Cultivating Hope | Arava Institute Study Tour

Global Leader in Socially Conscious Travel.

Cultivating Hope | Friends of the Arava Institute Study Tour

Tour Dates:

September 10 - September 16, 2025

Registration Deadline: June 10, 2025

For more information please contact Maddie at [email protected]

Price*: $3,900 USD per person (double occupancy) – Single room supplements are available for an additional $850 USD.

Registration/Payment Timeline:

By June 10: $100 refundable placeholder deposit.
By July 1: 50% payment of full tour fee due following trip confirmation based on the number of participants.
August 13: Remaining tour fee due.

This curated small-group journey through Israel and the West Bank gives participants exclusive on-the-ground access to the culture, politics, and state of environmental cooperation in the region today. Led by regional experts in environmental peacebuilding, including Ambassador Daniel Shek and Arava Institute Executive Director Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, this trip takes you off the beaten track to delve into the complex realities of the region. Throughout the Study Tour, participants will be joined by Arava Institute Israeli and Palestinian alumni engaged in environmental peacebuilding efforts.

Throughout the trip, you’ll engage in meaningful discussions with local experts, visit innovative environmental projects, and explore the region’s diverse landscapes. Walk the historic streets of Jerusalem, meet Palestinian civil society leaders in the West Bank, and experience the vibrant energy of Tel Aviv. Venture into the Negev Desert to witness cutting-edge off-grid technology in an unrecognized Bedouin village, then immerse yourself in the research and cross-border dialogue taking place at the Arava Institute.

TRIP INCLUDES

6 nights’ accommodations based on double occupancy in the following hotels or similar.

1 MEJDI-Trained Logistics Staff available throughout

Private bus transportation as mentioned in itinerary, including private arrival transfers and 1 group departure airport transfer

Meals listed in the itinerary

Water on bus throughout tour

Dedicated pre-trip customer service and on-ground support

$3,900*

Per Person

TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE

International Airfare

Travel Insurance-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Single Room Supplement ($850)

Meals not mentioned in the itinerary

Customary tips to drivers, guides, and hotel staff

Individual airport transfers outside of the group transfer

Anything not explicitly mentioned in the included section

About Your Group Leaders

These three group leaders have co-led study tours to the region regularly over the past three years.

Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed

Executive Director, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

A Palestinian citizen of Israel from East Jerusalem, Dr. Abu Hamed received this year’s AAAS Science Diplomacy award. Dr. Abu Hamed is the co-chair of the regional cooperation and security task force of President Herzog’s Israel Climate Forum. He is an expert in regional environmental cooperation and and environmental diplomacy, recently at the UN COP29 Climate Conference in Baku.

Ambassador Daniel Shek

Arava Institute Board Member, Leader of the Institute’s Track II Forum for Environmental Diplomacy

A veteran of the Israeli foreign service, Ambassador Shek has served as Ambassador to France, Consul General in San Francisco, Director of European Affairs and Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry. An expert on public diplomacy, he is now a private consultant, teaches at Tel Aviv University, and continues to be a frequent guest on media outlets worldwide. Since October 7, he has led the diplomacy team of the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.

Rachel Kalikow

CEO, Friends of the Arava Institute

Currently based in Boston, Kalikow has worked with Friends of the Arava Institute for more than five years, serving as Director of Development and then Chief Development Officer before becoming CEO in 2024. She has studied, lived and worked in Israel and has extensive non-profit experience in development and community outreach, with organizations based in Israel and the United States.

Before you Register

Read through the Terms and Conditions. Deposits are refundable if the tour is cancelled due to low enrollment.

Invite your friends!

Do not book your flight until you receive the tour confirmation email from us. This tour requires a minimum number of travelers to run and we will send out the tour confirmation (and update this note on the webpage) as soon as we have met that number.

Check out travel insurance options.

Some plans and policies [Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) or coverage for pre-existing conditions] may only available for a limited time (approximately 2 weeks) following your date of deposit.

Tour Registration

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