The agreement ending the Gaza war sparked by the Oct. 7 attacks offers a rare chance to reengage young Jews and heal the rift that has widened in recent years.

Over the past five years, a deep physical and emotional disconnect has grown between Israel and the Jewish world. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Gaza war halted most programs linking Jews to Israel. Many organizations froze or scaled back their activities, and the collapse of tourism left a vacuum quickly filled by hostile narratives. 

Courtesy/Birthright Israel

Birthright participants stand on top of Masada during a 2013 trip.

Against this backdrop, Birthright Israel stands out. It never stopped. In the past year alone, Birthright brought nearly 30,000 young Jews to Israel — 95% of all who arrived in organized groups. After the war began, we launched a volunteer track and have continued bringing thousands of participants despite the challenges.

The lack of physical engagement in recent years has created a growing deficit: tens of thousands of young Jews who have not come to Israel, and studies show that many are drifting away. A 2024 Pew survey found that one-third of U.S. adults under 30 now sympathize primarily with Palestinians — a generational divide mirrored in the Jewish community. The 2024 AJC survey found that while many Jews feel emotionally closer to Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks, younger and more progressive Jews are far more critical of its policies. On campuses, a 2025 Hillel-ADL survey found that 83% of Jewish students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the war began, with many feeling pressure to hide their identity.

Yet there is hope. Research from Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies shows that visiting Israel profoundly strengthens Jewish identity. Before their Birthright trip, only about 29% of participants felt “very connected” to Israel; afterward, that number rose to 59%. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said being Jewish was “extremely important” after the trip, compared to two-thirds before. A 2022 Brandeis study found that almost 70% described Birthright as both a deep learning experience and a return to their roots, with more than half calling it “life-changing.” This impact transcends politics, even those critical of Israeli policies report a stronger emotional bond afterward.

If Jewish communities are to thrive, we must act now on an unprecedented scale. We can still bring back those who have drifted away, but time is short. This is not just about Birthright Israel — it applies to any organization that helps connect young Jewish adults from around the world to Israel. Once these young adults settle into careers and families, the window closes. If we fail to act, pluralistic Jewish life outside Israel will wither.

Birthright Israel, together with partner organizations, must draw lessons from recent years and prepare for the future. Birthright has never been a political advocacy tool; it is an educational project that connects participants personally and communally to the Jewish story. Still, its alumni overwhelmingly love Israel and act on its behalf, regardless of who governs.

Looking ahead, we must focus on reaching those who see Israel only through the lens of government policy. The Jewish bond with Israel runs deeper than politics. Israel belongs to every Jew, wherever they live — and its shared future is theirs, too. The Gaza war shattered the old myth that Diaspora Jews should stay out of Israeli affairs because they don’t live with the consequences. Today’s reality proves the opposite: terror, antisemitism and boycotts affect Jews everywhere. 

The war pushed many away when what is needed most is closeness, engagement and participation — in society, in education and in rebuilding Israel itself. The war’s end offers a chance to rethink Israel-Diaspora relations. Instead of withdrawing, Jews abroad must draw closer by visiting Israel, experiencing it firsthand and making their voices heard. This requires vision, investment and recognition that the struggle for young hearts and minds — in America, Israel and across the Jewish world — is inseparable from Israel’s future security and legitimacy. 

Birthright Israel and other associated Jewish organizations now have a vital task to help young Jews internalize a simple truth: just as Americans do not disown their country because they disagree with its government, Jews need not distance themselves from Israel over temporary political differences. This is an achievable goal and a historic opportunity. Missing it would be a generational tragedy. 

It is our collective duty to seize this moment and act. It will not be easy, but as we have proven before: If you will it, it is no dream.

Gidi Mark is the CEO of Birthright Israel.