When “What’s Your Cancellation Policy?” Means Something Different

A few days ago, my wife sent a simple email to a Pesach program in the United States.

Like many Israelis this year, we have been thinking about leaving the country for Pesach. Not for vacation, not for luxury, but simply for a brief moment to breathe.

After more than two years of living through a deep and unrelenting war, and now since last Shabbat with missiles flying toward us from multiple directions, even the thought of a few days somewhere quiet can feel like oxygen. Leaving Israel for Pesach is not something we normally do or something that sits easily with us. But this year, like many Israelis, the idea of briefly stepping away from the constant tension has carried a different weight.

Because in Israel today, planning even a few weeks ahead sometimes feels like an act of optimism.

In the email, she asked a very straightforward question.

“What is your cancellation policy?”

There was nothing rude in the response. It was professional and direct. We were told that the cancellation window had already passed and that any cancellations would result in a full loss of the funds paid. It was probably the same answer anyone else would receive. And truthfully, as someone who runs a business myself, I understand it. Programs like these operate under contracts, deposits, staff, and commitments that must be honored. Clear policies exist for a reason, and businesses cannot function if those policies change for every circumstance.

And yet reading it still felt like a quiet reminder that the realities shaping decisions in Israel right now are very different from the realities most people elsewhere are living with.

Because here in Israel, the question of what happens if we cannot come carries a very........

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