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Contact: Laura Sherr // laura.sherr@honeymoonisrael.org // 443-854-7434
Honeymoon Israel Lowers Participant Fee to Help More Couples See Israel Beyond the Headlines
Lower costs and flexible flights expand access to immersive Israel group travel focused on complexity, inclusivity, and community
(Atlanta, GA – February 4, 2026) – Honeymoon Israel (HMI), a national nonprofit organization that introduces young couples to Jewish life and community through immersive travel to Israel, announced a new flexible travel model designed to lower financial barriers and expand access to couples wanting to bring Judaism into their homes. HMI trips bring couples with at least one Jewish partner from the same city together for a curated group experience focused on exploring Israel’s diversity while building community they can continue back home. The announcement coincides with new trip launches in Atlanta and Boston and follows a successful three-month period of travel across Israel.
Beginning with trips in November 2026, couples accepted to an HMI experience can book their own flights to and from Israel, giving them greater control over how and when they travel. As a result of this shift, HMI is lowering its participant fee from $2,900 to $500 per couple, while maintaining the same immersive experience in Israel.
“One of our core values is inclusion,” says Avi Rubel, CEO and co-founder of Honeymoon Israel. “This update reflects what couples have been telling us for years: they want flexibility. Whether that means using airline miles, extending their time abroad, or choosing their departure city, this new model removes barriers while preserving the heart of the HMI experience.”
A Meaningful Experience That Goes Beyond the Headlines
Honeymoon Israel trips are designed for Jewish and multi-faith couples who want to experience Israel in all its complexity, beyond what they encounter in news coverage or social media. HMI’s thoughtful itinerary weaves together history, politics, culture, food, religion, and contemporary life, creating space for exploration and conversation alongside peers from the same city.
Participants travel as a cohort that includes Israeli peer couples for a portion of the trip and are guided by a professional team that includes U.S. city-based staff, a local rabbi or Jewish educator, and an Israeli tour educator. Together, they explore Israel through multiple lenses – encountering diverse communities, perspectives, and narratives – while building a warm and welcoming community of their own that will extend far beyond the trip.
“This isn’t a sightseeing vacation or a romantic getaway,” says Emma Dunn, Senior Director of HMI’s Israel office. “It’s an opportunity for couples to engage deeply with Judaism, Israel and with one another, ask hard questions, and return home better equipped to navigate conversations about Jewish identity, community, and Israel in their everyday lives.”
What’s New
Rather than traveling on a single group flight, couples will now book their own airfare—allowing them to choose how they travel, whether that means extending their time in Israel, visiting additional countries, or selecting flights that fit their schedules and budgets. This added flexibility supports a wide range of participants while keeping the core educational and communal experience intact. This update follows industry trends for Jewish travel organizations, and allows HMI to significantly lower the participant fee from $2,900 to $500 per couple, while still offering support to couples as they book their travel.
In order to provide couples with the most flexible airfare options, HMI is introducing a Priority Application period. Couples who apply before a specified deadline and are accepted on an HMI trip will receive acceptance confirmation up to five months prior to the trip, giving them more flight options. If there are still spots available when the Priority Application period ends, couples may apply in the Standard Application period but may have less time to book their travel plans.
Finding Community Through HMI
For couples across the country, HMI offers something that can feel impossible to find elsewhere: a welcoming entry point into Jewish community that feels authentic and judgment-free, and an opportunity to engage in nuanced conversations about Israel.
“Participating in the HMI experience was deeply meaningful and impactful. The trip created space for learning, reflection, and honest conversation while fostering a strong sense of community among couples. Through exceptional speakers, thoughtful programming, and an incredible guide, I gained new perspectives on Israel, Jewish life, and my own connection to them. I believe every couple, fully Jewish or interfaith, should take this journey. This experience is something I will carry with me long after returning home, and HMI provides an invaluable opportunity for couples to connect, learn, and grow together in a truly unique way.” – Jamie, HMI Atlanta January 2026
Experiences like these reflect Honeymoon Israel’s broader goal: creating meaningful connections with couples asking similar questions as well as a nuanced exploration of Israel that resonates long after participants return home.
Applications are now open in Atlanta and Boston for November 2026, welcoming each of their 16th cohorts. Atlanta and Boston’s 15th cohorts just returned in January 2026.
Lowering Barriers
The full cost of the Honeymoon Israel experience is approximately $20,000 per couple, made possible through the generosity of philanthropic partners nationwide. By reducing the participant fee to $500 per couple, HMI aims to maximize flexibility and access and serve as many couples as possible—particularly those who might otherwise assume the experience is financially out of reach.
In Partnership with Our Funders
Honeymoon Israel Atlanta is made possible thanks to the generosity of our funders, Argo Fund, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, The Marcus Foundation, and Shirley Glass Foundation. Honeymoon Israel Boston is made possible thanks to the generosity of CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies).
About Honeymoon Israel
Honeymoon Israel offers young couples who are less connected to Jewish life and Israel a way in: an immersive group travel from the same city that lets them encounter and explore tradition, identity, and community together, with support as they return home to build connections with each other and their local Jewish community.
The cohesive community built during trips is sustained and nurtured through ongoing programs and resources at home, as well as by participants themselves. Honeymoon Israel provides young couples with the support and information they need to navigate modern Jewish life.
With ten years of experience working with young couples, Honeymoon Israel is the premier Jewish organization focusing exclusively on welcoming diverse couples seeking Jewish connection in 22 cities across the country. Since its first Israel trip in 2015, Honeymoon Israel has brought more than 3,000 couples to Israel.
Learn more at honeymoonisrael.org.
Honeymoon Israel is made possible thanks to the generosity and partnership of our supporters.
If you’d like to give to ensure more couples can participate in the Honeymoon Israel experience, you can make a donation.
