Taglit began with a bold idea—offering a free, life-changing trip to Israel for young Jewish adults between the ages of 18 and 26 and, in doing so, transforming the Jewish future.

Our mission is to provide all young Jewish adults with opportunities for transformative and immersive shared experiences in Israel and a foundation for ongoing Jewish connection. 

Today, Taglit is the largest educational tourism organization in the world that has given over 900,000 journeys to the magical state of Israel.

900,000 unique moments of self-discovery and life-long friendships.

life-changing Shabbats, Dead Sea swims, mountain hikes and culinary adventures.

The trip is impactful, leaving you different than before. 

It is given freely, with no expectation of anything in return.

Most importantly, it is personal, like the best gifts always are.

Taglit also offers other opportunities in Israel such as:

• Exciting resume building opportunities – internships, academic studies, and fellowships through https://birthrightisraelonward.com.
• A Highly selective business leadership fellowship through https://birthrightisraelexcel.com.
• Meaningful volunteering experiences - Engage in community-building and hands-on activities Volunteer-in-Israel.

Taglit seeks to ensure a vibrant future for the Jewish people by strengthening Jewish identity, Jewish communities, and connection with Israel.

Our hope is that our programs motivate young people to continue to explore their Jewish identity and support for Israel and maintain long-lasting connections with the Israelis they meet. We encourage our alumni to take active roles in Jewish organizations and to participate in follow-up activities worldwide.

Since Taglit was launched in 1999, over 900,000 participants took part in Taglit over 130,000 of which are Israelis. They come from 70 countries including all 50 U.S states, Canadian provinces, and nearly 1,000 North American colleges and universities. Taglit has not only become one of the largest and most formative experiences of Jewish identity in the diaspora, it has demonstrated over and over again that it has a positive impact on participants at the moment in their lives when they are making major decisions about the kind of life they plan to lead. How do we know? We measure. We conduct surveys before the trip, and afterwards. We listen. Taglit participants come to the trip with a diverse set of backgrounds, beliefs and biographies. No two are alike. Some are deeply connected to the Jewish community and to Israel, and also religiously observant and day school-educated. Some are barely connected to the community and say Jewishness describes their ancestry but nothing else about them. That’s why we do not generalize about Taglit participants – we focus on the distinct patterns that matter most. Here is one that we think is most critical, given Taglit’s mission to promote Jewish identity and connection to Israel: Among all Taglit participants, we see a meaningful impact on their Jewish identity, connection to the Jewish community and understanding of Israel. This impact is real, and it is both immediate and long-lasting. The Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University has conducted rigorous research to evaluate the program and learn about its impact on the current generation of Jewish young adults.

The Taglit trip is a journey through both Jewish history and the contemporary Jewish state, accompanied by Israeli peers (“the Mifgash”) who join the trips as colleagues and friends. The Taglit journey is committed to a culture of open discussion and dialogue about all issues: identity, geopolitics, religion, and Jewish life. While trips are operated by different Trip Organizers such that each trip differs slightly, all trips focus on three core educational areas: Narratives of the Jewish People – Participants visit a Jewish heritage site, a Zionist heritage site, a contemporary national heritage site, a “natural” heritage site, and a Shoah (Holocaust) heritage and learning site. Contemporary Israel – Through visits to different organizations, institutions, and businesses, participants explore Israeli geopolitics, society, and statehood; arts and culture; and innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology. Ideas and Values of the Jewish People – Group members celebrate Shabbat together, form a Kehilah (community) with mutual responsibility, and engage with Talmud-Torah and Beit Midrash and Hebrew as a living language.