Next Year in Jerusalem…

Jewish Federation of San Diego Opens Registration for The Community Trip to Israel in May 2027

At the end of the Passover Seder, the final words are spoken almost instinctively. Around tables filled with family, friends, and generations of tradition, Jews everywhere say the same phrase: L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim, next year in Jerusalem.

For centuries, those words have carried deep meaning. They hold memory and hope in the same breath, reminding us that the story of the Jewish people stretches across generations and continues to unfold.

Since October 7, 2023, those words have taken on added meaning. Israel is not the same, and neither is the global Jewish community. Across San Diego and around the world, many Jews have felt a renewed urgency to stand closer to Israel and to one another. The phrase “next year in Jerusalem” now carries not only longing, but also a deeper desire to return, reconnect, and show up for our people.

Next year, members of San Diego’s Jewish community will have the opportunity to do exactly that.

Jewish Federation of San Diego will bring 250 San Diegans for The Community Trip to Israel from May 18–25, 2027, with an optional post-trip extension to Budapest, Hungary from May 26–30. Open to adults ages 18 and up, the once-in-a-lifetime trip welcomes both first-time visitors and those who’ve traveled to Israel many times.

Because this shared journey is more than a trip. It is a communal experience—an opportunity to explore Israel alongside neighbors, friends, and fellow San Diegans who share a deep connection to Jewish life and the future of our people.

Each Passover, the Seder invites us to see ourselves as part of a much larger story. Generation after generation gathers around the table to retell the journey of the Jewish people and to reflect on the responsibility of carrying that story forward.

The Community Trip reflects the same idea. Traveling together offers the opportunity to explore Israel not simply as individual visitors, but as a community connected by shared history and purpose. Conversations that begin during a bus ride, over coffee in a café, or while walking ancient streets often grow into friendships that last long after the journey ends.

Participants will experience Israel through many lenses. In Tel Aviv, travelers will explore vibrant neighborhoods filled with art, technology, music, and culture. The city’s Mediterranean coastline, lively markets, and creative energy offer a glimpse into the modern spirit of a country constantly renewing itself.

Jerusalem presents another rhythm entirely. Layers of Jewish history reveal themselves in every stone pathway and ancient wall. One of the most memorable moments of the week will come as the group welcomes Shabbat in the city. As evening approaches, participants will gather for Kabbalat Shabbat before walking toward the Western Wall alongside thousands of others. The plaza fills with prayer, singing, and celebration as Jews from around the world greet the day of rest together in one of Judaism’s most sacred spaces.

A particularly meaningful part of the journey will take place in Sha’ar HaNegev, San Diego’s long-standing partner region in southern Israel.

For many years, Federation and communities of Sha’ar HaNegev have built a close partnership rooted in mutual support and enduring relationships. Since the events of October 7, that partnership has taken on even deeper meaning. Through Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign, San Diego has helped fund recovery efforts, restore community spaces, and support initiatives focused on healing and resilience.

Visiting the region brings those connections into powerful focus. Travelers will meet residents and local leaders, gaining insight into daily life and the remarkable resilience that continues to shape the community. Participants will see firsthand how donor support from San Diego has helped restore beloved gathering places and launch new initiatives designed to help the region rebuild.

The itinerary includes visits to revitalized spaces such as Beit Melachah, a creative hub for therapeutic healing; BarKatze Pub, once a popular community gathering spot that has reopened as a symbol of resilience; and the inspiring “Youth Cooking for a Future” food truck initiative. These experiences offer travelers a powerful glimpse into how communities rebuild and move forward together.

Partnerships like these reflect Federation’s commitment to strengthening the bonds that connect San Diegans to Israel and Jewish life around the world.

For participants who choose to continue to Budapest, the optional extension offers another perspective on the global Jewish story. Once home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations, Budapest today features a dynamic and evolving Jewish community. Encounters with local leaders, cultural institutions, and historic sites illuminate both the challenges and the remarkable renewal of Jewish life in the region.

Journeys have always been part of the Jewish story. From the Exodus retold each year at the Seder table to the countless paths Jewish communities have taken across the world, every generation adds its own chapter.

For San Diego’s Jewish community, The Community Trip will offer the chance to write one of those chapters together—returning not only to places that hold deep historical meaning, but to people who continue to shape the Jewish story today.

When the words L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim are spoken at the end of the Seder, they carry both memory and hope. For those who take part in this journey, they will also carry something more personal: the memory of standing with Israel at a moment when showing up for one another matters more than ever.

Registration for The Community Trip is now open! Learn more and reserve your place at jewishinsandiego.org/thecommunitytrip2027.