FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hermine Mahmouzian
JNF Orange County Regional Director
949-260-0400
hmahmouzian@jnf.org
Celebrate Israel's Independence on JNF's People to People Mission
April 6, 2006— New York, NY— Whether you have been to Israel too many times to count or would like to plan your first visit, there is nothing like a trip with Jewish National Fund (JNF) and no better time to go than during Yom Ha’atzmaut or Israel Independence Day.
From April 29th through May 7th, join the JNF People to People Mission and discover the history, culture, and beauty of Israel while seeing firsthand the critical work that JNF is doing to help the Jewish homeland in its continued growth and survival.
“Who better to show you Israel than the very organization that has spent the last century preserving, developing, and greening the land and accommodating the needs of its people along the way?" said Hermine Mahmouzian, JNF Orange County Regional Director and mission coordinator. "JNF missions show you a side of Israel few people know, beyond the tourist sites of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Participants gain a true understanding of the country's history and the impact of JNF as part of
The first full day in Israel will include a guided walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem, an update on Israel’s political situation with Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Correspondent Herb Keinon, and a stop at the newly renovated Yad Vashem. It will close with a visit to the Kotel on the eve of Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, where mission participants will gather to honor the memories of those who gave their lives for the State of Israel.
On May 2nd the group will observe Yom Hazikaron with thousands of Israelis at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery, the beautiful national cemetery overlooking the Jerusalem Forest where many dignitaries and heads of state are buried. The day will continue with a visit to American Independence Park-- the site that commemorates the partnership between American Jews and the State of Israel, a walking tour of the ancient port city of Jaffa, and an open-air concert in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv in celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut.
Participants will then travel south where they will learn about JNF’s efforts to develop new Negev communities and bolster existing ones, making the desert a hospitable, habitable environment that will become home to 250,000 additional people in the next five years. They will visit the new Negev communities of Givot Bar and Zuqim and the Grofit Therapeutic Riding Center. Other trip highlights include Masada, the Dead Sea, Timna Park, and Eilat.
“World peace comes from people really getting to know each other,” said Miles Sterling, JNF Orange County board president and mission co-chair. “You will find Israel a magical place because your heart will become a little warmer, and you will carry home a new feeling of love.”
For more information, please contact Hermine Mahmouzian at 949-260-0400 or hmahmouzian@jnf.org. To register online, go to http://www.jnf.org/ and click on Travel to Israel.
Caption: Participants on a recent JNF Mission visit American Independence Park in Jerusalem.
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Jewish National Fund is a non-profit organization founded in 1901 to serve as caretaker of the land of Israel, on behalf of its owners-Jewish people everywhere. Over the past century, JNF has planted over 240 million trees, built over 180 reservoirs and dams, developed over 250,000 acres of land, created more than 1,000 parks, provided the infrastructure for 1,000 communities and educated students around the world about Israel and the environment. Today, JNF is putting its century of experience to work with the Blueprint Negev initiative, supporting Israel's newest generation of pioneers in developing the Negev Desert, Israel's last frontier. For more information on JNF or to plant trees in Israel, call 1-800-542-TREE (8733) or visit http://www.jnf.org/. To contact your local office, please call 949-260-0400 or visit http://www.jnf.org/.
