Honeymoon Israel strikes the right note for local musical couple

When Jon Nadel and Shkendie Zeciri got engaged, they wondered how to find their place in Chicago’s Jewish community as an interfaith couple.

Their solution started far from home last fall–on a Honeymoon Israel trip–and they were thrilled to return to Chicago with a newfound community of friends and a deeper connection to Jewish life.

“I’ve learned how important it is to have people who you see regularly and can go through life together with,” Nadel said. “We absolutely found a community like that in Honeymoon Israel.”

Honeymoon Israel, a national program, offers 9-day journeys to Israel for young couples, with the goal of inspiring these very connections–which will endure long after the trip has ended.

Here at home, Nadel and Zeciri are among nearly 250 couples who have participated in 13 trips provided by Honeymoon Israel Chicago to date, of whom more than 75% are interfaith couples.

“On the trip, we met people who were having the same discussions we had, and going through things that we’re preparing to go through or have gone through–from getting married and dealing with family and in-laws in an interfaith relationship, to fertility and starting a family,” Nadel said.

In addition to traveling with other couples from their city, each trip has a staff leader and a local rabbi or other Jewish educator who serve as group facilitators for conversations about Israel, Judaism, and Jewish involvement.

Chicago Rabbi Rena Singer accompanied Nadel and Zeciri’s group to Israel, where she engaged the couples in challenging conversations about Jewish life.

“Everyone got really into it and talked about deep and difficult things,” said Zeciri. She and Nadel appreciated Singer’s “graceful” answers, and “respected that she would say if she didn’t know an answer or that she would help us find resources.”

When Nadel and Zeciri returned to Chicago, their bond with Singer grew, and the couple soon found a welcoming home in Temple Sholom of Chicago–where Singer serves as Assistant Rabbi. Shortly after the trip, Singer invited the musical couple to perform for a speakeasy-themed Shabbat service.

Zeciri, who is a jazz singer, said she was thrilled to participate in music worship post-pandemic, and enjoyed learning Hebrew songs and prayers and finding similarities to prayers she was familiar with from growing up Christian.

As for bass player Nadel, “We’re musicians–that’s how we connect to people and our spirituality.”

After the first service, the couple continued their involvement at the synagogue and now are regular prayer leaders at the synagogue. They also host weekly Shabbat dinners for friends, celebrate holidays, and meet regularly for reunions with their Honeymoon Israel cohort.

“Honeymoon Israel was the first place where I felt fully accepted,” Zeciri said. “It’s been cool to be part of the synagogue community.”

Honeymoon Israel is open to couples, with at least one Jewish partner–ages 25-40–who are in within their first five years of marriage or in a lifelong committed partnership. Learn more at honeymoonisrael.org .

Honeymoon Israel Chicago is made possible thanks to the generosity of its funders: Crown Family Philanthropies, Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund, Jewish United Fund, and The Seigle Family.