Join me and Shulie Mishkin in Israel, November 24–26, for three days through the landscapes of Sefer Shoftim.
There is a particular challenge to the days after Sukkos.
For weeks, the calendar has made room for our spiritual lives. We have prayed, reflected, welcomed guests, sat in the sukkah, and celebrated the Torah. We have thought about who we are and what deserves more of our attention.
Then the sukkah comes down, and the ordinary demands of life return.
The question is what we will carry with us.
One answer is to make a concrete commitment while the inspiration is still fresh: set aside time to learn, deepen a connection, and do something that might otherwise remain a good intention.
This November, I invite you to do that with me in Israel.
A sefer that asks us to take responsibility
Sefer Shoftim is a challenging sefer.
Its stories bring us face to face with courage and hesitation, faith and failure, the power of leadership and the consequences of division. We encounter people called upon to act in difficult circumstances, often without easy answers.
A place name is easy to pass over in a pasuk. When we see the mountain, look across the valley, or understand the distance between two places, we begin to read differently. Geography becomes part of the story. Details invite questions we might not have thought to ask.
Imagine opening the account of Devorah and Barak with Har Tabor before you. The landscape gives us another way into the text—another reason to pause, look carefully, and learn.
Three days to give the learning our attention
From November 24–26, 2026, I will be joining renowned tour guide Shulie Mishkin for the YILC Sefer Shoftim Heritage Tour.
Our itinerary includes the Jezreel Valley, Har Tabor, Tel Hazor, Tel Dan, Beit She’an, and the Gilboa region. These landscapes will provide the setting for three days of exploring the stories and lessons of Sefer Shoftim together.
I am looking forward to the learning that happens throughout a shared journey: the question someone asks at a site, the conversation that continues on the bus, the insight that comes into focus over dinner.
My hope is that we come home with a richer understanding of the sefer and a stronger connection to Eretz Yisrael—and that those connections continue to shape our learning long after the trip ends.
If you were waiting until after the chagim
Perhaps you saw the initial announcement and thought, “Let me get through the Yamim Tovim first.” That is understandable. Now that Sukkos has ended, I am asking you to give this opportunity a serious look.
November is approaching. Registering now helps us establish the group and plan with greater certainty. If you are interested but have a question, please reach out to me. I would welcome the conversation.
The three-day tour costs $1,290 per person, based on a minimum of 30 participants. It includes one night at the Mehadrin Kibbutz Lavi Hotel, three lunches and three dinners with Mehadrin meals, private bus transportation, entrance fees, and water during the touring days. Flights, the Jerusalem hotel for November 24–25, and personal expenses are additional.
If the minimum of 30 participants is not reached, Israel Destination reserves the right to cancel the trip or adjust the pricing.
Explore the full itinerary and apply for the tour here
Consider inviting a friend or family member to come with you. Sometimes a personal invitation is what turns “I’d love to do that” into an actual plan.
We have just spent weeks renewing our commitments. As the everyday calendar fills again, let’s make room for one of them.
I hope you will join me in Israel.