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A Global Adventure with Purpose

Justifi Vistas is a unique travel program that enables you to escape your home-bound workplace / remote learning environment in lieu of some of the world’s most beautiful and historical destinations.  Unlike other Justifi Trips, Vistas doesn’t have a fully scheduled travel itinerary, rather we take care of the logistics in each of the countries which enables you to get a great taste of each destination while remaining focused on work or school remotely.  Of course, we also include a few curated touring experiences, impactful volunteering opportunities and powerful workshops on tikkun olam and personal growth along the way.

5 Months. 5 Extraordinary countries.

 

Istanbul Turkey

London England

Kigali Rwanda

Dubai United Arab Emirates

Tel Aviv Israel

 
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Istanbul, Turkey

Where east meets west

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Kigali, Rwanda

The land of a Thousand Hills

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London, England

the world’s most cosmopolitan city

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Modernity in the Ancient Desert Kingdom

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Jerusalem & Tel Aviv, Israel

The Beating heart and loving soul of the Jewish people

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What You'll Experience With Justifi VISTAS

Accommodations

Clean and comfortable apartments in safe neighborhoods with equipped kitchens and wifi. Apartments are typically 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms and rooming is based on double-occupancy. You can request to be with particular roommates and/or apartment-mates. Where available, you can upgrade to single-occupancy for an additional fee.

Co-Working space

24/7 access to a business center in each destination with high-speed Internet in a shared work environment within a short walk from your apartment.

local orientations & tikkun Olam seminars

Upon arrival in each destination we’ll have a guided tour to get acquainted with our new home. Our guide will share with us insights about the local nightlife, shopping, social customs, and safety tips. In addition, a local expert will introduce us to some of the less known challenges faced by the society’s disadvantaged populations.

meals

Our apartments’ kitchens are equipped for you to prepare meals on your own (or with your apartment-mates!) with plenty of local shops nearby to purchase tasty supplies.

We provide homemade “family dinners” twice each week in addition to traditional Shabbat dinners and lunches twice a month.

transportation

Justifi provides seamless transfers between each country including:

  • COVID-19 PCR Testing for entry and exit requirements

  • Ground transportation to and from each airport

  • International flights between countries

Group tours and local excursions

You’ll see the famous highlights and even some off the beaten track secrets with two organized group tours in each country. Justifi also provides curated lists of recommended venues and providers for your own exploration.

Health, Safety, & COVID-19

Justifi takes the safety and security of our staff, participants, and partners seriously. We research all relevant local regulations in order to provide a pre-arrival briefing so you’ll know what to expect in each destination. Our accommodations, co-working spaces, and activity venues have all been verified to be in compliance and in safe areas. In addition, Justifi ensures access to face masks, alco-gel, and disinfectant wherever we travel.

As part of the Health Services & Insurance Fee all participants receive Nomad Insurance a Travel Medical Insurance plan provided by SafetyWing which also includes special coverage for patients who acquire COVID-19 while abroad.

Prior to departure from each country, Justifi arranges COVID-19 RT-PCR tests at government certified testing locations 24-96 hours (in compliance with the relevant exit and entry requirements).

What’s Not Included

  • International flights to and from Istanbul at the beginning and end of the program

  • Meals (other than those mentioned above)

  • Individual touring and other on-your-own experiences

  • Foreign SIM cards or data plans for your mobile phone

  • Fees or penalties arising from deviations due to you not travelling with the group

  • Costs arising from interrupted travel due to a COVID-19 positive test result

  • Laundry (although some accommodations have laundry facilities)

 
 

Program fees

The complete Justifi Vistas program fee is $19,500 which includes:

  1. Destination Fee of $3000* per country

  2. Deposit and Registration Fee of $3500

  3. Health Services & Insurance Fee of $1000

The Small Print

  • These fees do not include your flights to and from Istanbul at the beginning and end of the trip

  • Destination Fees vary slightly per country. For details, check out Question #3 in the FAQs below

  • Acceptance to the program is “first come - first served” and availability is limited. Unfortunately, we cannot hold spots without the $500 deposit.

  • The registration process must be completed 6 weeks prior to the trip otherwise a $350 late registration fee will apply

  • A 10% late fee will apply to any Destination Fees not received by their Due Dates (see FAQs below)

faqs

  • Top 6 Questions about Justifi Trips
    • 1. Is Justifi Vistas for me?
      • We're seeking bright, talented, and idealistic Jewish young professionals and college students between the ages of 20 - 38 who are working or studying remotely and have a sincere interest in exploring the world. We LOVE people from diverse backgrounds and experiences and believe that everyone – from analysts to artists, software engineers to graphic designers, and CPAs to entrepeneurs – have something important to offer on our programs. We'd love to meet you for an interview and learn more about you. Ultimately, it's the unique quality and character of our participants that make each trip such a thrill.
    • 2. Is Justifi Vistas safe?
      • Justifi has been running safe, exciting programs for Jewish college students and young professionals since 2010 and consider the safety of our participants, staff and partners to be our highest priority. COVID-19 has presented unique challenges around the world and Justifi operates under the strict guidelines of each of our host countries. While there is, of course, some inherent risk in any travel activity, we take ample precautions to follow best practices on the ground to ensure the safety of our participants.
    • 3. What is the fee structure and exactly how much does the trip cost?

        This program has 3 fees:

        1. Deposit and Registration ($3500)
        2. Health Service & Insurance ($1000)
        3. Destination Fee (Approximately $3000, but differs slightly per country)

        The Deposit is required in order to guarantee your spot on Vistas. The Registration and Health Service fees are due 6 weeks prior to the program's start date. Each country's Destination Fee is due 1 week prior to arrival in that country.

    • 4. Does Justifi offer scholarships?
      • As a small non-profit organization, we unfortunately do not have any need-based scholarships that we can offer to you, but are happy to help you raise funds by using tools like GoFundMe.com (See our Fundraising Page for details). Just like your friends who run marathons, bike races, or take up their own cause, you too can fundraise for your program to offset the trip costs. Some participants report that it makes the experience more rewarding knowing that they needed to work a bit to make the program a reality.
    • 5. Can Justifi help me with my flights?
      • International flights to and from the initial destination are NOT included in the trip program cost and participants are responsible for their own transportation to that country. This allows participants to arrange their own travel to arrive early, stay later, find great deals, and even book their flights using points and frequent flyer miles. For some travelers this can be a point of stress, but don’t worry Justifi has a recommended travel agent that we work with who can help arrange travel for you. Each destination has its own arrival instructions that will be sent to you upon acceptance.

      • Beyond that flight ticket, Justifi takes care of the rest: all the other transportation costs between countries (including flights) are included in the program fees. Note that acquiring a Visa in advance (if necessary) is your responsibility.
    • 6. Do I need a travel visa, vaccinations, or COVID-19 certification?
      • Detailed pre-trip preparation instructions including details pertaining to COVID-19 testing and certification will be sent to you upon acceptance to the program which will cover any country-specific requirements. Check out Visa HQ for further information on visas. You are responsible to arrange and pay for any relevant visas. Regarding vaccines, we're not doctors so we can't give specific advice, but we recommend that participants follow the health guidelines set out by the CDC and to speak to your personal health care provider. Included in your program fees are PCR COVID-19 testing as per each country's entry and exit requirements.
  • General Questions
    • What is the application deadline?
      • Justifi trips are filled on a rolling basis and participants are accepted on a first-come, first-accepted basis. Historically, trips have filled up 4 weeks prior to the start date, so we recommend applying as early as possible to request your spot. Your spot is confirmed by paying a deposit for the trip of your choice.
    • Will we need to be quarantined upon arrival? Are these destinations finalized? What if there is a COVID-19 outbreak somewhere?
      • We've picked these destinations and determined when to visit each country based on a variety of factors including government travel restrictions, current COVID-19 levels, safety/security, and even the weather. Our current itinerary requires no extended quarantines or cumbersome restrictions (other than COVID-19 testing and written health declarations).

      • Needless to say, things change... especially given the volitality of our current pandemic. Justifi reserves the right to modify the itinerary at any time in order to ensure the health, safety and smooth experience of the program. In the event that a change is needed, all participants will be notified as soon as possible.
    • How large are the trips?
      • Trip size may vary, but generally our programs are between 10 - 20 participants and include 2 - 3 members of staff.
    • Do I need to purchase travel insurance?
      • All Justifi Trip participants are required to purchase travel insurance that covers them in the event of injury or hospitalization while abroad.

      • Justifi Vistas participants are automatically enrolled in Nomad Insurance , Travel Medical Insurance provided by SafetyWing which also includes special coverage for patients who acquire COVID-19 while abroad. You may purchase additional insurance if you wish.
    • When was Justifi founded?
      • Justifi was founded in 2009 by Rabbi Jamie Cowland and his wife, Ilana Cowland. Since then, we have run more than 75 programs and engaged over a thousand participants.
    • Is there a Jewish component to the trips?
      • Justifi proudly welcomes Jews of all backgrounds and we maintain an environment that is open and accepting of all people. We offer opportunities to celebrate Shabbat together as a community and have regular conversations and seminars on tikkun olam (building a better world), inner calm, personal growth, and Jewish values.
    • Who staffs the programs?
      • Each trip is run by trained Justifi educators and facilitators. Along with our back-office team, we've scoped out the best places to stay and have worked tirelessly to design a program that is both exciting and meaningful for you. In addition, we have local staff in each country to help with the ins-and-outs of daily life.
    • What is the cancellation policy (refund schedule)?
      • Your trip deposit is refundable for 48 hours while you look at flights, after which point it is non-refundable. If your plans change and space allows, we will happily transfer your deposit towards a future trip of your choosing, subject to a $150 rebooking fee. Final trip expenses are due according the chart above and are not refundable. The best way to protect yourself against unexpected travel conflicts, emergencies, or trip interruption is to purchase comprehensive travel insurance. In the unlikely event that we need to cancel your trip or change program start dates in a way that makes it impossible for you to participate, we will refund your entire program cost or accommodate you as best we can onto another Justifi program of your choosing.
    • Do I need to participate for all 5 months?
      • There is a 3 consecutive destination minimum to join Justifi Vistas. You'll only need to pay the Destination Fees for the countries you visit but the Registration Fee cannot be lowered. Also note that we plan on adding additional countries (after Israel)... stay tuned!
    • What happens at the end of the 5 months?
      • We plan on adding additional countries (after Israel) and you are invited to continue your journey onward with us! The only additional fee will be the Destination fees of each new country of approximately $3000.
    • Are the trip costs tax-deductible?
      • Although we are non-profit organization, your trip expenses do not count as a "charitable donation" and are most likely not tax-deductible. However, it may be possible to "write-off" some of the costs as business expenses just as you write-off expenses of your home office.

      • Many of our participants choose to independently fundraise portions of their program costs using tools such as GoFundMe. Because these campaigns are managed independently by the participants to cover their program fees, we are not able to issue tax receipts to your donors.

      • Disclaimer: As non-professionals in the matters of taxation, we cannot offer specific advice in these areas and this information should not be used as the sole source for making personal tax-related or personal financial decisions. Please consult a professional if you have additional questions.