Register for UChicago Hillel's Birthright Israel Trip

Pre-registration for UChicago Hillel’s Birthright Israel Summer trip is now open!

Travel with students and staff from the University of Chicago as we explore Israel with each other and Israeli peers. Registering for Birthright Israel is the first step in the process of building a Jewish community on campus, travelling to Israel and exploring your identity.

Our trip will tentatively be departing and returning to JFK International August 28 to September 8. Keep it in mind when discussing length of internships. Extending your trip in Israel is very easy and accessible. If you are thinking about extending we can help you decide where to stay and volunteer, learn, explore, or relax after your trip.

The gift of Birthright Israel with UChicago Hillel starts before you ever even arrive at the airport. You will have the opportunity to meet one on one and learn with experienced professionals who have been travelling to Israel on Birthright for years. Together you will look into topics of the history of Israel, diaspora Jewish connections to Israel, the Arab Israeli conflict, and more.

An outline of the process looks something like this:

Step One: Email joshuagibbs@uchicagohillel.org and set up a time to interview with a UChicago Hillel staff member.

Step Two: Register online at www.freeisraeltrip.org/go. Pay the $250 deposit to secure your spot on the trip. The deposit is refundable until June 6.

Step Three: Meet with a UChicago Hillel Birthright Alumnus. Get to know them, hear about their trip and ask any questions you may feel uncomfortable asking a staff member.

Sept Four: Find out if you have been offered a spot on the trip or waitlist. Remember, the sooner your application and deposit have been submitted, the better chance you have of securing your spot. Pro Tip: Don’t leave your friends behind, get together and register and submit the deposit at the same time to make sure you are all on the same page.

Step Five: Attend orientation sessions and start exploring at home before you travel. Get to know the staff and group you will travel with and start asking key questions.

Step Six: Travel to Israel. Finish up your summer in Israel. Spend the last few weeks together and return to campus invigorated and ready to be with your new friends.

Step Seven: Debrief the trip with staff and friends and explore more. Sign up for a Jewish Studies course, start to learn Hebrew, Yiddish or Arabic, or all three. Organize experiences back in Chicago for your group. Apply for a leadership role with UChicago Hillel. Engage in advocacy around Israel. Start making plans on how to intern, study, work, and even live in Israel.

The key to success when it comes to Birthright Israel is to sign up. At UChicago Hillel we aim to give you as complete an experience as we can filled with mentorship, friendship and fun.

Yalla, let’s go!