Israel Wants Christians to Fund Non-Jewish ‘Birthright’ Program

Israeli Tourism Minister Uzi Landau says that he hopes to create a program modeled after Taglit-Birthright Israel trips for young Evangelical Christians, as part of an effort to increase Christian tourism in the Jewish state.

“The Christians have a problem with their next generation too,” Landau said, Ynet reported. “We are looking to get closer to this public in order to generate tourism and support for Israel when they return to their homeland, become our ambassadors and view Israel not through CNN’s eyes.”

The Birthright program, which in January celebrated its 13th anniversary, has brought more than 350,000 young Jews on free 10-day trips to Israel. Landau hopes that the Christian program modeled after Birthright would be funded by private philanthropists— like the Jewish program—and by the Christian community.