Please see below for frequently asked questions about the Government Leadership Mission. To return to the main Government Leadership Mission page, click here.
January 4-13, 2023 (this includes travel dates)
Each person is responsible for making their own flight arrangements. Please see below for suggested flights. We recommend that you make your flight arrangements through Luis Sole with Frosch Travel at luis.sole@frosch.com
Newark, NJ to Tel Aviv, Israel
United 84
Departing: Newark, NJ, Thursday, January 4, 3:55 p.m.
Arriving: Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, January 5, 9:20 a.m.
Tel Aviv, Israel to Newark, NJ
United 91
Departing: Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, January 12, 11:10 p.m.
Arriving: Newark, NJ, Saturday, January 13, 4:20 a.m.
Passports must be valid at least six months beyond your return date.
You will receive an email from Doreen Bason (dbason@jewishphilly.org) with a Virtru link, which we require you to use to protect your sensitive and confidential personally identifiable information (PII). The Virtru link will take you to a secure portal for you to provide the following required sensitive information for this mission:
- date of birth
- passport number
- passport issue date
- passport expiration date
- passport photo
You can also provide your global entry or trusted traveler number, if you have one.
Once you open the Virtru link, you will validate your email address. Please ensure that any sensitive information you input and upload are in the “encrypted message” and “files” section that is located beneath the text that says “all text and files below this line will be encrypted.”
There is an unencrypted section, located at the top of the form, where you can add a message to Doreen Bason, explaining that your mission documents are included in the secure section.
We ask that you do not customize any of the security settings. Once you have included all of the necessary information, click “share” to send the information to Doreen Bason.
If you have any questions, please contact Doreen Bason at dbason@jewishphilly.org.
Please see below for an example:
To see the Jewish Federation’s privacy policy, click here.
Government Leadership Mission to Israel Payment Policy
- $5,900 per person in a double room. This covers land costs only.
- $1,750 supplement for single room. This covers land costs only.
- $1,500 Subsidy for First-Time Government Official Participants
Payment Policy
- A $500 per person non-refundable deposit to be paid upon registration.
- The remaining balance is due on or before Friday, December 1, 2023.
Cancellation
- On or before November 1, 2023: receive full reimbursement with the exception of the $500 non-refundable deposit made during registration.
- After November 1, 2023 and on or before November 17, 2023: receive a 50% refund with the exception of the $500 non-refundable deposit made during registration.
- After November 17, 2023: no refund available.
We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and are working with our partners in Israel to ensure your safety. Your health and the health of others is our top priority. Proof of full vaccination (FDA or EMA approved vaccines) is required. In accordance with the recommendations of the Director General of the Ministry of Health of the State of Israel, you are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Travelers are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Any coverage that goes beyond that is at the choice of the participant. Please visit the Israel’s Ministry of Health website, the CDC website and the U.S. Department of State website for their latest travel policies.
In the event of cancellation of the mission due to unforeseen circumstances as it relates to COVID-19, fees paid towards registration and prepaid other fees will be refunded to the extent we receive refunds from our vendors and suppliers.
To ensure travel peace of mind, we strongly encourage mission participants to purchase travel insurance. While we will do our best to secure refunds from any Israeli vendor who has been paid, we cannot guarantee the amount that will be returned. Please refer to the question below “Is trip insurance required?” for more information.
In accordance with the recommendations of the Director General of the Ministry of Health of the State of Israel, please know that you are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Any coverage that goes beyond that is at the choice of the participant. Please visit the Israel’s Ministry of Health website, the CDC website and the U.S. Department of State website for their latest travel policies.
Trip insurance is not required, but we strongly encourage mission participants to purchase the level of travel insurance they feel comfortable will provide them with travel peace of mind.
Here are some trip insurance companies that we are aware of:
Allianz Travel Insurance: www.allianztravelinsurance.com
Travelex Insurance: www.travelexinsurance.com
Arch RoamRight: www.roamright.com
Covac Global: www.covacglobal.com
SquareMouth: www.squaremouth.com
In accordance with the recommendations of the Director General of the Ministry of Health of the State of Israel, please know that you are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Travelers are required to have a health insurance policy with coverage for the treatment abroad of the COVID-19 virus. Any coverage that goes beyond that is at the choice of the participant. Please visit the Israel’s Ministry of Health website, the CDC website and the U.S. Department of State website for their latest travel policies.
- David Citadel Hotel – Jerusalem
- Sheraton – Tel Aviv
*subject to change
Most meals will be included. As of now, there are two dinners that will be on your own. We are more than happy to help with booking dinner reservations for those who request.
During the winter in Israel, the temperature ranges depending on where you are geographically. Temperatures range from the low 60°F during the day and 50°F at night in Tel Aviv and from the low to mid 50°F during the day and 41°F at night in Jerusalem. With that in mind, you’ll want to pack accordingly, especially if you’re traveling to different cities in Israel during the winter. Make sure to pack layers and a winter coat/jacket and shoes. A suggested packing list will be provided to all participants.
If you have any questions, please contact Robin Schatz, Director of Government Affairs, at rschatz@jewisphilly.org or 267.252.8602. If you have any questions or concerns about travel logistics, please contact Erica N. Miller, Missions Manager, at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0629.