UJIA Israel tours delayed by Iran-Israel war

Israel tours which were due to leave at the end of June and the beginning of July are being postponed amidst continued fighting between Israel and Iran, the heads of UJIA Israel Experience have announced.

Some 800 16-year-olds, nearly double the number of the previous summer, have signed up for what has become a rite of passage after weeks of GCSE exams.

Some youth movement groups were expected to leave in the next two weeks, but in a message sent out to parents, UJIA Israel Experience wrote: “We are pleased to say we have already arranged delayed departure for those scheduled to fly on 30th June & 2nd July…Each movement is working towards a timeline based on their movements’ specific criteria and departure dates and will update you as soon as it becomes clear what is or isn’t possible.”

They said that individual youth movements were working towards finding “the best outcome” for their participants, which may include delayed departures, adjusted dates or going ahead as planned for those teenagers leaving the UK later in the summer.

They added that movements were “also working hard on contingency planning including alternative programming should Israel Tours not be able to go ahead”.

Last summer, some youth movements decided against sending teenagers to Israel, instead organising trips to Europe. Others combined a trip to Israel with a European element. This summer, six youth movements had planned Israel-only trips, while three had organised Israel-Europe expeditions.

UJIA Israel Experience leaders said that “the safety and security of participants” would be central to any decision made and that they were continuing “to do our utmost to protect funds and then recover as much as possible for you in the event of cancellation”.

Asking participants and teenagers “for patience” as they await final decisions, the organisation – a partnership between the Jewish Agency and UJIA – reassured them that they had “extensive experience in operating in everchanging scenarios on a range of Israel programming and experiences” and that they would “do our utmost to adapt to any situation that presents itself in the coming weeks”.

Israel tour costs in the region of £4,000, but for the first time ever, UJIA offered a subsidy of over £2000, in partnership with Mosaic Teens, to participants who had only limited experience of Israel and the Jewish community, as well as their usual means-tested bursaries and interest-free loans.

The Foreign Office is currently advising against all travel to Israel in light of the continuing Israel-Iran war.