J585 ITINERARY 2010

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2010: ORIENTATION

Greet, Meet and Eat

Location: St. Mark's Lutheran Guest House

SATURDAY, MARCH 13: SETTING THE SCENE

Morning Old City Tour – Where History Meets the Present participants gains a deeper understanding of the centuries-long longing for Jerusalem by the diverse groups of people living here today.

Guide: Avi Cohen

Jerusalem since 1967 with Ir Amim—Walls as Policy

Ir Amim provides private tour of historical, geographical, political, urban, economical and social developments in Jerusalem since 1967 including the separation barrier. Meet with Palestinian residents of Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah.

Starting Location: Gan HaPa'amon

The Conflict and Security

Leading Israeli journalists discuss the major security and military issues facing Israel as they relate to current developments in the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Location: Olive and Fish, Jerusalem

Speakers: Avi Issacharoff, Arab affairs correspondent, Haaretz; Amos Harel, military correspondent, Haaretz

SUNDAY, MARCH 14: WOMEN IN THE CONFLICT

Women's Leadership in the Peace Movement

Meet with leading women activists in the Israeli and Palestinian peace and human rights movements.

Location: Bat Shalom Office, Jerusalem

Participants: Molly Maleker, Bat Shalom; Aliyah Strauss, Women's Peace Coalition; Hana Barag, Machsom Watch; Robi Damelin, Parents Circle Women's Group; Mariam Ikremawi, Jerusalem Women's Center; Rula Salameh, Just Vision

Citizen Reporting – B'Tselem's Camera Project

"Citizen reporting" of human rights violations and injustices has become an important part of documenting conflicts through a screening of videos taken by citizen reporters, learn about how Palestinians living in high-conflict areas with video cameras expose and seek redress for violations of human rights.

Location: B'Tselem's Offices, Jerusalem

Speaker: Sarit Michaeli, Communications Director, B'Tselem

Women in the Settler Movement

Women settlers discuss the grassroots movement to keep what they believe is Greater Israel.

Speakers: Oriya Dasberg, Director of Gush Etzion Tourism Authority; Sherri Mandell, author and founder of Kolby Mandell Foundation; Vivienne Glaser, resident of Gush Etzion

Introduction to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

A discussion of the major milestones marking the development of the conflict while learning about the Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives and how they diverge.

Location: Jerusalem

Speakers: Eyal Naveh, Professor

MONDAY, MARCH 15: GENDER ISSUES IN RELIGION AND POLITICS

Media and the Conflict

A chance to hear from foreign journalists covering the conflict regarding how the issues are shaped by the media and the role the media plays in reporting on the conflict.

Location: St. Mark's Lutheran Guest House, Jerusalem

Speakers: Charles Enderlin, France 2; Bradley Burston, Haaretz; a young journalist from Ma'an

Women in Political Leadership Roles

Meet with former and current female members of Knesset to understand the role of women in politics.

Location: The Knesset, Jerusalem

Participants: Haneen Zouabi, Balad; Einat Wilf, Labor

Religion and Civil Society

Participants gain a better understanding of how Israel's secular media covers religious affairs and the role Israel's religious media plays in shaping public opinion.

Location: NIF Offices, Jerusalem

Participants: Shachar Ilan, Hiddush

Women in Religion

Meet with women who are leading social or political groups that reflect their religious beliefs.

Location: Beit Shimon, Jerusalem

Participants: Anat Hoffman, Executive Director of Women of the Wall and Israel Religious Action Center; Rabbi Naamah Kelman, Dean, Hebrew Union College; Danya Cohen, New Family Organization

TUESDAY, MARCH 16: WEST BANK

Political Issues Facing Palestinians in the West Bank

Meet with leading officials for Hamas and Fatah.

Location: Ramallah, West Bank

Participants: Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ramahi, Hamas General Secretary of the Palestinian Legislative Council; Ibrahim Khreisheh, Fatah General Secretary of the Palestinian Legislative Council

Covering the West Bank

Discuss the media coverage in the West Bank with Palestinian journalist from Reuters.

Location: Retno Hotel - Ramallah, West Bank

Participant:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17: WEST BANK

Tour of Hebron

Explore the old market area of Hebron and spend time talking local residents.

Location: Hebron, West Bank

Guide: Musa Abu Hashhash, B'Tselem field researcher in Hebron District

Visiting a Palestinian Family

Meet with a Palestinian famliy living in the midst of a Jewish settlement.

Location: Tel Rumeida Neighborhood in Hebron

Participants: The Abu Ayesha family

Experiences of the Educational System from Palestinian University Students

Talk with university students about their experience of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, their everyday lives and their hopes for the future.

Location: Bir Zeit University - Ramallah, West Bank

Water Issues in Palestine

Meet to discuss the next, or current, major humanitarian issue facing the West Bank.

Location: Pronto Restaurant in Ramallah, West Bank

Participant: David Phillips, Engineering Consultant

THURSDAY, MARCH 18: HEADING NORTH – RELIGION AS A FRAME FOR UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Relocation Issues of Arab Israelis

Meet with leaders and residents of the Ama'ri Refugee Camp to see the living conditions and hear the stories associated with being relocated into the West Bank.

Location: Ama'ri Refugee Camp

Speakers: Younes Abu Rish, head of Ama'ri Youth Center; Ashraf Khalil and Jihad Tumalieh, spokesmen

Issues Facing Palestinian Citizens of Israel

Also referred to as Palestinian-Israelis, this group is Israel's largest minority population and faces a broad range of discriminations that impact their health, education, human rights and economic status. Learn about the issues from leading experts in civil society:

Location: Al-Babour Restaurant, Wadi Ara

Speakers: Rula Deeb, Executive Director, Kayan; Tamer Massalha, Advocate, Mossawa Center; Ali Haider, Co-Executive Director, Sikkuy

Intersection between Islam, Gender and Modernity

Meet with traditional Muslim women studying at the teacher's college to understand the challenges and opportunities they face as religious, young women.

Location: Al Qasemi Islamic Teacher's College, Baka al Gharabiya

Media as a Battlefield

Meet with some of Israel's leading bloggers and media analysts exploring the recent attack on civil society activism and freedom of speech launched against the New Israel Fund and other related human rights and activists' organization.

Location: BenOr Offices, Tel Aviv

Speakers: Lisa Goldman, Blogger; Yoav Gross, Director of Video Department, B'Tselem Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director, ACRI; Didi Remez, Media Analyst

FRIDAY, MARCH 19: TEL AVIV– PREPARING FOR THE SABBATH: INTERVIEWS WITH ISRAELIS

One-on-One with Communities in Israel

This interactive component allows participants to work in the field and meet with the common person "on the street". The group divides into pairs and each pair is assigned a different neighborhood in the Tel Aviv area on a Friday morning when people have their final hours before the Sabbath rolls in. Students are sent to interview people on the various topics they've encountered throughout the trip as well as how different people are "preparing for the Sabbath".

Neighborhoods include:

Jaffa - old Arab city adjacent to Tel Aviv that has been undergoing gentrification and now home to mixed population of Jews and Arabs.

Sheikh Jarrah – An East Jerusalem neighborhood that is the site of tensions between Arab residents and Jewish settlers. On Friday afternoons, Israeli leftists join Arab residents for a non-violent protest against the Israeli government policy that permits Jews to take over Palestinian homes.

Welcoming the Sabbath - Kabbalat Shabbat

Beit Tefilah, a young, alternative spiritual community, offers a new option for Shabbat. The services combine live music, modern poetry and literature with the traditional prayer book. Participants and members are singles and families seeking to make Judaism culturally and socially relevant for an urban 21st century community

Location: Tel Aviv Port – Beit Tefilah Israeli

Shabbat Dinner with Beit Tefilah Congregation

Participate in a communal Shabbat dinner with the Beit Tefilah congregation.