Shine Our Light- Via Sabra Solidarity Mission December 2023

Activities:

• Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport - Transfers and VIP services can be arrange upon request (not included).

• 5:00PM Gather at the hotel to meet the group and your guide - Light the chanukiyah for the 3rd night of Chanukah with evacuee families staying in the hotel. Say Shehechiyanu to bless the beginning of your journey together in Israel and dedicate your intention to the trip. Participants will bring gifts to give at the hotel.

• Meet one of Israel's leading journalists for an update on the war

• Situation Update with leading journalist, Yaakov Katz - Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column. Yaakov served for close to a decade as the paper's military reporter and defense analyst and was a lecturer at Harvard University where he taught an advanced course in journalism. He also served as Israel correspondent for Jane’s Defence Weekly.

• Dinner at Ha'Achim - At the beginning of the 2023 Hamas-Israel War the owner of Ha'Achim restaurant applied for an received a temporary Kashrut certificate so that they could cook and deliver food the Israel's IDF soldiers! The restaurant offers a spin on middle eastern cuisine by modernizing classic dishes.

• Sheraton Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Depart Tel Aviv and travel south

• Geo-political tour of Otef Aza with Grisha yakubovich - Stop at key lookout points for an in-depth discussion of the complexity of the Gaza Border situation. Grisha Yakubovich served in the Israel Defence Forces for 30 years, ending his career as Head of the Civil Coordination Department of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). He now consults and guides educational tour of the Gaza Border and the West Bank.

• Visit D'fus Be'eri and hear their story - Kibbutz Beeri has a highly successful printing company called “D'fus Beeri” that prints checks, envelopes, photo albums, and more. Kibbutz Beeri is considered one of the richest kibbutzim in Israel. The printing company is the biggest business in the kibbutz and within a short time after the war it was back in business despite the extensive damage and loss of life at the kibbutz.

• Meet Osi, one of Ofakim's "Culinary Queens" - Enjoy a home-cooked meal in Osi's home- and also learn how to make Sfing, a Moroccan Chanukah donut.

• Visit a Resiliency Center in Ofakim - Israel's Resiliency Centers aim to provide holistic response to the continuum between emergency preparedness, crisis and recovery. Meet the staff and hear about the impact of the war from their perspective, including critical efforts and trauma treatments they are providing, as part of Israel Trauma Coalition.

• Travel back to Tel Aviv

• Meet with family members of those abducted to Gaza and light Chanukah Candles together - Visit to The square of the Kidnapped and Missing in front of the Tel Aviv Art Museum. See the powerful art created by various artists, including the Shabbat Table set for 200 missing Israelis, to show support and shine a spotlight on the importance of rescuing the lives of those abducted to Gaza. We are full of hope that by the time the trip will take place the hostages will be back home with their loved ones.

• Free evening and dinner on your own - (meal and transfers are not included)

• Sheraton Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Hannukah Party with children - Meet families that were evacuated from their homes and brighten their day with a fun Hannukah party.

• Volunteer with Leket Israel - Volunteers go into fields to pick and gather fruits and vegetables that were not collected during the commercial harvest. We will volunteer at the logistics center to help sort and pack the collected produce in preparation for distribution to soup kitchens, food pantries, senior citizen centers, homeless shelters and other places serving those in need.

• Vitkin Winery Wine Tasting - Vitkin Winery is a family boutique winery. It is considered to be one of the most fascinating in the Israeli wine industry being the pioneer in Mediterranean approach and expertise in producing original Israeli wines.

• Meet 'Galileat' and speak with Druze soliders - Together with your hosts in their private home, prepare traditional Druze Galilean dishes and then enjoy a meal of the foods you learned to cook. Get to know your hosts and their culture and history. Hear about the strong bond between the Druze community to the State of Israel and their contribution to the IDF. Dinner is included.

• Nature as Therapy - Go on a beautiful light nature walk and get introduced to mindfulness exercises. (weather depending).

• Travel back to Tel Aviv

• Meet Via Sabra's team member Segev Ben Shalom Mental Health Officer - Hear how the army cares for the mental health of soldiers during war time and afterwads. Ben Shalom has been serving in the reserves as a Mental Health Officer since the war has started. He will share his experience and have an opportunity for an open discussion.

• Dinner on your own

• Sheraton Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel & check-out

• Advocacy around the World - Meet with Yoseph Haddad - Yoseph Haddad is a defender of Israel – from his time defending Israel as a member of the Israel Defense Forces or more recently as the CEO of Together – Vouch For Each Other, an organization bridging the gap between the Arab sector of Israeli society with Israeli society as a whole. (depending on availability)

• Graffiti Tour- art as a reflection - What stories do these images and words tell about the what has happened in Israel since October 7? What social issues are reflected in the art on the walls? What is unique about graffiti in Israel and Tel Aviv specifically? In this dynamic tour through Florentin, Tel Aviv's best-known neighborhood for graffiti, you will answer these questions, share your interpretations, and gain an appreciation for this expressive form of art.

• Achim L'Neshek-Meshek - Visit hamal at Tel Aviv Expo Center, meet with leaders, volunteer.

• Brothers For Life Candle lighting and Final dinner - You will meet one of the staff members of Brothers for Life non-profit organization and hear about their special mission. BFL vision is that every wounded combat soldier receives the care and support needed to ensure his return to fulfilling and contributive life. Visit the center which is a home of their community of former combat soldiers, light candles together and eat dinner.

• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport and fly back home - VIP services are available upon request. Option to extend for more volunteering and/or visit family and friends

• We look forward to hosting you during peaceful times