WHO IS ELIGIBILE?
Participants must be former Micah campers. All participants for 2010 must have completed the 10th grade in High School.

WHAT ARE THE TRIP DATES?
Micah in Israel Program will depart on June 27, 2010. The trip will return on August 5, 2010 and be met by a Camp Micah bus which will transport the group to camp in Maine. The group will have three nights and four days at camp to unwind, run Israel Day and make an Israel trip presentation to our 10th grade campers and will arrive back at Jordan’s Furniture, Reading for pick up around 12:00 pm on August 8.

DO I NEED A PASSPORT?
A current passport is required for international travel. All participants on the Micah in Israel program will need a passport that is valid for 6 months after the conclusion of the program (December 31, 2010).

WHAT IS THE GROUP SIZE?
Micah in Israel will be limited to a maximum of 42 campers.

WHERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABILE?

• Local synagogues – Rabbis and educators in synagogues very often have scholarship funds available for Israel trips.
• Local Jewish Community Federation or Bureau of Jewish Education. Virtually every Federation (i.e. CJP) has an Israel Programs Coordinator and Scholarship Fund.
• Passport To Israel may also be used toward Micah in Israel tuition.

WHAT KIND OF SUPERVISION WILL THERE BE?
Camp Micah insists on the highest standard of staff supervision. We ensure that there is a staff to participant ratio of 1:10. Micah in Israel will travel on one chartered bus accompanied by an Israeli security guard/medic, a Keshet tour guide, along with the Micah in Israel staff that we send.
Each person selected to serve as a Micah in Israel staff member has extensive experience working with teens, knowledge of Israel, and is well known to the Micah administration.

All Micah in Israel staff members will participate in a thorough staff training orientation covering issues of education, health, safety, security, community building and adolescent issues.
Supervision will not be limited to daytime hours. Precautions will be taken at night to ensure the structure and safety of the participants.

The Micah in Israel program will be supervised by Camp Micah’s director, Mark Lipof, and Assistant Director, Mike Churwin who will be in daily contact with the group leader and Keshet as necessary.

WHAT ABOUT MEDICAL CARE?
Participants of Micah in Israel must have current health insurance. Micah in Israel strives to provide the highest standard of medical care available.

• The trip will always be accompanied by a Security guard/medic
• English speaking doctors will be available when medical assistance is needed
• Micah in Israel campers will always be accompanied (24 hours a day) while visiting a physician or in the hospital.
• Keshet provides Health Insurance IN ISRAEL for each participant and US Staff Member through the Har El Insurance company, as part of the tuition.

WHAT DO WE DO WITH MEDICATIONS?
All Micah in Israel participants are responsible for holding onto and dispensing their own medications. Assistance from the staff will be available if needed.

HOW WILL THE SAFETY AND SECURITY BE HANDLED?
Micah in Israel staff, along with Keshet, will provide the highest standard of health, safety and security available in Israel. Parents will always be able to reach the Micah in Israel trip. Ongoing updates about trip progress and any other relevant news will be emailed to parents. As usual, we will always do all we can to answer the questions of participants and parents regarding travel to Israel and precautions taken. Please do not hesitate to call or email us at anytime.

Micah in Israel participants will reside in secure accommodations throughout the trip.

The Micah in Israel itinerary will be reviewed by Keshet and the trip leader on an ongoing basis and they will consult daily with the Situation Desk of the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel who are in constant contact with the government, police and military authorities to confirm that the route and destination provide the highest level of safety. We are always prepared to make changes to our itinerary if need be.

• Micah in Israel will not travel in the territories, or in or near the Gaza Strip.
• Public transportation is never used. We use only privately chartered buses. An Israeli security guard/medic travels with the group on a daily basis.
• Parents can reach the Camp Micah office 24 hours a day throughout the duration of the Micah in Israel program. Our trip leader will have a cell phone and can be reached 24 hours a day in case of an emergency.
• Micah in Israel has contingency plans to, if need be, move the group to safety or bring them home if called for.

• All Micah in Israel participants and parents sign the Micah in Israel Code of Conduct – expressing their willingness to abide by all rules, regulations and safety guidelines in keeping with the philosophy and rules set forth by Camp Micah.
• Micah in Israel staff members and participants will participate in a thorough orientation regarding expectations for appropriate behavior and safety and security procedures and protocols in the spring prior to the trip.

HOW ABOUT FOOD AND LODGING?

• Micah in Israel will stay in Kibbutz guesthouses, hostels, hotels and campsites throughout Israel. Usually 3-4 per room with private baths – most places are air-conditioned.
• Our accommodations are safe and appropriate for teens.
• Participants are provided with three meals a day.
• We can guarantee that all participants will eat well during the trip, but we can not guarantee that they will eat as well as they do when at Camp Micah. As far as we know, Brownie Pie does not exist in Poland or Israel.

WHAT TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION WILL THERE BE?

• Air Travel – Micah in Israel will travel together and will receive a group rate for all flights. Air travel will be coordinated with Keshet through the Camp Micah office.
• International Flights – all participants fly on major airlines that comply with the standard safety and security measures in Europe and the United States.
• Ground Transportation – Micah in Israel will be using a privately chartered Keshet air-conditioned bus. Micah in Israel will not use public buses or other transportation.

DO THEY NEED SPENDING MONEY?
All valuables including passports and tickets will be held for safekeeping by the Micah in Israel trip leader. We would encourage participants to use the Payoneer Service which offers a prepaid debit card and can be reloaded by you at any time. Participants also typically bring between $100 – $200 in cash. US dollars may be changed into shekels at official moneychangers in the large cities. Shekels can be obtained from ATM machines in the major cities with your PIN number.

WHAT TO PACK?
In January, all participants will receive a complete packet of information with pertinent forms and a suggested packing list for the trip. Included in the packet will be:

• Micah in Israel Parent Handbook
• Health Form
• Passport/Medication Form