January 2027

4pm Program Start

• Welcome to modern Tel Aviv! Each day will have a theme that helps us explore parts of Judaism and Israel. The theme for our first day is Hebrew, an ancient language that has been revived to shape Israel’s identity. Language is a window to a culture and a people and our time in Israel will help us understand it better.
• We’ll meet at 4pm at the hotel for drinks and bites, as well as an opening program to welcome you warmly to Israel and the HMI journey.

Overnight: Tel Aviv

• Breakfast at the hotel
• First up, we’ll hear from a speaker who will share the unique story of the Ethiopian Jewish community, which preserved its identity for generations before becoming one of the many diverse Jewish identities that make up Israel today. 
• Next, you’ll have time to explore Shuk HaCarmel, Israel’s largest market, as well as Nachalat Benyamin Market, a craft market one street over. Nachalat Benyamin Market is one of the best places to find original and handmade art in Tel Aviv.
• Lunch on your own in the market area. It’s the perfect time to sample Israeli street food, like falafel or shawarma!
• Now that you’re in the mood for art, we’ll head to ANU, the Museum of the Jewish People. ANU celebrates the multiculturalism of Jewish diversity and adopts an inclusive, pluralistic approach. The mission of the museum is to display the unique and ongoing 4,000 year-old story of the Jewish people– past, present, and future.
• Back at the hotel, we’ll convene for HMI Conversation #1. The intention for these conversations is to have dedicated time for the group to process our experience, explore big questions, and build a sense of community.
• Dinner on your own and evening at leisure. Check out our Restaurant Guide for ideas!

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Tel Aviv

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• We’ll head south for our volunteer day! We’ll join our partners at Yahel, a non-profit organization dedicated to responsible and sustainable volunteer experiences in Israel, for a day of volunteering and service learning that addresses real needs in Israel. Tikkun olam (repairing the world) is a core value in Judaism. Volunteering, or working to repair the brokenness in our world, is a powerful outward expression of Jewish values.
• While we’re in the south, we’ll visit the Nova Festival Memorial Site in Re’im to learn about the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, and their impact on communities across southern Israel. We’ll have time to reflect together, drawing on Jewish rituals to help process the experience.
• Then we’ll return to Tel Aviv for dinner. Be sure to grab something to eat before we embark on our nightlife tour of Tel Aviv that will showcase the vibrant music and nightlife energy in this hip city. 

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Tel Aviv

• Breakfast at the hotel, then check out before we depart for Jerusalem!
• We’ll set off on our tour of the Old City of Jerusalem and its four quarters: the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, and the Jewish Quarter.
• While we’re in the Old City, you’ll have the chance to shop for meaningful gifts and items in the lively market stalls and find a delicious place to eat lunch.
• Next, we will check into our hotel in Jerusalem.
• After we check into our hotel in Jerusalem, we’ll hear from a panel of speakers on the complexity of identity and narratives in Jerusalem, giving us insight into Arab/Palestinian and Jewish perspectives, and coexistence initiatives trying to bring people together in the city.
• Following that, we’ll separate into cohorts for HMI Conversation #2!
• Dinner is on your own. 

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Jerusalem

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Our morning will be spent at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum and memorial. Here, we’ll honor the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust (Shoah in Hebrew) and reflect on how this history shapes the Jewish story, and the world, today.
• Lunch on your own at Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem’s famous shuk (market).
• As the evening approaches, we’ll come together for Shabbat Candle Lighting and Kabbalat Shabbat (the welcome to Shabbat), marking the transition into a time of rest and reflection.
• Got Questions? Throughout the week, you may have gathered new thoughts, wonderings, or questions about Judaism, Israel, or identity. This is a warm, open space to bring them all. Our Jewish Educator will guide an honest, inclusive group conversation before dinner.
• We’ll gather for a Shabbat Dinner at the hotel with the other HMI groups, sharing a beautiful meal to celebrate the beginning of Shabbat.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Jerusalem

• Breakfast at the hotel 
• The Five-Legged Table: Reflections on the Jewish Family. This session will provide a thought-provoking framework for the trip and for understanding the foundational aspects of Jewish identity and community.
• Afterwards, we’ll have a picnic in Gan Sacher Park and process the Five-Legged Table.
• We’ll then come together for our third HMI Conversation, followed by a memorable Havdalah service overlooking the beach and marking our transition to a new week.
• Dinner is on your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Jerusalem

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
• As Low As It Goes: We’ll leave Jerusalem and journey down to the Dead Sea Basin–1,412 feet below sea level–the lowest place on earth. As we drive, we’ll take in the breathtaking beauty of Israel’s desert landscapes.
• We’ll get back on the bus and head north to Beit She’an, where you’ll have lunch on your own.
• After lunch, we’ll hear from the Israeli Arab Task Force Speaker Fellows– a diverse cohort of young adults with experience in journalism, higher education, art and culture, civil society, economic development, and high-tech. They’ll share their stories, insights into their work as changemakers, and vision for their communities.
• We’ll check into our hotel.
• Dinner Party with other HMI cohorts

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Northern Israel

• Breakfast at the hotel 
• We’ll travel to Tsfat (Safed), the mystical city nestled in the Galilee mountains and a center of Kabbalah and Jewish spirituality for centuries. As we wander its winding alleys, we’ll explore ancient synagogues, vibrant artist quarters, and breathtaking views that make Tsfat unlike any other place in Israel.
• After the tour, lunch is on your own.
• Our time in Israel together will conclude with a final HMI Conversation and wine tasting overlooking the Israeli landscape that has shaped our shared experience– full of wonder, surprise, insight, and curiosity. And while the trip comes to an end, the journey continues at home.

Meals: Breakfast