Source: Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post reports that a record-breaking number of North American applicants signed up to take part in Birthright-Taglit this year, according to data recently released by the organization. The program, which brings young Jewish adults from the Diaspora to Israel on free, 10-day educational tours of the country, said it received 40,108 applications during the seven-day registration period which ended last week.
The number of applicants still far outpaces the funding capacity of the program. Organizers estimate they can send 15,000 young adults of the 40,000 registered from North America for trips between May and August. In all, Taglit-Birthright Israel will bring 33,000 young adults to Israel during 2011 on summer and winter trips, from more than 50 countries around the world.
Birthright-Taglit Israel has set the goal of sending 51,000 young Jewish adults annually by 2013, which means that one in every two Jewish young adults worldwide would participate in a Birthright Israel trip. In January, the Government of Israel announced it would contribute $100 million in funding over the next three years to assist Birthright Israel achieve that goal.