Avanim Adventures

Sarah

Summer 2022 Alaska Adventure

They brought together people from different walks of life with different experiences and expectations who amalgamated into a dynamic team and parted with a feeling this trip exceeded all expectations! 

A few words about this trip which was amazing!!!

Our guides had an incredible ability to encourage, organize and inspire people from different walks of life, of different backgrounds and skills, people with their own expectations at the start of the trip - to become a well functioning team navigating the wilderness and the lake. 

The lake, the phenomenal lake surrounded by majestic mountains, the lake which we’ve learned has a character and temperament, to make us feel humbled in unending awe! At every turn of a head there were more breathtaking views…HaShem’s creation still standing barely transformed by humans in its possibly closest form …

It’s was impressive to see how every detail of the trip was thought thru and pre-panned yet when the wilderness showed who’s truly in charge the plans were adjusted and everyone’s safety was prioritized. 

Deep in the wilderness we spent an unforgettable Shabbos together. Setting up a campground and Shabbos preparations were not one’s ordinary Shabbos prep! Lecha Dodie and davening on a beach with a stunning sunset over the lake were beautiful and inspiring!

Our daily meals were surprisingly delicious and tasty for a backpacking trip! Our hot suppers, different every night, prepared on a camp fire with skillfully selected species were hitting that sweet spot for me!

I want to come back to this wilderness, the lake and the mountains and spend a few more days….G-d willing.

Rabbi Howard Hoffman

Ari’s Dad - OG of Jewish Wilderness Guiding

Ari Hoffman is an experienced and well- trained guide in the wilderness.  Above all he has a deep understanding of wilderness and of the people he guides.  With this understanding he maximizes the new learning and wisdom that participants get when they go on a trip with him.  He is a good problem solver and he often has creative solutions when problems arise. His love of wilderness and his adventurous spirit permeate every trip.

Gila Manolson

Womens Wilderness Trip - 2019

There's nothing like being out in nature in gorgeous surroundings with a bunch of really cool, spiritual, and adventurous people.  Avanim was a great experience!

Chana

Sangre De Cristos - 2012

The guides, besides having a wonderful rapport and displaying an engagingly irreverent humour and an intelligence that allowed them to engage in a wide range of interesting discussions, were first and foremost, responsible and caring. They also have a pedagogical style that is deliberate, empowering, and encourages you to make the most of your experience.

During this trip, I accomplished many more things than I thought I could just by going with the flow and setting my mind to simply plunge into and enjoy any new experiences that came my way. That is something that I find more difficult to do in my usual setting where I have certain expectations about how things should unfold. The process of preparing as much as you can but then accepting that you do not ultimately control the outcome is a lesson that is very evident in the wilderness, but is one that I would do well to apply to the rest of my life. Also, the idea that all things that are worthwhile are worth working hard for certainly applied to this trip – in more ways than one – and is a maxim that I will strive to implement all my life long. 

Lorne

Alaska - 2022

This was an incredible adventure - a bucket list trip for me. A moment that was particularly meaningful was when we did havdalah early Sunday morning (part of the experience of Shabbos that far north in the summer). It was a quintessential point. It was very deeply spiritual.