This article from The Times of Israel examines how the Operation Rising Lion disrupted the summer season for Israel educational travel programs. At the start of 2025, organizers expected about 60,000 participants in youth and educational trips to Israel, but after the 12-day conflict with Iran, that number fell to roughly 30,000. According to Anna Langer, executive director of the Israel Educational Travel Alliance, the drop was not primarily due to fear but to logistical challenges such as canceled flights and difficulty rescheduling trips. Programs that did operate often had to adjust itineraries or delay departures, while some organizers worked directly with airlines like El Al to secure flights for participants once travel resumed.
Despite the disruption, many organizations adapted in order to continue providing Jewish educational experiences. Some programs proceeded in Israel with only minor changes, incorporating visits connected to the ongoing security situation, while others temporarily shifted trips to locations in Europe and elsewhere. Groups affiliated with initiatives like RootOne also expanded alternative travel options when Israel travel was not possible. Program leaders emphasized that experiences in Israel remain uniquely meaningful for Jewish identity formation, but the repeated disruptions caused by regional conflicts have forced travel organizations to become more flexible and innovative in order to maintain participation and sustain the field of Israel educational travel.
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