Birthright Members at Rally are Called to Action
Rally sends thousands of Birthright participants in Israel back to college campuses and their communities with a strong call to stand up for Israel.
Thousands of Birthright participants heard an urgent plea to stand up for Israel and against antisemitism and Israel’s enemies in what was called a Mega Rally that this writer recently attended in central Israel.
The Jewish young people who were between the ages of 18 and 26 were winding up a 10-day, all-expense paid trip designed to strengthen their connection to Israel and their Jewish identity.
Over the past quarter century, the program has brought more than 850,000 participants just like them from around the world. But putting together this year’s program has been a challenging task. The approximately 15,000 participants this summer not only have encountered a nation shaken by the events of Oct. 7 and riven by political discord, but many have come from an America contending with antisemitism and personal attacks on Jews at college campuses for most of the school year.
Many at the large outdoor gathering are returning to campuses that are likely to see renewed demonstrations against the war in Gaza, and perhaps even more violence. The rally was meant to be a call to action.
The Israel-born CEO of the organization, Gidi Mark, who has worked for the program since its inception nearly a quarter of a century ago, told the young persons there that Israel stands with them.
“We don’t take it for granted that you came to Israel in a time of war,” Mark said. “I know that many of you are experiencing antisemitism, being attacked for supporting Israel, or standing up for your rights as Jews on campus. These are challenging times, but we are all in this together. You and the people of Israel.”
Among those taking part in the program that evening was 19-year-old Heshy Nemer, who grew up in the Toco Hills neighborhood of Atlanta. He’s beginning his second year of studies in biotechnology at Montana State University.
Even though he grew up in an observant Jewish home and attended a Jewish day school in Atlanta, coming to Israel this summer has been what seemed to him like a wake-up call.
“I feel a connection to my people like I’ve never felt before, a true connection. Now that I’m here, I’ve found people who are similar to me, and they have similar beliefs and similar cultural backgrounds and similar identities. I kind of feel safe in a way that makes sense.”
Before coming to the nighttime event, Nemer spent part of the afternoon at Israel’s national cemetery on Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem, where Israel’s military heroes are buried. Like so many who lost their lives on Oct. 7, many of them are young people. Photographs of their faces are frequently framed by their grave markers. Their bright, youthful countenance on the cold stones hints at what was lost in their passing and the promise of things to come. Walking among these heroes has brought Nemer face-to-face with his future as a Jew.
“When I go to cemeteries back home, they’ve never really hit me like this one. These are people my age — 19 or 20. And that that could be me. They sacrificed their life for what they believed in. And it makes me question what I’m doing, like, just messing around back home. I go to school and I’m learning, but I am super inspired to do more.”
It was a challenge that resonated frequently at the Birthright rally, which featured heroes large and small. Appearing as part of the program were five members of an Israeli army tank crew, all of them women. They were cited for their bravery as part of a trio of Merkava tanks that faced down and defeated Hamas fighters at Kibbutz Sufa on Oct. 7. Their successful battle is said to be the first time that an all-female tank crew from a Western nation had engaged in active combat.
Also featured at the rally was Eden Golan, the 20-year-old singer who represented Israel at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden this May. She endured chants, boos and catcalls from pro-Palestinian demonstrators to become a finalist in the competition. Her performance of Israel’s entry, “Hurricane,” finished fifth in the overall competition and placed second in the vote by viewers.
Her performance for the Birthright crowd was a highlight of the evening show, which, with its lights, sound, music, and special effects would not have seemed out of place in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
Capping the speeches and calls to take a stand was an appearance by Dr. Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas hotel and casino magnate. Over the past 17 years, the Adelsons contributed an estimated $500 million to keep the Birthright program growing. The contributions by the couple were important additions to the support of program founders like Atlanta’s Bernie Marcus.
She called on the Birthright attendees to be “soldiers” in the social and political battle over Israel when they return home.
“You are our soldiers when something happens to Israel,” Adelson said. “We need people who know our story, who know the 3,000-year-old story that we are all a part of — who know the reality and the truth about Israel.”
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