By: Ariella Haviv

As Israel’s sudden war with Iran threw international travel into paralysis and sent shockwaves through Jewish communities worldwide, Birthright Israel—a cornerstone of Diaspora-Israel engagement—undertook one of the most ambitious and unconventional evacuations in its 24-year history. As reported on Tuesday by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), 1,500 young adults participating in Birthright programs set sail on Tuesday aboard a luxury cruise ship bound for Cyprus, in a dramatic bid to exit a nation under siege.

This was no ordinary Birthright excursion. Typically known for desert hikes, historical tours, and immersive educational experiences, Birthright’s itinerary this week turned into a carefully orchestrated maritime rescue. As JTA reported, the escalation of conflict following Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iran grounded all commercial flights and trapped tens of thousands of international visitors inside the country, including the 2,800 young adults who had already arrived through Birthright’s summer programming.

With the skies closed and roads congested with military movements, Birthright quickly pivoted from programming to crisis logistics. After initial efforts focused on consolidating and securing participants across the country, the organization—coordinating closely with the Israeli government and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—charted a high-stakes course through the sea.

Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel, captured the gravity of the operation in a statement cited by JTA: “Today we witnessed the true spirit of Birthright Israel — not only as an educational journey, but as a global family committed to the safety and well-being of every participant.” He praised the “complex and emotional operation,” emphasizing that teams are continuing around-the-clock efforts to rescue the 1,300 participants who remain in Israel.

The vessel at the center of the rescue, the Crown Iris, is an 11-deck Israeli cruise ship operated by Mano Maritime. Under tight secrecy, and with a naval escort, it departed Ashdod Port at 2 p.m. local time, sailing for Larnaca, Cyprus on a 13-hour voyage through heavily monitored waters. According to the JTA report, participants were told to keep the mission secret, not only for operational security but to manage the growing anxiety of families across the U.S. and other diaspora communities. “We wanted them to be out in the sea before any of the information is out,” explained Noa Bauer, Birthright’s Vice President of Global Marketing.

As Bauer told the JTA, past emergency evacuations had relied on air routes or land crossings into Jordan. “But this time we had a lot of people and we wanted to get them in the safest way out,” she said. After consulting with Israeli Home Front Command and maritime specialists, a sea evacuation was deemed the most viable option.

Upon arrival in Cyprus, the American participants will board four wide-bodied planes chartered by the State of Florida to return home via Tampa. The rescue comes at considerable cost, with Birthright shouldering expenses for accommodations, transport, and charter vessels not covered by DeSantis’s initiative.

While the evacuation marks a victory in logistical execution, the emotional toll is evident. As the JTA reported, participants such as Samantha Phillips, who had just begun an internship through Birthright’s new Onward program, expressed a sense of loss amid the disruption. “We just finally had gotten the routine of living in Tel Aviv and having that ripped away really fast was a lot to process,” said Phillips, who studies at Elon University.

For others, the evacuation was laced with guilt and fear. Shani Weisenberg, a 21-year-old student at the University of Vermont, told the JTA she was torn between her desire to return to safety and the anguish of leaving behind local Israelis facing daily missile threats. “I’m feeling really anxious at night, wanting to go home, and just feeling really scared for everything that’s happening,” she said.

Anna Langer, of the Israel Educational Travel Alliance, emphasized in her comments to the JTA that organizations are navigating rapidly changing conditions. “There are no aircrafts in Israel as of now,” she said, adding that her team is coordinating with the Jewish Agency and other international partners to consider every evacuation route—by land, air, or sea.

The urgency is underscored by stories like that of Luca Sever, an 18-year-old from Maryland who had arrived just days earlier for a month-long advocacy program. She described the chaos of hearing sirens for the first time early Friday morning and sheltering in her Tel Aviv apartment’s basement. “We didn’t see anyone there. We were very, very scared,” she told the JTA.

Even as thousands now head home, hundreds remain. Bauer told the JTA that evacuations for the remaining Birthright participants are already underway and may involve further sea departures. With Israeli airspace still largely restricted, she believes maritime routes remain the most practical option in the near term.

Importantly, Bauer indicated that once all Birthright participants are safe, the organization will offer remaining space aboard its vessels to other Jewish and educational organizations struggling to evacuate staff and students. “We’re going to help everyone we can,” she said.

As the JTA report indicated, the episode has transformed Birthright’s legacy. What began as a cultural rite of passage for young Jewish adults has, in a moment of war, become a lifeline — and a testament to the unyielding bonds of a global Jewish community facing crisis together.