The Negev: In the Beginning
In the Negev desert, we explore creation in nature, creation by humankind, and the origins of the Jewish people.

• Live at Har HaNegev Field School at the edge of the Ramon Crater, the largest natural crater in the world

• Hike and sleep out in the crater

• Explore the desert with religious and secular guides and artists

• Visit Ben Gurion's grave at Sde Boker

• Celebrate Shabbat overlooking the crater, with synagogue options in nearby Mitzpe Ramon

• Choose a two-day workshop in visual arts, digital media, drama, music, creative writing, or movement

• Sleep out and enjoy a festive meal at a traditional Bedouin tent

• Participate in three-day cultural exchange project with Israeli Bedouin high school students in Rahat, the largest Bedouin town in the world

“The 3-day hike in the Negev laid the foundation for the development of our community. We talked about being alone, ‘hefker’ (ownerless), and looking within ourselves. We brought up the notion of community and discussed mutual effort in the context of ‘survival’ in the desert.”

Allon Brann, Ithaca, NY

The Galilee: Communities in Search of Shared Purpose
In the Galilee, we compare two revolutionary Jewish communities - the Rabbis and the Pioneers - who lived in this region and whose responses to crisis and change continue to influence Jewish life.

• Encounter mystics and artists in the city of Tzfat, birthplace of the Kabbalah

• Explore Tzipori, an archaeological site where Rabbis and Romans lived together

• Investigate the first Zionist settlements

• Meet with young people from old and new "pioneer" communities

• Swim at sunset on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee

• Creatively read and explore a play about radical 20th century pioneers

• Work in teams for four days with children in the Israeli foster care system

• Hike through northern streams in the Golan

• Celebrate Shabbat at a field school in the Golan Heights

• Participate in 2-day arts workshops or join a rugged two-day hiking and camping-out option

“I loved exploring other communities while building our own community.”

Chana Schaffer, Albany, NY

Jerusalem and Tel Aviv: Renewal Today in Judaism and Israel
In the center of modern Israel, we explore Jewish cultural change and renewal, and experience the diversity and vitality in Jewish and Israeli life today.

• Tour Jerusalem neighborhoods, the restored Jewish Quarter of the Old City, Temple Excavations, and the Western Wall.

• Encounter diverse views on the Mideast conflict through a series of meetings with representatives from the left and right of the political spectrum

• Visit the Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial Museum and Har Herzl, Israel's national cemetery

• Explore Tel Aviv, including visits to Rabin Square, museums, the beach, and the first "Hebrew neighborhood" in Israel

• Learn about social activism in Israel through encounters with local activists

• Meet and sing with a leading Israeli musician at a private concert. Past concerts have included Ehud Banai, Shlomo Gronich, and Shlomo Barr

• Celebrate Shabbat in the diverse neighborhoods of Jerusalem

“Walking through Jerusalem and Tel Aviv was a great experience – there's so much culture and history. It made me think: if I lived in Israel, where would I live and where would I fit in?”

Michael Rubin, Syosset, NY

The Judean Desert: Taking the Journey Home
During the last week of the Kehillah Experience, participants develop a "personal project" with the support and guidance of counselors and arts educators, exploring a personal question or idea.

• Live at the Ein Gedi field school overlooking the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi oasis

• Sunrise hike up Masada and swim in the Dead Sea

• Participate in workshops to develop personal and/or group projects in any media

• Hike and swim in the waterfalls of the Ein Gedi nature reserve

• Share personal projects

• Celebrate the final Shabbat of the Kehillah Experience in Ein Gedi

“Creating and presenting personal projects was an amazing experience that allowed me to express myself to the group. I learned a lot through the process about myself and our community.”

Daniel Herman, Jerusalem, Israel