Multi-Religious, Multi-Generational, Multi-Narrative
Journey to Israel and Palestine
Join NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice) for an experience of a lifetime and take
a fresh look at an ancient land as a multi-religious and multi-generational travel group. The purpose
of this extraordinary adventure is to build and nurture a network of compassionate people who are
willing to learn, dialogue, explore and upon return, share with others their experience and learnings.
This program includes four educational sessions prior to our departure so we can prepare as a travel
group and learn about each other’s faith traditions and histories. Additionally, on the journey, we
will have the opportunity to learn from Palestinians and Israelis committed to nonviolent struggle,
human rights, conflict transformation and peace with justice.
Accompanying us are three religious and educational leaders from monotheistic faith traditions;
Jewish: Dr. Yehezkel Landau, Muslim: Imam Yahya Hendi and Christian: Reverend Dr. Karen Nell
Smith. These faith leaders will facilitate our educational sessions before our journey as well as help us
process our experience upon our return. In addition, Dr. Andrea C. Kandel; NCCJ President and
CEO, Cynthia L. Martin; NCCJ Director of Programs and Terry Schmitt, M.Div., Ph.D., Executive
Director, Connecticut Council for Interfaith Understanding, will be assisting in the facilitated
discussions, as well as, chaperon the youth contingency.
We have partnered with MEJDI Tours, the leading tour company in the region. MEJDI, whose name
translates as “honor and respect,” has been guiding people since 2009 and has extensive experience in
peace work with deep ties to the Holy Land. We will have both Israeli and Palestinian tour guides
with us for the entire trip. As the MEJDI website states, “at every moment of every day, our travelers’
safety is our top priority. The relationships we’ve built around the world equip MEJDI Tours with
private information unavailable to other tour companies, which we utilize to keep our travelers safe,
24 hours a day, seven days a week”.
We will visit all the major sites beginning with the religious histories of Jerusalem, continuing into
the villages of the West Bank, and ending on the shores of the Mediterranean. Our journey will offer
us the opportunity to meet local politicians, artists, journalists and peace-makers, learn about
contrasting national narratives, and explore future prospects for justice, security and peace in the
region. In addition, we will have the opportunity to attend Jummah Prayer at a local Masjid, walk
around the Old City, enjoy Shabbat rituals and dinner, as well as experience a church worship. See
itinerary below.
We seek participants who have a genuine interest in the experience, hopes, dreams and humanity of
all faith communities. We welcome participants from every walk of life and ages from adolescents (14
years of age) on up. Couples are welcome. The more diverse the participant group, the more
powerful the experience will be.
Important Dates and Information to Know
Trip Dates: Sunday, April 10 to Thursday, April 21, 2016
Application Deadline: November 15, 2015
Notified of Decision: December 1, 2015
Cost of Trip: $3600.00* per person
Includes: round trip from NCCJ Office to JFK Airport, all land lodging (based on
double occupancy), 2 meals per day, 2 tour guides, 3 religious and educational leaders,
all admissions to Israel and Palestine sites) and all tipping.
Does not include: airfare, travel insurance, incidentals and a 3rd meal per day. If you would
like NCCJ to purchase your ticket and travel insurance, the cost will increase $1400 per
traveler for a total cost of $5000.
Payment Schedule:
$500 deposit must accompany all applications. Deposit will be returned if not accepted.
$1600 second payment due January 10, 2016
$1500 third and final payment due February 20, 2016
Educational Sessions Prior to Departure: meetings will be held at the NCCJ office:
820A Prospect Hill Road, Windsor, CT 860-683-1039
Sunday, February 7, 1 to 6 pm.
Wednesday, February 24, 7 to 9 pm
Wednesday, March 9, 7 to 9 pm
Wednesday, March 23, 7 to 9 pm
Post Follow-Up Session
Wednesday, May 4, 7 to 9 pm
You MUST commit to attending pre- and post-trip educational
sessions and participate in the entire journey to apply.
* Cost of trip is based on a minimum of 33 individuals going. If this number is not reached the trip will be cancelled.
April 10 – 21, 2016
ADULT APPLICATION
PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT LEGIBLY
Name: _______________________________________ Your Cell Number: _________________________
Address: _____________________________________ Your Work Number: ________________________
_____________________________________________ Email Address: _____________________________
(city)
(state)
(zip code)
Have you ever been to Israel and/or Palestine? If yes, please explain when, where and
highlights of your trip?
________
PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS BELOW. Feel free to use the back or add paper. There are
no right or wrong answers. Provide as much detail as possible. Typed answers are appreciated.
1.
Why are you interested in the journey to Israel and Palestine?
2.
Please describe your interest and experience in Inter-Faith Dialogue.
3.
Please describe some of the personal gifts that you bring to this group experience.
4.
What are your hopes or aspirations for this journey?
5.
What are your apprehensions or fears about this journey?
6.
What do you see as the opportunities and challenges in travelling with teens?
7.
What else should we know about you?
I____________________________ will attend every meeting prior to the trip and the follow up
(Print Name)
session. Except for free time, I will stay with the group, and in group activities, from April 10
thru 21, 2016. If I desire to do more travel in the region, I will do this before the 10 or after the
21.
I agree to all of the above.
Applicant Signature:
Date:
Please submit your application with your deposit to:
Make checks payable to NCCJ or call with credit card information
Cynthia L. Martin, Director of Programs
NCCJ
820A Prospect Hill Road
Windsor, CT 06095
Phone: 860-683-1039
Fax: 860-683-1409
Email: cmartin@nccj.org
Demographic Information
To ensure that our journey is welcoming for all, we appreciate your
completing the following demographic information.
It is important that you circle something in each section.
This information is confidential and will not be disclosed or used for any other purposes.
A)
RACE
 African American / Black
 Asian / Pacific Islander
 Latino (a) / Hispanic / Chicano (a)
 Indigenous/ Native American
 White / European American
 Biracial / Multiracial
B) RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION
Please use the line provided to list specific
religion
 Agnostic
 Atheist
 Baha’i
 Buddhist
 Christian
 Jewish
 Muslim
 Pagan / Wiccan / Druid
 Sikh
 Other:
D) GENDER IDENTITY
 Woman
 Man
 Transgender / Gender Variant
 Gender Non-Conforming
E)
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
 Heterosexual
 Lesbian
 Gay
 Bisexual
 Queer
 Other: ___________________
C) Any physical/mental challenges that would impact you traveling with a group? (Include bus
PLEASE
ANSWER
ALL QUESTIONS
BELOW. Feel free to use the back or add paper. There
travel and/or
impediments
to walking.)
are no right or wrong answers. Provide as much detail as possible. Typed answers are
 YES
 NO
If yes please list/explain: ______________________________________________________________
MEJDI TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival [Monday, April 11th]
Arrive at Ben Gurion airport and transfer to Jerusalem for check-in and a welcome dinner
with MEJDI Tour Guides. Hotel: Jerusalem
Day 2: Jerusalem [Tuesday, April 12th]
Begin the morning with an overview of Jerusalem’s religious history from the Mount of
Olives. Then, take a full day alternative tour of the Old City’s Jewish, Christian, and Muslim
holy sites with two guides, one Arab and one Jewish. Visit the hotly contested Temple
Mount, to see the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. Meet with a local Muslim scholar
for a discussion on Islam and the politics of the site, and then explore the Muslim Quarter.
Next, visit the Western Wall and Jewish Quarter, and meet with a rabbi. Finally, tour the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre to learn about its religious significance and its many sectarian
conflicts. Have dinner this evening with students from Heartbeat (an organization that
unites Israeli and Palestinian youth musicians to build critical understanding, develop
creative nonviolent tools for social change, and amplify their voices to influence the world
around them.) Hotel: Jerusalem
Day 3: Jerusalem (Israeli Narrative) [Wednesday, April 13th]
Explore Jerusalem’s political history from an Israeli perspective. Pay a sobering visit to Yad
Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust Museum. Then, take a walking tour of Ein Kerem to learn
different narratives about Zionism and Israel’s 1948 War of Independence. Following lunch,
learn about Israel’s wars and have a conversation with an Israeli soldier at Mt. Herzl. Visit
the graves of Yitzhak Rabin and Theodor Herzl. This afternoon connect with Kids4Peace
youth and families. Finally, enjoy an optional trip after dinner to see the bustling nightlife of
Ben Yehuda Street in West Jerusalem. Hotel: Jerusalem
Day 4: West Bank – Bethlehem (Palestinian Narrative) [Thursday, April 14th]
Journey south and cross the checkpoint into Bethlehem, for a tour of the Church of the
Nativity. Walk the Separation Wall, and then head to Shepherd’s Field to savor fresh local
cuisine at a Bedouin tent. Meet with Palestinian and Jewish members of ROOTS to discuss
their goals for peace. Volunteer this afternoon at Tent of Nations. Close the day with a
traditional, home-cooked meal and live music, hosted at the home of a Palestinian family in
Bethany. Hotel: Jerusalem
Day 5: Samaria (Settlements) and Ramallah [Friday, April 15th]
Sit with members of the Yesha Council (council of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria),
to hear about their ideology and goals. Meet locals from the settlement and learn about life
there. Then, drive to Ramallah to learn about the Palestinian Authority, visit the Mahmoud
Darwish Museum, and meet with (Palestinian students meet with NCCJ students – group
learn Dabke dance from Palestinian dance troupe) and attend Jummah Prayer at a local
Masjid. Later, walk around the Old City at nightfall to see the joyous welcoming of Shabbat
and enjoy a Shabbat dinner.
Hotel: Jerusalem
Day 6: Dead Sea and Masada [Saturday, April 16th]
Stop in Jericho to meet with Friends of the Earth Middle East and hear about their joint ArabJewish environmental initiatives. Following a dip in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea,
continue south to explore Herod’s mountaintop fortress of Masada, with its breathtaking
views of the Judean Desert and Dead Sea. Here, learn how archaeology and nationalism
intersect to help create national identity. Relax and socialize at Kibbutz Ein Gedi this
evening. Hotel: Kibbutz Ein Gedi
Day 7: Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam & Open House Ramle [Sunday, April 17th]
This morning, learn about coexistence with the folks at a unique, intentional community
called Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam “Oasis of Peace”. This afternoon spend time with the
Jewish & Arab youth of Open House in Ramle. Hang out and learn about the things you
have in common and their perspectives on growing up in Israel and about the importance of
dialogue and the challenges students face when they join coexistence programs. Church
worship: Emmanuel Church Ramle Service Sunday at 6:30pm. Dinner at Aboulafia’s
restaurant and a stroll in Old Town Jaffa at night. Hotel: Tel Aviv
Day 8: Haifa [Monday, April 18th]
Spend the morning in Haifa, to learn about Israel’s minority communities. Visit the Bahai
Gardens, and meet representative of the Bahai faith. Have lunch with Mayor Yonah Yahav
and get his unique perspective on leading a diverse city and the challenges and triumphs he
has experienced. Meet with representatives of SHATIL and learn how they are building civil
society and actively promoting democracy, tolerance, and social justice. This evening attend
an event (sporting or cultural) OR meet with Hands of Peace high school students. Hotel:
Tel Aviv
Day 9 Nazareth [Tuesday, April 19th]
Travel to Nazareth for a tour of the White Mosque and the Church of the Annunciation. Meet
with local peacemaker Ghassan Manasra, and hear about his efforts and life in the city. Meet
with the Druze community for lunch. Hotel: Tel Aviv
Day 10: Jaffa and Tel Aviv [Wednesday, April 20th]
This morning, pay a visit to Rabin Square to discuss Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination and his
memory today. Visit the Peres Center for Peace and learn about the variety of peace building
activities they engage in. Participate in a facilitated discussion on peace building, before
relaxing with free time to relax or enjoy the beach in Tel Aviv. Farewell dinner. Hotel: Tel Aviv
Day 11: Departure [Thursday, April 21st]
Depart Ben Gurion Airport for the United States.