From April 29 – May 10th 27 Don Riegle Community Service Award winners and members of the greater Flint community, their friends and family traveled to Israel for an Interfaith Mission.
- We visited archeological and religious sites and social service programs.
- We attended Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom Haatzmaut (Independence Day) commemorations and celebrations. The latter included an air show that was viewed from the roof of our hotel in Tel Aviv.
- We observed on a walking tour of Tel Aviv how the entire country came to a halt when the 11 am memorial siren sounded. Cars, motorcycles, trucks and bicycles, stopped where they were in the street to observe a moment of silence for those who died in service to their country or as victims of terrorism.
- We visited Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Memorial Museum), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Stations of the Cross and Magdala with our Christian friends.
- We floated in the Dead Sea, placed prayers in the cracks of the Western Wall in the Old City, and visited Susan’s House and Yemin Ord, programs that assist youth-at-risk.
- We also visited programs that promote collaboration between Jews and Arabs for economic development and the promotion of peaceful relations between the two communities. These included a presentation by Dr. Ramzi Halabi of Tzofen and the Sindyana of Galilee non-profit.
- We participated in an archeological dig at Korazim, explored the excavations at Caesarea and Masada, enjoyed a tasting tour of the Levinsky Market and a grafitti tour of the Florentine neighborhood of Tel Aviv.
All this and much more along with great Israeli food and accommodations and our outstanding guide, Izzy, made for an unforgettable trip.
Join us in 18th months (2020) when we will return for a fall mission.
