Amid escalating missile strikes during a recent trip to Israel, participants of Birthright faced an unexpected evacuation on a Cyprus-bound cruise. Approximately 2,800 individuals were whisked away from potential danger, demonstrating the resilience and camaraderie amidst adversity. While fun and relationships are typically key aspects of Birthright trips, this year's events have showcased the organization's extensive experience in managing crises. The Birthright program, aimed at fostering connections among young Jewish adults globally, has been temporarily suspended due to security concerns following the conflict with Iran.
"We partied the second we got on the boat till we got off," said Ben David, a 20-year-old stylist from Los Angeles.
Birthright describes itself as the largest educational travel organization in the world, focused on educating young Jews about Israel.
After Israel launched a missile attack on Iran on June 13, sparking waves of retaliatory Iranian strikes over a 12-day conflict, Birthright organizers scrambled to evacuate some 2,800 participants from the country by any means possible."
"Statistically, 187 percent of you will meet your future husband and wife on this visit," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joked to Birthright participants in a 2017 speech.
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