Exploring Your Faith in Israel

Houston, TX – Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston and the YMCA of Greater Houston invite you to explore your faith in Israel May 27 – June 7, 2018. The trip is for adults 55 and older to travel to Israel to explore, discover and experience the country, the people and each other. You don’t have to be Jewish to explore your faith and be inspired by a real connection in this holy land. Jim and Marianne Paley made a similar trip to Israel in September.

“It was a terrific trip,” said Jim and Marianne Paley. “It was a well thought out itinerary, good schedule and great guides. It made the ancient and contemporary history of the area much more understandable.”

The trip begins in Tel Aviv, the first Modern Hebrew City and ends in Jerusalem, known as the center of major religions.  The J and YMCA have been working closely with the Jewish Community Center Association office based in Israel to ensure that participants not only get to know the land but have many interpersonal encounters that tie them to Israel’s unique communities.

“To provide an interfaith experience in Israel is special,” said Elena Dinkin, YMCA Active Older Adult Director. “I was moved by my visit to Jerusalem, seeing the Wall, experiencing the preparation for Shabbat and then worshiping at a synagogue. The connection between what I had learned in my studies and then seeing it in person is so meaningful to me. I am looking forward  to the opportunity to experience Israel with so many active members of the YMCA and the J.”

Trip highlights include a guided walk through Neve Tzedek, one of the early neighborhoods that developed outside of Jaffa; dinner in the home of an Arab family living in Galilee; a tour of the church on the Mount of Beatitudes, and hear the story of the development of Christianity in this region of Israel; visit Qasr al Yahud, baptismal site on the Jordan river where it is believed that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist; a tour of Jerusalem’s Old City and visit selected sites in the Jewish and Christian Quarters, including the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Travelers will also rest, relax, and rejuvenate in the Dead Sea and celebrate Shabbat in Jerusalem.

Deadline to register is February 1, 2018. For more information please contact Elena Dinkin at elena.dinkin@ymcahouston.org or 713.662.1315 or Morgan Steinberg at msteinberg@erjcchouston.org or 713.595.8170. Visit www.erjcchouston.org for more information about our programs and services. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Photo Caption: A recent tour group with the JCC Israel Center at the Israel Museum.

 

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Houston is a non-profit organization that provides quality programs for all members of the family including infants, school-aged children, teens, adults and seniors. Evelyn Rubenstein JCC provides more than $350,000 in scholarship aid to area families in need thanks to the generous support received, in part, from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the United Way.