1. Taglit-Birthright Israel
The Trip Lasts
Ten Days. The Journey
Will Last A Lifetime!
Click screen to play video

2. The ABCs Of Taglit-Birthright Israel
Taglit-Birthright Israel is an umbrella
organization that provides the gift of
a free trip to Israel and has three
funding partners.

3. • CJP - Boston’s Jewish Federation
• Campus Israel Initiative - a special project of CJP
that could be considered “Birthright plus” (it’s the trip
you are on - all one campus, with a dedicated
coordinator).
• Taglit Birthright Israel - the full name for Birthright
• Shorashim – One of the 15 trip organizers for
North America. Shorashim is unique because they
are the only trip organizer to feature Israelis on the bus
for all ten days, not just five!
• Why should you care? - You are going on a trip that
is with other students from MIT. When you return, there
will be a program professional who will plan reunions
and social events. Your bus has a reunion and
programming budget. The opportunities for you when
you come home are unlike anywhere else in the
country.
What is CJP, what is the Campus Israel
Initiative, what is “Taglit”, what is Shorashim,
and why should you care?

4. Getting Ready To Travel
Don’t leave home without:
• Passport/Visas*
• Medication/Health
Insurance**
• Credit/Debit Card (Money)
• Contact Information for
your Trip Organizer
*Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your
ticketed date of return.
**All participants must bring proof of health insurance that
provides

5. At The Airport
• You are responsible for arriving to the
airport AT LEAST 4 hours before your
scheduled departure.
• Our flight departs from JFK Int’l
airport in NY at 11:30pm – you
MUST be at the airport by 7:30pm
• Don’t check-in without first finding ME
– Meeting at El Al ticket
counter,Terminal 4.
• Don’t pack more than you can
comfortably carry (50lbs limit on
checked baggage).
• Security- it’s a profile, not an
interrogation, be honest even if
you don’t know an answer to a
question.
• When you arrive in Israel and
exit Passport Control, a
representative from a company
named ‘Smile’ will ask each
participant for their passport.

6. Who Will You Be Traveling With?
• 40 North American
participants
• 1 Tour
Educator/Guide
(Elaun Rave)
• 2 North American staff
(Shoshana and Jon)
• 1 Medic/Security
Guard
• Bus Driver
• Israeli Peers

7. An Encounter With Israeli Peers
One of the core components of your adventure will
be traveling alongside and living with Israeli peers.
Every trip includes a structured
mifgash, or encounter, where
Israelis your own age will
join your trip.
YAY Shorashim –
we get the Israelis for ALL
10 days!

8. Safety & Security Umbrella
• Taglit-Birthright Israel constantly reviews
and implements the most stringent security
measures throughout the trips to ensure a
comprehensive safety umbrella.
• No effort or expense is spared to provide for
the safety and security of our participants.
• As a program in which the Israeli
government is a partner, Taglit-Birthright
Israel is in constant contact with Israeli
security and safety authorities.
• Taglit-Birthright Israel utilizes the same
measures and procedures used for Israeli
school and student groups.

9. Where Will You NOT Go?
• Our trips do not travel to or through areas of
the Gaza Strip or East Jerusalem, with the
exception of the Jewish Quarter of the Old
City (changes are possible when permitted by
the security authorities).
• Groups do not visit any area or drive on roads
deemed unsafe by Israeli authorities.
• Itineraries will be changed as security
situations warrant.
• Participants do not leave the group to
travel, explore, or visit with Israelis on their
own during the ten-day trip.

10. Getting Around
• A private bus and driver remain with
the group for the entire trip.
• Drivers are highly trained and never
leave the buses unattended or
unlocked.
• Public transportation is not allowed
at any time.

11. Traveling Together
• Participants in each group remain
together at all times, and follow a set
schedule of activities that combine both
meaningful activity…and fun!
• Private travel away from the group is
prohibited during the trip, but
participants should have a few
opportunities when friends or family
can visit them (during free time or after
programming back at the hotel).
• All participants must fully participate in
the program and adhere to the program’s
drug and alcohol policy.

12. Alcohol Policy
• It is forbidden to drink any alcohol during organized
group activities and programming
• It is forbidden to drink alcohol the nights before Yad
Vashem and Masada
• It is forbidden to be intoxicated or unable to participate
in activities because of alcohol consumption
• It is forbidden to drink alcohol at the airport before
departing for Israel
• Taglit-Birthright Israel rules state that we must send
home any participant who is in violation of the alcohol
policy

13. Where Will You Stay?
• Groups sleep at kibbutz
guesthouses, hostels, small and
medium-sized hotels, and may
even spend a night under the stars
at a Bedouin camp in the desert.

14. Summer 2013

15. Your plane has finally landed at
Ben Gurion International Airport after
a long flight. Welcome to Israel!
Make your way through passport control, pick up
your luggage at the carousel and meet up with your
bus to begin your Taglit-Birthright Israel journey!
Arrival
Ben Gurion Airport

16. Golan Heights
Border Overlook
Hike the camera-friendly
canyons and gorgeous gorges of the
rugged Golan Heights. You’ll also overlook
the border with Syria gaining a
bird’s eye view of this strategic piece of real estate.

17. Wander through the winding,
hilly streets of the magical city of Tzfat,
the home of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism.
Tzfat’s unique synagogues and vibrant art
scene make it a city unlike any other.
Galilee
Tzfat (Safed)

18. In Independence Hall in Tel
Aviv, hear the stirring words of the
founders of the modern State of Israel as the
Declaration of Independence is read from the
same spot where it was first delivered in 1948.
Tel Aviv
Independence Hall

19. Tel Aviv
Rabin Square
Pay a solemn visit to Rabin Square,
named for former Israeli Prime
Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, who was
assassinated there at the conclusion
of a peace rally in 1995.

20. Explore the rest of the Old City
of Jerusalem, including the labyrinth of
underground passages from ancient times,
the southern wall excavations, and the lively
and charming Jewish Quarter.
Jerusalem
The Old City

21. Located in the Old City of
Jerusalem, the Western Wall is the last
remnant of the Second Temple and the
holiest site in the Jewish faith. It is customary
to leave a written prayer in the wall’s cracks.
Jerusalem
The Western Wall

22. Take some time to reflect on our
shared past at Israel’s Holocaust Museum,
which is, by government policy, a required
stop for any foreign dignitary or leader
visiting Israel for the first time.
Jerusalem
Yad Vashem

23. Shabbat
• Shabbat Preparations
• Kabbalat Shabbat -
Experience the beauty of
Shabbat
– meal & singing.
• T’filot/Prayer Options
• Group Activity - sweets and
snacks for an intimate
gathering (called Oneg
Shabbat)
– with singing, storytelling,
discussion, and schmoozing in the
spirit of Shabbat.
• Overnight: Jerusalem

24. Ascend to the top of the ancient
mountain fortress of Masada. Explore the
story of the Jewish revolt against the occupying
Roman army, and enjoy the breathtaking sunrise
over the Dead Sea.
Masada

25. Lather yourself up in spa mud
from the Ein Gedi oasis and defy gravity
as you literally float in the super-salty
Dead Sea, which also happens to be the
lowest point on the planet.
Dead Sea
Floating in the Sea

26. The South
Bedouin Tent
Experience Bedouin hospitality as
you enjoy a traditional feast, and learn
about tribal culture and customs. Enjoy
the tranquility of the desert, and ponder
your place in the universe as you sleep
beneath the stars.

27. Tour the National Cemetery of
Israel, the final resting place of luminaries
like the founder of modern Zionism, Theodor
Herzl, Prime Ministers Golda Meir & Yitzhak
Rabin, and Israeli military heroes.
Jerusalem
Mt. Herzl

28. Your whirlwind journey has come
to an end. Another long flight later, and
you’re back in North America with a lot of
laundry and even more lifelong memories.
Departure
Ben Gurion Airport

29. Suggested Packing List
• If you can’t carry it, it’s WAY too heavy
• Israeli-style Shabbat clothing
• Comfortable, sturdy shoes for walking
and hiking (with good tread on bottom)
• Medications & copies of prescriptions
• Extra contacts/glasses
• Passport (make copies)
• Money (some cash, debit/credit cards
for ATMs and gift purchases)
• Hand Sanitizer, Wrist Watch
• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
• Mid-weight jacket – Rain Jacket
• Bathing suit, shorts and t-shirts
• Toiletries
• Electric Converter/Adapter

30. MONEY
•Israel uses the shekel.
•Most everything is paid for except transportation to and from
the departure airport!
•Most places accept credit cards and almost all ATMs will work
with your American bank account. HOWEVER, there are fees
with every use
•Suggestion: Bring $300 in cash to the airport. As soon as we
board the bus on the day we land, someone will come on the
bus and exchange everyone’s money at the current rate.
Make sure to bring $70 in cash to
the airport – it will be a tip for the
Israeli staff

31. Electronics/ Staying Connected
• Cell Phone: We recommend that you rent a cell phone- it is a
very cheap “pay as you go” plan. At some point, you will need it.
The phone rental is free, and incoming calls are free. They deliver
the phones to the bus, and you just dump them in a bag before you
leave.
• Power: America and Israel have different plugs. Additionally,
American devices run on 110 Volts. Israeli devices run on 220 Volts.
So, depending on the device, you will need either an adapter or a
converter. An adapter can be purchased for $5 or so. ALL IT
DOES IS CHANGE THE SHAPE OF THE PLUG. BUT IT WILL NOT
CHANGE THE VOLTAGE. Many devices are equipped to handle
220 Volts. So you will just need an adapter to plug in something like
an iPod. But some devices are not. A hairdryer might require a
converter. A converter will also change the voltage to 110 Volts.
These are much more expensive.
• Computers: You will have very little time, and internet access
varies by hotel, so it is not the best environment to bring your
computer. But if you must bring a computer, or you really want to do
so, it is fine.

32. Want To Stay Longer?
Interested in staying in Israel
after your trip?
Extensions are usually possible for up to
90 days. Make certain to speak to your
Trip Organizer regarding your specific
flight options as some airlines have
restrictions.
And if you’re looking for something to do
after the trip, your Trip Organizer may be
able to recommend some things:
• Volunteer
• Study
• Learn Hebrew
• See More of Israel

33. Coming Home
When you get back, both MIT
Hillel and MIT Students for
Israel will welcome you!
You will also become part of a
large
network of MIT Birthright
!

34. Questions & Answers
What other questions do you
have before you leave on your
trip?
• Deposit Refund
• Cell Phone Rentals
• Spending Money
• Visiting Friends & Family
• Dietary Requirements
• And, more…

35. Expectations Of The Trip
• What are your
expectations for this trip?
• What is your biggest hope
upon embarking on this
journey?
• What does Israel mean to
you?
• What does being Jewish
mean to you?
• How would you define
your personal Jewish
identity?

36. See You In Israel!