In the last few months, Israel has experienced a new wave of terror. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is organizing a Solidarity Mission to Israel to allow Greater Philadelphia community members to demonstrate their support in person to the people of Israel. This unique five-day mission will leave from Super Sunday, at the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr on Feb. 21 to go to Newark Liberty International Airport, and will return on Friday, Feb. 26.
“Solidarity missions are designed to provide an opportunity for our Jewish community to demonstrate our unity with the citizens of Israel,” said Scott Isdaner, co-chair of the Jewish Federation’s Missions Committee. “We are a worldwide family and when members of our family are experiencing difficult times, it is important for them to know that they are not alone, that we support them and that we care. Being there is as important as supporting them from afar.”
Mission highlights will include:
Exceptional social action opportunities
A high-level geopolitical tour
Meetings with families who have suffered terror
attacks
An insider’s look at the Israeli media
A walking tour of Wadi Nisnas, an interfaith, multi- cultural neighborhood in Haifa
Dinner with Israel Defense Forces Lone Soldiers
“A solidarity mission is a unique opportunity to ‘show up’ physically in Israel, in order to show our support at a time when Israel is in need,” said Robin Zappin, co-chair of the Missions Committee. “Showing up for a solidarity mission means being present in Israel to enjoy the beauty, culture, people, world-leading innovations and most importantly our Jewish connection.”
The cost for the Solidarity Mission is $1,800 per person, plus the cost of flights; a gift of $1,000 or more to the Jewish Federation’s 2016 Campaign is requested. To register and pay a deposit, visit jewishphilly.org/missiondeposit.
“What is special about traveling with the Jewish Federation’s Solidarity Mission is the access to the issues that are happening on the ground,” said Zappin. “Traveling with the Jewish Federation gives participants first-hand knowledge of what is happening in Israel and how we, as American Jews through the Jewish Federation, can best respond to the current and future needs of Israel.”
The Jewish Federation offers a wide variety of exciting and meaningful trips locally, to Israel and to other countries of Jewish interest. The Jewish Federation provides mission participants with exclusive access to political figures, historians, area experts, community leaders and local residents. Over the past year, the Jewish Federation helped send approximately 2,000 local community members to Israel through missions.
In addition to the Solidarity Mission, the Jewish Federation has the following missions planned for 2016: Heart 2 Heart Women’s Mission to Israel (Feb. 7-11); Men’s Entrepreneurs Mission (April 2-8); [email protected] Philly Mission to Israel and Morocco (April 4-15); Women’s Philanthropy Mission to Poland and Israel (May 1-9); Israel360 Couples’ Trip for partners ages 27 to 35 (May 26 to June 2); LGBTQ Mission to Israel (also May 26 to June 2); and Amazing Israel Philadelphia Community Trip for ages 22 to 26 (May 30 to June 9).
For more information about the Solidarity Mission and Jewish Federation missions in general, contact Pam Pearlmutter, Manager, Philadelphia Israel Experience, at the Jewish Federation, at 215.832.0837 or [email protected], or visit jewishphilly.org/missions.
