July 24, 2023

By Nancy B. Greer
President & CEO

You’re a young couple and you’re seeking connections to Jewish life—looking for ways to get involved, find friends, and build community. Where to turn?

Honeymoon Israel could be just what you’re looking for. On Monday, July 24, in collaboration with Honeymoon Israel, your Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle is opening applications to join Seattle’s third cohort for an unforgettable, 10-day Honeymoon Israel experience, starting May 30, 2024. The immersive journey to our Jewish homeland with 19 other couples like yourselves will be life-changing—creating indelible memories, impactful moments, and a community of new friends to share stories and engage in a thriving Jewish life after you return home.

The goal of Honeymoon Israel (HMI) is to create a safe, welcoming space for young couples to explore Jewish life and decide how practices and traditions will shape their family. The program is designed for couples ages 25 to 40 with at least one Jewish partner, early in their committed relationship. HMI welcomes couples of all cultural, religious, gender, and sexual identities, but at least one partner must have no prior organized Israel experience on a post-high school peer trip.

The HMI itinerary is carefully curated to help couples explore for themselves how they might integrate Judaism into their family lives in personally meaningful ways and offers opportunities to explore these topics together with couples in similar life stages. It’s an unparalleled journey of discovery, filled with opportunities to experience Israel’s rich cultural and natural heritage, celebrate Shabbat together, get to know ordinary Israelis from many walks of life, learn about the country’s complex history and contemporary issues, and savor the many must-try dishes that set Israeli cuisine apart. A local Rabbi or Jewish educator from our community will accompany you on the trip, and tour educators will be on hand throughout the journey to share knowledge and answer your questions.

The journey continues after you return home. By traveling to Israel together and bonding over shared experiences, participating couples have an incomparable opportunity to explore the many possibilities that Jewish life offers them, in family life at home and in the company of their new-found friends.

Want to find out more about the 2024 trip? HMI has scheduled information sessions for our community, one in-person on Wednesday, August 9 at The Collective in Seattle, and online on Wednesday, August 23. Please get in touch with my colleague Emily Fine for more details. Or, RSVP for the info sessions here.

Federation’s investment in HMI, made possible by many generous donors, is rooted in our value of Kehilla/Areivut (community/mutual responsibility), empowering active Jewish engagement that is rooted in meaningful relationships. Honeymoon Israel is all about building relationships, creating a sense of belonging, and planting the seeds for a fulfilling experience of Jewish life. If you’re eligible to participate in Honeymoon Israel, please consider applying. If you know of eligible couples, please share this opportunity to go on the journey of a lifetime!