Thousands celebrate Birthright’s Bar Mitzvah in Tel Aviv

Four thousand Jewish young people from around the world joined up with around 2,000 Israelis to celebrate 13 years for Birthright, in a party at Tel Aviv’s Nokia Arena on Wednesday.

The youth, hailing from countries including the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Romania, heard addresses by Israeli President Shimon Peres and business magnate Sheldon Adelson, and danced into the night to the tunes of Israeli artists Harel Skaat and Hatikva 6.

Many of the Israelis in attendance were soldiers, who have accompanied Birthright trips during the tours of Israel, meant to strengthen ties between Diaspora Jews and the Jewish State.

Peres, who was greeted with a chorus of “Happy Birthday,” told the attendees that they made him feel young, even at the age of 90. “As for Birthright’s 13 years — this is the best Bar Mitzvah we could dream of,” said Peres.

“The story of Zionism is an amazing one. We started with nothing. We had little land and no water. We have no natural resources,” Peres told the young people, “but we possess the resource that exists in every Jew. Our treasure is you.”

Adelson, who so far has donated $180 million to the program, urged the partygoers to become Israel’s ambassadors to the world. “When you go back to your countries, look out for the Jewish People… You have it in you to be goodwill ambassadors — join the front lines in supporting the State of Israel.”

Adelson also encouraged the attendees to marry within the religion. He cited a survey that found that 76 percent of Birthright alumni said they planned to marry other Jews, compared to only 42% among the general US Jewish population.

“If you ask me what the solution is to expanding the Jewish People, I say, have more kids,” said Adelson.