Onward Israel

What Onward Israel does

Onward Israel, legally Birthright Israel Onward, is a US-domiciled program operator founded in 2012 that runs multi-week professional development and cultural-immersion experiences in Israel for young Jewish adults (typically 18-35). It operates as a program entity under the nonprofit Taglit-Birthright Israel umbrella and reports having engaged more than 4,200 participants since inception. Its core product portfolio comprises four tracks: an Internship program providing professional placements plus cultural activities; a four-week Fellowship track offering immersive, interest-aligned experiences; the Storytellers program (cohort of 80 fellows) focused on digital-age leadership and Jewish storytelling; and a Remote Work program that enables professionals to relocate temporarily with co-working access.

Underlying technology is intentionally light: a self-service web-based application portal (application.birthrightisraelonward.com) handles participant registration and management, supplemented by co-working infrastructure for Remote Work participants. There are no proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or SDKs disclosed. The business model combines participant program fees with substantial donor subsidisation; pricing is not publicly disclosed, and revenue is classified as one-time program fees. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and community-led, leveraging the Birthright Israel brand, Jewish community networks, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) for top-of-funnel acquisition. The company is small (11-50 employees), privately held, and supported historically by the Jim Joseph Foundation through two disclosed funding rounds totalling $12.5M in 2017 and 2019.

Name

Onward Israel

Legal name

Birthright Israel Onward

Website

https://onwardisrael.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Onward Israel runs multi-week internship, fellowship, storytelling, and remote work programs in Israel for young Jewish adults, combining professional placements with cultural immersion under the Taglit-Birthright Israel nonprofit umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Cultural and Professional Exchange Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Jewish Heritage & Israel Pilgrimage Travel Agencies (THAKAHAC), Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

Keywords

• Internship programs
• Fellowship programs
• Cultural immersion programs
• Remote work programs
• Youth exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue generated from participant program fees for internship, fellowship, storytelling, and remote work programs in Israel. Programs include accommodation, professional placement, cultural activities, day trips, weekend retreats, and community events as part of the package.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Onward Israel (legally Birthright Israel Onward) delivers multi-week career and cultural immersion programs in Israel for young Jewish adults. The portfolio comprises four core program tracks — Internship, Fellowship, Storytellers, and Remote Work — that combine professional placements, cohort-based learning, accommodation, day trips, weekend retreats, and on-the-ground community engagement. Programs are accessed through a dedicated online application portal and delivered in partnership with Israeli host companies, co-working spaces, and community organizations.

Product overview

Onward Israel is a platform offering multiple interconnected programs centered around professional development and cultural immersion in Israel. The core portfolio includes four distinct programs: the Internship program for gaining professional experience; the Fellowship program for immersive four-week deep-dive experiences; the Storytellers program for digital-age leadership and Jewish identity development; and the Remote Work program for professionals seeking to work from Israel. All programs share a common structure of application, matching, travel coordination, and on-the-ground support, enabling participants to live, work, and explore Israel while building careers and connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Internship Program

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a large educational travel provider running international programs for students and young adults. Comparable as a broad incumbent in cohort-based experiential education, though broader in geography and audience.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a large-scale study abroad and international exchange provider offering programs across many countries. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the international experience category, though not Israel- or Jewish-specific.
• Taglit-Birthright Israel: Taglit-Birthright Israel is Onward Israel's parent organization and the dominant 10-day heritage trip program for Jewish young adults. It is a broad incumbent whose brand feeds Onward's pipeline but which does not itself run multi-week professional placements.
• Nefesh B'Nefesh: Nefesh B'Nefesh facilitates aliyah (immigration to Israel) for Jewish North Americans, offering professional absorption, employment placement, and community integration. Adjacent to Onward's professional-placement mission but focused on permanent relocation rather than short-term programs.

Direct peers

• MASA Israel Journey: MASA Israel Journey is a direct peer offering long-term programs (internships, fellowships, academic study, volunteering) in Israel for young Jewish adults aged 18–30. It is structurally the closest competitor, sharing the same audience, donor-funded model, and Israel-based delivery as Onward Israel.
• Career Israel: Career Israel provides career-oriented internships and professional experiences in Israel for Jewish young adults. Overlaps directly with Onward's Internship and Remote Work tracks, targeting the same demographic and outcome (resume-building international experience).
• Israel Experience: Israel Experience organizes long-term study, internship, and volunteer programs in Israel for Jewish youth, functioning as another operator in the same niche as Onward Israel with comparable cohort-based, Israel-delivered offerings.

Emerging players

• GoOverseas: GoOverseas is a marketplace that lists international internships, volunteer, and study abroad programs. Adjacent comparison as a discovery and lead-gen layer that overlaps with the broader category in which Onward Israel competes.
• Young Judaea: Young Judaea runs Zionist youth programs, summer camps, and Israel experiences for Jewish teens and young adults. Overlaps with Onward's community-led, identity-building programming but skews younger and more camp-oriented.

Regional players

• RAMAH Camping Movement: RAMAH operates Jewish summer camps and Israel travel programs for North American youth. Adjacent as a community-rooted Jewish experiential provider but focused on summer-camp and teen travel rather than adult professional placements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/birthrightisraelonward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birthrightisraelonward
• Instagraminstagram.com/birthrightisraelonward/?hl=en
• Xx.com/OnwardIsrael

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Onward Israel