Birthright Israel Welcomes Second Generation Participants

May 11, 2023 – It was bound to happen, given Birthright Israel’s success for an extended period of time; a generation to be precise! Now some Birthright Israel participants are the offspring of previous participants.

Last week, Brooke Rubinoff, 20, of Thornhill, Ontario, was in Israel with a Birthright Israel group. She received a certificate from Birthright Israel recognizing that she is a second-generation participant. Her parents, Miles and Hayley Rubinoff, were already a couple when they participated in a Birthright Israel trip in 2001. This is a historic milestone for the 24-year-old program that transforms the lives of Jewish young adults from around the world – to date, more than 800,000.

There are many more participants like Brooke and Birthright Israel encourages them to reach with their second-gen stories.

Brooke just completed her third year at the University of Guelph. She is completing a biological science major, with a minor in neuroscience. She attended Jewish day school and Jewish camp.

“I am so grateful to be here now and will never take for granted that this experience is a gift from the Jewish community,” said Brooke. “Both my parents were lucky enough to receive this gift and now I have the same good fortune. I am experiencing Israel in an entirely new and incredible way during my Birthright Israel trip, and I am so honored to be the first of many second-generation participants!”

“I never thought that two decades since my husband Miles and I were privileged to be among the first Birthright Israel groups — and Miles’ first time in Israel — our eldest daughter Brooke would also be receiving this incredible gift; and here we are today, with her experiencing Israel with her peers as a young adult and, no doubt, gaining insights and experiences she’s never had before, even with previous visits to Israel. We cannot wait for our second daughter Ashley to have this same experience next,” said Hayley Rubinoff, Brooke’s mother.

“We are thrilled and extremely proud to welcome our first second-generation participant. This is a milestone for the most impactful program in modern Jewish life,” said Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark. “The program is so established in Jewish life that it was only a matter of time until Birthright alumni produced a child who also came to Israel on Birthright. Before you know it, we’ll have a third-generation Birthright alumnus.”

Birthright Israel is the largest educational tourism organization in the world that has transformed the lives of more than 800,000 Jewish young adults ages 18–26 with a gift of a 10-day educational tour of Israel. Its mission is to ensure a vibrant future for the Jewish people by strengthening Jewish identity, Jewish communities, and connection with Israel. The organization also brings thousands of participants to Israel through its Onward Israel and Birthright Israel Excel Fellowship Programs.

The gift of a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to the support of tens of thousands of donors to Birthright Israel Foundation and Birthright Israel Foundation of Canada, as well as an innovative partnership between Jewish communities around the world and the Government of Israel.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birthright Israel.