Presenting "Birthright Journal" by Joe Getzoff

Over the next three weeks, the JRF web site will be sharing Joe Getzoff's piece Birthright Journal in ten installments.

Read the first installment.

Joe Getzoff is a 23-old recent grad of Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA) where he majored in English and Religion. In January, 2006 Joe participated in a Birthright Israel trip. He is currently the Receptionist/Administrative Assistant here at the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation.

Birthright Israel (taglit in Hebrew) was launched in 2000 with impetus and funding from Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinheart. Its main goal is to get young Jews to visit Israel at no cost to the participants. The trips are ten days long. Birthright has sent over 100,000 young Jews to Israel at a cost of more than $250 million to the program. Quite a feat!

Given how powerful and complex a trip to Israel can be and the short timeframe and focus of the Birthright program, some participants may feel disoriented and/or confused - awash in multiple feelings. Joe was just such a person. His journal is a poetic/artistic expression of some of the feelings that were stirred up by the trip. In his own words:

[These journal entries are] not a linear report on Birthright Israel. They do not solve how I feel about Israel, or Judaism. They are not a political statement. They are uncomfortable and self-conscious. They are small snippets of my Israel experience. They are snapshots of my Judaism.

We invite comments. This is not a forum to debate the Birthright Israel program. We invite folks to respond to the specifics of Joe's story and to reflect on their own trips to Israel in light of Joe's. We'd especially like to hear from people who 18 - 30.

Read Joe's Introduction.


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Comments

Length of stay, and more

Look, I just don't think you can pack it all in, in a week or two. Planning to go to Israel? Make it a month at least. It's what I and Karla did and it was such a beautiful experience. In giving Joe the no-cost option, he has visited his homeland and is more in tune with what we should all feel.

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Pretty cool post.It's really very nice and useful post.Thanks for sharing this with us!it’s my first visit.Pretty cool post.It's really very nice and useful post.Thanks for sharing this with us!it’s my first visit.

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Birthright Journal

Oh sooo cooool idea the Birthright Journal.  You have good insights and ideas to share with us.  Continue your inspiring work and thanks for sharing.

Thanks

"Oh sooo cooool idea the Birthright Journal.  You have good insights and ideas to share with us.  Continue your inspiring work and thanks for sharing." Thats right. The Birthright journal is really good. Übersetzung Deutsch Italienisch

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This is a great idea to keep traditions going in a family from one generation to the next.

Thanks Adam Magarelli
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That's really great. Keep up

That's really great. Keep up your fine work. ski rental

The first installment seems

The first installment seems to be really cool.Well through the post it seems that JRF is really happy having Joe Getzoff in the team.I just want to know how much success have the team got in it's main goal of getting young Jews to visit Israel at no cost to the participants?Anyways best of luck for the JRF website developmenbt team .Hope they will get more of the productive things here in the website.

 

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Cool idea

Congrats!

Very Nice

I was not really that familiar with the Birthright Program until I stumbled across this. I find the journal concept wonderful and look forward to following. I will be looking further into it and reading the journal. Pat 

Good post

I think its would have been great to have a birthday journal. This is very exciting and great for kids. So they can look back to see how things were and help them hold on to their memories. I really appreciate this great post.

Thanks Christy Evans
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Good idea

This seems like a great idea to keep a journal of your birthdays. Its great because you cant forget anything like presents and good times. I really appreciate this great idea.

Thanks Margie Turner
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Great Idea

I think this is an awesome idea of keeping a birthday journal. This will be memorable in the years to come. It gets harder and harder to keep up with everything as the years go by.

Thanks Josie Lee
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I have read some of the

I have read some of the works of Joe Getzoff including Birthright Journal, and i have liked the way he thinks very much. Does anybody know where can i get another his works?  I would like to read more.

Great Idea

This birthday journal is a really cool idea and Im rellay glad you brought this up. This site is really meaningful to me and I love reading your wonderful journals.

Thanks Kristy Taylor
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Hey you have written a

Hey you have written a about second edition, which is for sure on the same high level as the first one,I wonder where I can get more information about "Birthright Journal". Would really appreciate if I could get more insights about this. Thnks... Pamela Hyde

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Can say that the second

Can say that the second edition is on the same high level as the first one. Thank you!

Well, I have liked very much

Well, I have liked very much the first installment. Looking forward to find the second one.

Does anyone know of any

Does anyone know of any organizations that sponsor trips to Israel with scholarships for low income people. I have always wanted to visit Israel and learn about my homeland's past, present and workings toward the future. my community sponsors a partial scholarship but as a person who is on disability the scholarship doesn't avail me to the trip. hell's kitchen season 7 episode 5 | pretty little liars season 1 episode 4

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cool installments...

The first installment seems to be really cool.Well through the post it seems that JRF is really happy having Joe Getzoff in the team.I just want to know how much success have the team got in it's main goal of getting young Jews to visit Israel at no cost to the participants?Anyways best of luck for the JRF website developmenbt team .Hope they will get more of the productive things here in the website.

 

That's really an excellent

That's really an excellent proposition. It's great to see how some people can help by sending the young into their country of heart.

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Birth Right for low income middleagers

Does anyone know of any organizations that sponsor trips to Israel with scholarships for low income people. I have always wanted to visit Israel and learn about my homeland's past, present and workings toward the future. my community sponsors a partial scholarship but as a person who is on disability the scholarship doesn't avail me to the trip. If anyone knows of such a program please list it here and send me an email at Jloischild@aol.com, Shalom, Judith

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