Ann Arbor Community Israel Trip: Cancellation Considerations
Information about Potential Trip Cancellation from the Jewish Community Trip Organizers
updated January 12, 2025
We acknowledge the hesitation that potential participants might have about signing up for a trip to Israel at this time. For the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and all partner organizations involved in the Community Trip to Israel, the safety and security of trip participants is our number one concern.
Organizers work in close consultation with the tour operator and Jewish Federations of North America security personnel to make changes to the itinerary and decisions regarding travel to Israel or within Israel that are appropriate for current conditions at that time.
It is our intention that this tour will move forward as planned. However, there could be conditions that would result in trip cancellation, such as lack of enrollment, flight cancellations, or security issues.
Cancellation considerations:
We will consider the following factors in assessing the potential need to cancel:
- Is Israel encouraging tourism or asking tourists to stay home (will our presence there be more a hindrance than helpful)?
- What is the State Department advisory status for travel to Israel? We will cancel the trip in an event of “do not travel” advisory. We plan to travel at a level up to “reconsider travel” or lower. If it is recommended not to travel to certain areas, we will adjust the itinerary accordingly, in a manner that will preserve the quality of educational, meaningful, and fun experiences.
- In the event that major international airlines cancel their flights to Israel we will cancel the trip.
- Are there enough people enrolled to make the trip economically viable? We will go with a minimum of 40 participants (one bus) but aspire to go with at least 80.
Registration-based cancellation:
A decision about cancellation due to insufficient registration will be made and communicated no later than 3 months prior to the trip, by September 21, 2025.
Security-based cancellation:
A decision about cancellation due to security reasons will be made no later than 1 month prior to the trip, by November 21, 2025 (unless circumstances change closer to the trip).
Traveler’s choice to cancel:
The trip providers ensure a full refund for cancellations under any circumstances that are made more than 60 days in advance of the trip. In addition, if security conditions worsen after the point of sign-up, a full refund is guaranteed at any date.
Insurance:
We strongly advise that each participant also sign up for a trip insurance policy or travel protection program that covers cancellation for personal reasons within 60 days of departure as well as covering trip interruption, baggage loss, healthcare abroad, and other unanticipated emergencies.