Israel

Israel programming at Yale ranges from the political to the social and cultural. We strive to create a community where people with various viewpoints can feel comfortable and have their voices heard. These organizations hold regular discussions and planning meetings and also host a wide variety of guests including speakers, musical artists, filmmakers, and writers. Yale Friends of Israel serves as the umbrella organization for other Israel groups on campus. Every year, Slifka Center hosts multiple trips to Israel including Birthright.

If you have any questions about Israel programming at Yale, please do not hesitate to email Keren Marsha at keren.almazmarsha@yale.edu.

Travel 

Birthright, Peace and Dialogue Leadership Initiative, Yalies in Israel; There are plenty of opportunities to travel to Israel with Slifka Center – To get involved, contact Keren Marsha at keren.almazmarsha@yale.edu.

Birthright

Register Now to Travel to Israel this Winter! 

Registration is open for Birthright and Beyond. Slifka’s itinerary goes beyond a standard Birthright – taking you on a deep dive into Israeli society, engaging the most exciting and fraught issues through dialogue with diverse Israelis and Palestinians – including visiting the West Bank. We will leave from JFK airport on Dec. 27thand return Jan. 9th. Our planned group will be 10-15 Yale students and 10-15 Harvard Students, and guided by Keren Marsha.

  1. Go to freeisraeltrip.org/yale create an account (with a non -edu email address), and fill in the application and submit your $250 deposit (refunded upon your return from Israel).
  2. After you complete the application, you will receive an email to schedule a one-on-one chat with a staff member.
  3. Pre-trip you will indicate your choice of participating in the Slifka-Sponsored West Bank extension or returning home on May 22

Questions? Reach out to Keren Marsha at keren.almazmarsha@yale.edu.

FAQ: 

    • What are the COVID policies? 
      • In order to travel to Israel, you must be fully vaccinated and your last planned day needs to be within 180 days of your last dose. 
    • How do I know if I am eligible? 
      • We strive to make this a pluralistic experience. Birthright trips are open to all Jewish young adults between 18 and 32, who haven’t been to Israel on an educational trip since turning 18 and/or lived in Israel past the age of 12. Birthright defines Jewish as having at least one Jewish parent or having completed conversion through a denomination. 
    • Are there any costs I have to cover? 
      • Financial aid is available for personal costs
      • Refundable 250 USD deposit – refunded upon your return from Israel 
      • Most lunch meals
      • Personal purchases (like souvenirs)
      • Travel/health insurance 
      • Optional international phone plan
      • Transportation to and from the airport
      • Estimated personal costs on top of deposit: $200-500
  • How is the trip funded?
    • The trip is a gift from Birthright Israel
    • The trip is funded by both private donors and through partnerships with the Government of Israel, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren Hayesod.
  • How was the itinerary developed? 
    • We want to put together a unique itinerary to create a special and meaningful experience. The care and effort put into choosing the sites and the people we will meet is all in service to cultivating an exploratory trip of making connections, Jewish identity, and deep engagement. 

Education and Learning 

Our Israel fellow, Keren Marsha, will lead a fellowship about Israel. This is a chance to ignite conversations and to learn about hot topics in Israel society, pluralism, and ethnical minorities.

Kol Israel- is a cohort learning experience for students to think critically about Israel, learn about Israeli society and culture, and engage in open educational dialogue.

  • Ethnical minorities- This series will explore how ethnic minorities balance “becoming Israeli” with maintaining an identity rooted in their historical narrative. Exploring six of Israel’s ethnic groups, diving into questions of identity and inclusion, while igniting conversations about how the values of diversity and uniformity animate the public sphere in Israel and in our own spaces.

Both fellowships are a series of 6 weeks, once a week for 60 min, including dinner and 150$ stipends- starting February 23’.

To register, click here.

For more information on Israel Education and Learning, please contact Keren Marsha at keren.almazmarsha@yale.edu.

Arts and Culture 

Slifka hosts a wide variety of Israeli musicians, artists, perfumers, speakers, and movie viewings. For more information, or to submit ideas, please contact Gabriel Diamond – gabe.diamond@yale.edu or Yaakov Huba – yaakov.huba@yale.edu.

Politics

J Street U at Yale a pro-Israel and pro-peace organization at Yale. To get involved, contact the following:
Daniella Shear – daniella.shear@yale.edu
Odessa Goldberg- odessa.goldberg@yale.edu
Danya Dubrow – danya.dubrow-compaine@yale.edu

Yale Friends of Israel (YFI) is a non-partisan, pro-Israel group on campus that works to educate, and engage with, students on Israeli culture, society, history, and politics. YFI hosts speakers, dinners, book clubs, and more. Please reach out to Gabriel Diamond (gabe.diamond@yale.edu) for more information, and apply to be a YFI Fellow right here!

Yale Israel Public Affairs Committee (YIPAC) is Yale’s branch of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and works closely with the national organization. The mission of YIPAC is to strengthen, protect, and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel and teach students valuable advocacy skills. Please reach out to Gabriel Diamond (gabe.diamond@yale.edu) for more information.