Birthright Israel Excel 7th Cohort Concludes

54 students and young professionals from the US, Canada, Mexico and Israel have successfully completed the Annual Birthright Israel Excel Program. The participants, carefully selected by Birthright Israel from among thousands of candidates, spent two months in Israel and received professional training and personal business mentorship, while gaining access to the Israeli business ecosystem. During their stay, the participants held meetings with Israeli leaders from various fields and took part in tours and professional workshops.

For the second year, the Excel Ventures Program was held as part of the Birthright Israel Excel Fellowship. Ventures is an innovative, first of its kind, global initiative in which 10 young entrepreneurs and graduates of leading North American universities are joined by 10 Israelis, graduates of elite technology units of the IDF, and together receive training to establish a technological start-up. During the 10-week intensive program, participants spent their time in the startup scene of Tel Aviv, and became partners in the initial development stages of their own companies.

Addressing the participants last night at Birthright Israel Excel’s closing ceremony, Birthright Israel International CEO, Gidi Mark said: “The Jewish Leadership Community built in recent years by Birthright Israel is an exceptionally important project, bound to be fruitful in years to come, allowing Jewish students to receive an unmatched opportunity to get to know our country and intern in leading companies in the Israeli economy. At this very time, connections are already being formed between future Jewish business leaders in the US and Israel. These ties are translated into viable collaboration and cross-country cooperation.”

Birthright Israel Excel is generously funded by the Steinhardt Foundation, The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Paul E. Singer Foundation and the Government of Israel.