When Zach and Allie Romo board a plane to Israel this November, they\u2019ll be doing more than crossing an ocean; they\u2019ll be crossing a threshold. The young Phoenix couple will join a group of others from across the country on the latest Honeymoon Israel (HI) trip, an immersive, multi-day journey through the Jewish homeland designed to help interfaith, multi-faith and culturally diverse couples explore Judaism, identity and community together.<\/p>\n
For Zach and Allie, the trip marks several milestones: their first time in Israel, Zach\u2019s nearing completion of his conversion to Judaism and HI\u2019s 10th anniversary.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really the perfect way for us to visit Israel together,\u201d said Zach. \u201cI appreciate that there will be multi-faith elements to the trip. Having that kind of openness and dialogue component is really interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zach first learned about Honeymoon Israel from Rabbi Emily Segal of Temple Chai in Phoenix, who has been guiding him through his conversion process. When he and Allie read more about the program, they quickly realized it was an ideal fit.<\/p>\n
The couple met as college students at Washington University in St. Louis, where they stayed after graduating. Originally from Mesa, Zach was drawn back to Arizona once the pandemic hit, and the pair decided to relocate to be closer to his family.<\/p>\n
Allie, who grew up Jewish but without any formal religious education, began reconnecting with her heritage through her work after college, collaborating with the Washington University Hillel staff. When the couple moved to the Valley, they looked for a suitable synagogue before ultimately finding a spiritual home at Temple Chai, where Zach eventually enrolled in the congregation\u2019s \u201cIntroduction to Judaism\u201d course.<\/p>\n
Their story \u2014 a couple exploring Judaism together from different starting points \u2014 is exactly the kind of pairing Honeymoon Israel was created to serve.<\/p>\n
In 2013, Mike Wise, a Jewish nonprofit professional, came across a Pew Research Center study showing a sharp increase in interfaith marriages and a growing number of young Jews identifying as secular or unaffiliated. Instead of seeing this as a loss, Wise saw potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not see this as a plus one for the Jewish community instead of a negative?\u201d he asked. \u201cYou can\u2019t help who you fall in love with. Let\u2019s welcome these couples warmly into the Jewish community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wise put his thoughts into a paper he titled \u201cHoneymoon Israel,\u201d which he presented to the Jewish Federations of North America. Once his essay was online, it caught the attention of Avi Rubel, then a Jewish educator and executive at Masa Israel Journey.<\/p>\n
By March 2014, the two met in person, officially co-founding Honeymoon Israel. Later that year, a family foundation invested in their idea, allowing them to dedicate themselves full-time to launching the program.<\/p>\n
Their first trip, in 2015, included couples from Phoenix and Los Angeles, marking the start of what would become a successful business.<\/p>\n
Among that first group of travelers was Amanda Garcia, who will now return to Israel as the community engagement trip leader for the upcoming Phoenix delegation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe trip is intentional and lovely and makes you feel good \u2014 whether you\u2019re Jewish or not,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cHI wants to share what\u2019s beautiful about being Jewish but also talk about the complexities involved. Above all, it\u2019s about community building.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Amanda and Joseph Garcia take a romantic selfie on their first trip to Israel in 2015.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Amanda Garcia<\/p>\n
Garcia, who describes her own Jewish upbringing as \u201cuntraditional,\u201d hadn\u2019t attended Jewish summer camp nor had a bat mitzvah, yet still felt connected to her heritage. Honeymoon Israel became a transformative experience for her and for her husband, who is not Jewish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was my first time in Israel,\u201d she said. \u201cFor my husband, it was a chance to get exposure to Judaism in a welcoming, tangible way: the sights, sounds, tastes, smells. It was really impactful.\u201d<\/p>\n
That first trip was led by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and leader of several Valley Jewish organizations. After returning home, Garcia and her husband stayed in touch with the couples they met, including having Shabbat dinner at Yanklowitz\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
One moment from the trip that stuck with her happened when her husband, Joseph, decided he wanted to buy a tallit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if that was appropriate,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBut some of the more observant people traveling with us reassured us and even went shopping with him.\u201d The tallit later became part of their family\u2019s Jewish rituals, held over their children during their b\u2019nai mitzvah ceremonies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was wonderful because it really helped him feel more connected,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
Each HI trip includes opportunities for participants to have facilitated conversations about faith, identity and Israel \u2014 topics that often feel daunting to approach.<\/p>\n
According to Laura Sherr, HI communications director, these dialogues are a cornerstone of the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want the opportunity to talk about it all with other couples,\u201d Sherr said. \u201cWe have many couples, particularly those in interfaith or multifaith relationships, where one partner has a strong connection to Israel and the other does not. They want to understand each other better. We\u2019ve shifted our trips to make sure participants get diverse perspectives and lots of space for meaningful conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sherr noted that each journey includes at least four formal discussion sessions, facilitated by the trip leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople can get vulnerable with each other,\u201d she said. \u201cMany tell us that the conversations were surprising and powerful and that they were grateful to have an opportunity to explore big questions with others facing similar challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Zach and Allie, such conversations have already begun, not just between them, but with their circle of friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve told our close group of friends that we\u2019re going and why,\u201d Allie said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been really supportive. I think everyone is holding it differently, but they\u2019ve created space for us to talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Allie, the trip is also a way to reclaim and deepen her Jewish roots. \u201cI want to explore Jewish identity, because it\u2019s something I feel I missed out on growing up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Garcia, who is now the Anti-Defamation League of Arizona\u2019s major gift officer, understands that feeling well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the beauty of this trip,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a chance to reflect and reconnect, no matter where you are in your Jewish journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although the discussions form the emotional heart of Honeymoon Israel, participants also experience Israel as travelers, such as visiting historical and cultural sites, meeting Israeli couples and spending a day volunteering.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe trips aren\u2019t just about sightseeing,\u201d Sherr said. \u201cThey\u2019re about seeing the diversity of Israel and having space to process what that means.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Garcia, returning to Israel in a new role feels like closing a circle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be my first time going without my spouse or family,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m excited to have an introspective experience this time and to focus on helping others have their own meaningful journeys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Originally scheduled for summer 2025, the trip was postponed to November due to the war with Iran. Some couples had to drop out, and the Phoenix delegation will now travel with participants from New York and Miami. More couples from the Valley are slated for a follow-up trip in February 2026.<\/p>\n
In its 10 years, Honeymoon Israel has evolved from a concept to a worldwide movement. The organization has led more than 160 trips with over 3,000 couples.<\/p>\n
Along the way, it\u2019s weathered global disruptions \u2014 from the pandemic to the aftermath of Oct. 7 \u2014 and adapted to changing needs. HI has launched alternative trips to destinations like Argentina, added diverse speakers and deepened its focus on dialogue about Israel and Jewish identity.<\/p>\n
Yet its mission remains unchanged: to make young couples feel that they belong in the Jewish community, no matter their background.<\/p>\n
For the Romos, that sense of belonging is already growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cTemple Chai has been such a welcoming place for us, and this feels like a good next step,\u201d Zach said.<\/p>\n
Ten years after its founding, Honeymoon Israel continues to offer couples a way to connect with their faith, heritage and each other. While the organization continues to adapt, Sherr said it remains true to its original premise, that love, in all its forms, can be a gateway into Jewish life. JN<\/strong><\/p>\n