Orthodox Union/Rabbinical Council of America
Solidarity Mission to Israel
January 18-26, 2003 -- 16-23 Shvat, 5763

Tentative Itinerary - (Subject to change) - All times approximate

(Please note that all events listed are currently planned, but remain subject to change due to security concerns and/or changes in the personal calendars of scheduled speakers.)

Saturday evening, January 18 - 16 Shvat, 5763
Depart JFK or Newark Liberty Airports (Sunday departures available by request)

Sunday, January 19 - 16 Shvat, 5763
Welcome to Jerusalem
• Check in to Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel
• Free time to unpack and rest
Welcome Cocktail Party/Dinner – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza, Hotel
Welcome to Jerusalem – guest speaker
• After dinner, bus departs to the Kotel for Tefilat Arvit
• Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Monday, January 20 - 17 Shvat, 5763
• Tefilat Shacharit
• Breakfast - guest speaker
Kever Rachel/Jewish East Jerusalem
• 8:30 AM – Depart for Kever Rachel and Tour of East Jerusalem:
Har Homa; Sur Bacher; Ras Al Amud; Mt. of Olives; Beit Orot; Kever Shimon Hatzadik
Hesed Programs – Several Options:
1) Ezer Mitzion – afternoon program in Jerusalem making up food packages for delivery to hospitals.
2) Ezer Mitzion – visit to the Ezer Mizion Center in Bnei Brak, including hands-on work.
3) Kids for Kids Program
4) ARMDI Blood Bonding Campaign – Israel Center
Return to the hotel.
Dinner
Guest speaker
Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Tuesday, January 21 - 18 Shvat, 5763
• Tefilat Shacharit
• Breakfast - guest speaker:
• 8:30 AM – Depart hotel
• Travel via the “Tunnels” highway in the valley between Beit Jala and Gilo
Gush Etzion
• Karmei Tzur – Rabbi Danny Berlin – explanation and demonstration of “Zaka”
Hevron
• Travel via Kiryat Arba to Hevron for visit including:
Lunch at the Gutnick Center
Tel Rumeida, Kever Rut v”Yishai, Beit Hadassah, Avraham Avinu - new Mitzpe Shalhevet neighborhood and shul; Mearat Hamachpela – Tefilat Mincha
Return to Jerusalem
• Dinner (at the Renaissance Jerusalem Hotel)
Guest Speaker
• Tefilat Arvit
Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Wednesday, January 22 - 19 Shvat, 5763
• Tefilat Shacharit
• Breakfast - guest speaker:
• 8:30 AM – Depart hotel
Travel via Mt. Scopus, Ma’aleh Adumim, observation point overlooking the Dead Sea and Jericho Bypass road; brief visit Ain Hogla (adjacent to Jericho, security situation permitting) Jordan Valley Drive by Mount Sartaba (Kiddush HaHodesh); Jordan Valley outposts of the Hashmonaim and modern Israel.
• Nahal Haredi army base at Bekaot Junction (subject to IDF approval)
Shomron
• Travel via the Alon Highway – observation point at Ma’aleh Efraim
• Drive via the Trans-Shomron Highway to the center of the Shomron
• Yishuv Har Bracha on Mt. Grizim – Tefilat Mincha, lunch.
Meet with HaRav Eliezer Melamed, Rosh Hayeshivat Hesder.
• View of Shechem and Mt. Eval, including the mountain settlements
• View of the excavations of the Samaritan Temple
• Observation point overlooking Kever Yosef (subject to IDF approval)
• Yishuv Yitzhar – meet with the Ayash Family; demonstration by a traditional silversmith;
observation point from an ancient oak grove with a view towards the Mediterranean Coast.
Return to Jerusalem via “Derech Ha’Avot”
Evening at leisure
Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Thursday, January 23 - 20 Shvat, 5763
• Tefilat Shacharit
• Breakfast – guest speaker
Depart Jerusalem for the OU/NCSY Mt. Cheres Youth Forest for Tree Planting.
Continue to Gush Katif
Visit Kfar Darom – Museum/”Gan Mitzvot”/meet victims of Terror
- Visit hot houses in Moshav Netzer Hazani – “Gush Katif Vegetables;” Hydroponic tomatoes; tour Katif plant nurseries
- Lunch in the “Pagoda” on the Mediterranean Sea – meet with senior
officials of the Gush Katif Area Council and Rav Azuri
Kibbutz Nir Am (time permitting)
- Museum describing settlement in the Negev – emphasis on water and defense issues
Sderot
- Hesder Yeshiva of Sderot – meet with Rav Fendel
- OU Makom Balev Program in Sderot (program to follow including dinner)
Late evening return to Jerusalem.
• Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Friday, January 24 - 21 Shvat, 5763
• Tefilat Shacharit
• Breakfast – Guest speaker
Balance of the day at leisure for shopping and meeting relatives/friends.
• 3:45 PM Group bus departure for Kotel

Shabbat
• 4:25 PM - Candlelighting
• Tefilat Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel
• Shabbat dinner in the hotel in the presence of Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau
• Oneg Shabbat – speaker
Overnight – Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza Hotel

Shabbat, January 25 - 22 Shvat, 5763
• Cake and coffee is available to Mission participants prior to tefila.
Full breakfast will not be served.
• 8:30 AM - Shacharit at the Seymour J. Abrams OU Jerusalem World Center
• Dvar Torah—Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President, OU
• 11:00 AM – Kiddush/Seuda Shniya after davening
• 11:45 Keynote presentation: Dvrei Hitarout and Chizuk by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel
• 12:30 PM – Tefilat Mincha
• 1:30 PM - Gala buffet Seuda Shlishit (lunch) at the hotel
• Menuchat Shabbat
• 5:44 PM - Tefilat Arvit
• Havdala
Evening - pack and check out of rooms; transfer via the Kotel to Ben Gurion Airport

Saturday night/Sunday, January 26 - 23 Shvat 5763
• El Al Flight #001 departing at 1:00 AM; arrives JFK Airport at 5:45 AM
• El Al Flight #027 departing at 12:10 AM; arrives Newark Airport at 5:10 AM
 

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