Please see below for frequently asked questions about the Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Mission to Berlin. To return to the main Berlin Mission page, click here.
May 30 – June 2, 2024 (this does not include travel dates; programming begins at 9:00 a.m. on May 30)
The Jewish Federation will book the flights for current members of the 4th cohort. Alumni are responsible for making their own flight arrangements. Please see below for suggested flights. We recommend that you make your flight arrangements through our flight concierge service, Luis Sole with Frosch Travel at luis.sole@frosch.com.
Below are the recommended flights. Please know that they are optional, not required. Programming begins at 9:00 a.m. on May 30.
Newark, NJ to Berlin, Germany
UA 962
Departing: Newark, NJ, Wednesday, May 29, 5:05 p.m.
Arriving: Berlin, Germany, Thursday, May 30, 7:50 a.m.
Berlin, Germany to Newark, NJ
UA 963
Departing: Berlin, Germany, Sunday, June 2, 9:50 a.m.
Arriving: Newark, NJ, Monday, June 3, 12:50 p.m.
Passports must be valid at least six months beyond your return date.
Hilton Berlin
Cost for Current Members:
- Complimentary for Cohort 4 members (land+flight in double occupancy)
- Optional single room supplement: $1,500
- Optional flight Upgrades: Participant responsible for costs above Basic Economy
This includes:
- Round trip direct Basic Economy flight to and from Berlin
- VIP transportation to and from Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the suggested flights
- Double or single private room
- 5 star hotels
- Most meals
- Tour guides
- All entrance and processing fees
Cost for Alumni (land only):
- $3,000 for double occupancy
- Single room supplement: $1,500
This includes:
- VIP transportation to and from Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the suggested flights
- Double or single private room
- 5 star hotels
- Most meals
- Tour guides
- All entrance and processing fees
Payment Policy
- $500 non-refundable deposit and the remaining balance to be paid upon the participant’s registration for the mission. Payment will be required to secure an individual’s place and participation in the mission.
- Mission participants are strongly encouraged to purchase, at their expense, the level of travel insurance they feel comfortable buying.
Refund Policy
- On or before March 1: 100% refund
- Between March 1 and April 22: Amount paid refunded minus $500 cancellation fee.
- On or after April 23: 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
In the event of cancellation of the mission due to unforeseen circumstances as it relates to COVID-19, fees paid towards registration and prepaid other fees will be refunded to the extent we receive refunds from our vendors and suppliers.
You can register for the mission by clicking here.
Trip insurance is strongly suggested.
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.
Mission participants are encouraged to purchase the level of travel insurance and insurance for airfare that they feel will comfortably provide them with peace of mind when traveling.
Here are some trip insurance companies that we are aware of:
Allianz Travel Insurance: www.allianztravelinsurance.com
Travelex Insurance: www.travelexinsurance.com
Arch RoamRight: www.roamright.com
Covac Global: www.covacglobal.com
If you are a current member of the 4th cohort, 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.
Please see below for an example:
To see the Jewish Federation’s privacy policy, click here.
If you are a current participant of the Legacy Philanthropy program and would like to upgrade your flight, email Erica N. Miller at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org.
For questions about travel logistics, please contact Erica N. Miller, Missions Manager, at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0629.