Frequently Asked Questions

How much does participation cost for this program?

Program costs, accommodations (shared rooms), and flights* for program participants are underwritten by Encounter’s generous donors, who believe that participation in one of Encounter’s Intensive Seminar is a vital and essential component of responsible Jewish leadership.

* Please note:

• Flights will be reimbursed up to $1,000 USD ($1,300 for participants traveling from the West Coast).
• Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from airports, for arranging lodging as needed on the nights before and/or after the program, and for covering the costs of this transportation and lodging.
• Accommodations on Encounter programs are based on double occupancy.

If I keep kosher, can I participate? What kind of food will be served?

Encounter offers an option for hechshered food brought from Jerusalem for all meals. For those who don’t opt for hechshered food, all food served is vegetarian Middle Eastern fare prepared in local Palestinian restaurants or home-cooked by women’s cooperatives.

I need opportunities to daven daily. Is this possible on Encounter’s programs?

Encounter provides time for shacharit, mincha and maariv on every program. All prayer sessions are optional. We arrange prayer so that as many people who want to pray can do so, allowing for a range of different prayer practices. If you have more questions, please be in touch with us.

Will my participation be made public?

We understand it is complicated for some to have their participation publicized. Encounter will never advertise your participation — on our website, on social media, or in communication — without your explicit permission. We include an option to opt out of photographs, and all participants are required to abide by a social contract respecting other participants’ preferences on this issue. Encounter reserves the right to share your participation with our Board and program funders.

What are Encounter’s security procedures and precautions?

Encounter’s highest priority is the safety and well-being of participants and staff. In addition to consulting the US State Department Travel Advisories, we contract with a well reputed international security firm working with a mixed Israeli and Palestinian team who provide top-level security services throughout the planning of the program and the program itself. Security services for all programs include tactical monitoring before and during the program, advance vehicles which travel ahead of the group to monitor the next location, and an onsite security agent. In Palestinian areas, we travel at all times with known Palestinian locals marking our group as a friendly presence, and we act as any other group of international tourists. For further precaution, Encounter staff are equipped with a second “West Bank” Palestinian cell phone, since reception can sometimes be an issue over the Green line.

Adjustments and Discretion: To ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and participants, we reserve the right to change our itinerary at any point in time without advance notice. We do not circulate itineraries in advance of the program, nor do we share our itineraries electronically for security reasons. Participants are asked not to broadcast the group’s location on social media at any given time until after we have left that location.

If I hold Israeli citizenship, can I participate in an Encounter Intensive Seminar?

Israeli law prohibits Israeli citizens from traveling to Area A of the West Bank (Palestinian population centers under the civil and security control of the Palestinian Authority). Dual Israeli and American citizens are eligible to apply for the Emerging Leaders Intensive Seminar*. If you are accepted to the program Encounter will apply for a permit for your participation, but cannot guarantee you will receive it. Contact us if you have dual citizenship and would like to learn more about participating.

*Please note: We are able to include dual citizens in our programs only if we receive applications from and accept a minimum of 4 qualified dual citizen candidates, constituting a meaningfully sized group.

Where will the group travel? With whom will we meet?

We will meet with Palestinians living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem who represent a range of perspectives on key issues. They are Muslims and Christians, women and men, civil society leaders and activists, business leaders and political negotiators. They represent varied political positions and advance different strategies on key issues. The itinerary shifts depending on security situations and speaker availability. Programs typically travel to Bethlehem and surrounding areas, East Jerusalem, and Ramallah. See a sample itinerary above. Encounter reserves the right to change the itinerary at any time without prior notice based on security considerations.

What are the accommodations like?

Accommodations are at local Palestinian hotels. All hotels are frequented by international tourists and most have Wi-Fi. Encounter offers optional home hospitality with a local Palestinian family in the Bethlehem area for one night of the program.

Why does Encounter strongly encourage homestays?

Encounter offers participants the opportunity for home hospitality. We frequently hear from participants that the homestay is the most impactful and enjoyable component of their experience. The host families are located in the Bethlehem area and have worked with Encounter for years — many of them since our founding over a decade ago. The staff know the families personally, and know them to be warm, welcoming, and eager to connect with Jewish participants. This is a unique opportunity for more informal conversations and a chance to experience a little local Palestinian culture.

Am I required to have health insurance? Will my health insurance cover me while I’m in the West Bank?

Encounter purchases additional health and travelers insurance that covers all participants in Palestinian areas of the West Bank, locations that are frequently not covered by regular tourist coverage to Israel.

I understand Encounter is investing in me. What am I committing to in return? What is expected of me?

Participants in the Emerging Leaders Intensive Seminar commit to participating in all aspects of the program including four pre- and post-travel cohort webinars, preparatory reading, four chevruta sessions, completing pre- and post-travel surveys, and participation in all aspects of the travel component. Participants agree not to leave the group at any point during the four day delegation to the region, and not to invite visitors to meet the group unless you have received written permission from the trip leaders.

Participants should plan to be mostly offline during the travel component of the program as the days are long and demanding. All participants commit to upholding group members’ confidentiality and not writing, speaking, or posting photographs of other group members without explicit permission.

Our hope is that if we do our jobs well, you will have a meaningful and powerful experience and (1) be moved to help us recruit future program participants, (2) speak, write and teach about the experience privately and publicly, (3) consider paying it forward and making a gift to Encounter to subsidize other Jewish leaders’ participation and (4) consider how you will actively continue to shape your leadership on this issue.