Stephen Muss, Honorary Chairman of Lapid - The Coalition for High School Age Programs in Israel, reacted to a recent announcement about new extraordinary support for Birthright Israel – Taglit, by the Israeli Government. He points out that the Birthright model of awarding free ten-day trips to Israel for Jewish youth age 18-26 has caused the enrollment of Israel high school-age programs to suffer as they do not receive financial support of the Israeli Government. Parents faced with the decision to either pay out money for high school age trips to Israel or wait until “Birthright” age, when it can be free, choose the latter, even though intensive Israel high school trips may even be more effective in helping youth develop their Jewish identity.