DAY 1- FRIDAY JANUARY 13 ITINERARY JEWISH UNITY MISSION TO ISRAEL FRIDAY JAN 13 WEDNESDAY JAN 18, 2017 DRAFT (Itinerary is subject to change and is a work in progress) Meet the group at our designated meeting place LUNCH AND OPENING SESSION: Location TBD Introduction and setting the stage for the mission Visit the Old City and enter following the Paratroopers route to capture Jerusalem and the Kotel in 1967 Tour the newly discovered areas of the Western Wall Tunnels not yet open to the public Visit the proposed site of the Western Wall Compromise AFTERNOON: Check into the Inbal Hotel Jerusalem. KABBALAT SHABBAT: Participants will have a choice of which synagogue to attend services or will have the choice of going to the Wall DINNER: Group dinner for Shabbat in the hotel in a private room Have different leaders participate in welcoming Shabbat together EVENING PROGRAM FOLLOWING DINNER OVERNIGHT: INBAL HOTEL JERUSALEM
DAY 2- SATURDAY JANUARY 14 AM: Option to attend services at different synagogues with the Spiritual Leader (Klei Kodesh) of your choice LUNCH: Group lunch in the hotel AFTERNOON: Spiritual leaders to lead different walking tours in Jerusalem to their favourite places and memories Return for summary/debriefing as a group HAVDALLAH: Will be facilitated by 3 musicians from Beit Tefilah along w Rav Ronen Neuwirth. Beit Tefila will explain their leadership role as part of an evolution of Israeli Judaism that their community is creating together. We will explore how through prayer, ceremonies and engagement they bring together secular Israelis in an emotional and experiential way Hear the story of how Beit Tefilah was established and how the creation of their prayer book has been a process of integrating and putting together Israeli songs, liturgy and literature DINNER: On own or in small groups OVERNIGHT: INBAL HOTEL JERUSALEM
DAY 3- SUNDAY JANUARY 15 DVAR TORAH REGEV BEN-DAVID AS SCHOLAR/FACILITATOR FOR THE DAY Regev Ben-David was born and raised in Ramat Raziel, a small moshav near Jerusalem. After a year of voluntary civil service and six years of military service in the Intelligence Corps (ranked Captain), Regev attended Ein Prat Academy and became an active member of its alumni network. After completing his B.A. at Hebrew University in psychology as part of the Amirim honors liberal arts program, Regev received the 2011-2012 Tikvah Fund Fellowship, a year-long paid fellowship in NYC. Regev currently Directs the alumni activity of Ein Prat in Jerusalem, organized as a community-based beit midrash called Beit Prat. Regev is also a board member of a think tank named Metzilah - Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal, and Humanistic Thought. Metzilah was established under the agenda of a Jewish and democratic State, and deals with a variety of issues, among them ones of religion(s) and state. In addition, Regev is pursuing an M.A. in political science at Bar-Ilan University. Regev participated in the 2011 and 2013 ROI Summits and several additional ROI programs such as the Magid Project. AM: Walk through JNF projects such as Restorers of Jerusalem and Teddy Park Regev Ben-David will facilitate our day as our Scholar in Residence to look at the impact of different streams of Judaism on Israeli Society. We will endeavour to understand and explore the influences of the new Israeli expressions of Judaism and their effect upon Israeli society. We will attempt to understand how Judaism is structured in North America and the variances in the Israel model. Regev will design a program where we will visit a number of places with key speakers and leaders to explore these issues, such as: A speaker representing the pluralist masorti voice. E.g. Heli Tabibi-Bareket, CEO of Hillel at Hebrew University and initiator of numerous Sephardic cultural events in Jerusalem; or Dr. Meir Buzaglo, founder of Tikkun. A speaker who works for Haredi integration in education/employment. Rabbi Bezalel Cohen, a Haredi educator who established Wisdom of the Heart Yeshiva for highschool haredi students where they also obtain regular high-school diploma (with secular studies). A speaker representing non-pluralistic secular voice. Ram Furman, founder of the Secular Forum, which demands a sectorial secular education system.
Meet with Dr. Micah Goodman at Ein Prat Midrasha, which he founded in 2003, where young adult Israelis of religious, secular, and traditional backgrounds study together. Visit pre-military academy of Bnei-David and meet with its leader(s). LUNCH: TBD AFTERNOON: Program to be developed by Regev Ben David for discussion and approval Wrap- Up session: Facilitated by Regev Ben David DINNER: On own or in small groups Evening Program Israeli movie at the Cinematheque. Meeting with Dr. Noa Regev, CEO, to discuss the impact religion plays in Israeli film and its impact upon society. OVERNIGHT: INBAL HOTEL JERUSALEM
DAY 4 MONDAY JANUARY 16 DVAR TORAH The Shalom Hartman Institute is a pluralistic center of research and education deepening and elevating the quality of Jewish life in Israel and around the world. Through their work, they are redefining the conversation about Judaism in modernity, religious pluralism, Israeli democracy, Israel and world Jewry, and the relationship with other faith communities. AM FIRST SESSION: Visit the Hartman Centre and learn about their activities and impact upon Israeli society Explore their work in integrating Jewish studies into the secular school system Study session with top scholars at the Hartman Centre AM SECOND SESSION: Moshe Halbertal from Hebrew University will conduct a session on Ethics in the IDF and the recruitment of Haredi soldiers Moshe Halbertal is a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Professor of Jewish Thought and Philosophy at Hebrew University, and a faculty member at the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem, Israel. From 1988-92 he was a fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows (1988 92). Halbertal has been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and New York University Law School. He received his B.A. in Jewish Thought and Philosophy from Hebrew University, cum laude, in 1984, and his PhD from Hebrew University in 1989. Halbertal was reared in Israel in a modern Orthodox family. His father was a Holocaust survivor from Łańcut, Galicia (Central-Eastern Europe), his mother an Israeli who had come to Uruguay to teach Hebrew. He received the Rothschild Foundation's Bruno Award and the Goren Goldstein Award for the "Best Book in Jewish Thought" in the years 1997-2000. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Jewish Review of Books. LUNCH: KKL OFFICES Arrange a viewing and explanation of the historical JNF Honour Books AFTERNOON: ANALYZE THE NATURE OF ISRAELI JUDAISM AFTERNOON: CONTINUATION OF PROGRAM Tzvi Tzohar- He will address the conversion crisis and/or Judaism minus Religion
Dr. Zvi Zohar is Chauncey Stillman Professor of Sephardic Law and Ethics at Bar Ilan University, where he teaches in the Faculty of Law and in the Faculty of Jewish Studies. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute of Advanced Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, where he heads the Alan A. and Loraine Fischer Family Center for Contemporary Halakha. This article appears in issue 23 of Conversations, the journal of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. Avi Sagi from Tel Aviv University Topic: Pluralism. Specific topics may include: Does the Diaspora superimpose our needs on Israeli Society When does Diaspora Jewry get a voice Developing an Israeli Jewish Identity Prof. Avi Sagi, academic director of the Military Ethics Research Project and Shalom Hartman Institute senior research fellow, has a doctorate in philosophy from Bar-Ilan University where he serves as a professor. Avi is the founding director of Bar-Ilan University's Program for Hermeneutic and Cultural Studies and a member of the steering committee for the preparation of the Israel Defense Forces code of ethics. The editor of two book series and an academic journal, Avi has authored and edited more than 35 books and published more than 200 articles. His most recent book in English is To Be a Jew, published by Continuum Press as part of the Institute's Kogod Library of Judaic Studies. DEBRIEFING AND SUMMARY OF THE DAY 4 PM: DRIVE TO JERUSALEM AND CHECK INTO THE SHERATON TEL AVIV DINNER: As a group joined by Shinshinim representatives to sit at each table along with the Israeli and Canadian founders, Sarah Mali and Michael Diamond EVENING PROGRAM: HOW I DISCOVERED MY RELIGIOUS IDENTITY IN CANADA Sarah Mali, founding Director of the Global Leadership Institute at the Jewish Agency in Israel, will address us about Jewish Peoplehood. Sarah will explain Jewish Peoplehood has become the cornerstone of a relatively new initiative at the Jewish Agency in conjunction with the Shinshinim program which started some 10 years ago in Toronto, which focuses on Global Jewish Leadership and the need to look at the Jewish People as a whole and develop leadership parameters which are consistent with a strong and unified Jewish people. We will also explore how the Shinshinim s religious affiliations transformed after being exposed to our communities in Canada. OVERNIGHT: SHERATON TEL AVIV
DAY 5- TUESDAY JANUARY 17 DVAR TORAH AM: Short visit with Ethiopian leaders at the Spice Farm-Kiryat Gat KKL project Visit the Ethiopian Senior s project known as the Spice Farm. See what they are doing to keep their history/story alive for the Jewish People. Speaker will address Ethiopian Jewish religious and cultural practices, and the challenges for Jewish Ethiopians living in Israel Visit Nahal Oz or Kibbutz Sa ad Have a panel of speakers from different communities in the region, both secular and religious, to share how they collaborate on issues such as: 1. Resilience 2. Joint responsibility 3. Educating their children 4. Fostering Jewish Identity 5. Living in and defending the south 6. Building a state vs building a life 7. Collective security issues of living in these communities and the importance of protecting the borders LUNCH: Tzela is a Goat Farm w fresh, organic grown delicious produce and homemade bread everyone will love it! AFTERNOON: Visit to Halutza on Egyptian border Address the sacrifice one makes for the benefit of the Jewish People A member of the Halutza leadership will speak to the group Visit a classroom in a bomb shelter, synagogue and farm and see the border with Egypt Experience the building process of a new community in the desert supported by Jewish communities from every corner of the world See a community emerge from the sand Examine how the relocation of evacuees became the responsibility of Global Jewry in partnership with the State of Israel
Debriefing Session Return to Tel Aviv DINNER: On own or join your Rabbi or friends. OVERNIGHT: SHERATON TEL AVIV
DAY 6- WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18 DVAR TORAH Our faciliator for the day will be Rav Ronen Neuwirth. Rav Ronen Neuwirth, Managing Director of ChavruTA Rav Neuwirth founded and was the first Executive Director of Beit Hillel Attentive Spiritual Leadership, and the community Rabbi of Ohel Ari Congregation in Ra'anana. He formerly served as the overseas department director of the Tzohar Rabbinical organization and was the former Rabbi of Bnei Akiva of the United States and Canada. Rabbi Neuwirth also served as the Chief Technology Officer of an Israeli hi-tech company. While in the IDF, he served as a captain in the Israeli Navy Special Forces. Rabbi Ronen initiated and lead the very successful project of Shabbat Israelit, which brings together more than 50,000 participants from many diverse backgrounds to be able to celebrate holy Shabbat together. AM: Visit Alma Alma is a Tel Aviv based cultural and intellectual center, founded in 1996 by Dr. Ruth Calderon. Alma is known for being a Home for Hebrew Culture, for anyone of any background, who wishes to acquaint himself and feel at home within that culture, whether he is religious or secular. Alma views Hebrew Culture as a sea of knowledge and experience, text and context, filled by the three great rivers that run into it: Jewish Culture, Israeli Culture and General, universal culture. Alma seeks to make this cultural blend a meaningful element in the identity of Jews in Israel and abroad. Visit with Ruth Calderone to speak to the group about the role of study with secular Jews. She will explore the impact of Jewish study on secular society We will have the opportunity to participate in a special Daf Yomi class. We will have the opportunity for a question and answer session with the leadership of Alma Visit the Secular Yeshiva in which we will meet with the leadership, have a tour of their campus and participate in a learning session Session with the Am Yisrael Foundation The Am Yisrael Foundation champions the young leader as pioneer- advancing Observant Zionism as a fundamental force for the development of the Jewish People and Land of Israel. The Am Yisrael Foundation is a nonprofit organization that launches, supports and funds initiatives that empower modern pioneering amongst Jewish young adults. Observant Zionism is made manifest in everything we do to move onwards and upwards as a People. We focus on
activities which promote a culture of tzedakah, Jewish tradition, civic engagement, volunteerism, and vibrant communities- harnessing our values and Jewish imagination to positively build up our Nation by connecting to our ancestral Homeland, with a special focus on Tel Aviv. We operate differently than traditional Jewish organizations, and we certainly think differently. Our philanthropy is about taking on the biggest challenges facing the Jewish People today, with even bigger ideas, and doing so with minimal investment. We seek to be a vessel for the vanguard of new pioneers; a proponent throughout the entirety of the Jewish People for a stronger Jewish and Zionist identity- connecting Am Yisrael with Eretz Yisrael for its spiritual and physical development. We do not believe that the time for real vision and pioneering on behalf of Am Yisrael ended with Ben-Gurion and Begin it continues today in this new powerful generation. LUNCH: TBD AFTERNOON: Visit to ChavruTA. ChavruT"A provides a social movement in Tel Aviv, creating space for young people to reengage with and explore their individual Jewish identities. This centre is an open, accessible and vibrant hub of Jewish life in the center of the city, which offers something for everyone, unique ways for people to connect to Jewish life on their own terms. ChavruT speaks everyone s Jewish language- observant and non-observant; Sephardic and Ashkenazi; men and women; Sabras, Olim, and International residents; single and married. The ChavruT"A Hub serves as the home for Shabbat and Chagim and will provide inspiring experiences, engaging and thought provoking lectures, series and learning groups, meaningful social and cultural activities, chesed programs, beginners services, life cycle events and more. Our offerings will be innovative and fresh, bringing Israel s most talented and well-known educators from all different backgrounds together under one roof. Debriefing with Rav Neuwirth DINNER: CLOSING DINNER TOGETHER AND HAVE EVERYONE SHARE WHAT THE EXPERIENCE MEANT TO THEM OUTLINE OF NEXT STEPS FOR OUR RETURN TO CANADA