Birthright Israel co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Charles Bronfman said on Wednesday that young Jews are free to criticize Israel, but not while enjoying a free trip, JTA reported.
His comments came after at least two groups of American Jews visiting Israel on the 10-day trip left the tour to join leftists groups on visits to Palestinian Arabs. The walk-offs reportedly were encouraged by the leftist American-Jewish group IfNotNow, a group of Reform Jews who are against Israel’s ‘occupation’ of Palestine.
“If people want to call Israel names and say bad things about the country, they certainly have the right to free speech. But they don’t have the right to do it on our nickel,” he was quoted as having told Haaretz in an interview.
Birthright is a free 10-day trip to Israel, sponsored by several philanthropists to give young Jews the opportunity to tour the Land of Israel.
Read more at Arutz Sheva.
{Matzav.com}
The opposite of what a Jew is meant to stand for “hakoras hatov “