Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Birthright Israel welcomes first second-generation participant

Brooke Rubinoff’s parents joined the program in 2001.

The Rubinoffs, Birthright Israel
The Rubinoff family: Miles, Hayley, Brooke and Ashley. Credit: Courtesy of Birthright Israel.

Given that Birthright Israel has offered trips to Israel for 24 years now, it was only a matter of time before a couple that previously attended would have a child follow in their footsteps.

Brooke Rubinoff, 20, has now earned that distinction.

Her parents, Miles and Hayley Rubinoff, were already together when they joined a Birthright trip in 2001, two years after the program started in 1999. Last week, Brooke received a certificate noting the milestone. “I am so grateful to be here now and will never take for granted that this experience is a gift from the Jewish community,” she said.

Hayley Rubinoff said, “I never thought that two decades since my husband Miles and I were privileged to be among the first Birthright Israel groups -- and Miles’ first time in Israel -- our eldest daughter Brooke would also be receiving this incredible gift.”

She added that she looks forward to her second daughter, Ashley, also participating in the future.

Brooke and her family are from the Toronto suburb of Thornhill, Ontario, in Canada. She is studying biological science and minoring in neuroscience at the University of Guelph. She previously attended Jewish day school and Jewish summer camp.

Birthright Israel has organized tours of Israel for more than 800,000 Jewish young adults.

A California native, Jake Retzlaff played at Brigham Young University during the 2023 and 2024 seasons before transferring to Tulane University in 2025.
After receiving complaints, Nisa Frank, head of school at Prospect Sierra, wrote that the relationship with the camp ended due to its negative impact on students’ “identity safety.”
“We’ve faced hate before, and every time we’ve responded the same way,” Jake Cohen, executive director of Congregation Beth Israel, said. “By staying together and by refusing to let fear define us.”
Under Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Israel-Serbia relations have “entered a new phase,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said.
“Threats against synagogues and Jewish Americans are threats to the religious freedom promised to every single one of us,” according to the Justice Department.