2016 New Jersey State Legislators’ Study Mission to Program (FINAL)

February 25 - March 4, 2016

Departure: Newark Liberty Airport United # 84 3:50 PM

Day One: Friday, February 26, 2016

9:25 am Arrival on United Airlines Flight #84

10:30 am Depart for Latrun.

11:00 am –12:30pm Introduction and guided visit through Armored Corps Museum and Memorial with light lunch

12:30 pm Depart for Jerusalem

1:30 pm Stop at the Haas Promenade for a brief introduction to Jerusalem and overview of the Old City

2:15 pm – 4:45 pm Check-in at hotel and free time

4:50 pm Sabbath Candle Lighting at the Hotel

4:55 pm Proceed to the Old City by bus and enter Gate and walk through the Armenian Quarter before reaching the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall (Kotel)

6:30 pm Return to the hotel Option 1: Bus back to the hotel (arriving at hotel at 6:45 pm) Option 2: walk back to the hotel (arriving at the hotel at 7:15 pm)

Evening

7:30 pm-9:30 pm Shabbat dinner at the hotel with several lone soldiers (no other speakers)

Overnight: Hotel, Jerusalem

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Day Two: Saturday, February 27, 2016

Morning

8:30-10:30 am Breakfast at hotel

Optional: • Morning services • Hotel Neighborhood or Mishkenot Sha’ananim walk on own • Free time until 12:30 pm

1:00-1:45 pm Sabbath lunch at Hotel

Afternoon

1:45-4:30pm Depart for a walking tour of the Old City including the Arab Market, The Christian Quarter, including the Last Stations of the Cross, the Church of The Holy Sepulcher and a short walk through the Jewish Quarter.

Late Afternoon

Saturday evening at the conclusion of the Sabbath:

6:15 pm Havdalah (Concluding Sabbath ceremony)

6:30-7:30 pm Free time Optional Church Service (Notre Dame Center)

7:30 pm Depart hotel for dinner **Arrangements will be made for Churchgoers to meet the rest of the group

7:45-9:45 pm Dinner at the Gavriel Restaurant.

9:45 – 11:00 pm Evening on your own, possibilities include shopping on the Ben Yehudah or Mamilla Pedestrians Mall or return to the hotel.

Overnight: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

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Day Three: Sunday, February 28, 2016

Morning

7:45- 9:15 am Breakfast at hotel, with Paul Liptz: The Memory of the Holocaust and Contemporary Israeli Society

9:30 am Depart for Yad Vashem

10:00 am-12:30 pm Guided visit through Yad Vashem, the Israeli national memorial to The Jews who perished in the Holocaust, including the Avenue of the Righteous Among Nations, the Historical Museum and the Children’s Memorial, concluding with a group Memorial service.

12:45-1:45 pm Visit the Machane Yehudah Open Air Market (with lunch on own)

Afternoon

1:45-2:30 pm Drive to Gush Etzion South of Jerusalem

2:30-5:00 pm Visit Gush Etzion

• Special program hosted by Davidi Pearl, Chairman of the Gush Etzion Regional Council (County Mayor) and Shani Simkowitz, Director of the Gush Etzion Foundation, for an introduction to the Etzion Settlement Block and a short guided visit around the area.

• Visit the Roots Center – Judour-Shorashim hosted by Palestinian Ali Abu Awad and Settlement leader Hanan Slesinger, for a glimpse at the unique dialogue center created for engagement between Jewish settlers and Palestinian activists.

5:15-6:00 pm Drive to Jerusalem.

6:00-7:00 pm Arrive at Inbal Hotel, followed by free time.

7:00 pm Depart for dinner.

Evening

7:15-9:00 pm Dinner at the Olive and Fish Restaurant, with National Resources Minister, Dr. Yuval Steinetz

9:15 – 11:00 pm Evening on your own, possibilities include shopping on the Ben Yehudah or Mamilla Pedestrians Mall or return to the hotel.

Overnight: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

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Day Four: Monday, February 29, 2015

Morning

8:00-9:15 am Breakfast at Hotel, followed by a VIP government speaker at hotel.

8:45 am Check out and depart hotel

9:30-10:45 am Visit to Foreign Ministry, with briefings by high level Ministry officials

11:15-12:15 pm Meet with United States Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro

Afternoon

12:30-3:00 pm VIP visit to the Knesset, including a tour of the Knesset followed by a meeting with the Knesset Speaker, MK Yuli Edelstein and meetings with other leading Members of Knesset, with lunch.

3:00 pm Depart Jerusalem for the Jordan Valley

3:45-4:30 pm Visit the Qasr el Yahud Baptismal site on the shores of the Jordan River, (pending confirmation)

4:30-6:30 pm Drive to Tiberias.

6:30 pm Check into hotel.

Evening

7:30-8:30 pm Dinner at the hotel.

8:30-10:30 pm Free time to walk along the Tiberias Promenade with an opportunity for light shopping.

Overnight: Europa Hotel, Tiberias

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Day Five: Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Morning

8:00-9:00 am Breakfast at hotel

9:00-9:15 am Depart the hotel and drive to around Sea of Galilee.

9:15-11:15 am Visit the Valley of Genesereth where Jesus ministered, including Capernaum, Tabha and the Mount of Beatitudes.

Afternoon

11:15-1:00 pm Ascend to the Golan Plateau for a view of the Hula valley from above and a visit to Mount Bental for a look into Syria, accompanied by a security seminar on the delicate relationship between Israel and Syria in the wake of the Syrian Civil War.

1:30-2:30 pm Lunch on your own in Katzrin on the Golan.

2:30-5:00 pm Drive to .

5:00-6:15 pm Visit Israel’s National Defense College, hosted by Dr. Joshua Krasna.

Early Evening

6:45-7:45 pm Check into Tel Aviv hotel followed by free time.

7:45-9:30 pm Depart for dinner with Major General (Ret.) Giora Romm, Israeli IAF Ace and currently Director of the Israel Aviation Authority (at Goshen)

9:30-11:00 pm Free time for shopping and exploring along the Tel Aviv Promenade, The Old Train Station, the Sarona, Jaffa or .

Overnight: Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

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Day Six: Wednesday, March 2, 2014

Morning

7:30-8:45 am Breakfast at hotel

8:4509:30 am Drive to Palmachim Airforce Base.

Late Morning

9:30-11:00 am Visit the Palmachim Airforce Base and the unique IDF program, Special in Uniform.

11:00-11:30 am Drive to Ashdod Port.

11:30-12:30 pm Homeland Security visit at the Ashdod Port.

12:30-1:00 pm Drive to Kibbutz Erez.

Afternoon

1:00-3:00 pm Visit Kibbutz Erez one of the closest communities to the Gaza Border, for an understanding of the Kibbutz’s security considerations and lunch with residents.

3:30-5:30 pm Visit Sderot, including a guided visit around the city and meetings with residents and city officials.

5:30-7:15 pm Return to Tel Aviv.

Evening

7:15 pm Arrive at hotel followed by a free evening with dinner on your own -reservation assistance will be provided-(possible schedule change If senior government speaker becomes available at this time).

Free time for shopping and exploring along the Tel Aviv Promenade, The Old Train Station, the Sarona, Jaffa or Tel Aviv Port.

Overnight: Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

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Day Seven: Thursday, March 3 2016

Morning

8:00-9:00 am Breakfast at hotel

9:30-10:45 am Meeting with Gilad Zilberberg, owner of the Meir Beigel Factory, whose management is considering opening a factory in New Jersey.

11:00-12:00 pm Perceiving Israel, A New Vantage Point, with Jerry Ostrov, Founder of Rethink Israel-The Grapevine.

12:00-12:30 pm Drive to Tel Aviv University.

12:30-1:30 pm Lunch on your own in Ramat Aviv.

1:45-3:45 pm VIP visit at Tel Aviv University.

3:45-4:15 pm Return to Carlton Hotel.

4:15-5:45 pm Free time for last minute shopping and exploration.

5:45 pm Depart for farewell dinner (Regina; old train station)

Evening

6:00-7:30 pm Farewell dinner at a Tel Aviv restaurant.

7:30-8:00 pm Drive to Ben Gurion Airport.

Return to the USA 11:10 pm Depart on flight United #91 for Newark Airport

Day Eight: Friday, March 4, 2016

4:25 am Arrival on United Airlines Flight #91

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