Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh – Post Poland Mission – June 2024

Activities:

• Welcome to Israel

• VIP Arrival - Arrival at Ben Gurion airport. Your VIP agent will be waiting to greet you at the sleeve of the plane. After assisting with arrival procedures and collecting your baggage, you will be taken to meet your driver.

• Head north

• Alexander Zaid Memorial - welcome drink in Israel - Over a cold drink and a snack, transition from Poland to Israel, overlooking the Jezreel Valley

• Continue North

• Talk with Misgav based artist Dalia Meiri - Opening talk with artist Dalia Meiri at the Sculpture Garden in Yuvalim:
  Collective Memory and Creation of Memorial Sculptures

• Check in to the hotel - Mizpe HaYamim (or Gomeh)

• Partnership Program (1 hour)

• Dinner at Havat Rom or at the hotel - A visit to a magical organic farm, located on a mountain with a beautiful view of Meron Mountain. This is an agricultural organic farm, where they use ancient knowledge along with modern tools. Trying to find the balance between humans and nature. Enjoy a light meal from the fresh produce and excellent cheese.

• Mizpe Hayamim

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Partnership programs - Visit JDC project (3 hours)

• Lunch with Galileat - Kaukab Al Hija - Saada is a modern religious Muslim woman from the village of Kaukab in the Western Galilee. She works in the education sector and is the director of the Community College of Sakhnin, a nearby Arab city and her hometown. While maintaining her strong spiritual and religious beliefs, Saada is also passionate about influencing cultural changes for Muslim women living in the traditional Arab society and is fiercely outspoken about how she mixes traditional Islam with modernity. Saada opens up her home to show guests her love for Galilean cuisine, welcoming them with an “I’m so glad to have y’all here today” in a broad Texan drawl. Her food, however, is straight out of the Galilee.

• The Galilee Circus + short concert by the youth orchestra of Mgar - The Galilee Circus is a Jewish-Arab youth circus that has been operating for 15 years in the Galilee area. The circus symbolized cooperation between Jews and Arabs in the region.

• Sunset tour of Shfar'am synagogue and the Old City - Led by Dr. Hagi Amitzur - walk in the path of Shvil HaSanhedrin.
  The Sanhedrin trail, which at c. 70 kilometers is slated to be among the longest trails in Israel, will be divided into five segments that can be covered during the course of five days of walking. It will be suitable for families and will also include circular routes. The “smart” trail will communicate with the hikers using an innovative, augmented reality-based application that will create an extraordinary and first of its kind travel experience on the trail.

• Dinner at Avtalyon Galilea oil press - Avtalyon Olive Press is a boutique Olive Press that has been making extra virgin Olive oil from the local olives in the Galilee for the past 17 years. It´s products are all local based and are only sold straight to the consumers.

• Mizpe Hayamim

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• LATE Check out of the hotel and travel south (11AM departure)

• Army base visit - Mehva Alon (Pending approval) - Michve Allon is a training base of the IDF Education and Youth Corps. It is named for Yigal Allon.
  The base operates an ulpan (Hebrew language school) for soldiers whose Hebrew is deemed insufficient by the IDF. It accepts new immigrants, Druze and Bedouin soldiers, who study Hebrew together with basic training.

• Hummus lunch at a local Hummusiya in Karmiel - Enjoy a traditional hummus lunch at a Hummusiya, and support a local small business!

• Travel south to Tel Aviv and check in to your hotel - Including a short resting time

• Talk with Jessica Steinberg: - Jessica Steinberg is the culture editor at the Times of Israel, covering Israeli life, culture, food, travel and business.
  Our topic would be the Israeli Narrative through the screen. Addressing the way Israel is portrayed through the popular shows like Fauda, Shtisel and the Queen of Jerusalem.

• OPTIONAL: MEETING WITH FAUDA CAST

• Dinner at the Whiskey Bar and Museum - The Whiskey Bar & Museum is one of the largest complexes of its kind anywhere in the world, combining a bar-restaurant and a whiskey museum in one unique location. You'll find us in Sarona's historic Templer tunnel, which was home to a local winery in the 19th century and, until a decade ago, served the covert needs of the Mossad.

• OPTIONAL: Night Sarona Tunnels tour

• Carlton, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel AND leave to morning tracks:

• OPTION 1: Fashion tour - The tour addresses the relationship Israeli fashion has with the various aspects of living in Israel including identity questions, sub-groups in Israel, immigration to Israel, wars and cultural life and social entrepreneurship. Meet old and new fashion brands, designers who use ancient crafts and other professionals who use the best technology. We will walk, talk and shop.

• OPTION 2: Everything Art - Tours and more with Shirel Horovitz - Shirel exhibited in major galleries and art festivals in Israel and across the US and is currently exhibiting a new sculptural installation in Bat Yam Museum of Art.
  Alongside her art practice, Shirel lectures, leads art tours, teaches art and is an art consultant to a variety of private groups and institutions among them Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Alma Hebrew college, Classrooms Without Borders, Ashdod Museum of Art, Azrieli LTD, Hartman institute and more.

• OPTION 3: Tasting tour at Hatikva Market - Hatikvah Market is a lesser-known gem. Since the market's renovation it has become a joyful, colorful place. Many say this is Tel Aviv's best market for variety, price, people-watching, and authenticity. The Hatikva Market was built in the mid-1930s as a response to the Arab Revolt, when residents of the village of Salama stopped coming to the neighborhood to sell their goods.

• Street food hopping lunch

• JDC PROGRAM: Save a Childs Heart - Saves the lives of critically ill children suffering from heart disease in countries where access to pediatric heart care is limited or nonexistent. Through bringing children to Israel for medical care, performing missions abroad, and training medical personnel, they are bringing hope to families, communities, and countries. You will meet with the kids, play with them and hear about the organization. A donation has been included as well.

• Entrepreneurs' Talk (the true story behind Israeli Start Ups) - Led by: (pending availability)
  Yael Vizel - the CEO & Co-founder at Zeekit (a Walmart company).
  Iris Shoor - a serial entrepreneur. Co-founded three startup companies and led two of them to successful acquisitions. Her companies were backed by top VCs including Sequoia Capital, Menlo ventures and TLV partners. Founded Oribi, my 3rd startup by myself (recently acquired by LinkedIn)

• Dinner accompanied by Adeena Sussman

• Carlton, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• American-German Colony walking tour - In 1866, a group of 150 Christian Americans from Maine and the New England region, led by the eccentric (some say charlatan) preacher George Adams, left the United States, where the Civil War had just ended. They carried with them their faith, and the materials to rebuild their houses in the Holy Land, sailing 42 days to the disease-ridden Middle East. Join a fascinating journey that weaves its way through religious fervor, nationalistic jingoism, renewal and modern speculation to create a uniquely Tel Aviv neighborhood. Today, the neighborhood has both crumbling ruins and new villas- meticulously preserved 150-year-old homes next to four-story buildings with luxury apartments. Visit the Maine Friendship House and Immanuel Church, walk through the surprising streets, and learn the stories of the place.

• Meeting and talk with MK Sharen Haskel - From combat soldier to veterinary nurse to the youngest MK in the Knesset, Sharren Haskel has had an unconventional route into politics.

• Peres Center for Peace and Innovation - The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation is a leading non-profit and non-governmental organization focused on developing and implementing unique and cutting-edge programs. The center presents the incredible story of Israel, the "innovation nation", and showcases the diverse fields and people behind Israeli innovation.

• Meeting with an Israeli Musician at Succulent Sessions - Succulent Sessions is the juiciest live sessions format fresh out of Tel Aviv, based in Maze 4, the social entrepreneurship center of Tel Aviv

• (Early) Closing dinner at Animar

• Farewell - Drive and drop off a the airport including group VIP at the airport