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Forum
-> Vacation and Traveling
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amother
Black
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 Wed, Oct 03 2018, 7:55 am
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Say you’re 31 1/2 and have never been to Israel. Let’s say you have a handful of kids at home ages 2-10. Would you take your last chance and go on Birthright’s new older age group trip? It would not be a specifically “spiritual” trip or even a single gender trip, as all of those specialized trips are for younger participants. It would be a totally mixed trip, mixed genders and mixed/non observant. Probably more like a “spring break” trip than the type of trip you’d rather go on... And of course it would take a lot of planning and coordination and help to pull off... But it’s free, and you never been and could certainly use a spiritual recharge in any shape or form you can take it... WWYD?
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pesek zman
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:10 am
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That's not alone. That's with a group. And YES!
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thunderstorm
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:13 am
As long as you won't be anxious how everyone else is doing at home etc and you can truly disconnect, then yes.
But if you are too worried or if your DH is not happy about you being away so long etc., then no.
I just went at 35 for the first time. I'm happy to have experienced that first time with my DH. I found something special about that. I'm not sure if I'd enjoy it as much at this stage in my life with a bunch of strangers.
Last edited by thunderstorm on Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:28 am; edited 1 time in total
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amother
Black
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:19 am
| pesek zman wrote: | | That's not alone. That's with a group. And YES! |
Right, I meant without husband/family
Feels like alone when you’re in a group of strangers
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amother
Tan
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:26 am
I probably wouldn’t do it but you’re not me and maybe it would work for you!
I would consider it if I had a friend coming along... and of course someone reliable to run my house while I’m away
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amother
Black
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:32 am
| thunderstorm wrote: | As long as you won't be anxious how everyone else is doing at home etc don't you can truly disconnect, then yes.
But if you are too worried or if your DH is not happy about you being away so long etc., then no.
I just went at 35 for the first time. I'm happy to have experienced that first time with my DH. I found something special about that. I'm not sure if I'd enjoy it as much at this stage in my life with a bunch of strangers. |
Those are essentially most of my thoughts and concerns...
I would be worried about my family and probably feel homesick. My husband is not thrilled with the “spring break” aspect. I’d imagine I’m at a totally different stage in life than most of the secular participants. It’s not as enjoyable to experience something as amazing as Israel for the first time and have no one (husband/family) to share it with. I wouldn’t be free to explore Israel - I’d have little to no independence and would be bound to the group, it’s constant “team building” exercises and itinerary. Also kosher food might be an issue as I don’t think they stick to as strict of standards on the non-orthodox trips.
I’m thinking whether I should just hold out for when we can all hopefully go for my oldest’s bar mitzvah (still a pipe dream but only 3 years away) or for DH and I to promise to each other that we’d make a trip together next job move/raise etc...
I feel like in theory taking a free trip to Israel “alone” (with a group of strangers) seems like a blast but practically speaking it would not be so great?
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amother
Ruby
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 8:48 am
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How old is the new older age group?
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grace413
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 9:06 am
Balance the down sides against "free trip to Israel"
It will be great if you and family can come for son's Bar Mitzvah but then you will have other restrictions; those of dealing with small children. Odds of having a perfect trip just the way you would like are low.
Unless you think you'd spend all your time worrying about your kids I'd take advantage of the opportunity.
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Rachel Shira
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 9:22 am
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I don’t think I would. I’d want to go with my husband (and kids) and would feel strange having that kind of large experience without him/them at that stage of my life.
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amother
Tangerine
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 10:22 am
Sorry, to burst everyone's bubble. I did that trip (30ish, singles, ten days in Israel, wasn't our first time necessarily, but could have been). Lots of people trying to figure out their purpose in life or who their next boyfriend/gf/date will be. The company was boring for me and I was living the same life. 15 yrs later, the world is only more immature, irresponsible and immoral. I can't imagine doing it with a bunch of 30somethings now. They'll be more into their phones/tablets/opp gender, than anything on the trip.
Try https://jwrp.org/ It's specifically for mothers of children under 18, although meant to be for kiruv. Maybe you can help lead the group. Or tell them it's this or birthright, maybe they'll let you join them. If nothing else contact https://www.livnot.org/ they were also kiruv, but budget friendly, maybe they'd have ideas for the bar mitzvah
Good luck. I know a free trip sounds great, but spring break is not what you want to be on...ok it's not the trip I'd want to be on...but see what else is out there before you spend ten days on a bus with a bunch of way overgrown teenagers.
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ra_mom
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 10:54 am
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I'd do it if I could go with one other person so I wouldn't feel so lost.
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amother
Ruby
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 1:50 pm
| amother wrote: | | How old is the new older age group? |
Bumping
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DrMom
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Wed, Oct 03 2018, 9:56 pm
Probably not.
I might be able to endure a long organized tours with people whose company I enjoy, but 10 days with a bunch of people who are into partying and hooking up (that's the impression I am getting from the above posts)?
No thanks.
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Amarante
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 4:09 am
I would go - assuming that I could make plans in terms of my family and my husband was on board.
I would imagine in a group there would be a few people that I clicked with. Isn't there an itinerary so that you are spending your days visiting places of interest. I can't imagine that the trip is 10 days of planned debauchery and doubt whether most of the people have plans to hook up with each other.
I wouldn't think the kosher thing would be difficult logistically but that is something that is easy to verify.
Maybe there are a few people on the trip who are so cynical that they might as well be visiting Cancun but I bet the majority of the people - even if not frum - are not there are going to be moved or inspired and one could have interesting discussions with them in terms of how it is impacting them.
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jerusalem90
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 5:47 am
Yes!
Bring your own money to buy kosher food -- not hard in Israel. The expense is miniscule given the cost of air fare + lodging that you get for free.
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Shuly
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 5:57 am
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If it's not a frum birthright trip, you will most likely be staying in hotels without a good hechsher on the food.
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SuperWify
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 6:01 am
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Why dont you go in a frum birthright group? I know some married women who went with the 20+ frum group and enjoyed.
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amother
Amber
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 6:05 am
Can you talk to the organizer and walk through the details? Get an idea of how mixed and composition of the group?
If you are willing to do your own thing, and bring a book or something and have nothing to do with the group really then maybe.
Where would you be staying? would you be the only frum person in the group? Could you have your own room? How would that work with food and itinerary?
You also have to know yourself and how it would probably play out. And how your tolerance for what might be and for what you might be exposed to.
And yes if I could get a friend to do it with me could make a big difference.
How does your DH feel about it?
I can totally understand your wish for it to work.
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animeme
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Thu, Oct 04 2018, 6:07 am
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Look at the agenda and staffing very carefully. Birthright is makpid on staying with the group and its plans; it's not so simple if you want to skip whatever they're doing and go do something more your speed. It can be downright painful to be in Eretz Yisrael and fee that you can't access the kedushah you want and instead are surrounded by something totally different.
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