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 Understandably, in light of the events of the past few years, both in the Middle East and also much closer to home, some of you may be feeling some apprehension about accepting the Taglit-Birthright Israel gift of a free trip to Israel. While the decision is ultimately yours to make, we do feel that it's important that you - as well as anyone else who may advise you on the matter - have all of the facts in hand.
Here are a few important points you should consider:
1. Safety and security is our number one priority
Your safety and security is Taglit-Birthright Israel's first priority as well as ours. The situation in the Middle East is being monitored on a constant basis and the programs would be postponed or cancelled if we felt that we could not properly ensure your safety and well-being. Just so you know, this has never happened to date.
2. Choosing where not to go
The majority of violent incidents that have taken place over the past few years have occurred in two specific areas: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. As a matter of policy, we absolutely do not visit these areas nor do we even drive through them on our way to points inside Israel proper. Also, given that the access points to these areas are strictly controlled by the Israel Defense Forces, it is virtually impossible to stray accidentally into them.
3. Avoiding "risky" situations
Even in Israel proper, our groups are never placed in situations or places that are considered "attractive" targets for terror incidents, however improbable these may be. Outdoor cafes and restaurants, pedestrian malls, bus stations, public buses and other crowded areas are strictly off limits for our groups. IsraelExperts has also made a conscious additional effort over the past few years generally not to stay in hotels in cities, opting rather for hotels of equal or superior quality located in kibbutzim throughout the country.
4. Consulting with the proper authorities
Our itineraries are submitted for review and authorization to a special committee made up of representatives from Taglit-Birthright Israel, the Israel Police, the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Israel Defense Forces, and daily programs are re-verified with the police authorities the day before as a double precaution. Itineraries may be modified accordingly.
5. Structure equals security
Safety is enhanced by the fact that we are in a structured environment. We use our own tour buses, not public transportation. Itineraries are carefully planned out (see above). Group leaders and guides are equipped at all times with cell phones and can be reached at all times by our head office. In accordance with the Israeli Ministry of Education guidelines - which were originally put in place for Israeli youth and student groups decades ago - two fully-trained Israeli armed guard/medics are with the group at all times. Also, as required by Taglit-Birthright Israel rules and regulations, there is strictly no unsupervised free time in public areas.
 6. Our safety record speaks for itself
The extensive security measures taken have unquestionably proven themselves on the ground. Since its inception in 1999, the Taglit-Birthright Israel initiative has sent over 100,000 young adults to Israel and, in spite of the violence in the area over the past few years, not a single participant was even remotely involved in a security-related incident. Not a single one.
7. Putting things into their proper perspective
The above measures don't turn a dangerous trip into a safe one; they take an already safe experience and make it even safer. Hundreds of thousands of tourists travel safely to Israel each year without all of Taglit-Birthright Israel's extensive security measures. Also, in spite of the media's focus on the violence, the fact of the matter is over 6 and a half million Israelis go on with their daily lives pretty much normally: going to school, to work, to the beach, eating out, going to shopping malls, traveling the roads (and getting stuck in traffic jams), and so on. The fact that normal, everyday life is not something you hear about in the news doesn't change that basic fact.
8. Speak to people who've "been there, done that"
If you are still concerned, feel free to contact us in order to discuss this further. If you'd like, we can even put you in touch with one of our past participants so that you can hear about some of what they felt prior to their first trip to Israel (see the articles below by an IsraelExperts past participant). They will also confirm that the security measures take nothing away from the experience itself. Try to find someone else who has visited or lived in Israel recently, tell them about the security measures we take, and ask them what they would do. While the advice of colleagues, friends and family who have never been to Israel themselves may be well-intentioned, they can hardly be considered well-informed sources of information on this important matter.
9. No commitment - Register now, decide later
Remember that you lose nothing by registering and seeing how things develop. Your deposit is completely refundable if you cancel your participation before the cancellation deadline (ask us about exact dates) and will be returned to you in any case when you return from the program in Israel.
Ask any IsraelExperts past participant
(contact us for names and email addresses) and you will hear the same thing: Every one of them felt perfectly secure during their 10-day experience, and the extensive (and often imperceptible) security measures did nothing to take away from their enjoyment or their ability to see the country. IsraelExperts has built itself a solid and enviable reputation for designing programs that are filled with activities from morning to night and that leave no time for security lapses of any kind.
As we've stated since our involvement with the Taglit-Birthright Israel initiative, nothing is more important to applicants than accurate and honest information, and we pride ourselves on trying our best to provide it at all times. A free trip to Israel is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and whatever decision you make, we feel that it should be, first and foremost, a well-informed one.
Articles:
SAFE AND SOUND By Alum of the Week Brad Shafran
SEEING IS BELIEVING By Michelle Stark in The Israel Highway
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