Honeymoon Israel

Interfaith families, Jewish families with diverse backgrounds, and  LGBTQ families are no longer an anomaly in the Jewish world; they’re the norm. Yet many of these families are not lovingly embraced by all Jewish institutions and, therefore, struggle to find their place in Jewish life. Honeymoon Israel (HMI) offers a pathway for diverse couples to anchor themselves, as Jews, in an ever-changing world. 

Founded in May 2015, HMI organizes trips to Israel for couples with at least one Jewish partner aged 25 to 40, in the first five years of their marriage or committed partnership. Couples who participate in HMI’s trips reflect the national Jewish demographic: 74% interfaith, 12% with partners who were born Jewish, 14% with one partner who is a Jew by choice, 7% who identify as LGBTQ. These couples often do not see themselves and their families reflected in the available programs in the organized Jewish community yet they are hungry for belonging, community, Jewish meaning, and tradition. HMI is more than a stand-alone immersive trip to Israel; it plants the seeds for lifelong Jewish engagement and enables Jewish communities to energize, diversify, and transform Jewish life for the future. 

To date, HMI has launched in 21 cities in North America: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver/Boulder, the East Bay, Greater MetroWest New Jersey, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Montreal, New York City, Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC (with five additional cities confirmed for participation). By building partnerships with Federations, local Jewish agencies, synagogues, and other institutions, HMI is giving couples and families greater access to Jewish life and strengthening the Jewish future.