ELIGIBILITY
The gift to Israel on Birthright Israel is intended to offer an educational peer experience. The trip is available to young Jews all over the world and from various backgrounds, however, there are specific guidelines for eligibility. The guidelines below are excerpted from Birthright Israel.
age
All participants must be between 18 and 26 and have finished high school by the time their trip departs. If you are turning 27 prior to May 1 for summer trips, or December 1 for winter trips, you are not eligible to participate in the upcoming season of trips.
*Those applying from the UK must be between 20-26 years of age.
*Those applying from the UK must be between 20-26 years of age.
jewish background
To be eligible for Birthright Israel, one must identify as Jewish and be recognized as Jewish by their local community or by one of the recognized denominations of Judaism. Applicants must also have at least one Jewish birth parent, or have completed Jewish conversion through a recognized Jewish denomination.
*Those applying for trips leaving from the Former Soviet Union are eligible if they have at least one Jewish birth grandparent. The accuracy of information pertaining to the heritage of an applicant for a trip leaving from the Former Soviet Union is also verified by a local Consul before an applicant is considered eligible.
*Those applying for trips leaving from the Former Soviet Union are eligible if they have at least one Jewish birth grandparent. The accuracy of information pertaining to the heritage of an applicant for a trip leaving from the Former Soviet Union is also verified by a local Consul before an applicant is considered eligible.
previous israel experience
If you have traveled to Israel before but only with your family or on other personal business, you are still eligible for the trip.
You are not eligible:
You are not eligible:
- If you have been to Israel for more than three months since the age of 12.
- If you were in Israel as part of a touring group, educational program, study program or an organized extended residential program since you were 18 years of age or older.
- There are a few programs, such as volunteering for Magen David Adom, participating in the Maccabiah games and Federation missions, that do not affect your eligibility.
- If you have been on Maccabee Task Force and Fact Finders programs prior to 2020.
- If you were born in Israel or are an Israeli citizen you are only eligible if you left Israel before the age of 12.
- If you have served in the Israeli Army or volunteered on an Israel Army base after the age of 18, you are not eligible.
- If you were born in Israel or have ever held Israeli citizenship or have held an Israeli passport you are not eligible unless you prove by official documentation that you left Israel before the age of 12. If you are accepted to the program you will need to obtain army exemption papers from your local Israeli consulate.
- If you do not hold an Israeli passport, but have Israeli parents, you must obtain army exemption papers from your local Israeli consulate.
