Since Birthright gave me free food over Shabbat, the least I can do is report about them when they are in the news.
It seems as though standards to get on Birthright are a little tougher these days. It used to just be that you had to be Jewish and had never been on an organized trip to Israel before. Qualify? Have a good time on your all expenses paid 10-day trip to Israel.
But wait! You believe that Jesus is the messiah? Well now, you are out of luck.
On the questionaire applicants are asked to fill out, you are asked to check off next to this statement:
I do not subscribe to any beliefs or follow any practices which may be in any way associated with Messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus or Hebrew Christians.
It doesn’t matter whether or not you are halakhically Jewish. Both your parents could be Jewish, be a descendant of Holocaust survivors, etc. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins, go to Cancun instead.
This can’t just be about faith. I don’t see any rules against Bu-Jews and HinJews not being allowed to go on Birthright. Obviously, Birthright has got some beef with the missionaries. After all, no one goes on Birthright to convert to Christianity.
