Temple Israel Congregation Israel Trip, June 22-July 3, 2009

Our Tour Provider: KESHET

Keshet is an independent organization that creates and organizes educationally oriented Israel tours for synagogues, youth groups, Jewish schools, student groups, BJE’s, private families and academic institutions. We have been pioneers in the field of youth and Jewish family education in Israel, working together with our colleagues and clients in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain.

Keshet is a pluralistic institution. Most of our youth programs are inter-denominational, and our synagogue programs have been developed jointly with Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist clients. Each trip is structured to reflect the atmosphere, needs and priorities of its community. Having cut our teeth on Israeli and American Jewish youth, we find the world of family education to be a perfect match for our skills as tour guides, counselors, and teachers.

The senior staff members of Keshet all grew up in American Jewish synagogues and youth movements, and who chose to live and work as Jewish educators in Israel. We share a great love for teaching Israel and Judaism in the context of Israel trips, and have accumulated extensive experience in the fields of Jewish education and Jewish studies in addition to being licensed and experienced tour guides.

Keshet’s programs are meant to use Israel as a context to explore, -and often to confront-central ideas in Judaism and Jewish history. The goal is to find common themes- or common challenges- in Jewish history and to look at them throughout the eyes of different generations, including our own.

We also include as many "encounter" opportunities with Israeli society as possible, and our programs have included meetings with soldiers serving on the Lebanese border, settlers on the West Bank, residents of a Palestinian refugee camp near Bethlehem (in happier days), members of the Masorti and Progressive Movements, Viznitz Hasidim, farmers living in isolated settlements near the Egyptian border, members of kibbutzim , social idealists who have created new communities in development towns, Arab and Jewish youth, political activists, members of the government and the Knesset and even a former Prime Minister.

The majority of our programs also include a good deal of recreation time (fun!).This is particularly important for family groups, but we try to include time for enjoying the country for everyone. Programs include classic activities, such as kayaking, jeep rides, rappelling, etc, but also programs that are unique to Keshet, such a two hour sunrise hike in Nahal Havarim, where we turn the "adventure" element into a real spiritual experience.

There are other elements in successful trip- processing sessions, preparation, organization, setting expectations, good service, a good relationship with the rabbi and group leader, etc.

Judging by the reactions of participants and group leaders, we are confident that we are successful in developing a very unique approach to both Israel travel and Jewish education, through the combination of hard work, bursts of creativity, and passion for Israel.