Simon Amiel Transitions to Birthright Israel to Enhance Jewish Identity Building
Simon Amiel, former executive director of RootOne, has transitioned to Birthright Israel as the executive vice president for North America. RootOne, known for providing vouchers for immersive Israel experiences for high schoolers, has been instrumental in fostering connections between young American Jews and Israel. Amiel's move comes at a critical time for Birthright, which aims to increase participation by 200,000 over the next four years despite recent challenges, including a drop in participation following geopolitical tensions. Amiel's experience at RootOne, which focused on longer, more immersive trips, is expected to influence Birthright's strategy in engaging young Jews and strengthening their Jewish identity through Israel experiences.