A mega-evaluation of a
mega-experiment
Towards a comprehensive evaluation of Taglit
Erik H. Cohen
School of Education - Bar Ilan University
Brandeis University
May, 2012
People
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Madrichim
Applicants’ parents
Diaspora community leaders and educators
Israeli public
Organizations
 Jewish federations
 Synagogues
 Youth movements
 Members of relevant Israeli government
committees
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40% of Taglit participants come from outside
North America
Europe, South America, South Africa,
Australia-New Zealand
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Still a vast population of individuals do not
apply.
What are the reasons for this?
Are they ideological, religious, cultural,
social, logistical?
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Six months after applying, non-participants
displayed a distinct decline in their attitudes
regarding various aspects of Jewish identity
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In 2002-2003, Orthodox youth made up over
a third of the participants, since 2008, less
than 5%.
32.4% of denominational shifting in six
months: particularly, towards secularism
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
What are the large benefits of Taglit for the
Jewish people as a whole?
What other settings of Jewish education in the
Diaspora can learn from Taglit?
Thank you for your attention
2008 Taglit-Birthright Trip
A Facet theory analysis
Erik H. Cohen
School of Education - Bar Ilan University
Brandeis University
May, 2012
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The surveyed populations
The internal analyzed items
The external analyzed items
The two structural hypotheses
Assessment of the structural hypotheses
Further analyses
There are different ways of being Jewish. For you
personally, how much does being Jewish involve…
Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Very much
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Celebrating Jewish holidays?
Caring about Israel?
Supporting Jewish organizations?
Working for social justice?
Attending synagogue?
Remembering the Holocaust?
Countering anti-Semitism?
Volunteering to help those in need?
How important is each of the following to you
personally in your life?
Not important, A little important, Somewhat
important, Very important




Being Jewish
Dating someone Jewish
Marrying someone Jewish
Raising your children Jewish
To what extent do you...
Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Very much

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Feel a connection to Jewish history?
Feel a connection to Israel?
Feel part of a worldwide Jewish community?
Feel a connection to the Jewish community
where you live?
Feel a connection to Jewish traditions and
customs?
Feel a connection to your Jewish peers?
SSA Assessment of first hypothesis
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Do you CURRENTLY consider yourself to be?
Secular/Culturally Jewish
Just Jewish
Reform
Conservative
Reconstructionist
Orthodox
No religion
Other. Please specify
First Questionnaire
No religion
3%
Reconstruc
1%
Orthodox
2%
Other
3%
Secular
16%
Conservative
18%
Just Jewish
26%
Reform
31%
Second Questionnaire
No religion
Orthodox
Reconstruc
3%
3%
Other
4%
1%
Secular
25%
Conservative
17%
Just Jewish
21%
Reform
26%
Have you encourage friends, siblings and others to
participate in future Taglit-Birthright Israel trips?
 No
 Yes, once or twice
 Yes, a few times
 Yes, "talk it up" all the time
Are your parents Jewish now?
 Father
No
Yes
 Mother
No
Yes
Overall, for me, the trip felt like…
Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Very much

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A fun vacation
A learning experience
A religious pilgrimage
A journey to my Jewish roots
An encounter with the real Israel
Too much for ten days
A group Jewish experience
A life changing experience
A disappointment
NonParticipants
Participants
Whole
population
-.11
-.01
-.04
-.09
.02
.01
-.20
-.11
-.14
-.13
-.03
-.06
Corresponding
items PRE &
POST
Working for
social justice
Countering
anti-Semitism
Volunteering
to help those
in need
MEAN
NonParticipants
Participants
Whole
population
-.20
.14
.05
-.19
-.05
-.09
-.03
.13
.08
-.08
.57
.40
-.04
.34
.24
-.11
+.23
.14
Corresponding
items PRE &
POST
Caring about
Israel
Supporting
Jewish
organizations
Feel a connection
to Jewish history
Feel a connection
to Israel
Feel part of a
worldwide Jewish
community
MEAN
NonParticipants
Participants
Whole
population
-.14
.00
-.04
-.08
.03
.00
-.11
.08
.03
-.14
.03
-.02
-.12
-.06
-.08
-.10
-.15
-.14
-.09
-.12
-.11
-.11
.00
-.03
-.11
.01
-.02
-.13
-.02
-.05
Corresponding
items PRE &
POST
Being Jewish
Feel a connection to
Jewish traditions
and customs
Feel a connection to
your Jewish peers
Raising your
children Jewish
Feel a connection to
the Jewish community
where you live
Celebrating Jewish
holidays
Attending synagogue
Marrying someone
Jewish
Dating someone
Jewish
MEAN
NonParticipants
Participants
Whole
population
-.14
-.03
-.06
Corresponding
items PRE &
POST
Remembering the
Holocaust