The 12 People You Will Meet On Every Taglit-Birthright Israel Trip
Taglit-Birthright Israel groups exist in a world of their own. Hundreds of buses every year come to Israel filled with a combination of species of young adults that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It is here that we start our journey of discovery, studying these strange and marvelous specimens in their natural environment.
1) The Sorority Girl.
Weird hand motions and pink polka dotted shirts with ancient Greek lettering are the telltale sign for this type. Though usually found on college campuses across the United States, they are known to venture out of their natural environment in tight knit packs, all of them wearing their trusty Lululemon’s and Ray-Ban sunglasses. They are always high energy and are always having a good time. Especially after the sun goes down.
“Hey, do you think there’s froyo in Israel?”
2) The Super Interesting Dude
He came alone but now he is the leader of the wolf-pack, probably has facial hair and gives motivational speeches on the rooftop. His stories always perfectly straddle the line between ridiculously unlikely and just maybe possible. When the trip ends and you add him on Facebook, you realize he’s just like the rest of you.
3) The Hippie
May or may not have dreadlocks and is always missing their shoes. Classic rock and tie-dye tank tops abound. If you’re looking for eclectic taste in music or a recording from this “dank basement concert I was at back in Portland” here is your guy.
4) The Young Professional
They may have a cushy job in a thriving start-up based in the San Francisco Valley but they bit the bullet and used all their vacation time to come on a Birthright Israel trip. They have their noses buried in their smartphones, always making sure they don’t miss that one vital email. Without them, the entire company would fail.
“How can they afford to give us all a three and a half thousand dollar trip. The cost benefit analysis makes no sense.”
5) The Social Media Addict
Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, 3 Asian sites, and a site from Russia that no one has ever heard of is this participants domain. Mention anything about Israel, the trip or cats and they’ll be commenting before you know it. Their life is one giant hashtag. When you come back from Israel, you can trust that they’ll have documented everything perfectly for you.
“What do you mean there’s no WIFI on Masada?!”
6) The Sleeper
Definitely not used to the late nights and early wake ups. This person has fallen asleep everywhere; from the top of Masada to the middle of the forrest. Bus trips have become power naps and don’t worry, they did not leave their neck pillow in the hotel.
7) The Foreigner
Someone in their family has an American address but they live down in Venezuela. You can barely understand what they are saying in their heavily accented English but you can be sure it always starts with the words “In my country…” You will constantly be surprised at the amount of soccer jerseys that manage to spill out of their suitcase.
“Este fue el mejor viaje de mi vida! For real!”
8) The Spiritualist
Tadasana, Vrksasana, and Svanasana. This is the girl that knows what these yoga poses actually are. If you catch her in the right mood she will tell you all about the energies radiating through nature and how your astrological signs impact your life. She is full of endless positive energy and is always searching for the deeper meaning.
“Is there a vegan food option?”
9) The 24-Hour Zionist
They never really considered themselves Jewish but after some prodding by a couple friends they signed up for the trip anyway. 24 hours after stepping off the plane in Israel, they proudly declared that they are never going to leave. They repped the Israeli flag on every single hike, waving it in the air while singing “Am Yisroel Chai” (The Jewish nation lives). Israel finally gave them an identity that they can call their own.
“I’m not getting on that plane. You can’t make me.”
10) “Are we there yet?”
When everyone is sleeping peacefully on the bus you can trust that you’ll be woken up in delightful fashion to this person nervously shuffling to the front of the bus to ask the always important question “Are we there yet?” Apparently, the bus stopping in a parking lot isn’t a sure enough sign.
“Where is this place already? Down in the desert?”
11) Staff that know how to party
Don’t let “I’m staff!” fool you. These folks know how to party harder than the rest of us, even though they aren’t allowed to drink alcohol. Before you know it, they’ll be dancing on the tabletops singing some Jewish song that no one else has ever heard of. If there’s one person in the world who has absolutely zero shame — this would be your guy.
“Who is going to make a water L’chaim with me?! So clutch!”
12) The Bus Driver
They may be person responsible for getting you from place to place but no one said they have to get you there with a smile on their face. Yelling Hebrew curse words while forcing the bus into an impossible turn is par for the course. Be careful not to call him a simple bus driver — he won’t be shy about reminding you that he has a barber shop or convenience store back at home. Looks may be deceiving, just ask him about the 6 day war. Back when he was fighting, the IDF was filled with real men.
“Something profane in Hebrew”
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