Family to Family Program Description

“Family to Family” Exchange Program Description

During past 11 years “Family to Family” program continues to engage young Russian-speaking Jewish families in Boston and Haifa in meaningful joint activities which strengthen and develop their Jewish identity and reinforce their commitment and support of Israel. These activities include video-conferencing and joint program planning, workshops, classes and discussions about Jewish Identity and peoplehood, hosting each other during exchange visits, Kabbalat Shabbat Services and dinners, celebrating Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies at synagogues and at Western Wall in Jerusalem, informal Jewish education during their exploration tours in the USA and Israel, hiking and camping trips together, and learning about life of each other’s communities.

Basic requirements of the program:

Each participating family agrees to participate in the “Family to Family” for 3 years.

The First and the Second years to host and travel, actively participate in meetings, workshops, discussions, program joint projects, volunteering for partnering organizations, as needed, accordingly to family’s best availabilities; promote “Family to Family” and to recruit new families for the program ‘s next season.

The Third year participants agree to volunteer for partnering organizations, according to family’s best availabilities, to promote “Family to Family” and to recruit new families for the program’s next season.

Hosting:

Each participating family is agreed to host their partner family for up to 5 nights during the visit.

Each participating family is agreed to host their partner family for up to 5 nights during the visit.

Hosting family is agreed to meet their guest/partner family at the Logan International Airport (only for Greater Boston Area families).

Hosting family should provide quality sleeping arrangements for their guest/partner family, breakfast, lunch (to go) and dinner.

Hosting family is agreed to spend Shabbat and/or a holiday with their guest/partner family.

Hosting family need to provide a ride to gathering places and back home each day.

Children of the hosting family are encouraged to participate at all tours and site visits with their Israeli friends. (All children fairs are paid by the program). Parents are welcome to join them at their own account.

All hosting families are welcome to join Israeli families on their trip to New York City, NY and Washington, DC or to Jerusalem, Masada, Dead Sea, Ein Gedi National Park and Tel Aviv at their own account.

Traveling

Boston-Haifa trip dates: 06.26.22 -07.04.22

Each trip will be held for up to 9 days.

Each family will receive a subsidy for each officially participating child (age 10-14) in up to $900 for airfare. All tours and transportation during visit are covered for each officially participating member of the traveling family.

Traveling family should be prepared to pay for most of the lunches, snacks and dinners.

Each family is agreeing to pay participation tax-deductible fees.

For each Hosting family – $150
For each Traveling family – $300

Traveling families agreed do not make any other plans outside the program’s schedule.

Traveling family could arrange any plans of their own before start day or after the last day or the visiting program.

USA
Boston

1st night: Meet a family at the LIA.
1st – 4th days: Beacon Hill, Vilna Shul, Holocaust Memorial, Financial District, Quincy Market, Boston Common, Boston Garden, Science Museum, Duck Tour, CJP building, NE Aquarium, Whale Watch, Plymouth Plantation, Plymouth, Shaloh House, Center Makor. The Campus.
Each day starts at 8:00 am and ends at 7:30 pm.
5th – 9th days: trip to NYC, NY and Washington DC.

Israel
Haifa

1st morning: 10:00 am – All traveling families meet at Hov Karmel Train Station. Main Entrance.
1st day – 4th day: Haifa, Caesarea. Tzipory, Golan’s Hights, Tzfat, North of Israel, Rotchield Gardens. Zikhron Yakov, Congregation Shirat Hayam Carmel.
5th day – 9th day: Trip to Jerusalem, Masada, Ein Gedi national Park, Dead Sea, Tel Aviv