I am a single traveller and worried about finding myself alone during free time or meals. Is there a place for me on a Jewish Journey?
We are proud of the fact that many of our travellers are single people who have found a warm and comfortable place travelling with us. Our journeys are partly about creating community and taking responsibility for each other. At the beginning of each journey we ensure that everyone understands this commitment and acts accordingly. If you are still unsure we can put you in touch with some of our single travellers

Single supplements add a large amount to the price of a Journey. What can I do about this?
Unfortunately we have no choice but to pass on the price that we are charged for single supplements. We are trying hard to cut down on this by putting pressure on our suppliers, but we are a small organization and do not have the muscle of large companies. We will try and find you someone to share with.

What type of groups have you worked with in the past? I need to know more about whether we fit the bill.
Many groups from the Movement for Reform Judaism; teen groups; groups of people in the age range 40-80; synagogue groups from the UK and from the USA. A group of four people, children of Holocaust survivors, in Poland; a friendship group made up of some Goldman Sachs partners and their friends; an extended family birthday party in Venice; divorced fathers and their sons for a bar mitzvah bonding experience in Israel; staff groups from the JCC; Board of Governors of Tel Aviv University; extended family groups; a couple wanting to do an in-depth Israel experience; Youth Movement leadership groups; student leaders and many, many more.

The Journeys are quoted in Sterling. Can we pay in other currencies?
Yes, we can arrange for you to pay in all major currencies. You will understand that the payments will be according to the rate of exchange on the date of payment.

Do your Journeys have a particular Jewish orientation?
Our Journeys have a progressive Jewish identity. We are not part of any movement and we have Journeyers who belong to Orthodox, Reform and Conservative synagogues as well as people who belong to none at all. Whilst we both come from progressive Jewish backgrounds, we feel comfortable in diverse Jewish environments. We can and will run Journeys which are kosher and Shomer Shabbat if the client wishes. All group meals are at least ‘kosher-style’. If we have a group of mixed denominational affiliation we will ensure that everyone feels comfortable in the group.

I have heard that these are trips which include some challenging material and are not just a holiday?
We think that this is the best type of holiday: a holiday where you have fun while you learn and learn while you have fun. We would argue that our Journeys make it very difficult to disentangle the fun from the education. But on one level you are right: our Journeys are not just about lying around in the sun or dropping you off at shopping destinations. They are an attempt to tell a fascinating, challenging and moving story, with great company, beautiful scenery, good food (for the mind and the stomach)

My partner is not Jewish. Will he/she be welcome on the Journeys?
Of course. We welcome people in to join us and have had many mixed-faith couples on our Journeys.

Are non-Jews welcome on the Journeys?
Yes, absolutely, but please remember that the narrative is going to be a Jewish narrative and the sites we see will be part of the Jewish story of a city or a country.

I have a learning disabled son/a father with mobility issues/ a partner who is on medication for depression. Can they come on a Journey?
Our rule of thumb is that if you are willing and able to take almost all responsibility for your travelling partner, we will always be there to help where extra help is needed. More than this: we believe that our Journeys have to model what is good in Jewish community, so we feel free to ask others in the group to help out (and we have, often).

I am 50, my father is 78 and my son is 14. We want to travel together. Is this reasonable?
Short answer is yes. Example from a past Journey: the age difference between the oldest participant and the youngest participant was 82 years. And it was wonderful

You talk of Journeys which have a Jewish lens. Does that mean you only visit Synagogues and cemeteries?
It means that we also visit synagogues and cemeteries. Our understanding of a Jewish lens is that there are different circles of what we understand as Jewish sites. There is an inner circle of sites which are clearly identifiable as Jewish (and are what other Jewish tours generally focus on): synagogues, Jewish museums, cemeteries. There are also sites connected to significant moments in the Jewish story, often where Jews were the subjects of an historical event, such as a pogrom, a meeting or a disputation. Finally, there are a large number of sites which are the central sites for any visitor to a well known destination (such as the Coliseum in Rome or the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin), where we add a special twist in the story, the Jewish lens.

Are we busy from morning to night on the Journeys?
Generally the answer is no. We tend to give you some time, 2-3 hours, to explore on your own mid-afternoon and there are no organized activities on most evenings. However, when the Journey is more of a road trip and we are travelling by bus through the country (as in Morocco or Israel), there will be days that are very full.

If there is something we feel is missing on the itinerary what can we do about it?
Depends. If this is a Journey you yourself have organized for a family event, or for your synagogue, we will discuss the itinerary with you and will try to include it. Obviously, if it is a fixed departure this might be more complicated, but the answer would be, ask us and if we cannot include it then use your free time to visit.

Do you organize flights and insurance?
Jewish Journeys does not, but our travel agents Collets do

Do all fixed departures always go ahead?
Almost always, but we cannot guarantee a Journey happening before we know how many people have signed up. We recommend that if you are buying an air ticket early to keep the cost down, be careful what type of ticket you buy. We will always let you know in good time whether the trips are happening and if you have paid a deposit prior to this date, it will be returned to you.

I am thinking of organizing a group myself. What is the minimum and maximum size of a group?
There is no minimum size but the size of your group will impact on the per person cost. We have for example done an eight day Journey in Poland with only 4 people. If a group includes more than 20 people then usually we both travel with the group. Maximum size for the group is usually 35 people.

If I am organizing a group is it possible to buy a package from you which includes all costs so that I have no costs on the ground once the Journey begins?
Yes, you can get a quote which includes accommodation, transport, entrances, meals, porterage, tips, taxes, educational material, guiding.

I need to speak with you before taking the plunge. Where are you situated and how do we make contact?
Most of the pre-trip contact is with Julian Resnick who can be reached preferably by email at  julian@jewishjourneys.info.

If you need to speak, please use the following mobile numbers:

Israeli number +972 (0)50 767 4260

Please note that your calls will only be local calls on your bill if you are phoning from the country where the number is local.

I am a little ashamed to ask the question, but aren’t we vulnerable travelling as Jews?
We have travelled in Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Italy, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Morocco, Israel, France, Hungary, Russia, Spain and have been attacked only once, in London, about ten minutes from the homes of many of our Journeyers.