How do I participate?

Are you an involved lay leader, phil­an­thropist, Federation Executive or  Jewish profes­sional?
A rabbi or rabbinical student?
A Jewish educator, day school teacher, or Hillel professional?

Do you iden­tify as polit­i­cally right-wing, centrist, or left-wing?  None of the above?

Encounter seeks out global Jewish leaders from across the reli­gious and polit­ical spec­trum to bring on one– and two-day jour­neys to Palestinian cities in the West Bank. Whether you are still in school or already estab­lished in your field, if your current or future career will involve speaking or teaching about the Middle East, we want to give you the oppor­tu­nity to hear Palestinian voices while trav­eling with a Jewish group.

Participants from a wide array of back­grounds, from rabbis and Jewish educa­tors, to Federation employees, lay leaders, phil­an­thropists, and many other Jewish profes­sionals. You can learn more about who comes on Encounter by reading our alumni profiles.

To sign up for one of our programs, check out the schedule of upcoming trips and then head to the online appli­ca­tion form.

Most Encounter trips bring together leaders from across the field of Jewish lead­er­ship, but each year we also orga­nize a number of trips for partic­ular audi­ences, such as exclu­sive trips for Rabbinical Students or all-Orthodox trips.  In addi­tion, we can work with your orga­ni­za­tion or program to include an Encounter trip as part of your Israel mission or dele­ga­tion.  Click here to learn more about our Delegation program.