"We need your help in combating Anti-Semitism" said Naftali Bennett, the Minister of Economy, during his speech last night at Taglit Birthright Israel International Sport's Day
Thursday 06/06/13, the Minister of Economy, Naftali Bennett, addressed thousands of young Taglit Birthright Israel participants from around the world and Israeli soldiers from across country, Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt, Co-founders of Taglit Birthright Israel, Gidi Mark, the CEO of Taglit Birthright Israel an Doron Karni, the VP of International Marketing at Taglit Birthright during the closing ceremony of the programs' International Sport's Day.
The Minister began his speech with a personal address to the participants, "in 2006, after I sold my company, I was supposed to be in the Caribbean's with a cocktail, however, I found myself in Lebanon. I understood and not as expected, that we need support from the world, and no one will help us more than our Jewish brothers and sisters."
The Minister added, "You have only one responsibility, when the world goes against Israel, you have to stand out and say the truth to your friends, family, Jews and non-Jews alike. Hopefully you will remain connected to Israel. Everything we have is you, our brothers and sisters. I want to thank you for being there for us. And on behalf of the Government of Israel, I want to thank Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt who founded Birthright – you changed history."
The event at the Wingate Institute brought together 2000 Jewish young adults and 500 soldiers to compete with each other in unique and bonding sporting events during the day. They were divided into teams and then made their way through three compounds, each with a different theme. The events included tractor pulling, wall climbing, paintballing, tug a war, basketball, climbing a ladder to the sky and futsal (kat regel -mini soccer game). Tal Brody, the former Israeli basketball player, awarded the group winners with medals.
Additionally, the evening brought with it a challenging twist when the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth basketball team joined the group in an intense match.
About Taglit Brithright Israel
Birthright Israel creates a connection between young Jews to Israel as well as to their Jewish identity by bringing them to the country on a free ten-day educational tour. Within the past 13 years, the Taglit project managed to bring significant change in the attitudes towards Israel of young Diaspora Jews across the globe. In the past, tens of thousands of young Jews avoided the journey while in the present they line up on waiting lists. The Birthright Israel project is considered the most successful and largest Zionist project in the Jewish world.
Furthermore, Birthright Israel is an Israeli government project in partnership with Jewish donors and Jewish communities around the world. 20 of the major donors in the Jewish world and in Israel, partners of the project, see it as an investment in the State of Israel and in world Jewry.
Since its beginnings in 1999, over 330,000 Jews from over 61 countries have participated in the free 10-day educational tour of Israel. Of these over 60,000 were young Israeli’s: soldiers (from prestigious units of the IDF) and students.
Over the years, several studies have been conducted at Brandies University in the USA. They have demonstrated that the 10 day tour of the country has had a lasting effect on Diaspora Jews when it comes to their Jewish identity, their connection to Israel and their ability to promote the country.
