Participants in a recent Taglit-Birthright trip who remained in Israel after the official program ended say they are facing limited evacuation options due to their Shabbos observance.
The situation came to light after a participant contacted media outlets to express concern that evacuation assistance offered by Birthright includes transportation that would require travel on Shabbos. The young woman, who extended her stay in Israel with several friends following the trip, said she reached out to Birthright after widespread flight cancellations disrupted their plans to return home.
According to the participant, Birthright offered a spot on a maritime evacuation scheduled for Shabbos. However, she and others consulted with their rabbinic authorities, who advised them not to travel on Shabbos under the current circumstances.
“We are trying to get back home,” she said. “But we were told that the evacuation boat will be operating on Shabbat, and we feel strongly that we should not travel then.”
She added that when they requested alternative arrangements that would allow them to observe Shabbos, they were informed that no such alternatives could be guaranteed. “The Birthright representatives organizing the evacuation made it clear that if we do not board the scheduled boat, we may not receive further assistance,” she said.
Birthright has not commented publicly on the specifics of this case, but sources familiar with the organization’s operations noted that evacuation logistics are being coordinated under challenging conditions, and priority is being given to safety and availability of resources. At the same time, participants who have completed their official trip and extended their stay independently may fall outside the formal scope of the program’s responsibilities.
The situation has raised broader questions among some observers about how emergency logistics can accommodate diverse religious needs, particularly during times of crisis. Participants emphasized their appreciation for Birthright’s programming and support, but expressed hope that future efforts could take halachic observance into greater consideration.
“We’re not looking for special treatment,” said one participant. “We just hope that in situations like these, religious sensitivities can be taken into account where possible.”
In a statement to YWN, Birthright said: “Birthright Israel participants who are Shomer Shabbat or who were not comfortable boarding the second evacuation boat are being provided with full room and board until they can be safely evacuated or until commercial flights resume. Since last Thursday, Birthright Israel and our partner organizations have been working around the clock to ensure the safety and well-being of all 2,800 participants in Israel—and we remain fully committed to doing so in the days ahead.”
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14 Responses
I’m not a fan of Birthright because it’s a chazzer feisel, but what obligation do they have to people who “extend their trip”?
Send a protest to https://int.birthrightisrael.com/contact-us
I generally do not write.
But you have to be very careful about spitting things that may not be 100% true
I do not know the circumstances of this person or what they were told, but I can tell you that they have already made evacuations and they have literally bent themselves over backwards to accommodate passengers that are shomer shabbos. They have literally put them up and have provided transportation around the entire world so they should arive at destinations before shabbos and offering accommodations if they can’t get the flights to land before shabbos to stay at remote cities all over Europe just to help people keep shabbos. They paid for people probably to the tune of thousands of dollars per person to help people out. This is a lack of Hakoras Hatov. They are doing their best in a hard situation.
what’s the shock?
Finally their true colors 😉
Now some of you will understand why many Skever, Viznitz, and other banned to go with them 10 years ago, despite their so called Chasidisha track.
Not always are our leading naive and stam banning….
I’m outraged Taglit won’t accommodate Jewish Shabbat observance in evacuating participants in these difficult days. Forcing observant Jews to violate Shabbat or be abandoned contradicts your mission to strengthen Jewish identity. I expect more. (250 char or less)
If these people need to be evacuated because their lives are in danger, then I would think halachically they can travel on shabbos.
The outrage is ridiculous and disgusting.
Some girls went on a birthright trip, which is essentially a free vacation to israel. They apparently, as per the article, chose to not go back on the free group flight and to stay extra.
Now that war broke out, they would like to get back to Israel. The only current option that birthright is offering, is for a free boat ride that has been arranged for a secular group that is currently in israel.
Although, by extending their trip, the girls gave the right to have birthright sponsor their trip home, birthright is still willing to give them space on their chartered boat.
Birthright does NOT owe it to them to get home. They gave them a ticket here (probably a round-trip ticket that birthright paid for the return on). Now they are upset that birthright won’t bring them back to the USA for free, at a time of the girls convenience.
YWN, you can be sued for this libelous article. I suggest you take it down.
What else do you expect from Zionists?
This doesn’t sound like Taglit at all. This organization is extremely, extremely supportive of shabbos observance. There is more to this story that we are missing.
There have been tragic stories of transportation accidents on Schabbos, whereas the שומרי-שבת who traveled a day earlier or later were just fine despite all odds
Catz: why the outrage? Why would you have expected more?
Thought about this some more.
Taglit is something supported by donors, and any benefits are given to participants for free. So donors are offering something to you for free, in this case, evacuation – and recipients and this article are complaining they are not offering us what we wanted. Taglit and their donors do not owe us anything.
@147 and your point? Shomer shabbos people have died traveling on friday or motzoei shabbos …