Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 09, 2009 Tevet 13, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:36 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

U.S. gold medalist ready to dive in and help Birthright By Raphael Ahren Swimmer Benjamin Wildman-Tobriner, the three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, is currently in Israel - not to compete but as one of many young Americans in the country this winter on free Birthright Israel trips. Because of his tight training schedule, Wildman-Tobriner never thought about taking the time to travel to Israel. But after his remarkable Olympic performance - overcoming a career-threatening injury to his pectoral tendon just half a year before the Games - he decided to take a break from swimming. "It's a lot of pressure that's built up over a long period of time, so it's nice to relax a little bit," he said. Advertisement Once his agent suggested sitting down with Birthright to discuss a possible collaboration, it all happened very quickly. The first meeting took place in early December, and just a few days later he was booked on a plane to Tel Aviv. Given his quasi-celebrity status, Wildman-Tobriner was symbolically named Birthright's 200,000th participant. A video about his career and his future engagement with the organization was displayed at a Birthright "mega-event" yesterday in Jerusalem, during which he also met with President Shimon Peres. "While I was raised to be a proud Jew, I didn't really have a strong connection to Israel," said the 24-year-old San Francisco resident, who won gold in Beijing with the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay. "It really is an amazing place but it's hard to grasp it all at once. I think I'll need quite a few days to start to really appreciate where I am and what exactly I am seeing, but my first impressions were very positive," he told Anglo File on Tuesday in Jerusalem's Old City, one of the first stops of his trip. But what role Wildman-Tobriner is going to play for Birthright is not clear yet. "Our cooperation is still in its infancy," he said, pointing out several potential ways in which he could help the organization. First of all there is traditional fundraising. "After the [Bernie Madoff $50 billion Ponzi scheme] scandal, the Jewish fundraising world is not in good shape, so the number of [Birthright] trips is going to be decreased and the stability of the program needs to be maintained," he said. But besides targeting established philanthropists, Wildman-Tobriner wants to start looking at people his own age. On a long-term scale we're really looking to motivate my generation of Jews to start a new level of philanthropy," he said. "Clearly, no one between 18 and 26 can donate a million dollars to Birthright. But as time moves on they will emerge as the future leaders and will attain the financial means to donate. I want create a grassroots campaign, a movement for the Jews in America and everywhere to try to let them know that they as individuals can make a difference." Wildman-Tobriner feels inspired by President-elect Barack Obama's election campaign. "We saw large numbers of people trying to make a difference, whether it's donating $5 or volunteering or helping establish communities," Wildman-Tobriner said. "For my generation, this was perhaps the first time they made a visible impact." The gold medalist says he has never given thought to living here and would have to see more before I could say anything about immigrating. Max Jaben, a 22-year-old swimming talent from Kansas City, did move to Israel and joined the Israeli Swimming Association after having visited the country for the first time in 2005. "In terms of swimming, I don't think that's going to happen," said Wildman-Tobriner of the prospect of following in Jaben's footsteps. "I've identified for so long with representing the United States when I swim that I don't think I can change that." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fallen hero Relatives mourn Maj. Roey Rosner, 27, killed Wednesday by Gaza militants. On the northern front Hezbollah denies responsibility for two rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon.

Read & React Red Cross: Israel breaking int'l law, letting children starve in Gaza Responses: 114 Two Lebanon rockets hit North; Hezbollah denies involvment Responses: 68 Yossi Melman: Excellent intel on Gaza shows Israel learned from Lebanon errors Responses: 21 Yoav Stern: Rocket fire on North may be realization of Iran threat Responses: 25 Gideon Lichfield: So, why isn't Israel winning the PR war? Responses: 74 More Headlines 23:04 Third IDF soldier killed in Gaza over past 24 hours 22:37 Draft UN Security Council resolution doesn't call for immediate Gaza truce 02:23 Report: Obama ready to talk to Hamas after taking office 02:24 'This country exists because of people like him' 22:35 Israel to present complaint to UN over Lebanon rocket fire 01:24 European Jews to hold rallies supporting Israel's Gaza offensive 22:10 'I pray that he will watch over us, he died a hero' 22:38 At least two Lebanon rockets hit north Israel; Hezbollah denies involvment 02:06 UN: Army admitted school shelling was by mistake 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 22:05 IDF Chief of Staff Ashkenazi tours Gaza battlefields 23:11 WATCH: Olmert spokesman says Israel never sought war in Gaza 18:12 ANALYSIS / Rocket fire on North may be realization of Iran threat 19:57 UN says halting aid to Gaza, citing danger to staff from IDF 15:01 ANALYSIS / Excellent intel on Gaza shows Israel learned from its errors in Lebanon 19:07 Palestinians: 35 found dead in rubble of Gaza battle zone 17:07 Olmert: IDF has not yet achieved all its goals in Gaza offensive 20:35 WATCH: U.S. Senate voices strong support for Israel's Gaza battle against Hamas 18:53 Sarkozy: Halt to arms smuggling is key to Gaza cease-fire 16:08 Red Cross: Israel breaking int'l law, letting children starve in Gaza 21:49 Iran bans volunteer suicide bombers from traveling to Israel 17:18 Palestinian shot dead after trying to blow up settlement gas station Previous Editions Select Day 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec 26 dec

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