Program Preparation

CONTACT INFORMATION

● JLA Program Director: Rabbi Yosef Albo baaretz@jlamiami.org

Emergency Phone: Willbeprovidedpriortotravel

● AMHSI Contact Info:

Phone: (800) 327-5980

Mailing Address:

Name of Student, Dormitory Name - Jewish Leadership Academy c/o AMHSI

9 Aliyat Hanoar Street Hod HaSharon, Israel 4534706

● AMHSI Faculty Information:

Name: Title: Responsibilities: Email:

Dr. Steve Kutno Head of School Overall Operations, School Vision and Mission

Skutno@amhsi.org

Ms. Liat Raibi School Nurse Student Health nurse@amhsi.org

Mr. Benji Hain Dean of Students Student Welfare and Social-Emotional Well-being, Dorms, Madrichim

Ms. Lisa Biton Dean of Education Academic Matters Related to Israel Studies and Trips

Ms. Amanda Naftaly Executive Assistant Packages & Assistance with Classes

EMERGENCY INFORMATION bhain@amhsi.org

Lbiton@amhsi.org anaftaly@amhsi.org

● In case of a general emergency, all information pertaining to the safety of the program will be emailed to the parents

● In case of emergency regarding a specific student, parents will be contacted by phone as well as receive an email

● In the event a parent needs to contact the program in an emergency please contact Rabbi Yosef Albo on his cell phone which will be provided prior to departure.

GROUP FLIGHT INFORMATION

The students will be leaving from MIA on August 15th at 12 noon on flight LY18 with El AL arriving at the Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) at 7am on August 16th. The group flight will be chaperoned by staff members from JLA and AMHSI who will meet the students inside the airport Terminal J at 8am promptly. Parents should accompany the students inside the terminal and bring them to the JLA group and Director of Jewish Life near the check-in counter.

Students should wear their JLA t-shirts that will be provided at the in-person orientation on August 13th, 2023.

The return flight will depart from TLV on September 14th on LY17 at 1:15am arriving in MIA at 6:30am.

Passports

All students MUST travel with a passport that is valid through March 2024. If you do not have a passport, or it needs to be renewed, application forms are available on the internet or through most U.S. Postal offices. The government website for passport information is: www.travel.state.gov/passport. Allow a minimum of 4–6 weeks to receive your passport. Please make two (2) copies of your passport. Leave one copy at home and pack the other in your suitcase.

Upon arrival in Israel, ALL passports will be collected and stored safely until the trip’s conclusion. No participant is to hold onto his/her own passport.

NON-US CITIZENSHIP

If you are not a US citizen, you must immediately contact the consulate of the country where you hold citizenship and the Israeli Consulate to see if an entrance visa is required. Please start as early as possible as the process can be time consuming.

Israeli Citizens

According to Israeli Law, a child born abroad to an Israeli citizen or a child born in Israel, is an Israeli citizen. Israeli citizens must possess an Israeli passport when entering or leaving Israel. To avoid delays and inconveniences to yourself and the entire group, you must go to the Israeli Consulate nearest to you to register and apply for a passport.

The student will have to go with both of their parents (if they are under 17) and bring the following:

● Two passport photos (recent, frontal and identical) – not from an automatic machine

● $17 if under age 17, and $40 if over age 17, in cash or money order

● Your and your parents’ passports (US and Israeli) and (if applicable) green cards of all members of your family.

● Their Israeli birth certificate.

If both parents cannot accompany the student, you may request the forms in the mail, fill them out and notarize with the signature of one parent. If one parent has full custody, bring the parent of custody.

There are a number of other documents that are required. For official information regarding all of the above, please consult the Israeli Consulate in your area.

Please be advised that: Israelis residing abroad receive a deferment from Israeli military service. You will also be entitled to hold a foreign resident’ tax free dollar account in Israel, and you will be the proud bearer of an Israeli passport. If you are under 16, the deferment is automatic. If you are over the age of 16, you must apply at the consulate for the necessary deferment papers.

Luggage

EL AL allows you to check one bag; its weight must not exceed 50 pounds and dimensions must not exceed 62 inches (length, width and height). In addition, you are allowed only one piece of carry-on luggage that cannot weigh more than 17 pounds as well as a personal item, like a backpack for the plane. There is a charge of at least $110 (each way) for a second piece of luggage. A third piece, such as a guitar, will cost $215 each way. You should expect to be charged for excess weight. We recommend luggage with wheels, as you will be responsible for carrying your own suitcases including from baggage claim to the bus. Leave extra space in both pieces of your luggage for gifts and other purchases in Israel that you will want to bring back to the U.S. Oversized duffle bags are not recommended because the airline requires a separate check in process which will delay and separate individuals from the group. Your luggage should be light and sturdy. Be especially careful that all zippers are good and strong. Do not take expensive leather luggage. Label your bag prominently on the outside for easy identification using luggage tags and have your name and address on the inside of all your baggage as well.

Hand luggage:

In the rare case that a checked bag is lost or delayed by the airline, we recommend that you pack a change of clothing and other basic necessities. Students who require daily medication should make sure that they have two days worth of medication in their hand luggage. JLA is not responsible for lost or damaged luggage or personal property. We strongly encourage you to purchase a travel insurance policy for baggage insurance.

Airline Security

Current U.S. security regulations include the following:

● All passengers are required to submit their hand and checked luggage for inspection.

● Do not wrap gifts as security may remove the wrapping.

● Do not pack in your hand luggage any sharp objects including scissors, nail scissors, tweezers, pen knives, box cutter, cigarette lighters, etc. They will be confiscated and this may delay your boarding the flight. Also remember no liquids exceeding 3.4 ounces will be allowed through security.

As a result of airline regulations concerning carry-on luggage, we suggest you review the following website closely and adhere to the policies described: http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items

Packing

Please refer to Appendix D for a suggested packing list.

Money

Our suggested guideline for discretionary spending is $100 per week. Parents may want to provide students with a debit or credit card, which will allow them to get cash from ATMs in Israel. We have an ATM conveniently located on our campus. It is a generic ATM, not affiliated with any bank, and is part of the VeriFone network. Please note that there is a $3.50 charge per transaction. If bringing a credit or debit card from home, we recommend that you confirm with your credit card company that the credit card you bring does not have steep international transaction fees and will work overseas.

Phones

For the safety and security of your child, we require that all students have a cell phone during their time in Israel. They may use their American phone (you will need to enable international roaming and investigate the charges that your carrier may impose). You may also purchase an Israeli SIM card from a local Israeli carrier. To order your phone, you can complete the online order form at: http://www.talknsave.net/programs/alexander-muss/. If you opt to order a SIM card and not a handset, please ensure that your phone is unlocked by your carrier prior to travel. You can contact Talknsave via email at info@talknsave.net one week before your departure to obtain your cellular phone number. We mention this as a service, but kindly note that Talknsave is a private enterprise and is not affiliated with JLA or AMHSI. You may wish to purchase your own Israeli SIM card, likewise we remind you to ensure your phone is unlocked by your carrier prior to travel. Students must be able to access data services on their phone and not rely on wifi so that we are able to call them.