OU National Convention Itinerary 2008
Date:
26 Nov, 2008
Description:
The Orthodox Union National Convention 2008
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
-Subject to Change-
Enjoy varied daytime touring programs. Spend evenings with world-famous speakers and sit through outstanding presentations. Make the most of Shabbat with a program of inspiration and spiritual rejuvenation. Vote as a delegate from your shul on behalf of North American and world Jewry.
Learning opportunities include Daf Yomi, Nach Yomi, and Mishmar.
Tour Theme: "3000 Years in 36 Hours"
Participants will spend their week exploring the fascinating path of Jewish history, from the earliest days of Tanach through to the miracles of the modern State of Israel. In addition to touring relevant sites - many of them for the first time even to seasoned visitors - we will enrich our trip with speakers ranging from archaeologists to experts on the Beit HaMikdash to people who experienced the War of Independence personally.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
2pm OU Hospitality Desk Opens
Monday, November 24, 2008
6:45am Shacharit in the Queen of Sheba room
7:30am Breakfast
8-11am OU Hospitality Desk Open
8:30am Tour: 3000 Years in 36 Hours, Part I: Jerusalem, The Eternal City (packed lunch included)
Highlights include the newest excavations at the City of David, an in-depth look at the Second Temple with a presentation of a model of the Bet Hamikdash, and a peek into the troubled world of Second Temple Jewry, in many ways so similar to our own time.
4:30-10pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
5-7pm OU Job Fair Community Expo
6pm Tour returns to the hotel
Dinner and Leisure Time on Your Own
7:45pm Ma’ariv in the Queen of Sheba room
8pm Speaker Rabbi Zev Leff in the Queen of Sheba room
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
6:45am Shacharit in the Queen of Sheba room
7:30am Breakfast
8-11am OU Hospitality Desk Open
8:30am Tour: 3000 Years in 36 Hours, Part II: Wanderings (packed lunch included)
A day in the footsteps of the Jewish people after the fall of Jerusalem. Highlights include the new excavation at Tel Yavne, the incredible site of Tzippori, home of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, and Bet Shearim, the necropolis of the Tannaim and Amoraim.
4:30-10pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
5-7pm OU Job Fair
6pm Tour returns to the hotel
Dinner and Leisure Time on Your Own
7:45pm Ma’ariv in the Queen of Sheba room
8pm Speaker Rabbi Usher Weiss in the Queen of Sheba room
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
6:45am Shacharit in the Queen of Sheba room
7:30am Breakfast
8-11am OU Hospitality Desk Open
8:30am Tour: 3000 Years in 36 Hours, Part III: King David's Fortress (packed lunch included)
We will be among the first permitted to visit the newly-excavated site of the Elah fortress (Khirbet Qeiyafa). As reported in The New York Times on October 29, 2008, the discovery of this fortress, dating from the time of King David, is of huge significance, as its location on the main road to Jerusalem helps confirm the city’s identity as David’s capital. The earliest-known example of Hebrew writing has been found there. Four-wheeled, open-topped “safari” buses will meet us near Bet Shemesh to transport us to the site and expert guides will be on hand to point out its features and recount its history.
2-10pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
2:30pm Tour returns to the hotel
6pm OU Convention 2008 Opening Night Dinner in the Grand Ballroom
● Election and Installation of Officers
● Official Welcome by Stephen J. Savitsky, President, Orthodox Union
● Greetings by HaRav Yona Metzger, Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Honorable Nir Barkat, Newly-Elected Mayor of Jerusalem
8pm Ma’ariv in the Queen of Sheba room
8:30pm Journalists’ Roundtable: 2009 - Identifying the Hot Button Issues with Panelists: Ethan Bronner (The New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief), Gil Hoffman (The Jerusalem Post Political Editor), Steve Leibowitz (IBA-MABAT TV News Producer), and moderator Ruthie Bloom (The Jerusalem Post Features Editor)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
6am Daf Yomi – Kiddushin 50 in the Queen of Sheba room
6:45am Shacharit in the Queen of Sheba room
7:30am Breakfast
8am-10pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
8:45am Tour: Jerusalem, Keep It One, Keep It Ours
Hear a detailed briefing and then travel along the proposed "seam" to divide the city, gain an understanding of what this could mean to Israel's capital and its neighborhoods. Proceed to the location of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to make our position known to U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama. Media coverage expected. (packed lunch included)
4pm Tour returns to the hotel
6:30pm Dinner in the Grand Ballroom
7:30pm Evening Program begins
Keynote Address by Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth: “Our Mission Statement for the 21st Century”
9pm Ma’ariv in the Queen of Sheba room
9:15pm Film Premiere: “Hungry to be Heard” produced by OU Young Leadership Cabinet
10:30pm Mishmar (optional) for men and women at Mercaz HaRav High School (Yashlatz)
Friday, November 28, 2008
6am Daf Yomi – Kiddushin 51 in the Queen of Sheba room
6:45am Shacharit (Rosh Chodesh Kislev) in the Queen of Sheba room
7:45am Breakfast with speakers: Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon and Dror Vanunu of Job Katif
8am-3:30pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
9:15-10:15pm Plenary Session A in the Queen of Sheba room: The Economic Meltdown: Implications for America and Israel. Presenter: Pinchas Landau, consultant to domestic and foreign financial institutions and publisher/author of The Landau Report.
9:15-10:15am Meeting in the Grand Ballroom of Yeshiva University and Stern College for Women students studying in Israel with Chief Rabbi Sacks.
10:30-11:30am Plenary Session B in the Queen of Sheba room: Israel/Diaspora Relations. Panelists: Amotz Asa-El (President, Business Week Israel; Columnist, The Jerusalem Post, The Wall Street Journal/Market Watch) and Rebecca Caspi (Senior Vice President, Global Operations Israel and Overseas and Director General of UJC Israel).
12pm Buses to the Kotel for Minchah (transportation only provided going, return to the hotel on your own)
4pm Candle Lighting in the Grand Ballroom Foyer
Shabbat Shalom!
4:05pm Minchah and Kabbalat Shabbat. D’var Torah by Rabbi Steven Weil
5:45pm Shabbat Dinner (assigned seating) in the Grand Ballroom
8pm Shabbat Shiurim
9pm Shabbat Keynote Address in the Queen of Sheba room given by HaRav Yisrael Meir Lau
10pm Tisch and Dessert in the Grand Ballroom (for men and women) with Rabbi Menachem Nissel
10pm Tisch and Dessert in the Queen of Sheba room (for women only) with Mrs. Shira Smiles
Saturday, November 29, 2008
7:15am Daf Yomi – Kiddushin 52 in the Queen of Sheba room
Shiur on Parshat HaShavu’ah: Toldot, in the Amnon room
7:30-8am Coffee and Cake in the Lower Level Foyer
8am Shacharit and Musaf in the Queen of Sheba room
Drasha: “A Spiritual Response to a World in Crisis” given by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
11am Shabbat Lunch (assigned seating) in the Grand Ballroom
12:30-1:30pm Shabbat Shiurim
1:30-3pm Menuchat Shabbat
3pm Minchah in the Queen of Sheba room
3:30pm Seudat Shlishit
4:15pm Convention Summation in the Queen of Sheba room: Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth
5pm Ebbing of the Shabbat
5:15pm Ma’ariv and Havdalah in the Queen of Sheba room
Shavu’ah Tov!
5:45-11pm OU Hospitality Desk Open
6:30pm Debate and Adoption of Resolutions in the Queen of Sheba room
8pm Concert starring Shlomo Katz in the Grand Ballroom
12am Visit OU Israel’s wildly popular Harold and Pearl Jacobs OU Zula Outreach Center (By invitation only).
Sunday, November 30, 2008
6:45am Daf Yomi – Kiddushin 53 in the Queen of Sheba room
7:30am Shacharit in the Queen of Sheba room
8am OU Hospitality Desk Opens
8:30am Breakfast
Nesi’ah Tovah Habayta!
Register Online!
Contact:
Allyson Gur-Aryeh
212.613.8124
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)