“I can’t take ten days off of work. That’s a lot of vacation time!”
“I’m job hunting, so I won’t know my schedule until much later…”
“I forgot to register. I have a few more years– I’ll do it next time!”
“I’m not very active in the Jewish community…should I even go?”

These are just four of the excuses I hear from people who are over 26 years old who call me to lament the fact that they’re no longer eligible to go on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip. They tell me they used one excuse or another until it was too late. I want to make sure you don’t miss out on this amazing experience. I guarantee you it will be the best use of your vacation time that you’ve ever spent. If you want more information on what goes on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, go here and take a look at a sample itinerary (in the pre-trip guide). It will be ten days that feel like 30, and you won’t want to leave.

How can you get on the trip? If you’re 22-26 years old and living in the greater Boston area, we run a trip just for you! We take 40 Bostonians to Israel and offer them the unique opportunity to meet & socialize before the trip, and have follow up events once we return from Israel. Our trip will run in mid-June 2011, so email me (alexisg@cjp.prg) to get on the VIP list.

Registration for all summer trips starts FEBRUARY 15th 2011 at 10 AM ET at www.birthrightisrael.com. If you are interested in our Young Professionals/Grad Students trip from Boston, you must email me in advance and I’ll give you insider info on how to secure your spot.

Want a personal perspective that speaks to the incredible experience? Read a testimonial from my friend Brandon, a participant on my January 2010 Young Professionals Trip:

created at: 2011-02-08Growing up I had very little to do with the Jewish community. My parents were divorced, and my relationship with my Jewish parent was a bit rocky, so other than for Passover and other high holidays I never went to temple and I never had my bar mitzvah. Plus, the town I grew up in had about a two percent Jewish population, so I didn’t know much about being Jewish other than the fact that I was. That changed when I attended a Birthright Israel Boston Young Professionals trip in winter 2010.

I remember seeing a beautiful land I never envisioned stepping foot in and meeting tons of great people whom I maintain contact with today. I remember the warm weather easing the stress of a long Boston winter. I remember the food, the fun, and the friendly Israelis we met along the way. But, most of all, I remember the renewed sense of happiness and serenity that came with spending time in Israel. Because of the experience I learned about longer-term MASA programs, which allow you to spend five months or longer living in Israel with a huge portion of the program costs paid for by generous Jewish philanthropists and the State of Israel.

Thanks to the great opportunity provided by Birthright Israel, one year later I’ve found dozens of great friends in the Jewish community whom I likely never would have met, just returned to Boston after living in Jerusalem for five months, and have learned about and reconnected with the Jewish community in a way I never could have without that first step.

Take advantage of this tremendous opportunity. Don’t wait for next year in Jerusalem, go now. It will change your life in a positive way, exactly how is up to you.

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