“Taglit” program turns 15

The “Taglit” educational project, which gives young Jews the chance to visit Israel for free, has celebrated its 15th anniversary.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the ceremony, calling for Jewish youth from the diaspora to repatriate to Israel.

“At the demonstration against terrorism in Paris, the French freely chanted “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) [as a sign of solidarity with victims of the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices]. And I thought that we should ask ourselves whether Jews in other countries could hold a rally and announce “Je suis Juif” (I am a Jew). In Israel, every Jew can loudly, proudly and fearlessly announced “Je suis Juif, I am a Jew,” he said.

Participants of the event observed a minute of silence in memory of the people killed in the terrorist attacks in Paris last week. One of the hostages killed at the kosher store, Yoav Hattab, had visited Israel under the “Taglit” program just two weeks before his death.

Also present at the 15th anniversary of the project were the general director Gidi Mark, the philanthropists Judy and Michael Steinhardt, the philanthropist Eduardo Elsztein, 20 donors from the USA and thousands of members of “Taglit” from the USA, Canada, France and Israel.

Gidi Mark noted that almost half a million young Jews has visited Israel as part of the “Taglit” project since it was founded.