Every year, some 50,000 young American Jews will go on Birthright — a free, 10-day trip to Israel that offers a connection to other young Jews and a place many of us have family and have grown up hearing so many stories about.

We know that Birthright — which desperately wants to be viewed as a simple, apolitical, free trip — is hiding the truth about Israel and the Occupation from us. We are smart enough to know that more important than what participants are shown is what we are not shown — and now we have the numbers to prove it.

According to Haaretz, Birthright experienced a 50% decline in winter trip registrations this year. That's upwards of 5,000 American Jews who decided not to accept Birthright's false narrative that hides the Occupation. Coming on the heels of 13 activists off their Birthright trips over the summer, this marks a huge shift in how we as American Jews view Birthright.

The trip used to be viewed as a rite of passage in our Jewish journey, and now American Jews are seeing that Birthright is #NotJustAFreeTrip.

We certainly have the numbers, now we need the stories — that's where you come in.

Will you share your reason for deciding not to go on Birthright this Winter?

We've heard stories of people who've gone on Birthright — how they hide the Occupation and refuse to meet with Palestinians — we want to hear about the people who decided to learn the truth, rather than hear a sanitized version of Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Just fill out the form to the right, and we'll be in touch about sharing your story.

Birthright curates an experience that deliberately obscures the Occupation from view, both literally (participants never have the chance to witness the brutality of checkpoints or spend time in Palestinian villages) — and figuratively (failing to educate participants about the daily nightmare of Occupation for Palestinians or honestly engage with the narratives of Palestinians living under Occupation) during the trip.

We also recognize the program is largely funded by right-wing billionaire and Trump-supporter Sheldon Adelson, who has contributed over $400 million to Birthright since 2009. Adelson spent more than $80 million to elect Trump and other Republicans in 2016, and made the largest donation in history to an incoming president when he gave $5 million to the Trump inaugural committee.

Our generation will no longer allow ourselves to be manipulated by right-wing donors like Adelson and the radical Israeli government who tell us a story about Israel and Judaism that deliberately hides the Occupation. We demand the truth