Hillel UW Perspectives Trip

August 24-September 4, 2025

 

What is Perspectives?

Perspectives is an immersive 10 day trip to Israel for 12 non-Jewish students and 4 Jewish students enrolled at the Seattle campus of the University of Washington who are interested in deepening their knowledge about and experience in the region.

On this educational and immersive trip, students will explore and wrestle with the history, complexities and nuances of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially post-October 7.

This selective program seeks students who are motivated to better understand the region and to share what they learn with the broader UW community. Throughout the journey, participants will be expected to ask challenging questions of speakers and presenters, engage in group discussions and reflection, and practice active listening.

Participants will be required to participate in three pre-trip orientation sessions before the program and will be expected to participate in a number of learning opportunities upon return to school in the fall.

What’s included

Airfare to/from Ben Gurion airport, two meals per day, 10-day guided tour, accommodations, plus travel medical insurance. Participants are asked to cover transportation to and from SeaTac airport, one meal per day, and spending money for snacks, souvenirs, etc.

Students who wish to extend their trip will need to work independently with the tour’s travel agent to make arrangements.

Who should apply?

Qualified candidates are:

• Enrolled at the University of Washington-Seattle
• Have at least one year left studying at UW (rising sophomores and juniors preferred)
• Seasoned and resilient active listeners
• Not afraid to ask challenging questions
• Willing to engage in group discussion and reflection

Itinerary

While the 2025 itinerary is not yet set, it will likely include:

• Presentations from a variety of speakers and guests, including religious, secular, Druze, Christian, Jewish-Israeli, Palestinian, and Muslim voices
• Exploring the diversity of the Old City of Jerusalem
• An opportunity to walk the streets of Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, for a Palestinian and Israeli perspective of the city
• A tour of the separation barrier/security wall between Israel and the West Bank
• Visiting Israel’s borders with Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon to better understand the regional context

Safety and security

Participants’ safety and security is of top priority. During the duration of the program, the tour guide, who is certified in public safety training, will maintain daily communication with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure all planned activities are safe and will make adjustments in real-time if needed. All sessions with speakers will be held in or adjacent to a bomb shelter (except during outdoor activities like volunteering in agricultural fields), and a licensed armed guard trained in first aid will accompany the group at all times. All transportation is on private bus and all hotels have designated safe rooms.

The post-October 7th hostilities have quieted along Israel’s southern and northern borders as a result of the recent ceasefire agreements. As such, we are able to travel broadly subject to official security guidelines. That said, the current itinerary does not include travel to Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of the West Bank.

Application Timeline

• • If you are interested in learning more, please fill out this interest form, after which time a Hillel UW staff member will be in touch shortly to schedule an in-person interview.
  • Applicants will be notified as soon as possible.
  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.
  • If you are offered a spot on the trip and you accept it, your only cost will be a non-refundable $250 deposit. Financial assistance is available if needed.