Partnership 2000 of the Western Galilee and the Central Area Consortium is offering an opportunity to your community to host 3 young athletes and a chaperone from the Western Galilee the week before the National Maccabia Games, Summer 2004. The teens will join your local JCC teams, for a week of practice and fun and then continue to the "Maccabia" as a part of your local JCC delegation.

Why would your community want to host this year? If you aren't sure by now, then just have a look of some of the quotes from last year's evaluations, when Indianapolis, Omaha and San Antonio hosted teens from the Western Galilee:

"It was a great experience for our teens and our community",

"Our teens loved interacting with teens their age from Israel and got encouraged to make a trip to Israel",

" This is how our teens keep their connection to Israel",

"This is our chance to proudly say that we are supporting Israel"

"We are eager to do the project again"

Who decides upon the athletes? You will inform the Israeli side about your needs (in terms of the sport and age group )and we will locate, interview and prepare the athletes and the chaperone.

Logistics:

Partnership 2000 will cover:

• The preparation of the teens and the chaperone.

• The flight costs from Israel to the U.S. community and return.

• Visa

• Health Insurance.

The US host community will cover:

• All registration fees to the National Maccabia

• Local costs for sight seeing and transportation to the Maccabia.

In addition, the community arranges home hospitality for the teens and the chaperone, daily practice with the local teams, sight seeing, meetings with other youth groups, meetings with leaders of the JCC, a visit to the synagogue on Shabbat, etc..

Due to the budget constraints for 2004 we are able to send 3 teens and a chaperone to 4-5 communities (all in all 16 - 20 participants). To secure your part in this fantastic program, sign up now!

How do we Sign up: Contact Heidi Benish, the Living Bridge coordinator, e-mail: heidib@jafi.org .

Provide the following information:

• Community

• Does your community want to participate?

• Who is the contact person in your community?

• Email address

• Comments and questions

Kislev 5764 - December 2003