Israel Travel Experiences: Learning, Meaning, and Impact

For RootOne, which makes Israel teen travel accessible via vouchers, curiosity is a key ingredient. First, an immersive teen Israel experience that doesn’t both spark and welcome curiosity from its participants is not an experience—it’s a tour. We know that empowering, allowing, and encouraging teens to be curious takes strategy, work, and a wise and trusted educator to make it happen. Second, an immersive teen Israel travel experience that is planned and executed without curiosity—curiosity about how teens learn in 2025, curiosity as to what teens need to make the experience “stick," curiosity about why teens are suspicious of one-sided narratives—lacks innovation, relevance, and impact for today’s Jewish teen.

Birthright Israel, which offers trips for Jewish young adults, is rooted in a person-centered education approach. We regard “people” as the subject matter of the journey along sights, narratives, ideas, and values. We aim to engage participants in meaningful dialogues with Jewish concepts, values, and living, as well as associations with their home communities and with Israel.

Honeymoon Israel’s (HMI) success is premised on building community that lasts—by getting the right people “on the bus.” HMI creates enduring local communities of diverse young couples—with at least one Jewish partner, aged 25–40—through carefully designed trips Our rigorous selection process, our “secret sauce,” ensures the right mix of participants to foster authentic, lasting relationships. Research shows HMI is especially impactful for couples with limited prior connection to Jewish life. Each 20-couple cohort reflects the diversity of its local community, including multi-faith, multi-racial, LGBTQ+, and socioeconomically diverse couples. This intentional design creates radically welcoming spaces where all participants feel seen, valued, and connected.

Common across all RootOne-affiliated experiences is the practice of looking at Israel through a uniquely Jewish lens—one that explores shared memory, utilizes questioning and “argument for the sake of heaven,” and grounds itself in Jewish values, spirituality, and history. All participants on RootOne-affiliated trips complete roughly 10-12 hours of pre-trip learning in our teen portal. We have coursework from a variety of leading experts in the field on topics spanning Israeli history, Jewish peoplehood, modern Israeli culture and so much more. Teens are paired with Israeli peers for virtual conversations that build understanding before they travel, and we train staff and equip them with tools to foster reflection and high caliber discussions throughout the experience on the ground. Teens often go above and beyond the required coursework out of genuine curiosity and enthusiasm.

Birthright Israel enables participants to learn about diverse concepts and values that have been important to the Jewish people over the years, including Jewish Peoplehood; the place of Israel in Jewish life throughout the ages; multi-faceted aesthetic and cultural dimensions of Jewish and Israeli life; the importance of the idea of learning in the Jewish experience; the interaction of Jewish and general culture throughout the ages; Jewish approaches to ethical and moral issues; love of “the Land;” the role of Hebrew in Jewish life; the place of Shabbat in Jewish culture; and an appreciation of tradition and accumulated wisdom through the ages.

Honeymoon Israel's educational approach helps participants explore Judaism on their own terms. Drawing on Avraham Infeld’s Five-Legged Table—Memory, Family, Covenant, Israel, and Hebrew—HMI’s framework offers multiple pathways into Jewish identity and belonging. Two Shabbat experiences, one in Jerusalem and one Tel-Aviv, serve as a central anchor of the trip, presented in diverse and authentic ways that empower couples to create their own observances at home. Through facilitated discussions, reflective exercises, and “Ask Me Anything” sessions with the trip rabbi, couples grapple with big questions about identity, values, Israel, and family life. Couples can wrestle with complexity, ask honest questions, and discover that Judaism is strong enough to hold their doubts, flexible enough to accommodate their lives, and beautiful enough to inspire their future. Post-trip learning helps couples cultivate confidence, curiosity, and capacity to engage Jewishly long after they return home—transforming a single trip into a foundation for lifelong exploration and belonging.

The Israel Educational Travel Alliance was born in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Israel educational travel came to a sudden halt. For the first time, trip providers who had always operated independently began turning to one another—on WhatsApp, in many late-night Zooms—to share needs and survival strategies. What started as crisis coordination quickly became something bigger: a movement to strengthen the entire field.

Recognizing that Israel educational travel is one of the most powerful drivers of connection to and support for Israel for Jews and non-Jews alike, these leaders set out to lower barriers, raise standards, and turn competitors into collaborators. Out of that collaboration came IETA: a unified alliance of over 140 organizations ensuring that more people can access excellent transformational Israel journeys.

After October 7, IETA convened the field to collectively rethink what responsible, meaningful travel should look like in a transformed landscape. A year later, the January 2025 IETA Leaders Summit was the largest international gathering in Israel since the war began, bringing together organizations, funders, and educators to reimagine Israel travel in real time. And during the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran, IETA worked with the Jewish Agency for Israel and its partners on the ground to secure the priority evacuation of thousands of travelers who had no other way home. It was an extraordinary and essential first, demonstrating how collaboration and infrastructure can turn crisis into collective strength.

In September of 2024, based on nothing more than a hunch that Israel travel would still be impacted for quite some time, we made the decision that RootOne vouchers could be utilized for immersive Jewish experiences facilitated by our partners in other parts of the world in summer 2025. This decision became even more fortuitous as the Iran offensive took place, forcing the cancellation of many Israel trips. Fortunately, our partners were able to accommodate hundreds of teens from cancelled Israel travel on Jewish trips happening around the globe. At the same time, we continued to bring Israel directly to teens through our comprehensive online learning platform, our One2One program partnership with Enter: Peoplehood that connected hundreds of North American and Israeli peers online, and local programming provided by our network of RootOne shlichim based in eight cities across the country.

Birthright Israel answered the call after October 7th by providing vital opportunities for Jewish young adults to experience Israel’s powerful story of resilience through solidarity and action. Through the creation and launch of the Volunteer Program, Birthright has reached 16,000 participants who have dedicated one to two weeks to volunteer across Israel. The program offers a structured and meaningful opportunity for volunteers to contribute during a time of need. The impact has been profound, affecting not only our participants and their communities but also Israel and its people. Additionally, we have added a volunteer day component to all other Birthright Israel programs: the classic 10-day trip, Onward, and Excel.

During the Israel-Hamas war, Honeymoon Israel responded with resilience, creativity, and care—ensuring couples could begin their Jewish journey even before traveling. Guided by our commitment to belonging and innovation, we’ve developed new models of engagement such as retreats for postponed couples, Embark cohorts (in collaboration with Mem Global) for those awaiting travel, and cohort Shabbat dinners held on the weekends they would have been in Israel. These experiences offer meaningful entry points into Jewish life, sparking friendships, reflection, and connection. By integrating postponed participants into our national alumni network and inviting them to local events, HMI helps couples connect with peers, explore Jewish traditions, and start building community from day one—transforming delay into discovery. Participants report that these touchpoints have deepened their connection to Jewish life and provided a vital sense of community amid polarization and rising antisemitism. One Bay Area couple shared, “HMI has given us access to Jewish community in a way we hadn’t found elsewhere. Life simply would not be the same without you.”

One of the most powerful parts of a RootOne trip is the chance for North American and Israeli teens to truly experience Israel together. Our early research showed just how transformative these encounters (mifgashim) can be so we set the bar high. Today, every RootOne trip includes meaningful integration, with Israeli teens joining for at least 10 days at an 8:1 ratio. The result? Shared adventures, late-night conversations, and new perspectives that teens consistently describe as the highlight of their summer. These friendships don’t just make the trip more fun, they build deep understanding and connections that last long after the summer ends.

Knowing how powerful these relationships can be, we’ve expanded opportunities for teens to meet Israelis even before they set foot in Israel. Through our partnership with Enter: Peoplehood, teens connect online around everyday things—school, music, sports, sparking authentic friendships that carry into the trip and beyond. By the time they land in Israel, some teens are not just meeting “other teens;” they’re reconnecting with friends they already know, ready to dive into an unforgettable shared journey.

Birthright Israel has been at the forefront of Jewish identity-building, offering life-changing experiences for Jewish young adults through immersive 10-day trips to Israel. More than 900,000 participants from around the world have strengthened their Jewish identity and built a lasting connection with Israel through our efforts. Today, we have evolved from a 10-day trip into a platform for immersive Israel experiences. We have four priority programs: the classic 10-day trip, Excel (a business leadership program), Onward after merging in 2022 for professional internships and academic fellowships, and our Volunteer program, our newest initiative launched in 2023 just three weeks after October 7th. Each initiative is aimed at strengthening Jewish pride, promoting unity among the Jewish people, and fostering solidarity with Israel.

The classic 10-day trip serves as the most accessible onramp for engagement, and Onward, Volunteer, and Excel amplify by offering meaningful return experiences or alternative entry points for Jewish young adults seeking to deepen or personalize their own connection with Israel and their Jewish identity. The remarkable impact and strong demand for our Volunteer program exemplify the success of the Birthright Israel-Onward merger. By combining our strengths, we were able to launch the Volunteer program—from concept to welcoming participants on the ground—within just three weeks of the October 7th attacks, a feat that neither organization could have achieved alone.

Following the events of October 7, Honeymoon Israel recognized a profound shift in the global Jewish experience. Israelis and North American Jews are now living in distinct emotional realities—Israelis in the immediacy of October 7, and Americans navigating the unfolding aftermath. This divide revealed an urgent need for deeper dialogue and empathy across continents. In response, HMI developed an enhanced Mifgash Israeli Peer Program, which brings 2–3 Israeli couples together with each North American cohort for 2–4 days of shared experiences. These Israeli participants reflect the diversity of Israeli society and are in similar life stages as their American peers, helping foster authentic, personal connections. North American couples gain a nuanced understanding of Israeli life, and Israeli participants engage with diverse American Jews, many of whom are interfaith or culturally Jewish, and to appreciate the complexity of Jewish identity in the diaspora.

Through this new model, HMI has shifted from cultural exchange to genuine relationship-building. Both groups emerge with a richer understanding of one another’s realities and a renewed sense of shared destiny. In a time of heightened polarization, these encounters act as powerful bridges—linking individuals across continents, expanding mutual understanding, and strengthening Jewish peoplehood.

As we build back to our full Israel travel capacity, we have ambitious goals of helping to bring 7,000 teens to Israel this summer, and within the next 5-7 years consistently bringing 15,000 Jewish teens to Israel every summer. These teens will connect deeply to Israel and its people before they start on campus. Knowing the potential impact that will have on the climate on campus is exhilarating. At the same time, we are expanding what teen travel to Israel looks like. A lacrosse player? Great—you can join a RootOne-affiliated Israel Lacrosse trip. Interested in service? There’s a new trip being designed just for you. A surfer? That too. Passionate about STEM? We are creating immersive programs that let teens explore Israel’s world-leading innovation ecosystem. By broadening the ways teens can engage both through Israel travel and through meaningful compliments at home, we’re building the foundation for future growth and deepening our impact, ensuring that every teen can find an entry point that excites them and connects them personally to Israel.

Our priority and responsibility is to ensure that every single Jewish young adult who desires to experience Birthright Israel can do so. Israel remains a source of hope, inspiration, and identity – and Birthright Israel plays a pivotal role in the lives of Jewish young adults. We know there are many Jewish young adults who are eager to participate in our programs, where they will have meaningful opportunities to ask profound questions and engage in authentic conversations and experiences with their peers and diverse communities across Israel. We are bringing a new era of Jewish pride, strength, and connection.

Many young adults—especially those on the margins of Jewish life—are struggling to make sense of their connection to Israel and to Jewish peoplehood. That’s why programs like HMI are not just valuable; they are essential. Looking ahead, we are excited to restart travel for four cohorts in November and are committed to ensuring all postponed couples travel, as 100% of recent postponed participants have reaffirmed their desire to go. We are also energized by new curricular innovations that address Israel in the moment. We believe the future of Israel travel lies in building empathy, understanding, and shared purpose across continents. By meeting young adults where they are and inviting them into honest, values-driven exploration, HMI will continue to serve as a bridge—connecting couples to Jewish life, to one another, and to the evolving story of Israel in ways that are personal, meaningful, and lasting.