YOU’RE INVITED ON ANOTHER AMAZING AFSI CHIZUK MISSION!
October 30 to November 5, 2018 (7-Day Trip)
Trip Contact Numbers:
Judy Freedman Kadish Ami Dado
Israel cell #011-972-50-499-8537 AFSI bus driver in Israel
judy@afsi.org Phone # 052-282-8680
*** TRIP ITINERARY ***
Tuesday, Oct. 30 – Election Day in Israel
Arrive in Israel in time for 9AM departure from Ben Gurion with group. It’s a National Holiday in Israel!
First stop is The Jabotinsky Institute and Etzel Museum in Tel Aviv. There we’ll have a private guided tour focusing on the teachings of Jabotinsky and the Revisionist Movement. Fascinating exhibitions and archives will set the mood for the rest of our trip.
We will then head to Jerusalem where after an outdoor lunch under the arbor in Ir David, we will enjoy a VIP guided tour of the site, to discover the antiquities newly unearthed in Yerushalayim.
Check into the Jerusalem Bat Sheva Hotel for our three-night stay. Welcome dinner at a favorite Jerusalem restaurant with special guest, David Hacham. (https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editors-Note-The-Gaza-expert-479044)
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Those wishing to ascend the Temple Mount with the group will gather at 7 AM in the lobby of the Jerusalem Bat Sheva Hotel to take taxis to the Dung gate. There we will meet with Yaakov Hayman, leader of the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, who will guide our tour of Har HaBayit.
At 11:00 AM, we will regroup at the Jerusalem Bat Sheva Hotel to board our bus for the quick trip to the U.S. Embassy where we will have outdoor photo opportunities before heading into the embassy for our 12:00 appointment with Ambassador David Friedman!
After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll head over to the Knesset. If possible and time permits, we’ll have an abbreviated tour of the building followed by a private session with several MK’s and at least one Minister from the Likud and Bayit Yehudi parties affording an opportunity for up close Q&A sessions.
Dinner will be on our own. Evening program – 8:30 PM – with Jeff Daube, former AFSI Board member, now ZOA representative in Jerusalem.
Thursday, November 1
We’ll begin our morning at Neve Daniel, the famous lookout point where Josh Hasten, International Spokesperson of the Gush Etzion Regional Council and radio personality will give us an update on the situation in Gush Etzion while we take in the magnificent views from the Mediterranean to the Jordanian Mountains. We’ll then make a stop at the Shopping Center at the Gush Etzion junction where Josh will explain the events surrounding the murder of his friend (and ours), American born Israeli Activist, and soon to be recipient of the Israeli Medal for Civilian Valor, Ari Fuld.
Next stop is Oz V’Gaon, the park dedicated to the three boys who were kidnapped and murdered, June 12, 2014. Women in Green leaders, Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover will greet us and give us a tour of the latest accomplishments in the park. Of course, we’ll also get a full Sovereignty movement progress report.
After lunch at the mall, we will visit with several displaced persons from Netiv Ha’Avot in their new location in Elazar.
Following that we’ll continue south to Kiryat Arba/Hebron. There we will participate in a wonderful Chachnasat Torah, made possible by one of our loyal AFSI members. Letter writing, dancing, and dining will go on into the evening. We return to Jerusalem.
Friday, November 2
We’ll begin our day by heading east out of Yerushalayim to Beit Hogla in Jericho. Rabbi Uri Pilichowski, the Director of AFSI’s new Youth program, If Not Us, will join us and introduce us to Yonina Rubenstein, one of the newest residents of the community. If we have time we’ll stop and visit with Erna, the Lady of Jericho, who was the first to bring Jewish life back to Beit Hogla.
From Yericho we’ll travel to Mitzpe Jericho where we will be treated to a leisurely brunch on Pilichowski terrace. While dining we will hear from our favorite fighter for Western Civilization, Ken Abramowitz. Of course, Uri will also update us on the IF Not Us program.
Next, we’ll stop for prayers at Kever Rachel in Bethlehem, the only place available to Jews in that city.
Time permitting, we will stop in Kiryat Arba for a short visit to the Security Center there where we’ll get a first-hand look at the preparations for Chaye Sarah security.
Then we’ll check into the Yeshivat Nir for overnight. We’ll prepare for Shabbat services at the Maarat HaMachpela and dinner back at the Yeshiva. After dinner, AFSI will have a private session with a very interesting Kiryat Arba resident.
Shabbat Chaye Sarah, November 3
Shabbat services in the morning at the Maarat or at the Yeshiva. We’ll enjoy a festive Shabbat lunch with the Hebron Fund at the Gutnick Center and then separate for tours, visits, or napping. Shalosh Seudot and Havdalah are at the Gutnick Center. We check out of Yeshivat Nir and head for Arad. Overnight at the Inbar Hotel.
Sunday, November 4
We wake up in the very interesting city of Arad, bordering on the Dead Sea, and hosting a very diverse population. We’ll visit the arts center which is sure to fascinate. A meeting with the Mayor is scheduled which should be very enlightening. We’ll continue west to Be’er Sheva and view the amazing growth that has taken place in that city. After lunch, a meeting with the Mayor is scheduled there also.
We’ll then travel on to the student village of Ashalim, run by the Ayalim organization. There we will be treated to a very special tour.
That evening we’ll check into our hotel for the night, The Desert Iris, where we’ll have dinner and then be entertained by Eliakim and some of his group of Black Israelites from Dimona.
Monday, November 5
That morning we’ll travel west to the Gaza border communities which have been rocketed and burned by the Gazans. We will see the amazing resilience of Sderot and meet with Mayor Alon Davidi. We will make various stops in the Eshkol Region, particularly to meet some of the security personnel who have recently been supplied with helmets donated by one of our trip participants. Time permitting, we’ll visit Kibbutz Sa’ad, a religious Zionist Kibbutz in the region.
Our gala farewell dinner will be held in Rishon L’Zion, followed by a drive to the airport for those flying back to the U.S. Those remaining in Israel will be driven to Yerushalayim.
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