FAQs

Who is this program for?

This program is for Jewish and "Jew-ish"* people of all backgrounds who are excited to immerse in an embodied Jewish experience of place, community building, and personal exploration. Our emphasis on the multiracial, multiethnic, and multicultural nature of the global Jewish diaspora means that you should expect to be joined by people of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds in addition to your own — in fact, that's part of the point! If you're a Jew of Color, great news, you won't be the only one! If you're White and Jewish, also good news — you won't be the only one! If you're kind of confused about your racial(ized) identity but are ready to engage with openness and authenticity amongst a group of fellow learners and travelers, then you're also in a great place to join us. 

"Jew-ish"? Not Jewish at all? Do I have to be Jewish to participate? The short answer is no, you do not need to be Jewish to participate. That said, this is a program explicitly built around Jewish wisdom, lineages, experiences, and community — all of which are broadly defined, but specifically Jewish (whatever that means to you). So, while you don't need to be Jewish, we are looking for folks who are already connected to the Jewish community in some way. Maybe you're coming with your Jewish partner, maybe you've been exploring Jewish community back home and/or doing Jewish learning for some time, or you're reconnecting with Jewish lineage that was disconnected at some point — that's all great. Still not sure? Get in touch with us! 

What will I be doing for five days in El Salvador? 

This retreat is a truly one-of-a-kind Jewish exploration of place, community, and identity. From arrival to departure, our collaborative team is designing this experience for you. 

You'll be well taken care of: delicious organic food and drink, ample time to move and be in your body, tropical sunlight and ocean waters, a massage ... all of this in connection with a community of likeminded people eager to experience the beauty of El Salvador together. 

But that's not all. Together, the teams from Jewtina y Co. and Mitsui Collective have a combined 60+ years of experience as Jewish educators! We'll be using that experience to frame our explorations of El Salvador with the best of what we offer as Jewish teachers, guides, facilitators, and fellow sojourners. As we tour and experience El Salvador, you'll also be guided in your own exploration of personal and ancestral lineage, rootedness, and connection, revealing and deepening the beauty of your own identities and lineage in all the ways that those inform and intersect with your Jewishness.

See below for our tentative itinerary.

How does registration work?

Early Bird Registration goes live on Monday July 24th. Prices will then increase when General Registration goes live on Monday August 7th.  

Registration for the retreat is a two-step process: 

1 — To reserve your spot, complete the registration form HERE. We'll ask for your basic contact information, some questions to get to know a little bit about you, and some demographic information. You'll also select your rooming option. We'll then review your submission and get back to you within two business days to confirm that you're all set to move forward. [note: this is not a formal "application" process! Rather, this step allows us to make sure we have a sense of who is joining us for the retreat and to ensure that we're all on the same page in terms of program and community expectations before any money is sent over. If you are new to our community, we might ask to jump on a call and learn more about you.]

2 — When you receive confirmation from us, we'll send you the information to make payment. Payment must be made within two business days to fully secure your participation and rooming choice for the retreat. Please make sure you're ready to make payment when you begin the registration process. 

Cancellation policy:
- 75% if you cancel before September 1
- 50% refund if you cancel before October 1
- No refund after October 1

What is included in my registration fee?

Registration fees cover the vast majority of your expenses starting from your arrival to and ending in your departure from San Salvador International Airport (SAL). Specifically, this includes: 

• Airport transfer to/from the retreat center*

• Overnight accommodations for the duration of the retreat (Sunday November 26 - Friday December 1) 

• All on-site programming

• All scheduled full-group off-site excursions 

• Breakfast and Dinner every day plus your first beverage at each meal

• Daily coconut water

• One massage per guest 

Your total registration cost is based on your room selection. 

*You may choose to extend your trip either by arriving early and/or staying later than the retreat dates. In this case you'll be responsible for getting yourself to/from the retreat center and for any/all expenses outside the duration of our scheduled program.

What is not included in the registration fee?

Travel Expenses: 

• • Travel to/from El Salvador

  • Personal, Medical, or Travel Insurance 

  • $12 USD CASH for your visa on arrival  

On-site Expenses: 

• • Lunches and additional café food/drink (lunches in town generally range from $1 for a pupusa to $5-$10 for a typical plate of food to $20 at a nicer place)

  • A la carte beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) outside of mealtimes and/or after your first drink at meals (first drink is on us!)

  • Laundry service

  • Additional massages (after the first, which is included); Price: $55 plus tip

What are my rooming options? 

Our retreat center has multiple beautiful rooming configurations! You'll choose from the following: 

• Private Suite with a King bed [note: partners sharing the same bed in a private room will be able to register the second person at half-price]

• Private Suite with a Queen bed [note: partners sharing the same bed in a private room will be able to register the second person at half-price]

• Shared Double Suite [two separate Twin beds]

• Shared Triple Suite [three separate Twin beds or (in one suite) one lucky duck who gets to sleep in a Queen bed on a semi-private loft, with two others on twin beds below]

More info on all of these options can be found on our Accommodations and Pricing page.

How are we setting the pricing for registration fees? 

Registration fees are based on the direct costs paid to our service providers in El Salvador and on our organizational expenses to design and facilitate the retreat. 

As the organizers of this retreat, we've worked hard to set our pricing within a reasonably affordable range while also ensuring that our essential costs are covered. Relative to the cost of similar experiences both in El Salvador and other countries in the region, you'll find that our pricing is either on par with or significantly less expensive than other retreats — and, of course, you're also getting a deep Jewish learning experience that you won't find in any other Central American retreat experience! 

This inaugural retreat is not subsidized by any outside funders or institutions. While this means that you're paying more than you would for a highly subsidized program, it also means that you're getting an experience completely designed by us (Mitsui Collective and Jewtina y Co.) for you without any outside parameters dictating the bounds of what we can and cannot do and discuss. 

We do recognize that the cost for this retreat will not be affordable for everyone who would like to attend. While we anticipate holding future retreats that are subsidized by funding partners, in the meantime we encourage you to seek out funding opportunities for this retreat through your professional networks and/or local communities. If we can be of any support in helping to secure external funding support, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

What are your COVID-19 policies?

We require vaccination to join us and will be asking for proof of vaccination and relevant boosters. Please be extra cautious health-wise the few weeks before traveling as we really want everyone healthy and able to join in fully. We are asking everyone to do a lateral flow/rapid test on the day of arrival and the first day of the retreat. We strongly encourage you to wear a mask when taking public transportation (plane/train/etc). Our program space is quite spacious for the number of people we have, and we will be spending lots of time outside, but please also bring a mask.