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.

