"Birthright Israel (or Taglit, as Israelis call it) was a huge part of my journey leading to who I am today. Despite my parents being Israeli, I hadn’t visited Israel often growing up. This opportunity not only allowed me to explore my ancestral homeland but also delve into the history of the Jewish people and our connection to the land. Getting the chance to reconnect with my friends & family afterwards was incredible. Even though I had only been to Israel a handful of times at this point, I felt an immediate and deep connection to the land, people, & culture. Helping fellow group members with the language and culture helped me & them fall in love with Israel. Little did I know that the next time I’d be going back was to move there a couple years later. It’s where I got my first job out of college, met my husband, and got married. Israel has given me the best memories & has my heart forever. In August, my husband and I moved to Miami, and 2 months later, on October 7th our lives and ...