GUIDE TO THE  

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We're eligible. How can we apply for HMI?

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We applied online. What happens next?

Introduction to the HMI Application Process

HMI Trip Eligibility Criteria

We participated in an interview. What can we expect now?

APPLICATION

Honeymoon Israel (HMI) provides immersive trips to Israel for locally based cohorts of couples that have at least one Jewish partner, early in their committed relationship, creating communities of couples who are building families with deep and meaningful connections to Jewish life and the Jewish people . HMI is an inclusive organization that is welcoming of diverse couples. As part of all HMI trip curation, we utilize a thoughtful application and interview selection process. Our goal is to craft groups (20 couples per trip) so that they are a reflection of the Jewish community at large: some couples will be interfaith, some will include a partner who has converted/Jew by choice and some will have both partners who were born Jewish. Some will be LGBTQ, some will have kids, some will live in the city and some will live in the suburbs. All trip cohorts are locally-based couples from the same metro area in order to enhance community building on the trip and after the trip. In a few of our major markets, specific trips may be crafted based on geography within cities to ensure couples live close to each other. Each group is a mix of couples with a range of backgrounds, interests and life experiences.  Before moving ahead, please take a few minutes to read our FAQ page here to get yourself more acquainted. 

01 Introduction to the HMI Application Process

02 HMI Trip Eligiblity Criteria

We’d hate for you to spend your time on applying if in fact you and your partner do not need meet the eligibility criteria to participate. Before proceeding, confirm you and your partner are eligible:

You are committed and/or married life partners between ages 25-40 (at least one partner must be between 25-40 at the time of the trip, and neither partner may be over 45 years old) If married, you must be within first five (5) years of marriage (or very close to it!) At least one of you is Jewish. We define that broadly—if you have at least one Jewish parent or grandparent, and/or self-identify as Jewish, that counts. At least one of you must have no prior organized Israel trip experience post high school (i.e. if both partners have been on Birthright, you are ineligible). You are a full time resident of the city/metro area from which the Honeymoon Israel is organized and departing. Please note that each Honeymoon Israel city may have a select geographic catchment area. If you are unsure if you fit within the catchment area for your specific city, please reach out to us before applying at applications@honeymoonisrael.org

In general, HMI is looking for couples who are the least engaged in Jewish life. HMI is geared toward couples who still have lots of questions and have yet to make firm decisions about the way they wish to incorporate Judaism into their relationship and family.

03 We're eligible. How can we apply for HMI?

Click here to review a PDF copy of the HMI application. Then, prepare your essay answers in a separate document and copy/paste into your application when you're ready.  Complete every answer with detail - we are trying to understand your background/motivations/how we can best serve you. Provide full answers to the questions. There’s no right or wrong answer; we simply want to better understand who you are as a couple. It’s critical that both partners complete the application together. We want to see that the answers reflect both partners' voices. Be honest! Don’t cheat the process by trying to fit a mold that you think we’re looking for. Honeymoon Israel is completely open to couples of all diverse backgrounds and experiences.When you submit your application, you will receive an automated confirmation email. If you do not receive the confirmation email, this means that we may not have received your application. If this happens, check with us by emailing applications@honeymoonisrael.org to make sure we received the application.

When an application cycle is open for your city, you can submit an online application by the posted deadline for that cycle. Your online application will be reviewed by HMI staff and a trained team of HMI alumni. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing your online application:

Interested in applying, but have some questions? Click here to sign-up to chat with an HMI alumni couple from your community!

04 We applied online. What happens next?

You will be notified via email of the status of your online application and whether you are invited to participate in the interview round within one (1) month of your city’s application cycle deadline.  The email notification will indicate one of the following:

INVITED TO AN INTERVIEW If you are invited to the interview round, you will be asked to sign-up for an in- person interview in your city on select dates. If you cannot attend an in-person interview on those select dates, you'll have the option of signing-up for a video interview on different dates instead. You will be interviewed by an HMI staff member, and local partners from that community may sit-in on the interview as well. The interview is a time for us to bring your written application to life. It is helpful to be familiar with the HMI experience (best way to do that is to review the HMI website!), but other than that, there's nothing you need to do to prepare for your interview. 

NOT INVITED TO AN INTERVIEW HMI receives approximately 4x the number of applications than we have spots for on upcoming trips. Our goal is to interview as many qualified, eligible couples as we possibly can. If you are not invited to an interview, it can be due to a number of different factors. If you receive this notification, you will have the opportunity to provide HMI with your feedback on the application process.

NOT ELIGIBLE FOR HMI If you receive this notification, it is because you and your partner have been deemed ineligible based on what we received on your online application. Please re-review the eligibility criteria as listed on the HMI website and page 2 above. Please note that not living within the geography catchment area is one of the most common reasons for ineligibility.

05 We participated in an interview. What can we expect now?

You will be notified via email of the status of your application and interview, and whether you are secured a spot on an upcoming HMI trip within six (6) weeks of your interview date. The email notification will indicate one of the following:

SECURED A SPOT If you are secured a spot on an HMI trip, you will be asked to register for the trip and submit your $2,500* payment within two (2) weeks of notification. HMI is flexible with payment plans if you need more time to submit the trip payment.

NOT SECURED A SPOT If you are notified that HMI cannot secure you a spot on an upcoming trip, you are welcome to reapply in the next application cycle for your city. HMI wants to secure spots for as many qualified, eligible applicants as possible. Please note that if you're not secured a spot on your desired trip, we will do our best to give you a chance to participate in the future. HMI does not automatically add all interviewed applicants to a trip waitlist, but in the case that a participant drops out prior to the trip, some applicants may be notified and invited to take the spot. The email notification will inform you that the HMI local team and/or partners in your city will be reaching out to connect with you personally to help you find other ways to engage with the Jewish community.

*As of March 1, all participant fees have increased to $2,500. All application cycles and open trip slots are now subject to the increased fee.

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HMI is a 501c3 organization that operates trips from more than 17 cities across North America. HMI is generously supported by funders and organizations throughout the Jewish community who share our goal of welcoming and building community for a diverse range of Jewish families. In every HMI community, we work closely with partners who are integral to the entire HMI experience. For a full list of supporters, please visit our website here.