20 | APRIL 1 • 2021
OUR COMMUNITY
E
very night for a week, more than 200
“travelers” from 11 states — includ-
ing a group from Congregation Beth
Ahm in West Bloomfield — experienced
Israel like never before. An Israeli guide led
them through an “off-the-beaten-path” tour
from the Negev to Masada, the Golan to
West Galilee, and to Leket, Israel’s national
food bank, with many stops in between.
Even more unusual than the sights, sounds
and people they met, was their mode of
transportation. The Jan. 3-7 trip was virtual,
and all of the participants joined by logging
in via Zoom from their computers.
“The trip was incredibly successful. It
brought us together as a community to
experience our Jewish home in a new way,
”
said David Goodman, executive
director of Beth Ahm. “It also
brought us together as individ-
uals. At a time when so many
were feeling isolated because
of the weather and COVID-19
restrictions, the trip provided an
outlet for personal interaction.
Albeit on the computer, seeing friends and
family and meeting new ‘travelers’ to learn,
laugh and share a common love of Israel pro-
vided human contact that has been missing.
”
There was no cost to attend because
the trip was sponsored by the Beth Ahm
Sisterhood, but participants could give a tip
to the guide at their discretion. To supple-
ment each day’s adventure, kosher Israeli-
style take-out was available from the congre-
gation’s caterer, Dish Kosher Cuisine.
Nancy Goldberg and her husband, Ira,
from Farmington Hills were among those on
the weeklong journey.
“We had a June 2020 trip planned to
Israel and had to cancel due to COVID. We
planned to spend time in Jerusalem and Tel
Aviv,
” Goldberg said. “While I would have
rather been in Israel, attending from home
still allowed me to connect to Israel by seeing
some familiar sights and some new ones.
“Our guide discussed everything from
history to agriculture to technology and art.
When we can go to Israel, I will definitely
take this experience with me and appreciate
being there so much more.
”
VIRTUAL BOOM
Virtual travel has been booming since the
COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of
borders around the world. While some travel
restrictions have been lifted, there are still
countless places people cannot go. But wild-
life safaris, virtual reality tours of National
Parks, scuba diving tours in Antarctica and
Indonesia, museum tours, even views from
the peaks of Switzerland’s St. Moritz are all
available online. Among many congregations
and Jewish groups, virtual Israel trips are
popular.
“In 2019, Israel had a record-breaking year
of tourism with more than 4 million visi-
tors,
” said Naomi Miller, director of Missions
and Israel representative for the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. “In 2020,
tourism decreased by more than 80% and
the ministry of tourism estimates more than
$3.6 billion in lost revenue.
”
Miller has helped to organize several virtu-
al Israel trips like the one Jewish Federations
of North America has planned for March.
It’s called “Forward Focus,
” a
series that brings experts, reli-
gious leaders and change mak-
ers together to discuss topics,
including the power balance
between religion and state, the
evolution of life-cycle events in
Israel, the LGBTQ community
and Judaism, and more.
Amy Cutler and her husband, Ezra, of
West Bloomfield participated in Federation’s
Virtual Mission to Israel in October, which
included “live guided tours through Israeli
cities and landmarks, enlightening looks at
history and informative conversations with
Israeli partners.
”
“
Although we have been to Israel several
times, this was a whole new and different
perspective,
” she said. “What was interesting
was our Federation’s involvement with our
sister region in the Central Galilee area. This
was not on the average visitor’s itinerary.
”
Cutler said highlights of the trip included
a walk through Mahane Yehuda Market in
Jerusalem, often called the “shuk,
” a recently
excavated and newly opened underground
walkway from the water tunnel to the
Western Wall and fabulous graffiti artwork
she saw along the way.
“We’ve been talking about another visit to
Israel but with COVID that was out of the
question,
” she says. “This gave us the oppor-
tunity to relax and enjoy a ‘vacation’ that
could otherwise not have happened. It was
just such a fascinating experience. I can’t wait
for another virtual vacation.
”
To learn more about virtual Israel tours, visit: jnf.org/
visit-israel/jnf-virtual-tours-to-israel.
Jewish groups hop
aboard the growing
trend of virtual travel.
Globe
Zooming
ROBIN SCHWARTZ
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
David
Goodman
Naomi
Miller
A screen shot of
Haifa’s Baha’i Gardens
from Beth Ahm's off-
the-beaten-path tour
Nancy and Ira
Goldberg of
Farmington Hills
on a previous
Israel trip.