Israel can be a dangerous destination. But for members of the Hillel Center at the University of Cincinnati, a visit there was the trip of a lifetime.
They were booked on a three-week trip to Israel that could show them more about their Jewish heritage than volumes of reading at home.
But the U.S. State Department list of current travel warnings near the time of their trip had an entry for Israel:
"U.S. Government employees have been prohibited from traveling to the West Bank and Gaza and urged to avoid East Jerusalem, including the Old City. Private American citizens should avoid travel to these areas at this time...."
Should 45 American students give up their dream trip? What happens to the money already paid for their travel arrangements? To Postpone or Not to Postpone?
Given the unrest and terrorism in many parts of the world, is it worth the risk? From a budget travel perspective, some might argue it is not.
Sometimes a good travel deal is combined with potentially dangerous conditions at the same time. Think carefully about whether saving a few hundred dollars justifies your timing. Waiting (and perhaps paying more later) could result in a more enjoyable trip.
It's also possible your itinerary could be edited when conditions are questionable. If you have one chance to go to a far-off destination, you want to see everything. In dangerous times, that might not be possible.
Of course, postponement comes with its own set of risks. Waiting a few months could ensure a full trip, free of unwanted revisions in your itinerary. Matters also could worsen. In many parts of the world, predictions and advice should be considered carefully. What's Your Itinerary?
Not far from Cincinnati Hillel, another religious group saw the same travel advisory and canceled their trip. The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio had planned to send 40 people to Israel.
Their itinerary included marching with a cross in the Old City and performing a religious service in that public setting. They also planned to visit places significant in the life of Jesus--locales that today are in disputed territory or close enough to warrant extra caution.
Hillel's plans were different, and perhaps not as risky. Still, many decisions couldn't be made until after arrival.
Since the U.S. State Department typically recommends avoiding public demonstrations and areas near conflicts, you must decide if heeding that warning alters your trip beyond reason. Is a 14-day trip with half the sites you wanted to see deleted as good a value as the full trip months later at a higher price?
Within days, the danger had increased to include marketplaces outside the traditional trouble spots in Israel. Many more trips are being canceled as word arrived of additional suicide bombings.
Israel is not the only place where tourists must weigh the benefits of a visit against possible difficulties. That process is more difficult than it sounds, especially when deposits are already paid and vacation days chosen.
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