Demystifying a Black Box: A Grounded Theory of How Travel Experiences Impact the Jewish Identity Development of Jewish Emerging Adults

Abstract

The positive impact on the Jewish Identity Development of Jewish Emerging Adults of both the 10 day trips to Israel popularly known as Birthright trips and the service learning trips commonly known as Alternative Spring Breaks has been well-documented. However, the mechanics of how this positive impact occurs has not been well-understood. This grounded theory study interviewed participants from both trips and found that there is an observable and ongoing cognitive processing of their trip experience by the participants that organically influences identity development. This process can be modeled and utilized to develop more effective staff training and program content for Jewish experiential education travel programs.

Notes

¹ Seventy-six percent of surveyed trip participants during the 2011–2012 program cycle had chosen these shorter trip experiences (Repair the World, 2012, p. 2).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott Aaron

Rabbi Scott Aaron, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation for Jewish Education of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. E-mail: [email protected]