This winter, over 250 Canadian teens have visited Israel on six Birthright Israel trips, including groups of young professionals, national Canadian birthright groups and Hillel campus trips. They have been joined by almost 50 Israeli soldiers from elite units of the IDF. These "Mifgashim," or "encounters," initiated by Canada Israel Experience (CIE) and now standard in all birthright missions, are frequently cited as one of the most exciting elements of the Birthright experience. They build bridges within the global Jewish community by enabling young Israelis and Canadians to meet Jews from their peer group abroad through visits to Israel's historic and cultural sites.

Another Birthright highlight this winter was a different type of joint "encounter": opportunities for Birthright participants to meet with Israelis and contribute to the community together. Participants on a CIE Hillel Birthright mission spent several hours at an after-school club for at-risk youth in Eilat, Toronto's partnership region. These local youth often return to empty homes at the end of the day, but the students' visit gave them something fun to look forward to, and they spent several hours playing sports together. One of the Canadian "Young Professionals" buses spent several hours packaging food for the needy at Yad Eliezer, a Jerusalem food bank. In both cases, the Birthright participants enjoyed the opportunity to work together with Israeli partners and expressed that they appreciated being able to "give back" to the community after having received the gift of a Birthright trip to Israel.

Before returning to Canada, each group will participate in a birthright "mega-event" in Jerusalem, celebrating Israel and Jewish community with 3,000 birthright participants from all over the world.

Next month, 8 soldiers from elite units of the IDF, former participants on CIE Mifgashim, will travel to Canada to meet with their peers and engage in additional Israel advocacy and Birthright Israel recruitment.