More than 4,500 North American and Israeli Jewish teens came together July 10 at Live Park in Rishon Letzion for the return of RootOne’s Big Tent event, a gathering of international Jewish teens in Israel. Featuring a headline performance by 2026 Eurovision runner-up Noam Bettan, the event celebrated the friendships, shared experiences and enduring connections that unite Jewish teens across continents.
Hosted by RootOne in partnership with The Jewish Agency for Israel, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism and Mosaic United, the return of Big Tent marked a significant milestone for RootOne and the broader Jewish community. As the first gathering of its kind since 2023, the event reflected the enduring demand for immersive Israel experiences and highlighted the importance of bringing thousands of North American Jewish teens together with their Israeli peers at a moment when personal relationships and mutual understanding are more important than ever.
“There’s something incredibly hopeful about watching more than 4,000 North American Jewish teens choose to spend their summer in Israel alongside 500 of their Israeli peers and then seeing them all together in one place,” said David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project and interim executive director of RootOne. “This wasn’t just a celebration of the summer—it was a glimpse of the future. When young Jews from North America and Israel get to know one another as people, not headlines, they build trust, empathy and a shared future. Those friendships don’t end when everyone gets on a plane home. They become part of how this generation will shape the Jewish community of the future, and that’s exactly why RootOne exists.”
The first Big Tent event since Oct. 7 was marked with a moving performance by Daniel Weiss, a surviving resident of Kibbutz Be’eri and testimony from Moran Stella Yanai, who was taken from the Nova Music Festival and held hostage for 54 days. The juxtaposition of these stories with the uplifting celebration underscored the organization’s commitment to carry forward the stories of Oct. 7 while building a strong and resilient future for the next generation.
The event also featured a live podcast broadcast from Unpacked’s Unpacking Israeli History, hosted by Noam Weissman and Yirmiyahu Danzig. Throughout the evening, participants volunteered together to assemble care packages for Israeli families, met Israeli pen pals in person for the first time through a partnership with ENTER: Peoplehood, explored opportunities for continued engagement after their summer programs and celebrated the relationships formed during their time in Israel
“One of the things we have seen since Oct. 7 is the power of community,” said Ike Diamond, a RootOne participant from Houston, Texas, who served as an emcee for the evening. “People are showing up, reaching out and choosing not to look away. That is the power of this Big Tent.”
RootOne’s Big Tent event serves as the signature experience for participants on RootOne-affiliated summer travel programs, reinforcing the organization’s mission to help teens develop lasting connections to Israel, Jewish identity and one another. Throughout the summer, participants explore Israel’s history, culture and contemporary society while traveling alongside Israeli peers, creating authentic relationships that extend well beyond their time in the country.
Seeded by a generous gift from The Marcus Foundation and incubated at The Jewish Education Project, RootOne provides $3,000 vouchers to eligible North American Jewish teens to help make immersive Israel travel more accessible. By partnering with leading Israel trip providers, RootOne empowers thousands of teens each year to experience Israel in ways that foster lifelong engagement with Jewish life, Israel and the global Jewish community.
