Why Honeymoon Israel Matters Now: Atlanta Couples Return to Israel and to Community

When Amanda and her partner Pallavi “Polly” returned to Atlanta after ten days in Israel, the trip didn’t end — it multiplied. 

“We’re in a stage of life where time feels limited,” Amanda shared. “This trip wasn’t a pause from life; it was an investment in how we want to live it.” 

They were part of Honeymoon Israel’s (HMI) first Atlanta-based cohort to travel since the war in Israel began — 24 couples navigating Israel together at a moment when questions of identity, peoplehood, and belonging feel especially prevalent. 

Honeymoon Israel (HMI), a longtime partner and funding recipient of Federation, engages young couples of mixed heritage at a pivotal life stage. Through immersive travel and intentional relationship-building, HMI helps participants form lasting connections to Jewish life, Israel, and their local community. 

For Rachel Kaplan, an Atlanta-based Jewish experiential educator who served as an HMI trip leader, the program’s power lies in what it unlocks. 

“Honeymoon Israel creates community without an agenda,” Kaplan shared. “People are given space to encounter many voices, reflect honestly, and then build Jewish lives that feel authentic to them.” 

That approach was evident throughout the journey. The Atlanta cohort was paired with Israeli couples from vastly different backgrounds, a modern Orthodox religious Zionist family and a secular gay couple from Tel Aviv, who joined them for two Shabbat meals. 

“These are people who never would have met each other otherwise,” Kaplan said. “And yet they formed real relationships. That kind of connection expands everyone’s understanding of what Jewish peoplehood can look like.” 

Participants engaged with Israel beyond headlines: volunteering with communities displaced by the war, hearing from journalists, humanitarian leaders, Palestinian peace activists, and families directly affected by October 7. 

Federation’s partnership with Honeymoon Israel reflects its broader commitment to one of its five impact areas, Israel & Jews Worldwide. By supporting immersive, relationship-driven experiences like this, Federation helps community members engage with Israel through learning, exploration, and lived experience — creating understanding that lasts well beyond a single trip. 

“Being in Israel added layers that the news simply can’t convey,” Polly said. “It humanized everything. I saw how grief, resilience, fear, and hope coexist, and how complex reality is on the ground.” 

But the most meaningful impact often comes after the trip. 

Within days of returning to Atlanta, the cohort’s group chat was buzzing: organizing group workouts, Shabbat dinners, cultural outings, volunteer projects, and social gatherings. Participants began asking: Where else can we plug in? How do we stay connected? 

“The greatest part of the trip for us was traveling with other couples from our city,” Amanda said. “We could have taken a similar trip on our own, but we could not have experienced Israel with 40 new friends. Coming back to Atlanta, we’re already planning Shabbat dinners, Friendsgivings, and coffee dates together.” 

This pattern is familiar to Honeymoon Israel leadership. 

“We see it over and over again — couples come back from Israel more anchored, more confident, and more curious about Jewish life,” said Curtis Sechrist, Regional Director for Honeymoon Israel covering Atlanta. “They don’t need to be told where to go next. They already have a community, and that community becomes a bridge into deeper engagement across the Jewish ecosystem.” 

Honeymoon Israel doesn’t prescribe what Jewish life should look like; it gives people the confidence and relationships to pursue it. That’s why Federation’s partnership matters. By investing in organizations like HMI, Federation ensures that young adults are not only invited in, but supported long after the trip ends. 

Looking ahead, that investment continues. Applications for the next Atlanta Honeymoon Israel trip, scheduled for fall November 2026, are now open. To better meet couples where they are, HMI has introduced a new participation model, significantly lowering the participation fee to $500 per couple, that also allows couples to book their own flights, using miles or preferred airlines, while still benefiting from a fully curated group experience. 

“This trip empowered us to explore Jewish identity and bring it into our everyday lives,” Polly reflected. “It didn’t just impact us — it created a community we’ll grow with for years.” 

For Atlanta’s next generation of Jewish families, Honeymoon Israel, made possible through Federation partnership, isn’t just about going to Israel. It’s about coming home ready to build Jewish life, together. 

Becca Nooromid, Director, Young Leadership Division says, “Federation is proud to fund initiatives like Honeymoon Israel that give young adults in Atlanta the chance to experience Israel for the first time—and bring that inspiration home by building meaningful Jewish lives and traditions in their own households in a way that is meaningful to each couple individually.”