Teen Israel

As the primary funder of our community’s teen Israel experience for nearly 50 years, I wholeheartedly agree with Dov Lipman’s conclusion (“Birthright for high school: A plan to save North American Jewry,” Observations, July 14). I have been lobbying Birthright Israel for the past two and a half years to lower the age of eligibility to 16 and to serve as the funding agent to local communities to significantly increase teen travel to Israel.

The key to my community’s success in getting teens to Israel en masse is the fully subsidized community teen Israel experience. This is the only sensible idea that will save Diaspora Jewry.

As the BDS movement grows on college campuses, and as anti-Israel and antisemitic activities increase in high schools and in our communities, the American Jewish community is losing ground, time and a connection to Israel for our youth. Getting Jewish teens aged 16 and 17 to Israel, and following up with Israel advocacy training before they go to college, will equip them to fight these phenomena.

The key is to provide them with a two-week, fully subsidized experience that will educate, train and inspire them to be Israel advocates in high school, during their college years and beyond.

Birthright Israel for high school would dramatically increase the number of teens having an Israel experience before they go to college; forge strong connections between American Jewish teens and Israel; build a strong, proud, bootson-the-ground army to fight BDS on college campuses and counter the advances of Students for Justice in Palestine; and provide a life-changing experience for disengaged, unaffiliated and underserved Jewish youth.

For teens who desire a longer Israel experience with Jewish camps, schools, youth groups or temples, vouchers for the equivalent cost of a high school trip would make a longer experience more affordable.

ROBERT I. LAPPIN Salem, Massachusetts The writer is president of the Lappin Foundation, which seeks to enhance Jewish identity across generations.