January 17, 1999
Tevet 29 5759
Jerusalem

A Delegation of 200 Lay Leaders and Professionals of the United Jewish Communities (UJA)/Federations of North America visits Israel and The Ukraine on JAFI: Voyage of Discovery II

A delegation of 200 lay leaders and professionals from 70 communities in North America headed by Ms. Carole Solomon National Chair of the United Jewish Communities (UJA)/Federations of North America will be visiting Israel this week on “A Voyage of Discovery” to learn on location about the activities of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) as well as the work of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and their partnership with United Jewish Communities (UJA)/Federations. The group will then fly to Crimea in the Ukraine to view first hand Jewish Agency for Israel activities in Simferopol and observe JDC programs.

On Monday the mission will visit on site locations throughout Israel and focus on absorption and immigration, Partnership 2000, programs benefiting special needs populations including the Ethiopian community, and education – including the Israel Experience Program which brings youth from the Diaspora to Israel.

The group will be briefed by JAFI Board of Governors Chair, Charles (Corky) Goodman, and JAFI Treasurer, Sallai Meridor on Tuesday January 19th in the morning.

Issues relating to religious pluralism, tolerance, and Jewish Unity, will also be covered during the mission. The group will meet students from the FSU now in Israel on ‘Selah’, ‘Chalom’ and ‘NaAleh’ study programs.

From Israel the group will travel on Wednesday morning, January 20th, to Simferopol where they will visit the parents of the ‘Selah’, ‘Chalom’ and ‘NaAleh’ students whom they will have met just the previous evening at a festive dinner. The mission will also meet in Simferopol with ‘Aliyah 2000’ teams who provide potential olim with information on job opportunities in Israel. The group will visit a ‘Lechet’ winter camp school for youth counselors, and learn about community welfare services.

This is the second Voyage of Discovery Mission, the first, last year traveled to Israel and then went with former Prime Minister, Shimon Peres , to Belarus and visited his town of birth.

For more information contact:

Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media, JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708