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Our Story

 

RootOne LLC helps thousands of Jewish teens travel to Israel each summer for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. RootOne is an ambitious initiative, seeded by a generous gift from The Marcus Foundation and powered by The Jewish Education Project

“My whole perception and understanding of Israel and my Jewish identity has completely shifted from before I went”

Mark S.

Florida

Transformative

RootOne experiences create a lasting impact – leading you on a journey of self-discovery, pushing you to challenge your ideas, and reimagining your relationship with Israel. Lean into something new

Empowering

RootOne experiences are more than a summer trip to Israel. Participants develop leadership skills, gain knowledge, and strengthen their understanding of their own identities. Post trip, teens report feeling more confident making their way through the world on their own.

Enriching

Pursue your passion. RootOne affiliates offer a growing list of Israel experiences that focus on specific areas of interest – sports, entrepreneurship, and social justice to name a few. Explore your interests while you deepen your relationship with Israel, strengthen your connection to Jewish community, and experience the best summer of your life.

Educational

Have fun and go deeper. Meet Israelis, build community, learn about Jewish history, and discover more about yourself. Engage with new perspectives and equip yourself with the knowledge and confidence to articulate your own ideas.

As teens embark on a complex journey of enrolling in college and entering adulthood, solidifying their Jewish identity is critical. The value and impact of Israel summer programs on Jewish teens has been proven to better connect them to their identity and community, as well as increase their confidence and empower them.

The name RootOne is meant to represent the idea of “travel with a purpose”. It is a homonym of Route 1 (Kvish Achat), the primary highway that connects Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Separately, “Root” is a nod to RootOne’s Israel experiences, designed to help teens find their roots by digging deeper into Israel, literally and figuratively. “One” represents the oneness of the Jewish people, the fact that for most teens this is their first trip to Israel, and that Israel is the one true Homeland of the Jewish People.

RootOne’s goal is to maximize the number of North American Jewish teens who experience Israel first-hand, and to maximize the impact that these experiences have on each teen. RootOne does not run its own trips to Israel but we accomplish our goal by reducing the barriers to participation through RootOne travel subsidies (our “vouchers”) for teen participants in RootOne-affiliated Israel summer experiences.

RootOne provides financial, organizational and educational support to affiliated Israel trip providers (youth serving organizations, residential camps, Jewish community centers, etc.). Our organization also invests in elevating Israel experiences to create the highest quality, safest and most impactful experiences possible.