New Birthright leader says strongest 'anchor' for Jewish identity is Israel

New Birthright leader says strongest 'anchor' for Jewish identity is Israel

When Simon Amiel took over as Birthright Israel's executive vice president for North America, he saw the move not as a career change but as the next step in a mission that has guided much of his professional life: strengthening Jewish identity through transformative experiences in Israel.The Seattle native, who now lives in Teaneck, N.J., joined Birthright after six years as executive director of RootOne, an initiative that helps Jewish teens tr…