Post trip birthright programming

A Guide for the Perplexed (IACT coordinator)

Victory!

Gordon DaleGordon.Dale@tufts.edu

What are your goals?To maximize participation in Taglit-

Birthright Israel, and meaningfully and sustainably engage every participant in Jewish life, while strengthening their connection to Israel.

Meaningful EngagementStatistics are important!

They help CJP to explain the importance of the IACT program

They help the coordinator to measure successThey help the coordinator to keep track of every

student

Meaningful EngagementReaching 100% Engagement is not as hard as you

think!Coffee datesBirthright ShabbatReunion/food/brainstorming sessionLunch and learnHoliday services (Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur in fall,

Passover in spring)

Coffee DatesMake them meaningful!Keep it conversational

(It’s not an interview!)Use this time to further

build the relationship with your students

Coffee Dates- List of questionsList of Q’s for Coffee Dates:Tell me about Birthright…Now that it has been a few weeks since your trip, what stands out as a

highlight?Did anything surprise you about Israel?Did you feel a strong connection to Israel? Why/why not?We had such a strong group connection on the bus- how do you think

we can keep that alive now that we are back here on campus? (Ask for their advice on this)

After I got back from my Birthright trip, I had a lot of questions and things I wanted to learn more about. Do you have/do your friends have anything like that? I want to make sure that we have opportunities for people to keep up with these topics, since it is so easy to get caught up in the daily grind back here on campus.

This was fun, let’s do this again some time!

Birthright ShabbatIt’s not just another

Shabbat!Make it special- the

students can’t feel like you tricked them into coming to Hillel.

Reunion/Food/Brainstorming sessionFood: The Great Uniter!Cooking is fun but messyBrainstorm

Lunch and LearnEasy to plan! People will come if students suggested the topicMake sure your speaker is good! Ask around!Keep it open to everyone, not just Birthrighters

alumniAny of the Kosher caterers in Boston will deliver right

to your door with the food israelcampusroundtable.org

Holiday Services/MealsMake sure you always know what your Hillel has going on

for the holidays in case anyone asks you while you are on campus. Then email it to them right after.

This is easy since it is already happening. If you can be there, all the better. This gives the students someone to sit with, which makes a huge difference in their decision of whether or not to go.

J.F.K. is Okay!

General TipsPost-Trip Programming begins during the

tripProgramming should be student

generated whenever possibleYour job is to facilitate, not executeFind a superstar studentSend personal invitations Make a reading list of your personal

favoritesAlways keep up on return trip infoIsraelcampusroundtable.org

My Top Five Programs“The Birthright Experience” curriculumGroup reunionsHouse-Hop ShabbatBirthright ShabbatY-Love concert

The Birthright Experience: Jewish Identity and the Israel Encounter10 week courseStudent generated topicsFree dinner with every classStudents do project at end of courseStudents receive $500 toward the organized Israel trip

of their choice israelcampusroundtable.org

Group ReunionsBirthrighters want to see their friends!Have meaningful contentFalafel is good (shawarma is better!)

House-Hop Shabbataka. Progressive ShabbatFood can be ordered or cooked at the person’s houseOrganize the meal according to geography

Birthright ShabbatMake sure it is different

than every other Shabbat and especially friendly for Birthrighters

Y-Love ConcertJewish Hip-Hop ConcertDisplays an alternative

Jewish Identity and inspires Jewish pride

Externally Introduced ProgramsOften there is an external requirement to make a

program succeedA few tips:

Know the expectationsAny special equipment/requests?Book a room ASAPGet the other Hillel staff involvedGet students to help- be honest about the requirement

for successPublicize! Digital and Physical

Externally Introduced ProgramsSchool newspaperFacebook event Personalized emailsHave an invite only dinner with the

speaker/presenterInvite personal contactsPartner with other student groupsPost fliers everywhere

A Word About Professionalism

Measuring Success: The Human SideStatistics are important, but remember to stay

focused on the experience of each Birthright student.

Now Go Fix the World!