Please see below for frequently asked questions about the NextGen Mission to Israel. To return to the main NextGen Mission page, click here.
Friday, June 13 – Friday, June 20, 2025
The program begins in Israel midday on Friday, June 13 and ends in Israel the evening of Thursday, June 19.
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.
Please see suggested group flight below:
FLIGHT INFORMATION
NEWARK, NJ TO TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
EL AL 026
Departing: Newark, Thursday, June 12 9:00 p.m.
Arriving: Tel Aviv, Friday, June 13 2:55 p.m.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL TO NEWARK, NJ
EL AL 027
Departing: Tel Aviv, Friday, June 20 12:30 a.m.
Arriving: Newark, Friday, June 20 5:15 a.m.
Participants are asked to make their Ben Gurion Society commitment, a minimum gift of $1,000 to the Jewish Federation’s 2025 Annual Campaign.
Cost (land only):
- $2,999 – Double Occupancy
- $690 – Single Supplement
- We’re thrilled to offer a $500 discount for mission participants. This will be offered to the first 20 qualifying participants to register. If you qualify, your discount will be reflected in your second payment.
This includes:
- Boutique hotel accommodations
- Most 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
Payment Policy
- Half of the deposit, including a $500 non-refundable payment, 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 is due by Thursday, May 1. 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 Monday, March 17: receive full reimbursement
- Between Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, April 30: receive full reimbursement with the exception of the $500 cancellation fee.
- On or after Thursday, May 1: 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
Registration for the mission will open February 1. You can register for the mission by clicking here.
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: https://redpointtravelprotection.com/
Allianz Travel Insurance: www.allianztravelinsurance.com
Travelex Insurance: www.travelexinsurance.com
Arch RoamRight: www.roamright.com
Covac Global: www.covacglobal.com
Your health and the health of others is our top priority. In accordance with the recommendations of the Director General of the Ministry of Health of the State of Israel, please know that you are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Travelers are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Proof of full vaccination (FDA or EMA approved vaccines) is required. Any coverage that goes beyond that is at the choice of the participant. Please visit the Israel’s Ministry of Health website, the CDC website and the U.S. Department of State website for their latest travel policies.
To ensure travel peace of mind, we strongly encourage mission participants to purchase travel insurance. While we will do our best to secure refunds from any Israeli vendor who has been paid, we cannot guarantee the amount that will be returned. Please refer to the question above “Is trip insurance required?” for more information.
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.
The mission will spend three days and three nights in Jerusalem at the Arthur Hotel and five days and four nights in Tel Aviv at the Cinema Hotel.
On Saturday, you will have the opportunity to have dinner on your own.
Most meals are included, except for two lunches and one dinner. Both lunches on your own will occur in marketplaces, giving you a multitude of culinary choices.
June marks a significant shift in Israel’s climate as the temperatures rise and the days get longer. The weather is typically hot and dry, with minimal rainfall and increased humidity, especially in coastal areas. Temperature: Daytime temperatures across the country range from 25°C to 35°C (77°F to 95°F).
Make sure to pack a hat, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and light, breathable clothing for the hot daytime temperatures.
For more information about NextGen, contact Director of NextGen Sarah Lefkowitz, at slefkowitz@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0515.
For travel logistics, contact Missions Manager Erica N. Miller at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0629.