Information for Tour Leaders

Many congregations successfully use travel as a means of fundraising. ARZA World offers free tours to group leaders. Complete the form below or call to find out more information on how to become a tour leader. Join those who have enjoyed the benefits of leading an Arza World Tour.

From the marvels of Jewish Spain to the rich heritage of Eastern Europe, group travel offers like-minded individuals an opportunity for interaction and adventure which can be tailored to any age group or interest. Group travel provides enriching experiences for members of your congregation and friends, students, alumni, and seniors.It is the best way to learn about and to experience the wonders of Reform Judaism throughout the world.

A Step by Step Guide to Planning your Congregational trip to Israel is now available online. To view:
Making it Happen: Your Congregational Trip to Israel please click here.

To have us contact you regarding serving as tour leader, please submit the following form. All fields are required. Please note that we cannot contact you without an e-mail address or telephone number.

Request information about leading a tour.
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Our Approach

At ARZA World our mission has always governed the way we conduct our company. It highlights our team dedication to serve our valued travelers and always exceed overall expectations. Foremost, we want you to know that we spare no effort on your behalf; ARZA World is always searching for new and innovative ways to create a comfortable and friendly environment for the Reform traveler.

We maintain an ongoing and in-depth dialogue with each client (rabbi, congregation, family etc) to develop a program that is specifically tailored to fit every group’s needs and agenda. Varying factors that we take into account are: size of the group, age of participants, budget, dates, and staff structure. In addition, when designing our programs, we take into consideration differing educational and curricular needs, organizational or partisan ideologies and/or agendas, and the participants’ Jewish educational background and place on the religious spectrum. Listed below is a selection of some of the program components we use during the course of our ARZA World tours:

I THE REFORM MOVEMENT IN ISRAEL:

The following elements are working well and are integrated into the itinerary:

• Presentation by Paula Edelstein or Iri Kessel (it is better when presentations are part of a visit of a Reform institution).
• Shabbat services in Jerusalem including meeting with rabbis and congregants. Ideally in services followed by home hospitality. It is working particularly well in Jerusalem at:
  • Kol Haneshema
  • Mevasseret Tzion
  • Ariel
  • Mevakshei Derech
• Kabbalat Shabbat and home hospitality dinner at Kehillat Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv hosted by Rabbi Meir Azari.
• Visit the Leo Baeck School in Haifa, the Israeli reform movement’s flagship school which provides innovative educational opportunities, community center services and is home to a reform congregation, Ohel Avraham.
• Visit the Or Hadash Reform congregation in Haifa for a dialogue with Rabbi Edgar Nof and community members.
• Visit Congregation Ra’anan located in the Samueli Center in Ra’anana, meet and study with Rabbi Tamar Kolberg and congregants.
• Visit to TALI School in Jerusalem for a dialogue with the Principal, teachers and students.
• Visit to Beth Chinuch new TALI school for a dialogue with students.
• Visit Kibbutz Yahel, a unique communal settlement in the Arava Valley near Eilat, affiliated with the Reform movement.
• Visit the Reform Kibbutz Lotan and explore creative Jewish approaches to community life and the environment.
• Visits to various Reform kindergartens at synagogues.
• Dialogue with Noar Telem youth movement.
• Dialogue with young leadership of the Reform movement.
• Meet with new immigrants that are connected to the movement.
• Text study with Maram rabbis.
• Community to community—connecting people from US congregations to Israeli congregations prior to their arrival.
• V.I.P visit to the Knesset and meet with various members of parliament regarding various issues but with a particular focus on religious pluralism in Israel. We work a lot with M.K’s who have been on ARZA missions in the U.S.A.

II WORLD UNION

‘The Reform Jewish World’, for a glimpse at the critical role the Reform Movement is playing in countries around the world with Rabbi Uri Regev, the Executive Director of the World Union for Progressive Judaism at Mercaz Shimshon.

III IRAC

‘Challenges and Triumphs of Religious Pluralism and Social Justice in Israel’, dialogue with Anat Hoffman, the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). Activities and field visits on social action are offered to groups.

History:

• Participation in active archaeological excavations.
• Reenactment of illegal immigration landing at the Atlit and internment camp.
• Explore the Golan Heights with an IDF combat veteran.
• Interactive drama program at the Kinneret Cemetery and farm.
• Solve a 2,000-year-old murder mystery at David’s Citadel Museum.

Israeli Society:

• Dialogues with a wide array of Israeli personalities.
• Programs on religious pluralism.
• Mifgashim meetings and dialogues with Israelis.
• Special program at Israel’s Supreme Court.
• Home hospitality with:
  • Families in Israel’s cities
  • Kibbutz families
  • Druse families
• Neighborhood exploration programs.
• Visit to IDF base and discussion with soldiers.
• Programs at Israeli youth education villages.
• Programs on Judaism and ecology.
• Visits with new immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.
• Visit to a Bedouin community.

Jewish Life:

• Study sessions with a wide array of educators.
• Shabbat programs in cities and kibbutzim.
• Programs on :
  • Jewish identity and values clarification.
  • Jewish spirituality in Safed and the desert.
  • Determining Jewish priorities.
  • Israel-Diaspora relations.
• Mifgash study programs with various groups.
• Special programming at Yad Vashem, including meeting with survivors.
• Special programming at Beit Hatfutsot, The Museum of the Diaspora.
• Zedakah projects all over the country.

Active Outdoor Programs:

• Nature hikes throughout Israel.
• Water sports and “fun in the sun” in Eilat, the Mediterranean, and the Kinneret.
• Rafting down the Jordan River.
• Biblical experience and camel ride at Eretz Bereishit in the Judean Desert.
• Jeep rides “off the beaten track” all over Israel.
• Donkey ride on the Arbel cliffs.
• Mountain biking and rappelling.
• Paint-gun games.

Israeli Culture:

• Meetings and workshops with Israeli artists.
• Outings to concerts with Israeli musicians.
• Folk-dancing workshops.
• Programs on Israeli music and film.

Current Events:

• Middle East study and simulation programs.
• Security seminar on the Lebanese border.
• Political updates.
• Programs on the Peace Process.
• Visit to the Knesset and meet various Knesset members.

Through state of the art technology and ongoing training provided to our team of employees in our offices in New York and Jerusalem we impart that we are always, "trying to do the right thing!" We tell ourselves that we are in the Customer Service business-we just happen to provide a Jewish Experience through travel. It is our privilege to serve.

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