Community Journey to Israel 2013

On Sunday, November 3rd, 23 Delawareans will be departing the First State for an unforgettable journey to our spiritual homeland. Stay tuned...

Day Eight - Thursday, November 1, 2012

After an early breakfast, we attended a presentation from World ORT and learned more about the various education and training programs in over 100 countries, supported through the Annual Campaign and our overseas dollars.

Intel, Kyriat Gat

We then drove to Kyriat Gat to visit and tour Intel, the largest private employer in Israel today - with 6,600 employees in its development and production facilities in Haifa, Jerusalem, Kiryat Gat, Petach Tikva, Yakum and Yokneam. 

Upon returning to the hotel in Tel Aviv, we spent our final afternoon walking along Ben Yehuda Street purchasing gifts for our families and enjoying an Israeli meal at a cafe. We checked out of the hotel and headed to a festive farewell dinner at Liliyot for a delicious meal. Our group shared thoughts and observations and departed to the airport for our departure.

Our group of 27 representing several Federations left Israel with a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing that our dollars and our volunteerism is making positive change. The journey to our spiritual homeland provided a personal connection and lasting impression on us all.

We are already discussing plans for our next visit in November 2013 for the General Assembly in Jerusalem. Stay tuned...

Day Seven - Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Our group had the opportunity to utilize the morning hours visiting the Dead Sea where a number of attendees either bathed or lounged. We checked out of the hotel and stopped for lunch at Cafe Cafe at Almog junction for a delicious meal. We then traveled to Tel Aviv and walked through the new Rabin Center, dedicated to the history of society and democracy in Israel, with the life of Yitzhak Rabin serving as a connecting thread between the various sections of the exhibition - both chronologically and substantively.

After checking into the hotel we had a free evening to enjoy Tel Aviv - the "other" city that never sleeps. Our delegation was invited to a traditional Israeli dinner at the home of Idith and Hanan Schaham, friends of the Delaware Federation, who provided a delicious meal and warm hospitality. After dinner, Idith gave us a personal tour of the city.

Day Six - Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Connie Sugarman and Robin Kauffman Saran planting tree at the Arad Playground

We started the day with a special Dedication Ceremony for the children's playground that all P2G communities contributed to fund. In Delaware, we raised more than $13,000 from 50 donors which was part of the $71,000 raised.

Arad Historical Museum

We then traveled to the Arad Historical Museum where we explored the city's history through film. The museum was established with the generous help and support of Toni and Stuart Young. Its purpose is to preserve and retell the captivating story of the founding of Arad - the first modern, pre-planned development town in the Negev.

From the museum we had a discussion with Tali Ploskov, the Mayor of Arad, on what was accomplished over the past year and her plans for the future of Arad.

We then went to Arad's Artist Quarter, meeting with Amos Oz for an intimate discussion. Afterward we had lunch with some of the artists as well as had an opportunity to visit the artists' workshops and purchase keepsakes.

Seth Katzen, CEO, with Youth Futures program participant

Boarding the bus we drove to see the Youth Futures Program. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a number of children who participate in this program who we walked with hand-in-hand (and the children held a balloon in the other hand) to a lookout point that offered a breathtaking view of the Dead Sea. We counted down and at zero, the children let go of their balloons which all entered the sky in a multitude of colors. It was a beautiful site to be seen reminding us of Arad's struggles and growth over the past 50 years but vision for continued growth and prosperity over the next 50 years.

Eitan Campbell at Muza, Arad

After an emotional goodbye, we stopped at Muza, the cultural cornerstone of Arad where locals come for music, discussions and refreshments. Eitan Campbell, director of Masada, told his story and entertained us with a few songs on acoustic guitar.

Our evening included a city-wide celebratory event at the Arad Theatre for Arad's 50th Anniversary.

Day Five - Monday, October 29, 2012

Our morning began with a presentation from David Horovitz, author of "A Little Too Close to God: The Thrills and Panic of a Life in Israel," and former editor of the Jerusalem Post. He provided perspectives including the current political climate in Israel, Israeli opinion regarding the Unites States Presidential election, and the Middle East situation.

Ella Winery, Kibbutz Netiv Halamed Hey

We left Jerusalem and visited the Ella Winery on Kibbutz Netiv Halamed Hey, established by a Napa Valley vineyard owner in order to create a true-blue Israeli winery. After our visit we headed to Arad for "Delaware Day" which included a presentation from the Negev Funding Coalition, meeting some of the Gesher Program participants and a visit to the Youth Outreach Center where we met some of the children and participated in a couple of projects.

Ethiopian National Project (ENP) Youth Outreach Center

Our dinner was at the base of Masada where our delegation was met with a bus of Arad residents who joined us for dinner. It was a great way to end a memorable day.

Day Four - Sunday, October 28, 2012

We began the day with a working breakfast at the hotel that included an interactive dialogue on The Memory of the Holocaust in Contemporary Israeli Society with Holocaust scholar, Dr. Rachel Korazim. Following the discussion we boarded the bus and headed to Yad Vashem, the guardian of the collective Jewish memory of the Shoah. Yad Vashem is dedicated to commemorating the six million Jews murdered by the Germans and their collaborators, as well as the numerous Jewish communities destroyed during the Shoah, so that they will have an eternal remembrance.

Segway Tour of Jerusalem, Hass Promenade

After Yad Vashem, we had lunch at the Mansfeld Restaurant in the newly renovated Israel Museum, one of the most creative and innovative museums in the world with a wide and eclectic collection. Other delegation members opted to visit the interactive Begin Museum, devoted to the life and achievements of one of Israel's former Prime Ministers, Menachem Begin. A third afternoon option was to take a segway tour of Jerusalem commencing at the Hass Promenade.

Our dinner centered on the topic of, Making a Difference in Israeli Society, joined by a number of young Israeli innovators including; Lisa Barkan/Jerusalem Village; Bamby Sheleg/Eretz Acheret; Daniel Weill/Machshava Tova; Shira Winkler/Jerusalem Movement; and Yoel Zilberman/Hashomer Hachadash.

Day Three - Saturday, October 27, 2012

Synagogue Har-El, Jerusalem

Many members of our delegation walked to Shabbat services at the Har El Reform Congregation immediately following breakfast. We were warmly welcomed by the congregation, rabbi and cantor. Sivia Katz Braunstein, one of our New Jersey delegates, has special ties to the synagogue as her parents had been active members over the years. Her mother received a special honor that morning which was very touching. In addition, Sivia, Robin Kauffman Saran and I were given the second aliyah to represent the New Jersey/Delaware delegation. It was an especially meaningful experience to pray in the land of Israel surrounded by Israelis who genuinely appreciated our visit. The experience is something I will always remember.

After arriving back at the hotel, some of us took a Hebrew Writers guided walking tour through the streets of Jerusalem in the afternoon. We used the writings of Jerusalem's poets and authors including Yehuda Amichai and S.Y. Agnon who wrote, "One does not travel to Jerusalem, one returns."

With a free evening, Robin and I walked to Ben Yehuda Street where we met my cousin from Baltimore who was attending his junior year of high school in Israel. He shared a number of stories with us about his unbelievable experiences thus far and we happily rewarded him with delicious schwarma from Moshiko's. After dinner we walked Ben Yehuda Street in an effort of stimulating the Israeli economy with several purchases for our respective families.

Day Two - Friday, October 26, 2012

Our driver, Yakov, pointing to our Arad@50 display

After collecting our luggage and going through customs, we met our tour guide, Korin, and our bus driver Yakov, who drove us to Neot Kedumin, a large interactive nature reserve dedicated to the flora and fauna of the Bible. We were joined by additional mission attendees including Mission Chair, Connie Sugarman (who arrived the day before) and treated to a delicious breakfast. After our meal we had an opportunity to plant a tree, reminding us that when we plant a tree we are not subjects in this world, but partners in it.

Federation President, Robin Kauffman Saran, and Mission Chair, Connie Sugarman

"Just as I found the world full of trees that my grandparents planted for me, I am planting for future generations." (Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 23a)

We boarded the bus and headed into Jerusalem, walking through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. We saw King David's Tomb and then then walked to the Hurva Synagogue, newly renovated at the central square of the Jewish Quarter. It was truly magnificent and beautiful. We walked up 4 flights of stairs to get a panoramic view of the Old City where the group recited the traditional "shehechiyanu" blessing. We traveled to our hotel where we checked in and had some time to freshen up before dinner.

Our festive Shabbat dinner featured several "Lone Soldiers" who were invited as our guests. Our table guest was Noam who had made aliyah more than two years ago via Boca Raton, Florida. Some of the other soldiers came from Denver and even Dublin, Ireland. It was a meaningful way to end our first full day in Israel.

Day One - Thursday, October 25, 2012

ARAD@50 MISSION

As part of the Jewish Agency for Israel's Partnership2Gether Program, the Jewish Federation of Delaware is part of a consortium with 5 New Jersey Federations who have adopted the city of Arad as our partnership sister city. On Tuesday, October 29th, the city of Arad will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary and the NJ/DE partnership organized a community mission to celebrate the historic occasion together.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

I arrived at the Siegel JCC at 6:00am to meet Federation President, Robin Kauffman Saran, and Drs. Robin and Jerry Eng, to take a shuttle to the Newark Airport for our flight to Israel. Our driver, Vic, was professional and courteous, arriving well in advance of our scheduled departure. While we were awaiting El Al check-in to open, we watched a large Birthright Israel group begin to form adjacent to us. It was wonderful to see these young adults meet their travel group for the first time and the interactions that subsequently followed.

We eventually met part of our Delaware/New Jersey contingency at the gate. Other attendees had taken earlier flights and would be meeting us upon landing in Israel. There is always something special traveling to Israel on El Al, having a unique Israeli flying experience coupled with knowing we are supporting the country's economy. Nearly eleven hours after take off, our flight arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 6:15am Friday morning. Stepping off of the aircraft and on Israeli soil is a moving experience and has felt equally as special all of my previous visits.