WALTHAM, Mass. โ A new study from the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University has found that participation in a Birthright Israel trip significantly strengthens Jewish identity among young American Jews, while those who did not participate experienced notable declines across multiple measures of connection.
The report, titled A Summer of Uncertainty: Birthright Israelโs Impact on the Summer 2025 Cohort, analyzed data from 2,285 U.S. applicants, including 1,384 respondents who completed follow-up surveys. Researchers compared outcomes between those who participated in the program and those who applied but did not attend.
The findings indicate a clear divergence between the two groups. Among participants, measures of Jewish identity, connection to Israel, and engagement with Jewish history and values either increased or remained stable. Among nonparticipants, these same measures declined.
The gap was particularly pronounced among politically liberal young Jews, a demographic the study identified as having more fragile connections to Jewish identity. Among this group, connection to Israel increased by 60 percent among participants but declined by 26 percent among nonparticipants.
Similarly, the proportion of participants who said being Jewish is โextremely importantโ rose by 46 percent, while no comparable change was observed among nonparticipants.
Connection to the global Jewish community also diverged. Among participants, it rose slightly from 67 percent to 70 percent. Among nonparticipants, it dropped from 67 percent to 57 percent.
Other indicators followed the same pattern. Connection to Jewish history increased from 63 percent to 67 percent among participants but declined from 67 percent to 59 percent among nonparticipants. Connection to Jewish values remained strong among participants, increasing slightly from 71 percent to 72 percent, while declining from 72 percent to 65 percent among nonparticipants.
The study also found that participation strengthened a sense of responsibility toward other Jews and toward Israel. Among participants, strong agreement with the statement that Jews should help other Jews rose from 44 percent to 56 percent. Agreement that Jews have a responsibility to contribute to the betterment of Israel increased from 36 percent to 41 percent. No similar increases were recorded among nonparticipants.
Notably, even individuals who entered the program with high levels of prior Jewish engagement showed measurable gains. Among participants who had attended Jewish day school, the share reporting strong connection to Israel rose by 22 percent, while the proportion saying being Jewish is โextremely importantโ increased by 33 percent.
Researchers emphasized that these outcomes occurred despite a challenging external environment during the summer of 2025, which included heightened political tensions and security concerns.
โNever before in our research on Birthright have we seen such notable declines among nonparticipants,โ said Professor Leonard Saxe, director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University. โYet even in such an environment, Birthright produced substantial impact on those who participated in the program, even if their trip was cut short.โ
Saxe added that the program reinforced Jewish identity at a time when many young Jews were experiencing declining connection.
Birthright Israel leadership pointed to the findings as evidence of the programโs continued relevance. โThe cultural headwinds facing young Jews are real, and they are pushing Jewish connection and pride downward,โ said Gidi Mark, International CEO of Birthright Israel. โBut what this research makes unmistakably clear is that Birthright Israel moves participants in the opposite direction.โ
Mark emphasized that the decline in connection was observed only among those who did not participate.
Elias Saratovsky, president and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation, described the findings as both a warning and an opportunity. โWe are at a crossroads,โ he said. โIf our community does nothing, we risk losing the younger generation. But if we invest in an effective intervention, we can inspire growth.โ
Birthright Israel, founded 25 years ago, has provided more than 900,000 young Jewish adults from 70 countries with educational trips to Israel. The program is funded through a partnership of private philanthropists, Jewish communities, and the Government of Israel.
The studyโs findings suggest that immersive, peer-based experiences in Israel remain a key factor in strengthening Jewish identity at a time of growing social and political pressures on young Jews in the United States.
