Born in Russia, Beni and his family immigrated to Israel in 1989 and spent the next 13 years living in Mizpe Ramon, a town in the Negev Desert. There, he cultivated his love of the outdoors while hiking the many beautiful trails found right outside his door. He became a licensed tour guide while still in high school and has guided youth, school and camp groups as well as family and organization trips for years, imparting his love of nature and passion for Israel. His travel tip?  Use your feet!  Beni believes that through physically walking the land and experiencing what the forefathers and pioneers of Israel once experienced on these very same paths, one can truly form a deep connection with the country.  When he isn’t developing innovative and unexpected tour experiences, he represents Israel in paragliding competitions around the world, does extreme off-road driving and seeks adventure closer to home as dad to two young children.

She manages the administrative team and U.S.-based personnel, while also overseeing schedules, billing, and the priorities of the families and communities who travel with us. She also supports our marketing and education efforts. ​Prior to joining Mayever, Ilana honed her organizational talents in the marketing and branding world as well as the legal arena. When Ilana isn’t hard at work perfecting every last detail to produce an unforgettable Mayever experience, she practices yoga as a certified Bikram Yoga instructor.

Known as The Mindful Rabbi, he founded OYJ to help people make Judaism relevant in their lives and build community around it. A father of two who loves sports, puzzles and games, Rabbi Steigmann is passionate about living his values and helping others do the same. When he travels, he loves talking with people and listening to their stories. He says it’s the best way to learn about a community and a culture.

He focuses on the Jewish moments that deepen family ties because he believes the memories created through travel experiences stay with us forever. For Phil, traveling expands horizons and inspires… and can even change your life. In Phil's case, it’s how he met his wife! All he has to do is close his eyes and he’s back in the Shoresh Forest of Jerusalem picturing the day they met. His travel tip? When you are in a new place, close your eyes and imprint the sights, sounds, smells and feelings in your mind so that you can return whenever you need.

Julia’s passion for Israel is perfectly suited to creating meaningful experiences.  She says that the best part of her job is hearing post-trip feedback and how the group’s varied expectations have been met.  Julia first visited Israel as a 7-year-old and the smells and sounds of the cicadas while in Ein Gedi have stayed with her to this day.  Born in London, Julia made aliyah in 1987.  After living all around Israel, she has settled in Zichron Ya’akov where she lives with her two children.  Her travel tip?  The more, the merrier - she can make everyone on your trip happy, no matter the differences in ages and capabilities!

And he develops your relationship with Mayever’s team so we can bring your travel needs and desires to life. Simcha loves helping families and communities come together and grow through new and unique encounters with a place and its people. Simcha’s travel tip? Be ready to learn about a different way of life - one of his most vivid memories is sharing a home-cooked meal with a Druze family in Israel. Getting to know them and their culture made a lasting impact and informs his work with Mayever today.

She performs her magic and makes it happen by attending to the smallest of details. She gets to know you and your group’s personality to book the perfect location, procure the ideal flowers, find the best hair and makeup stylist and achieve the perfect fit for every element of your event needs. Born to South African parents, Shelly was born and raised in Israel.  She currently lives on a kibbutz in Emek Hefer with her husband and three children.  Her travel tip?  Combine an important occasion with a trip – it elevates both your visit and the event and ties you to the location in unforgettable ways!