War, What Is It Good For? Jewish Sexy-Time

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By Anne Cohen July 23, 2014

War, what is it good for? Jewish sexy-time, apparently.

Undeterred by the conflict, 24 Jews participated in the first ever Jewish National Fund- JDate Singles Trip to Israel. Translation: Jews age 30 to 45 travel to Israel to get it on in the sun, with a side of hummus.

The launch of Operation Protective Edge forced the organizers to tweak the original itinerary, which included tours through “the trendy neighborhood clubs of Tel Aviv, the wide expanses of the Negev, and the hi-tech center of the Gush Dan region.”

Far from putting a damper on the experience, a JNF statement reports that the alternative route “served to enrich the trip experience.” Said one participant from New York: “Because we were unable to go to some of the typical tourist sites in the center and the south, we got a chance to see another side of Israel. The main sites are important too, but this way we felt like we were really getting to know the country and its people.”

The fragile security situation also created “an especially fertile ground for meaningful interaction,” (read: fear makes people horny).

As Lori, a participant from New Jersey, pointed out, “Over half of the original group cancelled. On this kind of trip, it can be overwhelming to connect one-on-one in a large group. But touring with a smaller group, with everyone’s emotions running extra high, made it a much more intimate experience.”

Activities on the updated route included “an adventurous jeep ride through the picturesque Golan Heights” — with a two-hour stop at the buffer zone between Israel and Syria and ending at the Golan Heights Winery.

So, why do Jews need such a trip?

“Israel is an excellent backdrop for forming relationships. Exploring history and spirituality in the Jewish homeland can be a very moving experience; sharing this personal experience with like-minded peers often creates immediate and powerful bonds.”

Basically, Jews meeting Jews in the Jewish homeland makes for good Jewish relationships and, down the road, pretty Jewish babies.

Furthermore, Israel’s tapestry of contrasts and contradictions is highly thought-provoking. Participants found themselves exchanging ideas and opinions on a level that the average singles trip often avoids.

Spirited debate makes for passionate conversation. And, well, we know where that leads.

Will this “intimate experience” lead to something more serious between trip participants? Only time will tell…

‘Nuff said.

Anne Cohen was the Forward’s deputy digital media editor. When she’s not looking for the secret Jewish history of Voodoo in New Orleans, or making lists about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she writes for The Assimilator. She graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S. magazine concentration in 2012.

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