Genesis Philanthropy Group Makes $1.2 Million USD Grant to Taglit-Birthright Israel

The Genesis Philanthropy Group has announced that it will grant $1.2 million USD to Taglit-Birthright Israel.  The support will enable Taglit-Birthright Israel to develop a unique program tailored to enrich its educational tour experience for Russian speaking participants from various countries.

As part of this program, a weeklong seminar recently took place in Jerusalem attended by some 100 Russian-speaking group leaders.  These leaders came from numerous countries formerly part of the Soviet Union as well as from the United States and Germany.  The objective of the seminar was the deepening of the connection between the group leaders and the values and message Taglit-Birthright Israel represents.  The group leaders participated in lectures, various professional workshops and afterwards enjoyed an Israeli cultural evening and tour of Jerusalem landmarks. 

Over the course of the Taglit-Birthright Israel summer season, which is currently as its peak, 25 Russian-speaking groups will arrive in Israel.  Overall, some 1,000 Russian-speaking Jewish students between the ages of 18 and 26 are scheduled to arrive this summer (from the approximately 10,500 overall students who are participating this season).

The current grant, from the Genesis Philanthropy Group, will allow for an increase in the number of Russian-speaking participants, as well as the implementation of a variety of unique group activities, including visits to special sites, analysis of Jewish texts, the teaching of sources of Jewish names among Russian speakers, cultural events and meetings with public officials.

"The Russian speaking Jewish students, from former Soviet countries as well as from other Russian speaking countries, are extremely important to us," Gidi Mark, CEO of Taglit-Birthright Israel, said.  "These are communities yearning for meaning and a connection to Israel.  The vision and support of the Genesis Philanthropy Group presents us with an opportunity to bestow a rich experience on our group leaders and young Jewish participants from these countries.  The enrichment of the educational tour in Israel will build a generation of future leaders of the Jewish people in Russian speaking communities and produce a strategic front for the State of Israel in these countries and communities for years to come."

"Taglit-Birthright Israel was one of the first major projects funded by GPG when our foundation was formed in 2007," said Stan Polovets, president and one of the five founders of GPG.  "Jewish life in the FSU has gone through a renaissance in the past fifteen years and yet the vast majority of Jews living in FSU countries are not meaningfully engaged in Jewish life. Taglit-Birthright Israel gives Jewish youth an exciting opportunity for engagement with Jewish values and heritage, and Genesis is honored to be able to support this initiative. "

 About the Genesis Philanthropy Group

The mission of the Genesis Philanthropy Group is to develop and enhance Jewish identity among Russian speaking Jews worldwide, with a particular emphasis on the Former Soviet Union, North America, and Israel. GPG is committed to supporting and launching projects and programming in institutions that are focused on ensuring that Jewish culture, heritage, and values are preserved in Russian speaking Jewish communities across the globe. The Foundation was established in the summer of 2007 by Mikhail Fridman, German Khan, Pyotr Aven, Alex Knaster, and Stan Polovets. In the past 18 months, GPG has made over 30 grants, which included gifts to organizations such as Taglit-Birthright Israel, Moscow State University, the Israel Defense Force's Education Department, Limmud, Maccabi, and the New York Jewish Museum. Its most recent grants include $ 4.4 million USD to the Foundation for Jewish Camps, $10.8 mln to Brandeis University, and $4.4 USD million to the Yad Vashem Museum .  For more information, visit the Genesis Philanthropy Group's Web site.

About Taglit-Birthright Israel

In the nine years since its launch, Taglit-Birthright Israel has established itself as the most successful international Jewish educational program of the last generation. The program was founded to strengthen the sense of solidarity and connection to Israel among world Jewry and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.  Taglit-Birthright Israel is a unique partnership between private philanthropists through the Birthright Israel Foundation, the Government of Israel, and Jewish communities around the world (via the Jewish Agency of Israel, Keren Hayesod and North American Jewish Federations through the UJC).

 Contact

 Julia Belova

GPG Director Communications

Tel/Fax +7 985 967 0117 (18)

Mobile +7 985 237 2004

e-mail: Julia@gpg.org

www.gpg.org