HMI Argentina Experience

• • Honeymoon Israel is a nonprofit organization dedicated to welcoming young couples with at least one Jewish partner into the Jewish community. For many young couples, there’s no easy way into Jewish life, especially during the critical years when they’re deciding how to shape their lives.
  • Honeymoon Israel offers a way in: highly-subsidized group travel that serves as a catalyst for building a lifelong Jewish community at home.

At Honeymoon Israel, we are dedicated to bringing young couples like you to Israel. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and offers a multitude of connections to the Jewish community in the United States. It’s a unique and unpredictable time to travel to Israel – and we understand that for some of our participants it is just not the right time to do so. We wanted to offer an alternative option for those wanting to build community and find their way into Jewish life.

When you are accepted to Honeymoon Israel’s program in Argentina, you’ll receive pre-trip support, an immersive group trip to Argentina, alumni programs and support, as well as the opportunity to build a lifelong group of friends. Thanks to the generosity of our funders we are able to offer this incredible program at a highly subsidized cost of just $2,900.

There’s no catch. Our hope is to connect young couples to Judaism who would not otherwise have been connected. Many of our participants haven’t felt welcomed in traditional Jewish spaces but are interested in making Judaism their own. Our program is designed to help you do that on your own terms, with no expectations around your level of involvement, religious beliefs, or support for Israel. We provide a safe space to learn and ask questions.

Our nonprofit organization is supported by more than a dozen national foundations, as well as local Jewish Federations and foundations, individual donors, and our alumni. While there is no expectation to give after your trip, our alumni love to pay it forward to ensure that more couples have access to this life-changing experience. Honeymoon Israel does not receive funding from the State of Israel for its program.

View our full FAQ page

Participants are required to participate fully in the HMI itinerary, which means attending all organized elements of the itinerary. We ask couples to come with an open mind and willingness to be vulnerable in order to connect with other couples. Conversations about Judaism, Israel, and antisemitism can be highly charged for many and we expect all participants to be thoughtful and respectful. 

You’ll explore Argentina with approximately 20 couples from your city, along with a local HMI staff member, a local rabbi or Jewish educator, and a Tour Educator.

You and your partner will have a private room in upscale hotels in prime locations throughout Argentina. We’ll enjoy shared transportation on a dedicated comfortable tour bus and a driver. Meals provided by HMI showcase the diverse local cuisine.

HMI runs every trip with the support of experienced international travel partners. We have incredibly high standards for our experience, and want to ensure that each couple has the opportunity to build community and connect to Judaism in a way that feels authentic to their partnership.

No! We welcome you exactly as you are, and have no agenda around conversion. Rabbis and Jewish educators join trips to bring Jewish meaning to conversations and special moments like Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath). They are there to answer questions as they arise. Think of it as your week-long “ask me anything” opportunity. Each rabbi or Jewish educator is from your home city, so when you get home they continue to be available to provide you support as desired.

HMI has no agenda on how religious you and/or your partner are or want to be. Our participants come from a wide background of religions and religious beliefs. We hope that you enjoy the opportunity to participate in our Shabbat (Jewish sabbath) experience. Our intention is to provide our participants with a variety of examples of how to “do Jewish” and let you choose what feels comfortable for you and your partner.

The Argentina experience will offer a way for couples to explore Jewish heritage while discussing the complex, innate, and meaningful connection that Jews in the diaspora have to Israel. Couples will come together in meaningful conversation about how the heartbreaking current affairs in Israel have impacted Jews everywhere. 

Pack your comfy shoes. Our trip itineraries include extensive walking each day, often on uneven surfaces, as well as opportunities for hiking, swimming, and more. The average day starts by 8am and finishes as early as 3pm or late as 10pm. Our trip is designed to accommodate pregnant people and meet accessibility needs.

Guided by our Jewish values, we aim to be inclusive of all individuals with disabilities and to accommodate specific access needs. During the application process, please be sure to share any ways we can ensure your accessibility needs are met.

We will provide a detailed packing list in advance of your trip that is tailored to your specific itinerary and expected weather.

HMI’s program is highly subsidized thanks to the generosity of our donors. The cost per couple is $2,900.

What’s included:

• Round trip airfare
• Hotel accommodations with private rooms for couples
• Group transportation in Argentina 
• Three staff people: city-based staff, a rabbi or Jewish educator, and aTour Educator
• All organized activities and touring
• Breakfast daily
• Some lunches and dinners

What’s not included:

• Travel/health insurance 
• Transportation to/from the airport in the U.S.
• Some lunches and dinners
• Personal purchases (like souvenirs)
• Flight upgrades or changes

When you accept your trip invitation, you will be asked to pay your nonrefundable deposit within a few weeks in order to secure your spot.

Our experience is highly subsidized and as such we are not able to offer financial aid or scholarships. In some cases we are able to offer a payment plan for participants. If cost is a barrier to participation, we encourage you to reach out to local Jewish organizations for potential financial support.

Yes! Honeymoon Israel requires that each participant obtains travel insurance prior to departure. HMI recommends that you include the “cancel for any reason” benefit to your policy, in which case you will likely need to purchase it within 21 days of submitting your trip fee. 

Trip fees are paid via a secure online payment system. We accept credit and debit cards. 

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. If Honeymoon Israel makes the decision to postpone a trip, we will be in touch about options for a refund or securing your spot on a new set of trip dates.

YES! You need a valid passport to travel to Argentina. If you don’t hold a U.S. passport, you may need a visa or face other entry requirements. Please contact your closest Argentinian consulate for more information. If you don’t already have a passport, we recommend that you begin the process to obtain one as soon as possible. You’ll be required to provide us with your passport number and a photocopy before we can issue your flight ticket.

U.S. citizens do not need a visa to visit Argentina. If you are not traveling on a U.S. passport, please be sure to research whether you will need a visa. Our travel partners are prepared to support you as needed. 

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

Yes, Honeymoon Israel requires that each participant obtains travel insurance prior to departure. HMI recommends that you include the “cancel for any reason” benefit to your policy, in which case you will likely need to purchase it within 21 days of submitting your trip fee. 

Travel insurance should cover trip cancellation, health coverage, COVID-19 quarantine costs, luggage delays, and flight delays/cancellations. Honeymoon Israel will not review your trip insurance, so it will need to cover the items above as HMI can not be responsible for any additional costs incurred due to incorrect travel insurance. When discussing coverage options, you may indicate the cost of the trip as $2,900, plus any additional fees paid, if applicable.

Yes, you can select your own insurance carrier. If needed, HMI’s travel vendor does provide an option for insurance: Travel Insured International. Please reach out to liana@traveland.net for inquiries about this plan.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with your insurance plan to understand coverage and reimbursement requirements for events such as travel disruptions, illness, luggage delays, and more.

You and your partner will be booked in economy seating on the group flight to and from Argentina. If you wish to upgrade your seat(s), any changes you make may incur fees that will be at your own expense. If you choose to upgrade your seat(s), your ticket will be booked separately from the group tickets, and you will be financially liable for the entire ticket should the trip be postponed or if you need to cancel. There is a deadline by which you need to choose this option, which will be communicated in advance.

Likewise, if you choose to extend your trip in Argentina, your ticket will be booked separately from the group tickets, and you will be financially liable for the entire ticket should the trip be postponed or if you need to cancel. There is a deadline by which you need to choose this option which will be communicated in advance.

If you plan to add travel to another country to your trip, you will be fully financially responsible for any flights that are not to/from Argentina in addition to any extension costs, as noted above.

Please email trips@honeymoonisrael.org if you have any questions about our policy or your individual reservations.

Participation in the entirety of the program is mandatory. We do not allow participants to leave before the trip ends. In the event that you have a personal emergency or are asked to leave the trip due to inappropriate conduct, costs associated with leaving early (flight changes, transportation, etc) are the responsibility of the participant.

If your luggage does not arrive when you do, most airlines will offer some (minimal) compensation when you present receipts so that you can get some basics. Your trip staff and our travel providers will do our best to assist you working with the airlines and acquiring essentials until your luggage is located. Remember to carry essentials such as medications in your carry-on baggage. 

Airline tickets are issued based on the full given name(s) and last name that you put on your registration, which must match the full name on your passport. If there’s a discrepancy, the airline has the right to deny you passage or charge to reissue the ticket, and you will be responsible for any financial penalties. If you entered your name incorrectly or changed your name, contact us right away.

We care about our community, and want to keep everyone healthy and safe to the best of our ability. The HMI alumni community is diverse and has a variety of access needs, and as such we do our best to make accommodations to ensure that everyone can participate.

If you are attending an HMI event, we ask that you stay home if you are exhibiting contagious symptoms or feel unwell. If you have accessibility needs that put you at higher risk to infectious diseases, please let us know so that we can provide accommodations. We also strongly encourage event attendees to be up to date on all COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters as recommended by the CDC.

Thank you for helping us keep everyone in our community safe.

Your health and safety is our top priority. Our team will support you and your partner throughout your illness or injury. If an individual requires medical attention for any reason, Argentina has an excellent medical system with hospitals throughout the country. HMI staff will transport individuals to nearby medical facilities if needed, based on the severity of illness, and we can arrange to bring doctors to the hotel and provide translation support. For your own protection, be sure your travel insurance includes medical coverage in Argentina for the duration of your trip.

We have had many participants join HMI trips with various types of food allergies. Participants with food allergies should include this information in registration forms and be in touch with HMI staff about any questions/concerns. While we cannot guarantee that meals will not have cross-contamination, we will work with our travel vendors to do our best to ensure a safe experience.

Participants are encouraged to be up to date on all COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters as recommended by the CDC.

On your trip, if you begin exhibiting symptoms or feel unwell, from COVID-19 or another illness, please remove yourself from group activities until you’re 24 hours fever-free, and your symptoms improve. Once you return to the group, please be prepared to take additional precautions to protect other members of your group, particularly those most at risk for severe illness. HMI staff can support you if you need additional medical attention or any testing for insurance purposes. If you have accessibility needs that put you at higher risk to infectious diseases, please let us know so that we can provide accommodations.

Yes, absolutely! We know how important it is to build Jewish community and hope you are able to join us for one of our experiences.

Please reach out to trips@honeymoonisrael.org if you are interested in moving to new trip dates and we’ll discuss the possibilities with you. 

After you submit our Argentina experience application, we’ll be in touch to let you know if you’ve been invited to an interview. Interviews will take place online in September and both partners must be available.  

We look at a variety of factors to determine who gets accepted, including whether a couple meets eligibility criteria. We will do our best to get to know you to understand whether Honeymoon Israel might be a good fit for you.

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 on the trip, please be sure to share any ways we can ensure your accessibility needs are met.

It’s important to us that anyone traveling while pregnant remains healthy throughout the trip. If you are currently pregnant or become pregnant before your HMI trip, you are required to include this on your registration or notify us directly and submit a doctor’s note clearing you for travel at least two weeks prior to departure.

It is possible to pump while you are in Argentina. However, you may run into challenges regarding proximity to electricity and/or temperature control of your milk should you choose to transport it while in Argentina. We often have long travel days in which you may be on the go all day, and it may be difficult to locate a private area for pumping. Our staff is here to support you and provide as much accommodation and support as possible.