Trips

Gush Etzion

The Gush Etzion tour offers an immersive day connecting formal and informal education, heritage, Zionism, community, and security, allowing participants to experience the region through the stories, people, and institutions that shape it. The day will begin at Herodium, exploring Jewish history and the story of the Bar Kokhba Revolt, followed by an introduction to unique educational models at Regavim Ulpana or the Mekor Chaim Yeshiva. These institutions demonstrate different approaches to connecting academic learning with Jewish identity, independence, responsibility, and a connection to the land and Israeli society. At the Kfar Etzion Visitor Center, participants will learn about the history of Jewish settlement in Gush Etzion, the battles of Israel’s War of Independence, and the return to the area following the Six-Day War, offering a tangible expression of heritage and remembrance alongside the realization of Zionist ideals. The visit to the Shalva Center will then provide insight into the world of informal and therapeutic education, with an emphasis on inclusion, integration, empowerment, and mutual responsibility. The day will conclude at Mitzpor HaElef in Neve Daniel, with a briefing by an IDF spokesperson on the current security situation and the strategic significance of the region. Together, the tour creates a meaningful journey connecting past and present, education and action, and Jewish-Zionist identity with communal and national responsibility.