You've seen it on the gram, you've heard about it from friends, but some things you've just gotta do for yourself. If you're a Jewish 20-something, going on Birthright Israel is one of those things. Here are some of the "magic moments", epic sights and enriching experiences which are so much better IRL, but for now we're serving them up for you in a blog!
1. The Birthright Israel Mega Event
It's called "mega" for a reason. Prepare to see world famous performers, pyrotechnics, and maybe even the president! This event never lets the crowd down.
2. Heaps and heaps of jelly treats
They're sold in abundance in the fresh food markets, and occupy their own food group in Israel. It's totally acceptable to scoop up a 4 LB bag, as long as you share with your friends!
3. Really dirty people happy to be covered in mud
Nothing like coating your hide with nature's best mineral mud pack. Just let it dry, rinse and repeat, and you will feel like a new person. #DeadSea #Bliss
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It's 10 days of jam packed touring and adventuring. Here are some of the "Top Sights You'll See on Birthright Israel This Summer".
1. Wineries & Chocolatiers in the North
2. Dead Sea & Mediterranean Sea
3. Holy Cities of Jerusalem & Safed
4. The city of Tel Aviv & its famous nightlife
5. Yad Vashem & Har Hertzl
6. Mount Masada & the Desert Locals
7. Market Places in Jerusalem & Tel Aviv
8. The Jordan River & its surrounding mountain ranges
9. A view over Syria and Lebanon from Israel
10.The Western Wall
To get "Priority Status" on a Free trip to Israel next season, make sure you sign up now!
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We are only one week into this new year, but we've got big expectations for 2017, and we're kind of impatient for it to be amazing... Lucky for us, the last few days have been pretty good:
1. We've made A LOT of new friends
2. Had our first ever LGBTQ Birthright Israel trip
3. Got off to a great start with a bit of sunrise yoga on Masada
4. Been absolutely "Wowed" by nature
5. Connected to our roots and spirituality
6. Eaten amazing falafel sandwiches. Seriously, it looks a bit messy, but they were so good they had to make the list.
7. Got masked and muddy at the Dead Sea
8. Experienced something totally different
9. Had one of the best nights out in Tel Aviv, the famous nightlife city
10. Visited Jerusalem... and many more amazing places in Israel!
Now do you see why the first week of 2017 has got us feeling so optimistic? If you want to come experience all the above and more in Israel this year, then make sure you Sign Up now for 2017 Priority Status
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1. Off-duty soldiers with weapons
IDF soldiers get the occasional weekend off, and when they do, they're not allowed to just stash their M16s under their pillows. So what do they do? They take them to the beach, mall, park, or wherever else they may wish to go.
2. Bus stop libraries
No return dates, no late fees, no angry librarians... The system is based 100% on trust and generosity. You borrow a book from the shelf, you return it. You've got a few spare books lying around at home? You put them on the shelf at your nearest bus stop library for the next person to enjoy.
3. "I'm Jewish, wanna check?" printed  men's underwear
Well, you can't deny that the market is overflowing with potential customers...
4. Live chickens being swung over people's heads
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofvvb438Ug[/embed]
For anyone unfamiliar with the traditional kaparot ceremony done before Yom Kippur - this is as strange as it can get. The idea is that the chicken is supp
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Life – It’s all about cramming in the best adventures, places, moments, and memories. First step is to write your “bucket list”. If you need a little help getting started, or feel like you haven’t got enough checks on your list, we’ve got a list of the best things to do in Israel.
10 Days To Boost Your Bucket List
We all joke about having “bucket lists” – some of us genuinely do have a “100 things to do before we die” lists – it may be that you want to travel the world or perhaps grow old with someone you love; maybe you want to fly first class or you’d like to ride an elephant? A Birthright Israel trip is a bucket lister's dream: you can ride a camel, pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, raft down the River Jordan; float in the Dead Sea, watch the sunrise atop Masada, or simply go clubbing in Tel Aviv – and it's all free – a 10 day gift from Birthright Israel to every young Jewish adult aged 18-26.
So this winter you can get your bucket lis
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