Please see below for frequently asked questions about the Jewish Community Relations Council’s Interfaith Mission to Israel. To return to the main JCRC Interfaith Mission to Israel page, click here.
The trip is from Feb. 1-9, 2026 (this includes travel).
Flight Information:
Each participant is responsible for making their own flight arrangements.
We recommend that you make your flight arrangements through Luis Sole with Frosch Travel at luis.sole@frosch.com.
Below are the recommended flights. Please know that they are optional, not required.
NEWARK, NJ TO TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
EL AL LY26
Departing: NEWARK, SUNDAY, FEB. 1 AT 9 P.M.
Arriving: TEL AVIV, MONDAY, FEB. 2 AT 2:20 P.M.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL TO NEWARK, NJ
EL AL LY27
Departing: TEL AVIV, MONDAY, FEB. 9 AT 1 A.M.
Arriving: NEWARK, MONDAY, FEB. 9 AT 6 A.M.
Yes, all international travelers to Israel will be required to have a permit or visa for entry. Travelers with passports from North America, Europe, or numerous other countries, can obtain the visa online here, using a quick and simple process.
The new visa, known as ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorization), is an online authorization system designed to simplify the entry process to Israel. Upon arriving in Israel, ETA-IL holders will be able to use the electronic check-in machines previously available only to Israeli citizens and residents to complete their entry process.
Applicants will usually receive a response within 72 hours. We recommend that you print out your visa confirmation to bring with you to the airport.
Please be aware that if you are flying to Israel through other countries, there are similar requirements for an ETA visa. This includes connecting flights where you do not leave the airport.
This list covers the major ETA systems in effect as of 2025:
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- The European Union (ETIAS)
- Israel
- Kenya
- South Korea
- Russia
- Seychelles
- Sri Lanka
* If you are on a connecting flight, always confirm the location you are flying through does or does not require ETA authorization.
The safety of our mission participants is of the utmost importance. We are in coordination with the Jewish Federations of North America’s security team. We will have a full-time security personnel on the mission.
Cost (land only):
- $649 – Double Occupancy
- $890 – Single Supplement
* This does not include a 3% credit card processing fee
This includes*:
- 4-star hotel accommodations
- All meals
- All entrance and processing fees
- Tips and gratuities
- Full-time security detail
- Luxury, air-conditioned coach bus (includes refreshments, water, and bathroom)
*cost does not include airfare
The mission cost is $649 for double occupancy and an additional $890 for single occupancy.
All credit card payments are subject to a 3% service fee, which will be added to the total amount charged to the credit card.
Participants who would like to pay by check can mail their checks to Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia office, using the address exactly as it appears below. Please allow up to ten (10) business days for check delivery and payment processing. Please do not make payments by check within thirty (30) days of any final payment due date.
Not using the exact address may result in your check being lost.
A $50 service fee will apply for any checks returned by the bank for insufficient funds.
Memo: Missions Department – Interfaith Mission to Israel
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
C/O Missions Department
2 Commerce Square
2001 Market St – 23rd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Payment Policy
- A non-refundable deposit of half of the mission cost is to be paid upon the participant’s registration for the Mission. Payment of this deposit will be required to secure an individual’s place and participation in the Mission.
- A payment of the remaining balance for the Mission’s programming fee is due by Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. You will need to fill out a separate form that will be emailed to you to pay the remaining balance.
- Mission participants are strongly encouraged to purchase, at their expense, the level of travel insurance they feel comfortable buying.
Refund Policy
- On or before Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025: receive full reimbursement with the exception of the non-refundable deposit made during registration.
- Between Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025 and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026: receive a 50% refund with the exception of the non-refundable deposit made during registration.
- On or after Friday, Jan. 2, 2026: No refunds
- Cancellations must be submitted in writing by emailing Erica N. Miller at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org and Doreen Bason at dbason@jewishphilly.org.
Please know that your remaining balance is due by Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.
For credit card payments, you can pay your remaining balance by clicking here.
For check payments, please mail your check to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia office, using the address exactly as it appears below. Please allow up to ten (10) business days for check delivery and payment processing. Please do not make payments by check within thirty (30) days of any final payment due date.
Not using the exact address may result in your check being lost. A $50 service fee will apply for any checks returned by the bank for insufficient funds.
Memo: Missions Department – Interfaith Mission to Israel
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
C/O Missions Department
2 Commerce Square
2001 Market St – 23rd Floor
Trip insurance is not required, but we strongly encourage mission participants to purchase the level of travel insurance and insurance for airfare that they feel will comfortably provide them with peace of mind when traveling.
Please consider purchasing coverage in the event that the mission is canceled for unforeseen reasons. The Jewish Federation would only cancel the mission in the event of extraordinary circumstances.
We strongly recommend that participants review their insurance coverages to ensure that there is no war exclusion.
Here are some trip insurance companies that we are aware of:
Redpoint Travel Protection: www.redpointtravelprotection.com
Allianz Travel Insurance: www.allianztravelinsurance.com
Travelex Insurance: www.travelexinsurance.com
Arch RoamRight: www.roamright.com
Covac Global: www.covacglobal.com
SquareMouth: www.squaremouth.com
You can register for the mission by clicking here. Sign up by Monday, Dec. 15, 2025.
You will receive an email from Doreen Bason (dbason@jewishphilly.org) with a Virtru link, which we require you to use to protect your sensitive and confidential personally identifiable information (PII). The Virtru link will take you to a secure portal for you to provide the following required sensitive information for this mission:
- date of birth
- passport number
- passport issue date
- passport expiration date
- passport photo
You can also provide your global entry or trusted traveler number, if you have one.
Once you open the Virtru link, you will validate your email address. Please ensure that any sensitive information you input and upload are in the “encrypted message” and “files” section that is located beneath the text that says “all text and files below this line will be encrypted.”
There is an unencrypted section, located at the top of the form, where you can add a message to Doreen Bason, explaining that your mission documents are included in the secure section.
We ask that you do not customize any of the security settings. Once you have included all of the necessary information, click “share” to send the information to Doreen Bason. If you have any questions, please contact Doreen Bason at dbason@jewishphilly.org.
To see the Jewish Federation’s privacy policy, click here.
If registering for a double occupancy, please add the name of the person you want to room with when prompted during registration. If this is not done or the person listed does not register in time, we are unable to guarantee double occupancy. If you do not list a roommate during registration or that person does not register for the mission, you may be charged the single occupancy rate.
- Stay two nights in the North at Nof Ginossar Hotel
- Stay one night in Bethlehem at Grand Hotel Bethlehem
- Stay three nights in Jerusalem at Prima Royale Hotel
- Stay one night and late checkout in Tel Aviv at Prima City Hotel
While the group is touring, you are responsible for lunches on Thursday in Jerusalem and Saturday in the Old City. You are responsible for dinner Thursday night and Saturday night in Jerusalem and Sunday night in Tel Aviv. We can help arrange reservations for those evenings.
All other meals are included.
At the beginning of February, Tel Aviv generally experiences cool and comfortable weather, with daytime temperatures averaging between 57–66°F and occasional rain showers. Jerusalem is typically cooler and wetter, with temperatures ranging from 46–55°F and brisk evenings that may call for a warm jacket.
For travel logistics, please contact Erica N. Miller, Missions Manager at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0629.
For information about JCRC, please contact Jason Holtzman, Chief of JCRC, at jholtzman@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0652.