About Us

Why choose a YALLAH! ISRAEL trip?

We’ve been running teen Israel trips for over 60 years. 

Since 1958, Yallah! Israel (formerly NFTY in Israel) has transformed the lives of over 30,000 teens by creating a summer of exciting challenges, wonderful new friends, and lasting impact. 

Chaperoned flights are included in the cost of the program. 

When your teen arrives for their international flight our team will be there to support them through the check-in process.  Our chaperones fly with the teens and are available to help with any concerns during the flight and upon arriving in Poland and/or Israel.  

We are more than just a trip; we are a cultural exchange. 

Your bus will be joined by a group of Israeli teens for five days. Through structured evening programs and casual conversations on the trail, you’ll have a chance to get to know your Israeli peers and learn about their lives. Throughout the trip you will also meet with Israelis from different walks of life who will share their experiences and reflections with you.   

You can customize your experience to what interests you. 

Before leaving for Israel on one of our Adventure trips, you will select your own four-day in-depth experience.  This module offers you the opportunity to pursue your own interests while in Israel and make new friends from other Yallah! Israel buses at the same time.  Experiences in the past have included a sea-to-sea hike, an archeological dig, social justice work, and the Israeli army experience.  

Want to customize your experience even more? Choose one of our specialty trips – Sci-Tech in Israel, Eden Israel Experience, or Pride Adventure – and have your entire experience focus on your area of interest! 

We know health and safety. 

The safety and security of participants is always our primary concern. Our itineraries are built with caution in mind and we are in touch with Israeli authorities throughout the summer in case last-minute travel changes must be made. In addition, each group is accompanied by a licensed guard, and our staff go through a vigorous training to prepare them for any health or safety issue. Learn more about our approach to safety and security.  

 

Our trips are part of the suite of programs offered by the Union for Reform Judaism. 

We approach our Israel education through a Reform lens, bringing our values of repairing the world and holding in tension multiple truths.  We embrace the “audacious hospitality” of the Reform Movement and deeply value Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) in all that we do.  We affirm and value participants and staff members from families of a wide range of backgrounds and lived experience – including interfaith, People of Color, people with disabilities, same-sex or single parents/guardians, those who identify as LGBTQ+ and many other underrepresented identities. We celebrate our sacred moments from Shabbat services to blessings of amazement at the Dead Sea with guitars, song, and full egalitarian inclusion.  

In the words of Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, “our Judaism is egalitarian, intellectually rigorous, joyful, pluralistic, and constantly evolving. It is soul-elevating spiritual practice, life-altering Torah study, courageous practice of tikkun olam (repairing the world, and loving care for our community, especially the most vulnerable.”  

All of our staff are trained by us – from counselors to education leaders. 

We know that the adults in charge can make or break a trip. Our education team begins learning with us months before our summer trips to ensure that they not only know the base material but can answer tough questions and encourage real dialogue. Our counselor training focuses on high-level participant care including both physical safety and emotional well-being. For months our team prepares to welcome you to Israel and to make sure that your experience is meaningful, safe, and fun!  

We know how to do fun! 

From camel rides and playing in the Dead Sea, to hanging out over lunch and joyful Shabbat celebrations, Yallah! Israel knows how to do fun!  Join us to learn new skills, have conversations that inspire you, see all the sites of Israel, and hang out with the new friends you’ll make! 

Yallah! israel TEAM

Rabbi Loren Sykes

Director, Teen Israel Immersive Programs, URJ
LSykes@urj.org

Rabbi Loren Sykes grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago where he was a lifelong Jewish camper and active member in synagogue and youth group life. He holds BA degrees in both European History and Talmud, as well as an MA in Jewish studies and rabbinic ordination. Loren brings seventeen years of senior leadership in Jewish camping to his position as Director of Israel Immersives and Principal of URJ Heller High. He has wide-ranging experience in not-for-profit leadership and management as both a professional and a lay leader. In recognition of his work in the field of Jewish camp, Rabbi Sykes received The Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2006. He made Aliyah in August, 2013, along with two of his three children and lives in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem.

 

Rachael Brill

Director of North American Operations & Growth, Teen Israel Immersive Programs
RBrill@urj.org

Rachael Brill has worked at the URJ since 2012. She has held various positions across the organization, most recently serving as the Associate Director of Camping, helping to oversee 15 overnight camps across North America. Prior to coming to the URJ, Rachael was the U.S. Manager of Recruitment and Community Outreach at the Nesiya Institute, a six-week Jewish teen summer program in Israel. She has a deep love for Israel – she studied for a semester in Tel Aviv during college, staffed multiple Birthright trips, and has returned over a dozen times for both work and pleasure. Rachael grew up in Massachusetts and received her B.A. in political science from Tufts University. After living in New York City for nearly a decade, Rachael recently relocated to Memphis with her husband and their goldendoodle, Abbey Road. In her spare time, Rachael is a competitive sailor, avid rock climber, runner, and hiker. 

 

Ariel Fogelman

Director, Yallah! Israel
AFogelman@urj.org

Prior to Yallah! Israel, Ariel served as Director of programs for Keshet Educational Tourism and as director of the Haifa University Tour Guides Course. Ariel continues to do reserve duty in the IDF Educational Corps as a Commander at the Speakers unit, in charge of contextualizing security situations for soldiers on ground at changing circumstances and war times. Ariel has also taught Bible in the Israeli school system and was appointed by the Ministry of Education as a mentor for Bible teachers in the Jerusalem area. Ariel earned a Masters Degree in Jewish Education from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and is a graduate of the Israeli School of Tourism at Haifa University. He is a featured guest lecturer for Teacher and Guide Training Programs and for the IDF with specialties in Biblical Studies & History, and Israel Studies.

 

Ruby Sommer

Associate Director, Yallah! Israel
RSommer@urj.org

Ruby was born and raised in Israel. He served in the IDF for 4 years in a Commanders position for a special unit. Following his service, Ruby became a certified tour guide. Ruby has worked for Yallah! Israel (formerly NFTY in Israel) every summer since 1984. In 2000, Ruby became the Director of Operations and Budgets, before becoming the Associate Director. He is married with two kids.

 

Ilana Picker

Assistant Director of North American Operations & Growth, Teen Israel Immersive Programs
IPicker@urj.org

 
Ilana first joined the Yallah Israel team as Registrar in 2016 before moving into her current role as an Assistant Director. She graduated from Goucher College with a degree in Communications and Media Studies and a minor in Political Science. Throughout High School Ilana was actively involved in NFTY-GER, and was a participant on NFTY in Israel and Urban Mitzvah Corps. Ilana is an enthusiastic traveler discovering different cultures, sites, and sounds of our global world and is so grateful to be able to use that passion to send thousands of teens on NFTY in Israel.

 

Judy Goldstein

Associate Director, Community Care, Teen Israel Immersive Programs
JRGoldstein@urj.org

Judy graduated from Hebrew University with a Masters in Social Work. She joined the URJ in 2005 working for Yallah! Israel (formerly NFTY in Israel) in the summer and then joined the Heller High team full time in 2007. Judy is part of the Israel Immersives team and oversees Participant Care for both Heller High and NFTY in Israel. Judy is originally from Philadelphia and moved to Israel in 1988. She was a Commander and Hebrew teacher in Basic training for new immigrants from 1998 to 2001, and was also the commander of a course that trains teachers and prepares them to be commanders and Hebrew teachers. Later, she spent six years of hadracha as a youth counselor in the Noam youth movement, and a number of years as a counselor and educator for Yallah! Israel programs. She lives in Israel with her husband and daughter.

 

Raya Seidman
Assistant Director, Community Care, Teen Israel Immersive Programs
RSeidman@urj.org

Raya made Aliyah to Israel in 2020 and currently lives in Tel Aviv. Raya most recently graduated from Yeshiva University with a Masters in Social Work. Prior to that, Raya graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelors in Youth Development and Jewish Studies. Raya has grown up in the URJ; she spent many of her summers at OSRUI, she studied for a semester of high school in Israel as a student on Heller High, as well as participated in NFTY Missouri Valley. Raya is passionate about bridging the gap between Jews in North America and Jews in Israel. Raya feels honored to be working with the teens on Yallah! Israel, their families, and the counselors to help create a meaningful and memorable experience for everyone.

 

Alex Bridge

Program Operations & Administrative Associate, Teen Israel Immersive Programs
ABridge@urj.org

Alex Bridge is originally from Oceanside, NY and currently resides in Delray Beach, FL. Alex graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2015 with a bachelor’s in business administration with a focus in Hospitality Management. Her passion for helping the Jewish community was solidified in her experiences with Hillel and Birthright at FAU. Prior to starting at the URJ, Alex was Associate Regional Director for BBYO in three regions. In Alex’s current role she handles backend logistics in order to help URJ teens get to Israel. She is excited to continue to work in the Jewish world and help teens explore their Jewish identity.

 

Resources for congregations

Thanks for helping to spread the word about Yallah! Israel, as well as the other 60+ youth programs that the URJ has to offer! These ready-to-use tools make it easy to help each of your families find the right experience for them. From regional and specialty camps, to leadership and social justice opportunities, to Israel and beyond, there is something for everyone in your congregation. If you have any questions, or are looking for something you don’t see here, contact us!