Day 1: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
ARRIVAL ברוכים הבאים
Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport, with VIP assistance by a Makor Educational Journeys representative
Drive to Jerusalem
Check in to Inbal Hotel
5:30pm - Opening session in hotel lobby to connect with our cohort
6:30pm - Depart for restaurant
7:00pm - Opening dinner at Dolphin Yam with Danny Brom, founding director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psycho-Trauma of Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem. Welcome remarks and musical opening.
Overnight: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
Day 2: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
ISRAEL POST OCTOBER 7: Seminar at the Shalom Hartman Institute
Breakfast at the hotel
9:15am - Opening welcome by Elliot Goldstein, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement of the Shalom Hartman Institute
9:45am - This Moment in Israeli-Palestinian Relations, with Rabbi Elhanan Miller
11:00am - Israeli Society’s responses to the National Trauma of October 7, Beit Midrash Hevruta Session, with Rabbi Shoshana Cohen
Lunch at the Shalom Hartman Institute
1:00pm - Jewish Responses to Trauma, with Elana Stein Hain
Internal Processing program
4:00pm - Visit United Hatzala
Dinner on your own and free evening in Jerusalem
Overnight: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
Day 3: Thursday, June 19, 2025
THE LAY OF THE LAND
Breakfast at the hotel.
9:00am - Visit the Ministry of Health for a conversation with Adam Cutler, deputy director of the International Affairs department, and mental health professionals of the Ministry of Health
10:15am - Drive to Tel Aviv
11:15am - Psychological Care in the IDF Post October 7 in the IDF central psychological treatment center, with Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Michal Lifshitz, head of "Ta’atzumot" (fortitude) initiative in the mental health services department of the IDF Medical Corps
Drive to Rishpon, with lunch on your own en route
2:00pm - Visit the Healing Space in Rishpon
4:30pm - Visit the Niv Nirel center at Hadassah Ne’urim youth village
Return to Jerusalem
Dinner on your own and free evening in Jerusalem
Overnight: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
Day 4: Friday, June 20, 2025
IN SEARCH OF THE BALANCE
Breakfast at the hotel and check out
Drive to Tel Aviv and check in to the David Intercontinental Hotel
9:00am - Meet with Rachel Azaria, former MK, for a conversation on the challenges of balancing army and home realities since October 7, in conjunction with HaOgen (the anchor) for Drafted Families, which she founded
12:00pm - Meet with Merav Roth, Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development and the interdisciplinary psychoanalytic doctoral track at Haifa University
Visit the Nachalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Fair, with lunch on your own in the Carmel Outdoor Market
Free time to explore Tel Aviv as it winds down from the week and winds up for Shabbat/weekend
Shabbat home hospitality dinner at the homes of Israeli friends, family and colleagues (individually, not as a group)
Overnight: David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv
Day 5: Saturday, June 21, 2025
SHABBAT IN TEL AVIV
Breakfast at the hotel and check out
Optional Shabbat services
Optional self-guided tours to Jaffa, Bauhaus buildings, Tel Aviv beach
Shabbat lunch at the hotel
Afternoon for rest and relaxation
Havdallah
Dinner at Beit Kandinof in Tel Aviv
Overnight: David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv
Day 6: Sunday, June 22, 2025
THE HORRORS OF OCTOBER 7
Breakfast at the hotel
Depart for the Western Negev
Visit the town of Sderot, a symbol of Israel’s longstanding conflict with Hamas, with a short visit to the site of the demolished police station
9:30am - Visit the Animal–Assisted therapy and Resilience Center in Sderot
11:00am - Meeting and conversation with Ayelet Shmuel, director of the new International Resilience Center
Lunch in Kibbutz Alumim
Introduction by Jeff Saperstein with presentation by Avrom Dworsky (resident of Kibbutz Alumim) and tour of kibbutz museum
Stop and pay tribute at the site of the Nova Festival at Re’im Park
Meet with ZAKA representative at the Nova Festival site
Visit Tkuma car lot
7:00pm - Drive to Moshav Emunim for dinner and a processing session at the Space Restaurant
Drive back to Tel Aviv
Overnight: David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv
Day 7: Monday, June 23, 2025
HOW DOES ONE BUILD RESILIENCE?
Breakfast at the hotel
8:30am - Meet with Yoav Fisher, Director of Technological Innovation at HealthIL, the leading Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem in Israel, aiming to foster technological transformation in healthcare systems in Israel and globally
10:00am - The Gender Violence of October 7 with Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, founder of Dvora forum
Lunch on your own
Visit Hostage Square; meet with Irit Tubul, director of the rehabilitation wing at Bitu’ach Leumi (Social Security), who worked with some of the hostages during their rehabilitation process
4:00pm - Meet with Professor Eyal Fruchter, Co-Founder & Director of Science & Medical Affairs at ICAR, a collective that brings together leading experts in medicine, psychology, public health, philanthropy, and investment, to accelerate trauma healing to safeguard the health, productivity, and security of Israel
5:30pm - Round Table discussion at the hotel with Professor Naama Atzaba-Poria, a developmental child psychologist, chair of the Israeli Association of Infant Mental Health, and head of the developmental psychology track at Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Processing session
Return to the hotel
Dinner on your own and free time in Tel Aviv
Overnight: David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv
Day 8: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
CONCLUSION AND DEPARTURE
Breakfast at the hotel
Workshop with Dan Deutch, a certified wilderness therapist and group facilitator. Since October 7th, he has worked with numerous regular and reserve soldiers in both post- and pre-combat workshops, relating directly to issues of trauma and re-engaging in society.
Lunch at Carmel Market
1:00pm - Drive to Reichman University for Terror and Trauma, a workshop with psychologist Dr. Eleanor Pardess
3:00pm - Visit to NATAL, the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center of the Israel Trauma Coalition. Presentation by Judith Recanati, founder and CEO of NATAL
7:00pm - Festive farewell dinner at Malka Restaurant in Tel Aviv with a wrap-up conversation
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport
Overnight: In flight
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Depart Israel