Birthright Israel, also known as Taglit-Birthright Israel is a Zionist organization that sponsors free 10-ay trips to Israel for Jewish young adults. Birthright Israel's goals are to diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewry; and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people. As of Summer 2008, over 160,000 individuals from fifty-two different countries have participated since the trips began in the winter of 2000. 70% of trip participants come from the United States.