angeles

Discover Israel – Poland and USA

For the very first time, Hillel International is offering a unique opportunity to participate in a Birthright Israel experience tailored […]

Hillel of San Diego

University of Washington Hillel

Orange County Hillel

Discover Israel

California state university, chico, this trip is a gift from birthright israel.

This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel. The gift of a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to tens of thousands of donors including individual donors and foundations, and alumni and their families that support Birthright Israel Foundation in the United States as well as the people of Israel through the Government of Israel, and Jewish communities and Federations around the world.

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Birthright & Beyond

Birthright & Beyond is a two-week trip to Israel in which students explore their Jewish identities, commitments, and communities.  The trip is composed of two week-long programs, a classic seven-day Birthright trip and Harvard Hillel’s unique seven-day extension program, Beyond (formerly known as Trekstension).

What is Birthright?

Birthright Israel is an international organization which partners with Jewish institutions to take Jewish young adults on a free trip to Israel.  On Birthright, you’ll visit national heritage sites, explore Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, hike in Israel’s beautiful nature, and relax by its beautiful beaches.  As well as your Harvard peers, you’ll be joined by Israeli age peers who offer their local perspectives (and tips on where to eat!).

What is Beyond?

Beyond is Harvard Hillel’s unique Birthright extension program, designed and delivered by our dedicated staff.  On Beyond, you’ll take a deep dive into Israeli society, exploring important and complex issues through hearing multiple narratives, including those of Israelis and Palestinians living over the Green Line.  Both programs include wonderful culinary experiences and immersive Shabbat programming.

Read on to learn more about eligibility , the registration process , and the itinerary , and to find answers to other frequently asked questions !

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• Registration
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Birthright Israel

The impact the organization has had on Israeli tourism and Jews in the diaspora.

By Shaul Kelner

For updated news about Birthright, search for articles about Birthright on JTA and the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University’s many studies about Birthright.

To apply to go on a free Birthright Israel trip, visit the organization’s website.

Birthright Israel’s History

The use of tourism as a technique of Jewish education and as a means of fostering Jewish connections to the land of Israel dates to the early 20th century, when the Zionist movement began using hiking ( tiyul ) as a way of introducing Jewish immigrants to their homeland. Soon after Israel gained independence, diaspora Jewish youth movements and the Jewish Agency began drawing on the traditions and infrastructures of tiyul to create educational tours of the country for Jewish adolescents and young adults from around the world.

From the 1960s onward, a stream of evaluation research found that participation in these “Israel experience programs” tended to correlate with stronger Jewish commitments following the trips. Recognition of the power of the trips as a form of experiential Jewish education grew.

By the latter half of the 1980s, a coordinated effort to develop the programs and to make them a North American Jewish funding priority was being spearheaded by the CRB Foundation, a Canadian philanthropy founded by Seagram’s heir, Charles R. Bronfman. At first, the CRB effort focused on marketing and strengthening existing Israel experience programs . These investments succeeded in raising the profile of Israel trips on the Jewish philanthropic scene, but produced no large-scale increase in program participation rates.

In the late 1990s, CRB partnered with another foundation, Michael Steinhardt’s Jewish Life Network (JLN) to reintroduce an idea that had been floated at the beginning of the decade by Israel’s then-Deputy Foreign Minister, Yossi Beilin: Every diaspora Jewish young adult should be presented with the gift of a free trip to Israel. CRB and JLN put up their own funds to realize the idea, gained commitments from other philanthropic foundations, and then proceeded to convince a reluctant Israeli government and an ambivalent Jewish federation system to join as partners in the venture.

Birthright Israel’s Structure

Birthright Israel itself does not run trips. Rather it serves as an umbrella organization that sets program standards and distributes funding to independent tour operators which it licenses as authorized providers of Birthright Israel tours. The providers (different from year to year) represent a variety of religious and political stripes, and often serve niche markets. Among the largest providers have been Hillel , the Jewish college student organization, and (until recently) Oranim, a for-profit company. All groups have their own bus, Israeli guide, driver, and staff members from the sponsoring organization.

Birthright targets Jews ages 18 to 26. The program’s standard itinerary includes tours of Jerusalem’s Western Wall , Yad Vashem Holocaust memoria l and Mount Herzl military cemetery; Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall; Masada ; and the Golan Heights. It also includes several discussion circles where participants are encouraged to voice feelings and opinions about being Jewish and being in Israel. Visitors have the opportunity to befriend Israelis their own age, through an encounter program ( mifgash ) that has young Israeli army officers join each bus as co-tourists.

Birthright Controversies

Not surprisingly, Birthright Israel’s high profile, high cost, and high political stakes have made it a lightning rod for controversy. Some debates were resolved early on; others are ongoing.

Among those asked to fund the programs, controversies erupted over the ethics, effectiveness, and opportunity costs associated with such a large investment in the trips. Israeli legislators debated whether tax revenues spent on affluent non-citizens should instead be spent serving Israel’s poor.

Diaspora philanthropists and federation leaders debated whether offering the trips as a free gift would lead college students to treat the program as a free party rather than as an educational experience. Questioning the educational value of tourism (a stigmatized leisure activity), they debated whether money would be better invested in other forms of Jewish education such as day schools and camps.

Proponents of the investment in Birthright argued that there was no guarantee that funds would be forthcoming for these alternatives, and pointed to the research documenting the educational successes of earlier Israel experience programs.

Within broader Jewish circles, debates have also centered on the type of Jewish identity that Birthright Israel is imagined to promote. Some critics have contended that the trips promote a vicarious Jewish identity centered on Israel, rather than on Jewish life in the tourists’ own countries. Others have argued that the trips reinforce a classical Zionist core-periphery model that implicitly devalues Jewish life in diaspora. In my research into Birthright, I found that although the trips encouraged feelings of connection to Israel, they also made the visitors aware of just how “not Israeli” they were. This feeling of not being at home in Israel shapes a relationship to the country that is more complicated than the critiques suggest.

Other Jewish communal debates center on whether the trips do and should frame interfaith marriage as a social problem.

The only debate that has spilled beyond the Jewish community and into broader public discourse has centered, predictably, on the trips’ representations of Middle East politics and especially of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here, three questions dominate: How should the trips represent the conflict? How, in practice, are they actually representing it? What goals should this introduction to Middle East geo-politics serve?

Birthright’s Impact

The creation of Birthright Israel marked a watershed in Jewish philanthropy, when the agenda-setting power long wielded by communally-governed institutions passed visibly into the hands of private foundations.

In launching Birthright, CRB and JLN placed the federations and communal agencies (and the Israeli government) in the position of responding to foundation priorities. Birthright also repositioned the denominational and Zionist youth movements–formerly the main purveyors of Israel experience programs–as small players in a field being reoriented to serve young adults rather than high school students.

Although systemic impacts such as these have been profound, they have not garnered much attention in the conversations about Birthright’s outcomes. Rather, most of the interest concerns effects on the Jewish identities and behaviors of the individuals who visit Israel on the trips.

An ongoing evaluation commissioned by Birthright Israel and conducted by researchers at Brandeis University has found that the program, on average, has strong effects on feelings of attachment to Israel and belonging to the Jewish people, and minor effects on religious practice and Jewish communal involvement. The Brandeis team’s 10-year follow-up reported that Birthright alumni were more likely than comparable non-participants to marry other Jews.

Analysis of average effects does not reveal what happens at the extremes. A minority of participants appears to become deeply engaged in Jewish life following the trip. The exact proportion has not yet been documented, but even if the percentage is relatively small, the absolute numbers can be substantial. With more than 250,000 program alumni, even if only two people per bus of 40 become intensely involved in Jewish life upon return, this 5% still translates to over 12,000 young adults bringing their Jewish passions to Hillels, synagogues, service programs, seminaries, and other communal institutions.

Although intensely engaged alumni are an unrepresentative minority, they are, by virtue of their activism, especially visible to those involved in Jewish communal life. Moreover, they almost certainly number in the thousands, and possibly in the tens of thousands. For these reasons, most communal leaders will likely know–or know of–someone who has been profoundly influenced by the trip.

On one hand, this can result in communal leaders using their anecdotal impressions to over-estimate average trip effects. On the other hand, it suggests that Birthright Israel’s most consequential individual-level impacts may not be its across-the-board effects on the average participant, but rather its concentrated impact on that minority of thousands of young Jews who emerge from the trips inspired to take up leadership roles building Jewish life in the communities where they live.

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It's YOUR turn to discover the very best of Israel on our signature 8, 10, or 12-day tour designed for active adults – with guaranteed small groups and confirmed tour dates conveniently scheduled year-round.

My Turn brings together active adult travelers to explore Israel’s rich history, modern culture, and stunning landscapes. Experience the highlights of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, the Galilee, Haifa, Golan Heights, and the Mediterranean Coast – with plenty of off-the-beaten-path discoveries and delicious meals to cherish along the way.

Choose from an 8-day or 10-day core itinerary with a 12-day Eilat Extension on the Red Sea with the option to explore the wonders of Petra in Jordan. Our fixed tour dates are scheduled throughout the year, and we guarantee no more than 26 travelers in a group.

My Turn is pluralistically Jewish in approach and welcoming to all. The itinerary is ideal for travelers seeking a complete first-time Israel experience or returning anew. Because My Turn is organized in-house by our own staff and our own caring guides/educators, we provide a higher level of service, a truly authentic journey, and an excellent value.

Early Registration Savings + Risk-Free Terms = Act Now!

Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person savings. All payments are fully refundable up to four months in advance, so your savings are commitment-free.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

For a more detailed view of the program, check out the Program Itinerary

Discover the four quarters of the  Old City , explore millennia of history in the  Western Wall Tunnels,  and experience the quiet of  Shabbat in Jerusalem

Descend to the lowest place on earth to float in the Dead Sea at a local resort and scale the heights of Masada  in the Judean Desert

Navigate the Negev Desert  wilderness the old-fashioned way on  camels  and enjoy a delicious  desert tent dinner feast

Experience Israel’s pioneering heritage along the  Sea of Galilee  shores, and ascend the  Golan Heights  on an  off-road jeep trek

Make a solemn visit to  Yad VaShem  World Holocaust Remembrance Center and celebrate Israel’s revival at  Independence Hall

Soak up the cultural riches, browse colorful  street festivals , and enjoy the always lively beach culture of  Tel Aviv

Travel along the Mediterranean coast to view the Bahà’í Gardens  in Haifa, the Rosh Hanikrah ocean caves, and Caesarea palace ruins

Sample Israel’s diverse cuisine at  gourmet restaurants , in a  Druze village , and in  open-air marketplaces

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

Enjoy the Red Sea's tropical beaches and underwater wonders while staying at a resort hotel in  Eilat Included with the 12-day tour

Explore hidden Nabatean Kingdom treasures on a guided  Petra day tour  in neighboring Jordan Add-on to the 12-day tour

MORE THAN A TOUR

Travel to Israel is unlike any other destination, which is why we strive to offer so much more than expected.

Educational Touring

Thoughtful educational touring with a focus on more experiences and fewer museums

Passionate Staff

Led by passionate 24×7 staff and backed by an organization you can count on

Fantastic food! 

Enjoy more authentic genuine local flavor and fewer hotel meals

Shared Journey

A focus on creating a sense of community and connection as part of a shared journey

Small Groups

Guaranteed small group tours with confirmed travel dates – plan with confidence

Program dates are confirmed, however, Authentic Israel reserves the right to consolidate or cancel trip dates in extraordinary circumstances.

No Hidden Costs 

Absolutely no hidden costs, no surprises, and a near   all-inclusive package

REAL REVIEWS FROM REAL TRAVELERS

We know you’ll cherish the My Turn experience, but don’t just take our word for it. Check out these real reviews from past travelers who have completed the journey.

Looking for even more reviews? See what our travelers say about us on TripAdvisor!

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Israel to require American visitors to apply in advance for electronic travel authorization

Israel is joining the Western nations requiring an advance online application and a fee for citizens from visa-exempt countries, including the United States.

Until now, Americans who want to travel to Israel haven’t needed to do anything other than purchase a plane ticket and pack their bags.

But starting Aug. 1, electronic travel authorization through a designated website will be required, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism announced this week. A pilot program, with the NIS 25 ($7) fee waived, will launch Saturday for travelers from the United States and Germany and will extend to all visa-exempt countries on July 1.

Travelers are advised to apply 72 hours before booking flights and lodging. Travelers without the authorization will not be permitted to board planes headed to Israel, and Interior Ministry spokeswoman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The ETA-IL program is similar to others that have been put in place in recent years in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Their goal is to screen out travelers suspected of posing a security threat or of potentially violating tourist visa restrictions through work or overstaying before they land at ports of entry.

Most countries that have launched similar programs advise a 72-hour heads-up, although the authorization frequently arrives via email within hours. The United States warns that people who do not apply in advance for travel authorization can face delays boarding flights or be turned away at the border, even if they come from countries that participate in the U.S. visa-waiver program. ( Israel was added to the program only last September .)

Citizens of visa-exempt countries who are citizens or permanent residents of Israel are not required to request authorization. Citizens of nonexempt countries will still need to complete a more arduous visa application process. The authorization will last for two years and will allow multiple entries of up to 90 days.

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New Entry Rules When Traveling to Israel from Visa-Exempt Countries

Israel has announced a change in entry requirements for foreign visitors from visa-exempt countries. Starting in August 2024, these travelers will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA-IL) before visiting Israel. This new rule does not apply to Israeli citizens, identity card holders, or nationals of countries that already require a visa for entry to Israel.

The ETA-IL system will allow approved visitors to enter Israel for stays of up to 90 days per visit. The authorization will be valid for two years, permitting multiple entries during that period as long as no single stay exceeds 90 days. Visitors planning to remain in Israel for longer than 90 days on a given trip must request an extension.

All prospective visitors must secure either a valid visa or an approved ETA-IL before commencing travel to Israel. The online ETA-IL application process is designed to be simple and fast. After determining eligibility based on country of citizenship, applicants will need to provide some basic information and pay a fee of 25 New Israeli Shekels (NIS).

Most ETA-IL applications will be processed within 24-72 hours, though some may receive approval in just a few minutes. The application website will be made available starting June 1, 2024, initially as a pilot program open only to American and German passport holders. During this pilot phase, applications will be free of charge.

From July 1, 2024 onward, the ETA-IL system will expand to accept applications from all other eligible nationalities, with the 25 NIS fee applying. Travelers are advised to apply for their ETA-IL at least 72 hours prior to booking any travel arrangements.

The ETA-IL may be obtained through the online application at this link.

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Child of Famed Jewish Family Funded Pro-Palestinian Protests

Her mom was on Joe Biden’s shortlist to be ambassador to Israel. She funds the Palestinian Youth Movement.

William Bredderman

Senior Researcher

Noah Kirsch

Wealth and Power Reporter

Justin Sullivan/Getty

Tens of thousands of dollars pumped into organizations involved in recent anti- Israel demonstrations on college campuses originated in the fortune of one of America’s most venerable and politically active Jewish families—one that includes a sitting U.S. congressman and a former contender for ambassador to Jerusalem, and which owes its wealth to the Levi Strauss denim dynasty.

A much-publicized recent report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, an Israeli-backed think tank, ranked the Bafrayung Fund as the single largest sponsor of pro-Palestinian activist groups involved in campus demonstrations and adjacent actions.

The Institute’s tabulations appear to include donations to any organization that has ever supported or promoted pro-Palestinian events, and after The Daily Beast published this story, the organization revised its report to no longer list the Bafrayung Fund as the foremost donor.

Nonetheless, The Daily Beast’s own research confirms that the Bafrayung Fund, based in Covina, California, ranks among the most consistent supporters of the Palestinian Youth Movement, which played a major role in the rash of encampments that spread through U.S. colleges this year. The Fund has also contributed substantially to two of the Palestinian Youth Movement’s allies: the Arab Resource and Organizing Center and Critical Resistance.

Notably, each of these organizations has employed the controversial slogan “ from the river to the sea ,” which critics interpret as calling not for two coexisting states between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, but for Israel’s extinction as a polity. Some, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), dispute this characterization.

Behind the Bafrayung Fund is a 33-year-old Bay Area resident, Rachel Gelman, scion of the family behind the Levi Strauss company and cousin to Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY). The money for the Bafrayung Fund comes from just two sources: Gelman herself, and the Morningstar Philanthropic Foundation—the personal charity of her parents, a pair of major Democratic Party donors who own a chain of publications catering to East Coast Jewish communities, have been long active in organizations promoting American-Israeli relations, and even got engaged on a kibbutz .

The thread connecting Rachel Gelman to the congressman and to the clothing empire runs through her mother, Susie Gelman, who President Joe Biden appointed last summer to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom after reportedly considering her previously for U.S. ambassador to Israel. Born Susan Goldman, the elder Ms. Gelman’s grandfather was Walter Haas, the businessman who spun up Levi Strauss from a small San Francisco wholesaler into a global denim brand. Her father, Richard Goldman, was the founder of a major insurance concern and made the Forbes billionaire list a few months before he sold the company in 2001. Her late brother, also Richard, was a federal prosecutor and father to the now-U.S. representative.

The Daily Beast reached out to more than a dozen members of the Gelman, Goldman, and Haas families, none of whom responded to phone calls or text messages. This includes the congressman. Rachel Gelman similarly replied to neither repeated cellphone calls nor an emailed inquiry, though her out-of-office message noted that she is currently on maternity leave.

According to a 2013 profile in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Susie Gelman’s involvement in Jewish issues started early, and she met her husband through a youth group of the organization now called the Jewish Federations of North America, in which both would later hold leadership roles. The couple co-owns the Mid-Atlantic Media Group, which publishes the Baltimore Jewish Times , the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent , and Washington Jewish Week .

The same profile notes that Susie Gelman’s attachment to Israel also began when she was young, as she made her first trip to the Jewish state in 1970, the year she turned 16. Haaretz also recalled that during the Second Intifada of the early 2000s, a wave of violence characterized by suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians, Gelman found she “could not sit idly by while Israelis were experiencing such trauma” and volunteered at a Jerusalem hospital.

More recently, Susie Gelman served from 2016 through 2023 as chairwoman of the Israel Policy Forum, an organization launched in the 1990s to support Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Gelman used the platform to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and elements in his right-wing coalition , to such an extent that Haaretz argued that her appointment as ambassador to Israel would have “sent an undeniable message from the Biden administration” to the current government.

But even amid these tensions with the country’s current leadership, the Gelmans have ranked among the biggest bankrollers of the Birthright Israel Foundation, which sponsors free trips for Jewish young adults to Israel—and which she also once chaired.

Meanwhile, the Gelmans have simultaneously bankrolled the Bafrayung Fund, their daughter Rachel’s charity, pouring in $3,470,000 between 2019 and 2022—the last year for which disclosures are available—all from Morningstar Philanthropic, the same outfit through which the Gelmans support Birthright and the Israel Policy Forum.

Bafrayund has in turn disbursed money to a wide range of left-wing causes, including those tied to pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli activism. That includes $60,000 for the Palestinian Youth Movement—doled out in annual earmarked tranches to the group’s sponsor WESPAC—and $40,000 for the Arab Resource and Organizing Center.

The Palestinian Youth Movement extensively chronicled its involvement in the proliferating campus encampments this spring, including the flagship protest at Columbia University.

Meanwhile, the Arab Resource and Organizing Committee has been active in encampments at state schools near its home base in the Bay Area, including at UC Berkeley and, most recently, UC San Francisco.

The Palestinian Youth Movement and the Arab Resource and Organizing Committee were also both listed among the “ convening organizations ” behind the People’s Conference for Palestine held in Detroit this past weekend, where Rep. Tlaib attacked Biden as an “enabler” of Netanyahu.

The Bafrayung Fund has also given $298,000 to Critical Resistance, which launched primarily as a prison abolition organization, but more recently has participated in multiple pro-Palestinian events in conjunction with the Palestinian Youth Movement and AROC—including protests that temporarily paralyzed San Francisco Airport, the Bay Bridge, and the Port of Oakland.

A review of Federal Election Commission records reveals Rachel Gelman’s political giving departs greatly from that of her parents. Susie and Michael Gelman are major contributors to Democratic politicians, having donated more than $800,000 to committees supporting Biden’s re-election.

The duo posed for a photo outside the White House in April:

Other politicians to receive hefty gifts from the Gelmans this cycle include House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries , Rep. Nancy Pelosi —and their nephew, Rep. Dan Goldman, to whose committees they have contributed $23,200.

Rachel Gelman, by contrast, has given nothing to her cousin, but has kicked thousands to two of his left-wing colleagues: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), both Israel critics.

Editor’s Note: After The Daily Beast published this story, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy revised its report to no longer list the Bafrayung Fund as the foremost donor.

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How this Jewish Chicago day school pulled off a last-minute, multi-generational Israel service trip

The school ultimately raised enough money to send 16 students, each accompanied by a parent or grandparent, and four staff members to israel..

School raises money for trip

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From short term trips to Israel to study abroad, the IEC supports Taglit-Birthright Israel Chicago Community trips run by Shorashim and connects college students and young adults to long term opportunities in Israel through Masa Israel Journey.

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In Chicago, the Jewish Federation sponsors Taglit-Birthright Israel Chicago Community trips run by Shorashim . The emphasis of these trips is on building a sense of community and an understanding of our Chicago Jewish community as well as mifgashim (in which Israelis students and young adults accompany their American counter parts on buses). The buses also visit our Partnership Together Region of Kiryat Gat, Lachish and Shafir for a volunteer activity.

Taglit-Birthright Israel provides the gift of first time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. The founders created this program to send thousands of young Jewish adults from all over the world to Israel as a gift in order to diminish the growing division between Israel and the Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewish; and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people. This program is based upon a partnership among international philanthropists, Jewish Federations in North America and Keren Hayesod, and the government of Israel.

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Start Up Your Future with Onward Israel! Develop your professional future and build your resume through a high-level internship side by side with Israeli peers. This Tel Aviv based internship program places you in a work environment based on your skills, interests and future plans. Intern four days a week while one day a week will be devoted to learning about and experiencing contemporary Israeli society. Outside of your placement, spend quality time with Israelis and explore Tel Aviv’s exciting nightlife, beaches and culture. Features include one weekend retreat in Chicago’s partnership region Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir and one with Jewish students from across North America and the world. Space is limited. Financial aid application available upon request. Rolling admissions.       Click Here to learn more and apply!

Interested in a great way to get back to Israel? Kefiada is JUF’s English-immersion, American style day camp in Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir, Israel.  There is no program cost, plus free room and board and $1200 flight stipends for all counselors.  JUF has been connected to this region in Israel for over 20 years! Kefiada campers are 4 th -6 th graders and the counselors are college students from Chicago or go to school in Illinois.  Kefiada serves as a bridge over the summer for Israeli students to retain the English that they have learned during the school year and expand on it.  Plus, Kef means fun in Hebrew so there are theme days, color wars, arts and crafts, capture the flag and swimming…all in English. The counselors get to see Israel from a different angle, really become a part of Israeli life and help Israelis in a meaningful way.   Applications, and FAQs, can be found at   juf.org/kefiada .

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Israel Tech Challenge is an expert-driven Israel experience connecting Jewish students and young professionals with tools and networks meant to enrich or launch their careers in the computer science industry. The project gives students the ability to learn from leading Israeli industry players and academics, combining inspiration and networking with actual hands-on cooperation on research and development projects. 

Israel Experience College Student/Young Adult Scholarship Program

The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation's Chicago Community Israel Program (CCIP) and Joseph A. Hochberg Scholarship Fund provide need-based scholarships for college students and young adults (up to 28 years old) who participate in an approved Israel Experience program. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage the development of Jewish identity and to nourish greater commitment to Israel and the Chicago Jewish community. 

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‘Opposite of inclusive’: A look inside the increasingly hostile environment for Jewish therapists

Jewish therapists say they’ve been subject to doxing, litmus tests, exclusion and harassment by fellow mental health professionals since Oct. 7

When someone posted in a private Facebook group for Chicago therapists in March, asking whether anyone would be willing to work with a Zionist client, several Jewish therapists quickly responded, saying they would be happy to be connected to this person. 

What happened next sparked fear and outrage among Jewish therapists in Chicago and across the country, and illuminated the atmosphere of intimidation and harassment faced by many Jews in the mental health world who won’t disavow Zionism. Those who replied, offering their services to this unnamed client, soon found themselves added to a list of supposedly Zionist therapists that was shared in a group called “Chicago Anti-Racist Therapists.”

“I’ve put together a list of therapists/practices with Zionist affiliations that we should avoid referring clients to,” Heba Ibrahim Joudeh, the document’s author, wrote. (A request for comment sent to the practice she runs with her husband did not receive a response.) The administrator of the anti-racist group chimed in, praising the list as a way “to be transparent about clinicians who promote and facilitate White supremacy via Zionism.” The comments came quickly: “Amazing, thank you,” one person wrote. “Omg a place I was looking at is on here,” another wrote, with angry emojis. 

The only trait shared by the 26 therapists on the list is that they are Jewish. “When I saw this whole list created and my name on the list, I was so confused and in disbelief about how, in 2024, this is considered OK. It was a list of Jews,” said Anna Finkelshtein, a licensed clinical social worker in Chicago who immigrated from Russia as a child. “I do not post publicly about the conflict or about Israel at all, ever. It feels like the only way to feel safe as a Jew in the mental health field is to publically speak out against Israel and condemn it and call it a genocide.”

The anti-Zionist blacklist is the most extreme example of an anti-Israel wave that has swept the mental health field since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks and the resulting war in Gaza, which has seen the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians. More than a dozen Jewish therapists from across the country who spoke to Jewish Insider described a profession ostensibly rooted in compassion, understanding and sensitivity that has too often dropped those values when it comes to Jewish and Israeli providers and clients. 

At best, these therapists say their field has been willing to turn a blind eye to the antisemitism that they think is too rampant to avoid. At worst, they worry the mental health profession is becoming inhospitable to Jewish practitioners whose support for Israel puts them outside the prevailing progressive views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The goal in therapy is to provide compassionate care to whoever walks through your door,” Dean McKay, a professor of psychology at Fordham University, told JI. “As part of our training — I don’t remember in my own training, and it’s not the way that I train anybody else, to ever say, ‘Look, here are the people who are worthy of our care.’”

“We all worried that it could get this bad, but I don’t think any of us were actually expecting it to happen,” said Halina Brooke, a licensed professional counselor in Phoenix. Four years ago, she created an organization called the Jewish Therapist Collective to build community among Jewish professionals and raise the alarm about an undercurrent of antisemitism in the field. “Once Oct. 7 hit, we’ve all been in crisis mode since literally that morning, and the stories that have come in from colleagues and about their clients have been horrifying.”

The antisemitism problem in the mental health profession is more than just workplace gossip. Jewish therapists — and Jewish clients — worry about how the growing anti-Israel orthodoxy will show up in clients’ sessions, and if it will affect their care, especially at a time when more people than ever are seeking therapy. A Gallup survey showed that in 2022, 23% of American adults had visited a mental health professional in the prior year, compared to 13% in 2004. 

“This is where I think there’s some real serious problems of people either not being able to get appropriate care, or even if they do get appropriate care, whether they feel that they can continue it because of being judged,” Dean McKay, a professor of psychology at Fordham University, told JI. “The goal in therapy is to provide compassionate care to whoever walks through your door. As part of our training — I don’t remember in my own training, and it’s not the way that I train anybody else, to ever say, ‘Look, here are the people who are worthy of our care.’”

Regional listservs are awash with therapists seeking referrals for potential clients. They’re often identity-focused, like queer people seeking LGBTQ therapists or a Black woman looking for a female therapist of color. Lately, more of them have included in their list of requirements — alongside the insurance the person has and what type of therapy they want — a disclaimer that the therapist should be pro-Palestine or anti-Zionist.

The debate over Zionism within the mental health field reflects a bigger, thornier question that is still being litigated in the profession: Should therapists be neutral health-care providers, sitting and listening on a couch while keeping all details of their personal lives and political leanings private? Or at a time when clients are seeking therapists who look and think like them, is there a role for therapists to play in bringing their own experiences and beliefs into the therapy session? 

Ira Finkel, a licensed clinical social worker in Chicago whose name appeared on the blacklist, said he had no idea why its authors decided to add him. “I don’t make comments one way or the other, and never felt that it is appropriate for therapists to do so as it can be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship. My clients’ philosophical views never matter to me as they are coming to me for help,” Finkel told JI. Hannah Tishman, a licensed clinical social worker in Manhattan, said she found it difficult when one client said they didn’t know what was true and what was false about Oct. 7, but she didn’t respond with her own opinion. “I’m not there to provide facts or information. That’s not my job,” she said. 

In recent years, the mental health field — which encompasses a diverse array of practitioners, including social workers, licensed counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and more — has embraced a vision of the practice that relies on a social justice framework , leaning heavily into the anti-racism worldview that was brought to the fore in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd.

Many Jewish therapists see themselves as stewards of that worldview. They want Black people who come to them for therapy to feel comfortable and to know that they have an ally sitting across from them. (One of the Jewish therapists named on the Chicago list asserted that “there’s space for Jews to be anti-racists,” but that Jews should also “be part of that framework.”)

Michelle, a Jewish queer therapist on the West Coast, has for years described herself as a social justice-focused therapist. But that began to change after Oct. 7, when the professional organizations she turned to for support were silent, or issued only tepid statements after the Hamas massacre — or, in the case of at least one colleague, outright supported Hamas. (Michelle is a pseudonym; she requested that her real name and location be omitted to maintain clients’ confidentiality, and to avoid backlash from colleagues in her liberal city.)  

“They’ve just been so extremely bent against Israel, and the opposite of inclusive,” Michelle, a Jewish queer therapist on the West Coast said of the Inclusive Therapists organization. “Therapists who are being labeled ‘Zios’ are being ostracized.”

“I think I just saw social justice as being conscious of systemic oppression, and being an anti-racist,” said Michelle. Putting that “on the website allows clients to feel like they can talk about it, or that they’re not working with someone who is racist or doesn’t have those similar values. But I think it’s now representing something different for me.”

The current environment has created a culture of paranoia. Worried about antisemitism, Michelle no longer describes herself as Jewish on her online profile. When a client drops out of therapy, is that because they no longer need care? Or because they don’t want to see a Jewish Zionist therapist? She has no way of knowing.

Inclusive Therapists, an organization started in 2019 with the stated goal of helping people find a “therapist who gets you,” allows prospective clients to search a database of therapists filtered by expertise (like gender-affirming care or racial justice) or “cultural knowledge” (such as Middle Eastern, Jewish or East Asian cultures). Michelle still has several badges from Inclusive Therapists on the bottom of her website — “LGBTQ+ Affirming,” “Culturally Responsive,” “Social Justice Oriented” and “All Bodies, Identities, and Abilities” — but she recently quit the organization over actions it has taken since Oct. 7. 

“They’ve just been so extremely bent against Israel, and the opposite of inclusive,” said Michelle. “Therapists who are being labeled ‘Zios’ are being ostracized.” (The term “Zio” as a slur for Zionists or Jews was popularized by former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke.) 

Social media communities like Inclusive Therapists have for many mental health care providers become a crucial source of support, networking and business development, and a way to counter the often-solitary work of being a therapist in a private practice. So when they adopt a controversial political stance, it can be crushing for longtime members who turned to the groups for community. 

All Inclusive Therapists’ blog posts by Jewish authors since October have come only from anti-Zionist Jews. Before October, the website had never published anything related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; now, a link at the top of the page calls on therapists to sign an open letter seeking to “end mental health field’s complicity to genocide.” 

A January newsletter from the organization included a section called “confronting antisemitism,” which condemned “shaming and bullying Jewish people calling for Ceasefire.” It also urged members to “differentiate between antisemitism and anti-Zionism” and speak out about “the dangers of conflation.” (Eighty percent of American Jews say caring about Israel is an essential or important part of what being Jewish means to them, according to a 2021 Pew survey .) 

In December, Inclusive Therapists posted an infographic on the group’s Instagram page, with 63,000 followers, that said, “Palestine is a moral litmus test for the world.” Melody Li, the Portland, Ore.-based therapist who founded Inclusive Therapists, did not respond to a request for comment, including specific questions about whether the group issues litmus tests on Zionism. But in at least one major online therapy forum, Israel has literally become a litmus test — and a barrier to entry. 

Therapists in Private Practice (TIPP), a private Facebook group with 25,000 members, is a crucial part of the online network therapists turn to for professional networking and support. The group asks potential members to answer a series of questions proving that they are legitimate mental health professionals. They must list their full name, degree, license type, location and website. They are also asked a single question about politics. 

“This is an anti oppression based group,” the group states. “We examine privilege and engage in discourse related to dismantling oppressive systems in the field. We support BLM [Black Lives Matter] and are Pro Palestine. Are you open and willing to support this direction?” Answering the question is not optional. This prompt was added at some point after Oct. 7. 

“The biggest issue is that anyone providing empathy to Jews for any reason is seen as anti-justice, anti-brown, anti-Palestinian, anti-advocacy,” said Brooke, the Jewish Therapist Collective founder, who was kicked out of the TIPP group. “If anyone’s having an issue about feeling alone being Jewish, you get spammed in the comments about, ‘Free Palestine.’” 

“TIPP used to be a group I loved,” said one member, a Jewish therapist in California who in the past turned to the community for advice and support, and to hire people for her practice. “It’s huge so of course [it] had its issues, but it became clear after maybe Oct. 10th or so that Jewish people were not safe to voice their opinions or thoughts, or they would be kicked out.” 

Multiple people told JI that they were removed from the group by its moderator, Nam Rindani, for writing posts supportive of Israel — or even for liking other people’s posts supporting Israel, or defending Jewish colleagues who were attacked for their views. In one comment on a post from a Jewish member, Rindani made clear that there is no room for dissent in the group: “I will be direct abt tbis [sic] and then you can make your choice from there. We as Admin call this is a Genocide. We are not open to debate about this in particular.” (After JI reached out to Rindani with a detailed series of questions seeking comment, she posted a screenshot of the email in the group, earning a chorus of enraged responses from people who stand by her as “anti-genocide.”) 

TIPP is far from the only forum to target those supportive of Israel. This spring, Tishman, the New York therapist, offered a free trauma-informed therapy workshop for Jewish college students facing antisemitism. She posted about it in a New Jersey counseling group on Facebook, hoping to spread the word. One therapist responded that there is no antisemitism on college campuses. 

“There were a few comments that were really aggressive,” Tishman said. “She totally gaslit me. But then I got a lot of support from other Jewish therapists.” 

“I used to approach the field of psychology thinking that people are innately good,” Ayelet Schafir-Hirshfeld, an Israeli-American therapist who has been working in California, said. “We have this question in philosophy. We have all of these philosophers arguing about human nature. And it changed my view. I started feeling that I’ve been very naive, that I didn’t see it before or that I was blind to it. Maybe people are not as good as I thought. It was and still is heartbreaking.”

The issue isn’t confined to Facebook groups and Instagram posts. Ayelet Schafir-Hirshfeld, an Israeli-American therapist who has been working in California for more than a decade, described a total lack of compassion and support from colleagues after Oct. 7.

“I was shocked when Oct. 7 happened. I thought that I would get some, I guess, empathy from colleagues. It was nonexistent,” Schafir-Hirshfeld said. “Instead, the response was hostility everywhere simply for being Israeli and being viewed as an apartheid aggressor, a white supremacist, as if you’re lying about things that happened, as if they didn’t happen, just because you are Jewish and Israeli.”

The lack of understanding for Israelis and Jews she witnessed after Oct. 7 has led her to reconsider the deeply held beliefs that form the basis of her approach to psychology. 

“I used to approach the field of psychology thinking that people are innately good,” Schafir-Hirshfeld said. “We have this question in philosophy. We have all of these philosophers arguing about human nature. And it changed my view. I started feeling that I’ve been very naive, that I didn’t see it before or that I was blind to it. Maybe people are not as good as I thought. It was and still is heartbreaking.”

After the Oct. 7 attacks, Jewish practitioners noticed that leading professional organizations were much slower to issue a response than on previous issues of concern, like racism or homophobia. They recognized a double standard in language that equivocated about the violence in the Middle East while the same groups were precise and pointed when calling out discrimination faced by other marginalized communities.

The American Psychological Association — the largest professional organization of psychologists — didn’t weigh in until four days later, with a statement “warn[ing] of psychological impacts of violence in Middle East” that only made brief mention of the terror attack in Israel. The group “has condemned in no uncertain terms the recent violent attack by Hamas on Israel” and is “deeply disturbed by the crisis of human suffering and loss of life and liberty for civilians who are caught in this escalating conflict.” 

Compare that to earlier in 2023, when the APA “decried” a Supreme Court decision viewed as discriminating against same-sex couples and “deeply regret[ted]” the Supreme Court’s rejection of race-based affirmative action hours after each decision was released. 

The APA’s statement prompted a firm rebuttal from the Association of Jewish Psychologists, who said they are “deeply disappointed and terribly saddened that our professional association could not more forcefully and unequivocally condemn the horrific acts of barbarism against the Jewish people of the State of Israel.” An APA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Carole Cox, a professor in Fordham’s graduate school of social service, has been researching antisemitism in the field by surveying hundreds of Jewish social workers. The results have not left her feeling hopeful.

After Cox published an article about antisemitism, a human rights class at Fordham began incorporating it into the syllabus. One student mentioned it to Cox and said, “Oh, we read your article on anti— what is it?” She couldn’t think of the name for antisemitism.

“She didn’t even know what it was. It’s not taught,” said Cox. “The most upsetting thing is that this is social work … Social workers are taught to be sensitive. And somehow it ain’t happening.”

“My hope for the future of the field of mental health and therapy is severely damaged at this point,” one therapist named on the Chicago blacklist said. “I really don’t feel good about the direction that this has been going because all of the rules that we’ve decided about social justice just don’t seem to apply to certain groups of people.”

Against this backdrop of discrimination, communities for Jewish therapists have grown. Anecdotally, some Jewish therapists who spoke to JI reported an increase in the number of Jewish clients who are coming to see them after Oct. 7. Others said they, too, are seeking out Jewish clients, so that they can feel safe knowing their sessions take place with a shared understanding of Zionism and antisemitism. (Therapy forums on Reddit are full of posts from people questioning how to deal with a therapist who takes a different stance on the war. One post in a Jewish forum: “My therapist denied the [Oct. 7] massacre to my face.”)

“The secular therapy world has felt pretty unsafe,” said one therapist in Washington, D.C., who since Oct. 7 has begun considering a career shift into more distinctly Jewish spaces. “Some Jewish collectives have been formed out of feeling like there isn’t a safe space anymore in the secular groups to just be Jewish, and just be a Jewish therapist without being attacked and without having to be constantly vigilant about what people are saying and how they’re saying it.” 

One of the therapists named on the Chicago blacklist is considering leaving the field entirely to work at a Jewish summer camp.

“My hope for the future of the field of mental health and therapy is severely damaged at this point,” the therapist said. “I really don’t feel good about the direction that this has been going because all of the rules that we’ve decided about social justice just don’t seem to apply to certain groups of people.

Sleepaway camp, at least, is fun. 

“The one positive is if they really wanted to destroy Judaism, then the better way to have done it would have been to just leave the Jews alone,” the Chicago therapist said. “All this has done is reignite, I think, a real passion for a lot of people who previously just didn’t feel that way to feel really strongly about their Judaism.” 

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