Tonight at book club, I overheard two of my girlfriends discussing their children’s upcoming “birthright” trips to Israel. I’d never heard of a birthright trip, but trusty Google knew all about it.
From their website:
Taglit-Birthright Israel provides the gift of first time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Taglit-Birthright Israel’s founders created this program to send thousands of young Jewish adults from all over the world to Israel as a gift in order to diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewry; and to strengthen participants’ personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.
The gift of the 10-day trip is being provided by our partners: private philanthropists through the Birthright Israel Foundation; the people of Israel through the Government of Israel; and Jewish communities around the world (North American Jewish Federations through the United Jewish Communities (UJC).
The Birthright Israel Foundation is generously supported by the following Jewish philanthropic partners: S. Daniel Abraham, The Abramson Family Foundation, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, Edgar M. Bronfman, Circle of Service Foundation, Susie and Michael Gelman, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Foundation, David and Ruth Gottesman, The Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Hadassah – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Susan and Roger Hertog, Ronald S. Lauder, The Marcus Foundation- Bernie Marcus, Jane and Daniel Och, The Samberg Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Judy and Michael Steinhardt, The Wasserman Foundation, Leslie and Abigail Wexner and The Wexner Foundation, Karen and Gary Winnick in North America; Marc Rich in Europe.
Pretty cool, huh?
One of the 33 operatives which UAE investigators have tied to the January assassination of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai was apprehended in Poland. Suspected Mossad agent Uri Brodsky awaits extradition to Germany to account for a fake German passport issued to a “Michael Bodenheimer.” Israel is naturally insisting that Brodsky be returned to Israel, where their “legal system is known throughout the world and can handle this issue.” Brodsky claims to be a victim of mistaken identity, something about his fingerprints. Does it make you wonder about the first exonerated suspects who, safety [back] in Israel, were able to claim that whoever used their passports wasn’t them? 
Meanwhile the credit cards used by the Israeli hit team have been traced to Payoneer, a financial facilitator for Taglit-Birthright pilgrims.