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Jerusalem, Israel (May 9, 2023) – It was bound to happen, given Birthright Israel’s success for an extended period of time: A Birthright Israel participant is the offspring of previous participants.
She is Brooke Rubinoff, 20, of the Toronto suburb of Thornhill, Ontario, who is in Israel this week with a Birthright Israel group from Canada. Today she received a certificate from the organization marking an 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.
Brooke is a biological science major and doing a minor in neuroscience and has just completed her third year at the University of Guelph. She attended Jewish day school and Jewish camp. Her parents, Miles and Hayley Rubinoff, were already a couple when they participated in a Birthright trip in 2001, the program’s third year.
“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.
“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!”
“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. Donors who generously support our mission see it as an ongoing investment in the State of Israel, the Jewish future and its relationship with the Jewish world.
Please find photos of Brooke and her family below (click on each photo and choose "download" from the three dots on the top right to download).
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