June 17, 1999
3 Tammuz 5759
Jerusalem

Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak to make his first public appearance before Jewish Leadership from the Diaspora at the Jewish Agency for Israel Assembly which begins next week in Tiberias.

The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) Assembly opens next week in Tiberias. Sallai Meridor will be elected as Chairman of the JAFI Executive, Alex Grass, as Chairman of JAFI Board of Governors, and Chaim Chesler as JAFI Treasurer. Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak to make his first public appearance before Jewish Leadership from the Diaspora.

The JAFI Assembly will open on Sunday June 20th, and last for four days, until Wednesday June 23rd. Among the major issues to be discussed at the Assembly will be: Adapting the goals of the Jewish Agency to the challenges facing the Jewish People into the 21st Century. The Assembly participants will be presented with the principals of the new strategic plan of the Jewish Agency.

During the Assembly the participants will tour Northern Israel and examine JAFI activities in the fields of: Immigration, Higher Education, Employment, Improvements in the quality of living in Israel, and other related issues.

Prime Minister-elect, Ehud Barak MK; Ariel Sharon MK, acting Chairman of the Likud party; Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel, Sallai Meridor; and JAFI Treasurer, Chaim Chesler, will address the Assembly participants.

The major events taking place within the framework of the JAFI Assembly are:

• Sunday, June 20th, 20:00 - Assembly opening, Gai Beach Hotel, Tiberias.
• Monday, June 21st - Field Seminars in the North.
• Monday, June 21st - Field Seminars in the North.
• Tuesday, June 22nd, 09:00 - Address by the Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Sallai Meridor, on the subject of "The Jewish People in the Coming Millennium".
• Tuesday, June 22nd, 09:45 - Plenary II: Strategic Planning
• Tuesday, June 22nd, 12:45 - Lunch with Ariel Sharon MK, acting Chairman of the Likud party.
• Tuesday, June 22nd, 14:00 - Panel Discussion: "Leading the Jewish People into the 21st Century".
• Tuesday, June 22nd, 20:30 - Gala Program at the Roman theater: "Ten Years of Aliyah" , at Beit Sha’an.
• Wednesday, June 23rd, 08:30 - Closing Plenary.
• Wednesday, June 23rd, 13:00 - Address by Prime Minister-elect, Ehud Barak MK Gai Hotel. Sallai Meridor will be elected as Chairman of the JAFI Executive, Alex Grass, as Chairman of JAFI Board of Governors, and Chaim Chesler as JAFI Treasurer.

The Board of Governors of JAFI is meeting Friday June 18th, at the Jewish Agency Building, 48 King George St. in Jerusalem, and on Sunday June 20th the resolutions plenary will take place at the Sheraton Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem.

The Press is invited to cover the above proceedings.

For further information contact:

Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media, JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706