When Boston couples register for a Honeymoon Israel (HMI) trip, they’re not signing up for a sightseeing tour.
They’re signing up for a conversation.
One that begins somewhere between the Old City of Jerusalem and a late-night rooftop in Tel Aviv. One that moves between history and headlines, grief and celebration, doubt and connection. One that continues long after they return home.
Applications are now open for HMI Boston’s December 2026 cohort, where you’ll travel to Israel as a group of Boston couples and come home as a community.
Holding Complexity, Together
For many young couples, especially interfaith couples or those less connected to Jewish life, Israel can feel both deeply meaningful and deeply complicated.
Honeymoon Israel was built for that space.
Traveling as a Boston cohort, couples encounter Israel’s history and modern reality firsthand, hearing from voices across religious, political, and cultural lines. Guided by educators and joined by Israeli peer couples, they engage artists, activists, scholars, and community leaders, exploring Israel’s diversity as lived experience, not an abstract idea.
But the journey is just as much about the couples themselves. On buses, around Shabbat tables, and in facilitated conversations, they wrestle with questions that don’t have easy answers: What does Israel mean to us? How do we talk about it? What kind of Jewish home do we want to build?
The itinerary balances intensity with intimacy — space to process after a powerful site visit, music and connection after a heavy day.
“It’s not about telling couples what to think,” says Emma Dunn, senior director of HMI’s Israel office. “It’s about giving them space to encounter Israel in its fullness — and to encounter one another in a deeper way.”
From Trip to Boston Community
What makes HMI different is what happens after the flight home.
Because the cohort is entirely Boston-based, relationships don’t dissolve at baggage claim. Couples return to the same neighborhoods, the same schools, the same Shabbat invitations. They celebrate holidays together. They attend each other’s baby namings and weddings. They continue conversations that began on a hillside in Jerusalem.
For many, the trip becomes an entry point into Jewish life that feels warm, relational, and nonjudgmental.
“We had such an incredible time on our HMI trip! We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but we were blown away by how meaningful it was and how much fun we had. Meeting [other] couples helped us see the different ways we could incorporate Judaism into our lives as we prepare to grow our family. We became incredibly close friends with these couples and we plan to keep hanging out with them, including for Shabbat dinners and services with our rabbi!” —Jon Denton-Schneider, HMI Boston Alum, January 2026
For these HMI Boston couples, the trip is just the beginning of a Jewish life lived in community.
Expanding Access Without Losing the HMI Magic
Beginning with late-2026 trips, including Boston’s December cohort, Honeymoon Israel is introducing a more flexible travel experience. Couples will now book their own airfare, allowing them to use airline miles, extend their travel, or choose departure cities that fit their lives.
The change has also allowed the organization to lower its participant fee to $500 per couple, thanks to significant philanthropic support.
But the shift isn’t about logistics. It’s about access.
“Our core value is inclusion,” says CEO and co-founder Avi Rubel. “We want couples who are curious — who are asking questions — to feel like this experience is possible for them.”
The immersive educational programming, diverse voices, service components, Shabbat experiences, and facilitated conversations remain central. The structure may evolve, but the substance does not.
December 2026 Applications Now Open
HMI Boston, made possible through the generosity of Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) and local supporters, will welcome its 16th cohort in December 2026.
For couples wondering how Judaism fits into their shared life, or how to hold complexity without turning away, the invitation is simple:
Join the exploration.
Join honest conversations.
Join a Boston community that lasts.
Applications for the December 2026 Boston trip are now open at honeymoonisrael.org/apply.
Contact info@honeymoonisrael.org with questions.
This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE