Nine months and counting, the already expanded “Israel @ 60” Mission planned by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is nearly sold out.

	April Leavy, Mission Co-chair at KPKB Parlor Meeting

“We are absolutely thrilled with our community’s overwhelming response to celebrating this milestone 60th anniversary with us to Israel. People from throughout the community have made a major statement of our solidarity with Israel by signing up, including local Orthodox, Reform and Conservative rabbis,” said Mission Co-chair Dale Filhaber. “Although the Mission is not until November 15-23, we already have deposits for all but a few rooms. With travel to Israel so popular this year, it’s unlikely more rooms will become available.”

"We are delighted that enthusiasm for our five carefully planned itineraries tailored to different interests has encouraged many people to join us,” added Co-chair April Leavy. “The Mission was truly designed to appeal to the entire community with personal attention to every detail.”

Filhaber and Leavy are headed for Israel in February for even more planning. “We’ll be meeting with our guides, tour operators and event planners, and following all five itineraries start to finish,” said Leavy. They will be joining the Federation’s Director of Special Projects Danielle Hartman, who will already be working in Israel with Mission Managers from around the country.

“This is an opportunity to see Israel in a personalized way,” said Stuart Silver, attorney with Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin (KPKB) at a Mission “Parlor Meeting” hosted by the firm in their Boca Raton offices for more than fifty people. “You’ll be a different person when you get back, with deep new friendships forged from your experiences together,” said Silver, who has chaired large missions in the past. The Mission is also co-sponsored by Goldstein Lewin & Co. Certified Public Accountants and Consultants.

	Stuart Silver, KPKB Partner, speaks at Parlor Meeting

Gail Kotler, who has not visited Israel since the 1970s, knew it was time go back and selected the Federation’s Mission over others because of its varied itineraries and great attention to detail. “It’s hard to choose among the tracks, though,” she said.

Curtis Olschansky, Boca Raton-based real estate broker who works with KPKB, was deciding between the First Timers and the Business & Technology tracks at the meeting. “I’ve wanted to visit Israel for years but the timing has never seemed right,” he said. “I finally asked myself, ‘if not now, when?’”

Frequent Israel traveler Marilyn Rotenberg is leaning toward the Arts and Culture itinerary. With her brother and sister-in-law Marty and Marlene Silver, she’ll also be going on the Petra extension trip. “I’m very excited to be visiting Israel for this celebration, and to be seeing Jordan for the first time."

Mission participants can also choose an Adventure Seekers track and an itinerary including the business meetings of the UJCGA. Travelers will be able to pursue their own interests while also sharing many activities as a group with their companions.

Reservations for Federation’s “Israel @ 60” Mission are made on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, or to confirm one of the few remaining places, visit www.jewishboca.org/israel60 or call the “Israel @ 60” Hotline at (561) 852-3112.

For more information about Federation’s Corporate Partners Program, contact Jacqueline M. Kaplan, Director of Corporate Development, at (561) 852-3152 or jackiek@bocafed.org.

The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County serves the Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach areas, raising funds to help Jews locally, in Israel and in more than 60 countries. These funds enable the Federation to plan for, and address, the philanthropic, cultural, educational and social service needs of the south County community.