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HMI Alumni Leadership Trip

June 2-6, 2024

Get ready to take the next step in your leadership journey with HMI on our inaugural Alumni Leadership Trip to Israel!

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural HMI Alumni Leadership Trip to Israel, a unique opportunity for dedicated alumni like you to revisit the place that sparked your Honeymoon Israel journey and deepen your commitment to HMI through leadership and support.

Following the tragic events of October 7, Israel and the Jewish community are forever changed. As an alum, you have the unique opportunity to become a valuable leader in the HMI community and broader Jewish community, and play a critical role on this journey of resilience and renewal.

The Alumni Leadership Trip will feature opportunities to hear diverse viewpoints from inspirational community leaders in Israel, experience meaningful volunteer opportunities, and forge deeper connections with other passionate alumni across the nation. Together we’ll explore the role we all play as leaders at critical times and you’ll have the opportunity to clarify how you want to be a leader in the Jewish community.

Apply Now

This trip is open to all HMI alumni as individuals, but both partners from a couple are welcome to apply individually. Potential participants will each complete a short application, describing their interest in the trip and in deeper engagement with HMI as an alum leader. To participate in this program, we kindly request a two year minimum gift commitment of $1,800 per year. After the trip, we’ll continue exploring opportunities for further engagement within HMI and the broader Jewish community with you.

Trip Details

The HMI Alumni Leadership Trip will take place from Sunday, June 2 through Thursday, June 6, 2024.

  • Participants must arrive in Israel by Sunday, June 2 at 2:00 pm, and stay through the program’s conclusion Thursday evening, June 6 at 8:00 pm.
  • This group will be based out of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the duration of the trip.
  • If you would like to extend your stay through Shabbat, we can work with you to help secure accommodations.
  • You must have a valid passport with an expiration date beyond six months of the trip dates.

Trip Cost

This program is highly subsidized thanks to the generosity of donors.

  • $500 participation fee per person; this includes hotel in double occupancy, most meals, and transportation throughout the program.
  • If you wish to stay in a single room there will be a single supplement room cost of an additional $500.
  • This cost does not include plane flight or airport transfers – participants must book their own flight arrangements and travel to/from both their home airport and the airport in Israel.
  • We recommend all participants obtain travel insurance.
  • We ask that each household, whether an individual or couple, commits to a minimum gift to Honeymoon Israel of $1,800 for two years (2024 and 2025).
Apply Now

Pay It Forward to HMI

We ask that each household, whether an individual or couple, commits to a minimum gift to Honeymoon Israel of $1,800 for two years (2024 and 2025). Meaningful gifts to Honeymoon Israel ensure that we can continue our important work connecting couples to Israel and Jewish life and sustaining our ever-growing community.

Gifts can be made in a variety of ways, including monthly payments or stock transfer. We will work with you on your preferred method of payment.

Apply Now

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact HMI Alumni Giving Director, Joey Brooks at alumnitrip@honeymoonisrael.org. 

FAQs

Is this opportunity for couples or individuals?
This program is open to all HMI alumni as individuals, but both partners from a couple are welcome to apply individually.

What does participating in this program include?
We ask that you commit to two pre-trip virtual events, four full days in Israel, and one virtual gathering after returning from Israel. We will also have ongoing opportunities to deepen your commitment to HMI.

What is the application process?
You’ll submit an online Statement of Interest outlining why you’re interested in being part of the inaugural HMI alumni trip to Israel. All statements of interest are due by March 18, 2024. Honeymoon Israel will be in touch with all those interested about 2-3 weeks after the deadline regarding the status of submissions.

Is this trip city-based like my original HMI trip?
No, this is a national program. The trip will be made up of alumni from all over the country and Canada.

Can I bring my child(ren)?
While we love kids at domestic events, we do not recommend bringing children to Israel with you at this time. Children cannot participate in any of our activities or travel in our transportation with us.

I’m not Jewish, can I still participate?
Yes! We encourage any HMI alum who is interested in a deeper commitment to HMI or the Jewish community to apply. Many HMI alumni who were not raised Jewish are active members of their local HMI and Jewish communities and bring a critical perspective to what modern Jewish life looks like for so many couples.

Where will we be throughout the program?
This group will be based out of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the duration of the trip. With an ever-changing situation on the ground in Israel, we are working to provide our participants with the safest and most meaningful experience. We will share our full itinerary closer to our departure date so that we can continue to adapt it as needed to prioritize your safety and security.

What types of things can I expect to do on this trip?
This will be a different experience than your HMI trip. You will explore Israel from a leadership lens; we will hear from speakers that represent the diversity of Israeli society, have conversations about how you can show up as a leader in the Jewish community, and engage in meaningful service work.

Who will I travel with?
This group will be made up of HMI alumni individuals and/or couples from all over the U.S., along with HMI staff members, a rabbi, and an Israeli Tour Educator. Our group will have its own dedicated bus driver. You will be joined by an armed Israeli security guard during portions, if not the duration, of your trip.

What will accommodations be like during the trip?
Your participant fee will cover a double occupancy hotel room and most meals. We will stay in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and we will travel around Israel in a private bus. If you have a partner or friend participating in the alumni trip program and would like to room with them, please let us know and we can try to accommodate you. There will be an additional cost for a single room.

How do you accommodate different access needs?
Honeymoon Israel is committed to finding ways to accommodate all individuals who are selected for our trips. If you choose to apply and are ultimately secured a spot, please be sure to share any ways we can ensure your accessibility needs are met.

What does this trip cost and what’s included in my participant fee?
This trip is highly subsidized thanks to HMI’s generous donors. The non-refundable participant fee for this experience is $500 per person. This includes a double occupancy hotel room, most meals, and transportation throughout the program. If you wish to stay in a single room there will be a single supplement room cost of an additional $500. Participants are responsible for the cost of flights, travel to/from both their home airport and the airport in Israel, and travel insurance. In addition, a minimum gift to HMI of $1,800 for two years per household.

Why does this trip require a contribution to HMI?
Meaningful gifts to Honeymoon Israel ensure that we can continue our important work connecting couples to Israel and Jewish life and sustaining our ever-growing community. We ask that each household, whether an individual or couple, commits to a minimum gift to Honeymoon Israel of $1,800 for two years. Gifts can be made in a variety of ways, including monthly or stock transfer. 

What is the trip cancelation policy?
After you submit your registration and payment, the trip fee is deemed non-refundable and any cancellations will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Ensure that you fully understand your travel insurance policy for cancellation coverage.

Do I need a passport or visa to travel to Israel?
YES! All passports must be valid for at least six months past your return travel date in order to travel to and from Israel. If you do not have a U.S. passport, you may need to obtain a visa to enter Israel. Please research the requirements for your specific circumstances on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

When will I need to book my flight?
Please wait to book your flight until we confirm your participation in the program. We will share travel and registration information, and will ask that you share with us your confirmed flight information so we can keep track of when you are arriving and departing.

Do I need travel insurance?
Honeymoon Israel recommends that each participant obtains travel insurance prior to departure that covers trip cancellation, health coverage, COVID-19 quarantine costs, luggage delays, and flight delays/cancellations.

How do you accommodate different access needs?
Honeymoon Israel is committed to finding ways to accommodate all individuals who are selected for our trips. If you choose to apply and are ultimately secured a spot, please be sure to share any ways we can ensure your accessibility needs are met.

How can I extend if I want to stay through Shabbat and the whole weekend?
Participants must arrive in Tel Aviv by Sunday, June 2 at 2:00 pm and the program will end Thursday evening, June 6, after 8:00 pm. If you would like to travel to Israel before the start of the trip or extend your stay through Shabbat, we can work with you to help secure accommodations.

How do you address safety and security?
The safety of our participants and staff is always our top priority. We ensure that all groups are following the most updated safety and security guidelines in Israel. We work with experienced, accredited, professional tour educators and trip operators who have access to the most up-to-date security information. Our trip itineraries are reviewed continually to ensure that participants are safe and have the best experience possible.

What happens if there is a security situation during the trip?
In the event of an escalation of conflict or any threat of violence, Honeymoon Israel will not hesitate to change the itinerary and/or take any other necessary precautions. HMI’s travel partners in Israel are in constant contact with Israel’s security services who have responsibility for the safety and security of all groups in the country. Additionally, the group will be accompanied by armed security personnel out of an abundance of caution.

How will we get around Israel?
The cohort will travel together as a group on a designated tour bus with the same driver for the duration of the trip. Nobody outside of the group will be permitted on the bus. When there is free time, participants can travel by taxi or by foot with guidance from staff.