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Source: http://www.miami.com/mld/jewishstartimes/4715598.htm
Birthright Israel Adapts
(Miami Jewish Star Times/JTA) Rachel Pomerance - Birthright Israel, which offers a free trip to Israel for 18-26 year olds, is drawing more participants than most Israel programs. Still, the numbers are significantly lower than originally projected when the program was launched in late 1999. So far, more than 33,000 young Jews have participated. More than 6,000 young adults, half of them from North America, have applied for this year's winter trips. While the proportion of North Americans has dropped, increasing numbers of participants are coming from Argentina, France, and the former Soviet Union. Since the Palestinian violence began in September 2000, free time for participants to roam the streets has been eliminated. Birthright also puts a cell phone on each bus and buses are connected to a global positioning system, so groups can be tracked at all times.