Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies

Encountering the Other, Finding Oneself: The Taglit-Birthright Israel Mifgash

Theodore Sasson, David Mittelberg, Shahar Hecht

September 2008

Encountering the Other report coverIsrael experience trips—and Birthright Israel trips in particular— increasingly include a substantial mifgash—an “encounter” between Diaspora Jewish visitors and Israeli peers. This report examined the significance of the experience for North American and Israeli participants and found that the mifgash challenged the cultural identities of all its participants and enhanced their sense of collective belonging to the global Jewish people.

The report and accompanying survey frequencies are available in Hebrew and English.

Related

Sasson, T., Mittelberg, D., Hecht, S. & Saxe, L. (2011). Guest-Host Encounters in Diaspora Tourism: The Taglit-Birthright Israel MifgashJournal of Diaspora, Indigenous and Minority Education, 5, 178-197.