INTERFAITH OPPORTUNITY SUMMIT 2016

The Mission Honeymoon Israel provides immersive trips to Israel for locally based cohorts of couples that have at least one Jewish partner, early in their committed relationship creating communities of couples who are committed to building families with deep and meaningful connections to Jewish life and the Jewish people.

The EXPERIENCE

The interest Received 1,200+ couple applications Since May 2015, ran 19 trips from 8 cities, bringing 340 couples to Israel Planning for 25 trips from 11 cities in calendar year 2017 Participant statistics: Interfaith couples – 69.2% Both partners born Jewish and/or Jew by Choice – 30.8% LGBT - 8.9% Average Age – 32 Have Children – 15.2%

The Model City Selection Jewish Community HMI Friends Home Select cities where there are significant numbers of couples, a high density of Jews, a high rate of intermarriage, and engaging Prioritize young couples, early in their committed relationship, with weak Jewish backgrounds/ connections Design a trip that includes fun, adventure, Jewish ritual, volunteerism and time for romance Introduce a framework that welcomes everyone, regardless of background Forum for exploration Identify professionals whose job it is to support trip alum by encouraging them to socialize, engage in Jewish ritual in and outside the home, and connect to community programs and organizations as appropriate City Selection Prioritize couples who “need” this the most Help those who aren’t a fit for HMI connect to Jewish life Trip Design Welcoming Framework Forum for Exploration Bonds and experiences that transfer back to local community Local professionals support couples afterward and connect them with local resources

Initial Impact Couples get what they came for More balanced partnerships/relationships A willingness to tackle religious differences A new sense of feeling included in the ”Jewish family” More frequent conversations about doing Jewish things Actively exploring Jewish life and making new decisions Building an HMI community Connection and confidence in local Jewish community Relationship to Israel

Feedback from Partners “The trip was like a light-bulb for me. I’m seeing opportunities for interfaith engagement in ways I never had before.” – Professional “Part of the problem is that the Jewish establishment doesn’t know the target people. We don’t know people on the periphery.” – Educator “For couples that don’t go, we need to think about how we provide some inroads for them, so they don’t feel like the Jewish community has shut a door.” – Partner “We see this as a unique opportunity to have an impact, but that only happens if we make follow-up a priority. Everyone learned the lesson from Birthright” – Partner “People are excited. Lay-leaders are excited. Synagogues are excited. There is a buzz building” - Partner

www.honeymoonisrael.org