ToI readers tour Israel, with our journalists as their guides
The first ToI Tour was held this spring. Join the ToI Community now for an invitation to the next tour, in November
Thirty-three Times of Israel readers from across the globe joined us recently in Israel for the inaugural Times of Israel Tour, where they were guided by ToI reporters and editors on their journalistic beats.
The tour offered an in-depth, on-the-ground experience of Israel at this challenging moment, with a focus on appreciating the resilience of the Israeli people since October 7, 2023.
Most of the ToI Tour participants had already come to Israel multiple times and were looking for something different for this post-October 7 visit. Steve B. from California, who had visited Israel over 30 times previously, called this trip “the most compelling, life- and opinion-altering experience I’ve ever had here.”
Participants were guided each day by our leading journalists, including founding editor David Horovitz, deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan, senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur, military reporter Emanuel Fabian (who showed the group current IDF activity around Gaza), Tal Schneider, Jessica Steinberg, Sue Surkes and others. The ToI staffers shared insights from their reporting and reflected on the experience of covering Israel today. Tour participants also heard from thought leaders including former Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren and Daniel Gordis.
We traveled widely — from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to the Gaza border region — visiting sites of devastation, memory, innovation and hope. We heard from IDF officers and local mayors; visited the ANU Museum of the Jewish People and the stunning new National Library in Jerusalem. We met with journalists, artists, soldiers, farmers, and survivors. We spent Shabbat in Jerusalem and saw the country through multiple lenses: historical, political, cultural, and deeply personal.
In a temporary Tel Aviv space for the Kibbutz Be’eri gallery, ToI culture editor Jessica Steinberg brought the group to see and hear about extraordinary prints created by a young Israeli artist that help the public process a year of trauma and transformation.
We stood in places that carry the weight of recent tragedy — Kfar Aza, the Nova festival site — and in places that hold centuries of meaning.
Throughout it all, the experience was rooted in conversation — with one another, with ToI’s journalists, and with the people who will shape Israel’s future in ways large and small.
Ina B. of California said her trip was “an 11 on a scale of 1–10… [it was] truly amazing and helped me clear so many feelings and emotions, giving me the strength I needed at just the right time.”
“The tour was thoughtfully and carefully crafted — a combination of information, opinion, current events and history, memorial, culture, and food,” reflected participant Eric H. from California.
It was an opportunity to connect in person with Times of Israel reporters — not just as journalists, but as Israelis living through this difficult period. “My favorite moments were when [the journalists] shared personal stories and anecdotes from their lives and work,” said Lisa R. from Connecticut.
Many in the group also bonded with one another — over shared meals, bus rides, walking tours, and honest conversations. There was laughter, reflection, and even a spontaneous late-night singalong. Lynn B-W from New York felt that “the personal connection and shared experience were the most valuable part.”
This tour was the first of many we’re planning. Each Times of Israel Tour of Israel will be different — with new themes, destinations and perspectives. They’ll all offer a unique opportunity to join a small group of committed ToI readers who are guided through Israel by leading Times of Israel journalists, staying in 5-star hotels with the highest standard of professional planning and comfort.
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us for this first tour, designed by The Times of Israel in partnership with Keshet Educational Journeys.
The next ToI Tour will be this November. If you’d like to receive an invite with more details, join our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community, as only ToI Community members receive the invitations with details on the trips: