Good evening everyone. Hello. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Good evening. Hi. Oh, so nice to hear voices. Nice to see. Hi. How's it going? Hello. Good evening. Hello. Where's everyone coming from tonight? New York City. Miami. Miami. Oh, wow. Miami. Los Angeles. Atlanta, Georgia. Washington. Chicago. Love it. Chicago. Who's from Chicago? Love it. Love it. Okay. Good early participation. Always a fun sign. Um well, I want to I want to thank you all for for being here and uh for those of you who have your cameras on, it's great to see you and and thank you. It's always nice to feel like I'm talking to someone and not just to myself. Um, and I'm really excited to be here. Um, as I'm as I'm kind of talking, I'm just letting more and more people in. Uh, so sorry if my head redirects every once in a while. Uh, but uh thankfully we've got uh more and more people coming. It's a nice nice big group tonight, which is awesome. Uh, my name is Nate Edelstein. Uh, I am coming to you from uh the Washington DC area. Um, and I'm the North American director of Israel Outdoors, which is your Birthright Israel trip organizer that we are we are taking you to Israel this summer in the next probably uh couple of days to weeks to to months. Um, so just to just to set the scene, uh, this is an orientation for our classic 10-day Birthright Israel trips. Uh, we also do run Birthright Israel volunteer programs. Um, so if you're participating in in one of those this summer, it's it's fine that you made it here somehow. Um, but uh this is not specifically about those programs. What we're really focused on tonight are classic 10-day Birthright trips. Uh they range from from right now, our first trip left on April 28th, first trip of the summer, and go all the way through the end of September. Uh most of the people that were invited this evening are on trips in in May and June. Um, and it's all different age groups and various types of trips as well. So, I just say that because people may be asking questions and you might, you know, think it sounds like a different trip than yours and it probably is. Just be aware that there are people on different trips on different dates, different ages. Um, so, but I'm I'm really glad that you're you're here joining us this evening so we can talk about our trips. Um, as I said, I'm coming to you from from Washington DC. I work very closely uh with our team in Israel. I travel to Israel a lot. My family is in Israel, my parents and my sister. So, um it's really special to to be able to be involved in these programs and and I'm excited to to kick off the summer. As I said, we had our first group of the summer leave on April 28th. Um and we have um other groups that left on May 5th, so that was Monday. We've got more groups leaving on May Sunday, May 11th, and May 12th. Some of you are probably on them. Um so, we're really really excited to kind of kick off our summer in a in a big way. um this this next week and um I'm I'm glad to be able to share with you what the what the trips are going to look like. So the format this evening I have a a presentation I'm I'm going to give um and uh I'm happy to if you have questions uh I'll take most of the questions at the end either via the chat function in writing or you know you're welcome to raise like a zoom virtual hand and I'll call on you and I'd love to hear you talk. If you want to ask questions while I'm you know giving the presentation that's fine. Uh no promises as to whether I will get to it during the presentation or after. you know, if it's a bombardment of questions, I may push them off until the end, but what I can promise you is there will be no limit to the questions. We we'll be here all night if that's what it takes. We want to make sure we get everything everything answered. Um I I see uh some of you are coming to us from the Atlanta Braves game, so I applaud you for that. Love the love the dedication and the Braves have really turned it around after a slow start. Uh so that that should bode well for you. Uh but go Dodgers. Okay, so let's uh let's begin. Um and first before we we dive too deep into what the trip this summer is going to look like, just a very quick briefing on on what this program is, what it's and what it's about, and what you can expect. Um Birthright Israel launched in 1999 2000, about 25 years ago. We've had over 900,000 Jewish young adults from 68 countries around the world who have received this very special gift and we're we're marching towards a 1 million participants and you're a part of that. So, um, we're really glad to have you. Uh, how does Birthright work? Who are the players? Uh, well, it's an or Birthright Israel is an organization, um, that provides this gift to 18 to 26 year olds. And it's made possible, you know, through a partnership with Jewish philanthropists, Jewish communities and federations and the people of Israel via the government of Israel, as well as tens of thousands of alumni, families, individual donors, people from all over the world. The cost of of the Birthright Israel gift for one person is about $5,000. So that just gives you kind of a sense of of the the value of this incredible gift that you're receiving this summer. Uh so trip organizers fall within the Birthright Israel umbrella and we could be religious, educational, tourism companies that are experienced in running trips to Israel. We each have our own way of kind of showing you the beauty of Israel, but all of us have to follow um kind of core regulations and experiences that are common across all trips. Birthright Israel accredits us as trip organizers and sets down and enforces the logistical, educational, programmatic, and safety and security measures that we as trip organizers all must adhere to. So here you see all of the different trip organizers. There are seven of us. We are Israel outdoors. I I mentioned the types of organizations that we could be. I gave examples like religious, educational, tourism companies. Uh we are not religious. We're not affiliated with any other organizations. Israel Outdoors is a completely independent organization. We've been a Birthright Israel trip organizer for nearly 25 years. And before that, we were in, you know, involved in all sorts of Israeli tourism. Our basic philosophy is simple. We want to provide you with a fun, active, and meaningful experience. And we offer a few different kinds of trips to do that. Our quest program is the classic birthright trip. It's our most popular. For those looking for a more outdoorsy experience, we have Outdoors Max. Uh, and then we also run a number of campus and community trips. So, um, many of you are probably on those coming from specific communities or specific campuses. Those all run along our classic Quest itinerary. Uh, all right. So, let's talk about your trip and what you need to know before departure day and what you need to do to get ready to travel. Uh so first of all these are some things you want to make sure you've squared away before you start traveling. Uh the most important thing for a birthight trip is a passport. I can assure you that you are not coming on this trip without a passport. And I highly recommend you identify today if you don't already know. Make sure you you find where that passport is. I've heard many many stories literally people's dogs eating their passport uh or uh accidentally grabbing their sister's passport instead of their own. Make sure you identify, you find where your passport is and and get it ready for travel. Make sure it hasn't it's it hasn't expired and it's not expiring anytime soon. Uh it does need to be valid if you are unless you're traveling on an Israeli passport. Uh your passport must be valid for at least 90 days from your last day in Israel. Um and if it's an Israeli passport, it needs to be at least 6 months beyond your ticketed date of return. If you uh don't have a passport that meets these guidelines, then you may not be allowed to travel. Um, and keep in mind if you're extending to if you're going to stay in Israel longer than your actual birthright trip, then you want to make sure that you're thinking about the end date to your extension time and counting your 90 days or your 6 months past that. Uh, we also note here that you need to have an ETA. Um, if you haven't heard about this, this is a fairly new thing since January 1st that all non-Israeli passport holders are required to have upon entering Israel. We put it in the pre-trip emails that you've received. There's a link to it there. Um, sometimes it's referred to as a visa. It's very simple. It costs like $7. You just need to do it before departure day. So, if you haven't done it yet, make sure you go refer to the emails and and get that done. Um, in addition to the passport, other things to keep in mind before departure day is that everyone must come with their own medical insurance that is a valid in Israel and b includes coverage of pre-existing conditions. What I will tell you is that we as Israel Doors, we will have um health insurance for you. Uh we have Israeli health insurance. It's basic health insurance. It does not include coverage of pre-existing conditions. So that's why part of why there's this requirement that you also in addition to what we provide you have your own health insurance. A very simple way to do that is to go to israeloutdoors.com/ insurance. There's a company we recommend called CATS. It's underwritten by this insurance underwritten by Herel, which is one of the largest insurance providers in Israel. It's it's actually travel insurance that includes medical insurance. Um and you can you can actually if you you know you can get um like your do if you're taking a domestic flight to your group's departure airport, you can get that covered as well. So highly highly recommend that israeloutdoors.com/ insurance. Uh and then we also recommend just, you know, thinking about kind of money and things you need to purchase in advance. Um people always ask us how much money to bring. The the answer is honestly we we don't know because it depends on what you like to spend your money on. Um we find that usually you want to have at least $350 for the duration of the trip. It says here in cash you don't actually need to bring cash but have access to it. So that could be via some cash or you could plan to bring debit card, credit card, uh ATM card, you know what, whatever it is. Um and Israel is a very a very modern country. Um, it also says here, don't expect to be able to use Apple or Google Pay. But I will tell you that uh, you know, recently in the last couple years, Apple Pay and Google Pay are are everywhere. So, you will be able to use it, but don't I think the idea, you know, is don't count on it. Make sure you bring a physical card so you um, you have access to that as well. Uh, thinking about what you will need to spend money on. We cover about two out of three meals a day. Normally we're covering uh breakfast and dinner and you are responsible for lunch. Uh so typically the group will be out and about traveling during the day and we'll take you to a place where you'll have usually multiple options in expensive options like falafel schwarma pizza that type of thing. And so you could get away with, you know, spending maybe $15 a day on lunch, maybe more depending on what you're getting. Um but it's not a huge financial commitment. The other financial um commitment that you would want to account for is a tip for the tour guide and the bus driver. Um it's kind of customary and not just Israeli tourism, but tourism around the country that you're tipping these these professionals. Um and so it's not required, but we do recommend that you bring $100 to tip them. Uh you'll your staff will actually collect it from you. Your your North American trip leaders will collect it from you at the beginning of the trip, and they'll divide it for you and give it to the guide and the driver at the end of the trip. Um, so we really recommend bringing $100 for that. Again, not required, but uh customary and and recommended. Um, so um I I will I am looking at uh some some questions in the chat and I'm going to address them now because they're good ones. Alexander asked if you need to print out the ETA. If you have it on your phone, that's that's enough. Um so if you want to print it out just cuz sometimes it's easier to have a physical copy, go for it. But as long as you can access it on your phone and show it to them, that that will work. Um Jake asked, "Do you recommend us to get the health and medical insurance or is it already covered?" I definitely recommend it. Uh we have insurance for you, but you have to have your own insurance as well. Uh some people their like American insurance will include coverage in Israel. That does meet the minimum requirement. That's fine if you want to do that. Um, personally, my recommendation is even if you have American insurance that's valid in Israel, I still recommend getting the insurance at israel.com/ insurance because it's Israeli insurance and if you have to use it, you won't have to pay out of pocket with it. With American insurance, you'd have to pay out of pocket. Go through the reimbursement process. I've done it. It's not that fun. Um, so I prefer the the Israeli insurance. Um, but uh it's up it's up to you. Just make sure that you do come with with your own insurance that's both valid in Israel and includes coverage of pre-existing conditions. Megan says, "So, are normal credit/debit cards work or is cash preferred?" Yeah, your credit and debit cards almost everyone will will work in Israel. Um, I bring probably a little, you know, some cash. Um, but you don't need to walk around with hundreds of dollars of cash. You can bring an ATM card, for example, and you'll have an opportunity to use an ATM as soon as you arrive to Israel at the airport. You also can bring debit cards and credit cards and those will work in most places, you know, except for kind of small vendors on the street, things like that. Uh Alexander asked if these slides will be sent out after the orientation. We're not going to be sending out the slides, but we will make the uh this recording available to you. Uh okay, I'm going to continue on with uh the presentation. We'll come back to your questions and I promise I'll I'll answer all of them. Uh cell phones. So, we do require that everyone have a cell phone and that it actually include um a cellular plan. We don't want you to just rely on Wi-Fi. Uh for safety reasons, we want to make sure that at all times you have a cell cellular plan whereby you can reach us and we can reach you. Again, we have a company that we recommend that works with our groups. Uh they have a kiosk at the airport. They're the only company with a kiosk at the airport and they actually give kind of the they they have the SIM cards ready for you when you arrive. So, it makes it easy. If you go to israeloutdoors.com/sim, you can purchase it. Some phones take a physical SIM card. So, if yours does, it'll be waiting for you upon arrival to Israel. And some newer phones, newer iPhones generally take eSIM, so you'll receive instructions for how you can activate the eSIM as well at israeloutdoors.com/sim. Um, and you will need to unlock your phone, which is very easy to do. Uh, speaking of phones, if you haven't already, download the Birthright Israel app. You can see at the bottom of the slide here. We have uh the QR codes for both the App Store and Google Play to download it. Uh, the the Birthright app has your flight information. It will eventually, if not already, have your group's itinerary, your travel itinerary, and also other information as well. If you want to extend your ticket, like stay longer in Israel, this is where you would do it through the Birthright app. Uh so highly, highly recommend downloading that now if you haven't already. Okay, so on departure day, uh you are expected, first of all, I should say before departure day, you're going to receive a few pre-trip emails. So if you're here, you've already probably gotten two pre-trip emails. Uh, one of them included the link to this orientation. Um, before departure day, you're also going to receive the final pre-trip email. And if you're on a May 11th or May 12th departure, you're going to get it tomorrow. Uh, we always send it out within the week before departure. And you're going to have final kind of meeting info there. We're going to tell you exactly what time to get to the airport. We're going to tell you where to meet our staff. Um, and we're going to give you a phone number in case you have trouble finding us, who to contact. Um, but in general, you're responsible for arriving to the check-in area at the airport 4 hours before departure. If you're flying LL Airlines, you want to be at the LL Airlines check-in counter 4 hours before departure. So, what if you're booking a domestic flight, make sure you account for that. Uh, make sure you give yourself time to navigate the airport. And we really, really, really do need all four hours. In some cases, we actually could use a little bit more. um it can get very busy at the airports with all the people that are flying and with the groups and with the the tight security um that we always have when traveling to Israel. So, make sure you are um keeping that in mind as you plan uh your your day. Do not check in with the airline. Uh wait to check in. What you're first going to do is you're going to check in with our staff member. Our staff is going to be there waiting for you with Turquoise Israel Outdoors Birthright T-shirts. Uh you're going to they're going to check in with them. They're going to mark you off on their rosters and then they're going to direct you to check in with the airline. Um, as you're preparing for departure day, keep in mind that you're allotted one check bag and the standard is it should not exceed 50 lb 23 kg. Um, and finally, I mentioned domestic flights. If you are purchasing domestic flights, always do so with flexible cancellation policies and change policies. Um, and I do recommend getting the insurance that I mentioned earlier to ensure that any any domestic flights that you have. Again, that's israeloutdoors.com/ins insurance. If you want to extend your stay in Israel, I mentioned that a couple times, uh, that you can do that in the Birthright app, you can extend your stay. Uh, it can be done in the Birthright app. Typically, tickets can be extended for up to 90 days. Um, and, um, if you want to request the extension, you do it through the Birthright Israel app, but you can find out more information at israeloutdoors.com/extensions. I will tell you that there is a kind of base fee to make an extension and it's typically $150 plus the difference in cost from your original ticket to whatever the new one is that you're booking. So at you know at the minimum it's going to cost $150 typically and sometimes more. It's it depends on availability and it's totally up to you know whatever the airlines availability is. I will say that we're seeing, you know, high prices as availability on, you know, airlines right now is is very limited. Seats are limited. So, just keep that in mind um as you're as you're planning. Um and if you want to stay in Israel longer and do a program, if you go to Israel.com/elevate, we've got a number of different programs there. Our most popular are Birthright Israel volunteer programs, and we've got dates throughout the summer, so you can tack on, you know, another program after your your classic 10-day Birthright trip. who's going to be traveling with you. So, each group consists of about 20 to 40 participants. You're going to be led by your Israeli tour educator, your tour guide. You're also going to have two North American trip staff. Normally, they're going to fly with you from your departure airport in North America. Um, when you arrive to Israel, you're going to meet your guide, your Israeli tour guide, and you're going to meet your security guard and your bus driver. Um, so that's going to be the core staff team um that's going to accompany you throughout your 10 approximately 10 days in in Israel. Um, in addition, for about half the trip, you're going to be joined by six to eight Israeli peers. Uh, so those Israeli peers are part of what's called the Miffash program. MFG in Hebrew translates to encounter. Um, and it's one of the core components of a Birthright Israel trip. Um, where we have Israeli peers, so they're not staff members. They're actually joining you as participants. Um, and it's a chance for you to get to know Israelis and for them to get to know you on a really kind of deep deep level and have an opportunity for for informal conversations. Um, and so, um, that's been a really really successful part of of the Birthright Israel experience. Okay, I want to talk about safety and security. I I know this is like for some of you it's it's kind of all you've been waiting for me to talk about. Um, it's top of mind for all of us, especially uh, you know, in the last couple days. um as things continue to you know evolve as they as they have at various periods since October 7th. Um so people are always asking me you know like what are you what are you doing for security now? Um how are things different? And the truth is that Birthright has a very um very strong foundation uh when it comes to safety and security in quote unquote normal times. So there's actually very little that is different about a birthright trip right now in terms of the measures that we're taking um because we have we always have very very strict measures. Um so luckily for us uh the places that we're able to travel to um are look pretty much the same as they always do. Uh we don't have to modify much of our itineraries. There are always a lot of places in Israel we don't go of course um but it's still you know we're still able to see um so much of the country top to bottom east to west. So um you know just keep that in mind you know as we're talking about safety and security. Most of what I'm going to be talking about is not new. Um it's it's standard for us. Um we're we're constantly reviewing all of our safety procedures and implementing the most stringent security measures throughout the trip to ensure a comprehensive safety umbrella. Of course, we've been doing that since October 7th. Uh there was a period after October 7th where we paused our programs. Um and then on January 1st, 2024, we resumed our programs and we've been running them ever since. There's been no pause um through kind of the the ups and downs of of the last 19 months or or whatever it's been exactly. Uh and that's not because we're reckless or we're not taking the situation seriously. It's because of these measures that we have in place that have allowed us to successfully run these programs and and I think actually bring bring a lot of people even during this time and people you know are feeling comfortable coming. Um we don't spare any expense to provide you for the safety and security of our participants and we do a lot of careful planning and reviewing of each group's itinerary uh to make sure we're operating in a safe way. Um, on on that note, we operate we we work with what's called the situation monitoring room, which is administered by Israel's Ministry of Education, working in partnership with the Israel Defense Forces and other security agencies, both public and private. In advance of the trip, they have to approve, review, and approve all of our itineraries, exactly where we're going and what we're doing. And then those itineraries have to be reapproved every single morning of every single trip. Um, so cross-checking what we're doing with the latest information um that's coming through um is is a part of what we do. Every group has a GPS monitoring system. It's carried by your security guard. Uh so we always know where the groups are. Um there have been times where there's been an event or a bit of information that's, you know, caused us to divert our plans and we're able to do that at a moment's notice. Um so it's it's pretty rare. Um, and we actually haven't had to do a lot lately, but if something happens and we have a group, you know, on the bus headed somewhere, we'll we'll divert them immediately if that's what it takes. Um, so there's no there's no hesitancy to do that and it's something we're fairly easily able to do. Um, when you arrive to Israel, you know, we're talking a little bit about safety and security. Now, when you arrive to Israel, you're going to have a little bit more of an orientation on that with your uh Israeli tour guide. uh they'll talk about what to do in various unlikely situations uh whether it be you know a siren or some other incident. Um we typically don't have these types of things happen on our trips but uh you know we do prepare for it you know just in case as a matter of as a precaution. Uh where will you not be traveling? And again these are places that we never go to. This is not special or new for this moment. Uh there have been times many times in the past, you know, months where there have been areas that have been off limits to us. Um since, you know, in the early days since October 7th, we weren't going to areas of the southern of the south in Israel. At other times, we weren't going to the north. Luckily, there's no area right now that's off limit to us and everywhere is um really um responsible and safe for us to travel to um that that we normally would go to. So areas we never go to obviously, you know, we don't travel to or through areas of the Gaza Strip. We're not traveling through East Jerusalem with the one exception being the Jewish quarter of the old city. And even then, um, that's a very common place to travel to, but even then, it's something that we're constantly reviewing to make sure that it's still safe. Uh, we're not driving through. There are areas and roads that are off limits to us, uh, that are deemed unsafe by Israeli authorities, avoiding them. And um as I mentioned, you know, we're able to change our itineraries and we review them. They're reviewed by authorities on a daily basis. So if any changes are are necessary, if the reality on the ground changes, we won't hesitate. But as of now, um our groups in Israel are operating normally. And I expect, you know, that to remain, you know, down the road as well as we look ahead to May and June and beyond this summer. During the trip, you're going to travel on a private bus. Um it's going to be the same bus for the entirety of the trip as well as the same driver for the entirety of the trip. We work with uh two bus companies that are accredited um you know by by the state and by Birthright Israel. Um and every you know every bus every driver has to meet you know standards and comfort and size and all of that. We will be traveling as a group. Um and you know I I emphasize that because everyone coming on our trip is an adult. uh and uh we we respect that. At the same time, what I'm you know, what I'm going to talk about now are kind of some some of the rules um which can be, you know, I think unusual for some adults, but you're opting into this group experience. So, we ask you to work with us on this and you know, it's a lot of fun. So, I don't think you'll regret it. Um but we do remain together as a group throughout programming. Um there is time, and I'll get to it, you know, where you have free time and some time to go off on your own. Um but in general, private travel away from the group is is not permitted. Um and all participants must fully participate in the program as well as adhere to Birthright Israel's drug and alcohol policy. Uh so let's look at that. Um Birthright Israel is committed to the health, safety, and well-being of everyone, each participant throughout the trip and to ensure the integrity of the experience and group cohesion. Drinking is not acceptable during program hours. So that would be at the airport, during flights, while on the bus, basically anytime during the day. At night, programming will end and the tour guide will let you know that and you'll have, you know, some more freedom. Um, cases of excessive drinking or intoxication that hinder and or prevent full participation in any part of the trip or cause participants to become a danger to themselves or others constitute grounds for removal. So, I know it sounds, you know, very strict. What we really want is everyone to be safe and responsible and respectful of one another. Um, so we we ask you to um adhere to that policy and if you haven't already, we will ask you to to sign the alcohol policy form uh before the program begins. We also have a zero zero tolerance policy towards harassment of any kind and we promote a communal space of physical and emotional safety. So our goal is to eradicate sexual harassment completely from birthright Israel trips. It harms participant, staff and group experience and failure to abide by the policy will result in immediate removal from the trip. Um, all of our tour guides, our staff, any service provider in immediate contact with the group like a bus driver, security guard, hotel staff, etc. receive sexual harassment training. Upon landing in Israel, I mentioned that we're going to go over security measures with you in an opening session. We're also going to talk about the sexual harassment policy, appropriate conduct policies, and instructions on what you should do and who you can turn to if you feel like you need assistance. Uh, we really encourage all of you to inform your staff of any incidents that you witness or are involved in. and we'll provide support for you. We have a, you know, team teammates, people on our team that are are trained um in supporting you in these types of situations. Um so we don't want you to hesitate. We want you to feel really comfortable in coming to us 24/7 um when you're when you're in Israel if you need if you need support. Um I mentioned that there are times that you know after programming after the day events when you have some more freedom. Um, so there are various nights where first of all, you know, you might be at a hotel in the city and you'll have some freedom to leave the hotel on your own. Um, but there are also some nights that are kind of scheduled nights out where as a group typically you'll go to an area in like downtown Jerusalem or downtown Tel Aviv. Uh, they'll be, you know, in multiple hours long time frame where you'll be able to explore the city. Usually it's when within a certain specified area. So the guide will tell you, you know, the kind of the area that that is, the many blocks that you can go to, and they'll then let you know the meeting time and and meeting place, and we'll ask that you make sure that, you know, you come back on time and come back to the right place. And we always ask that, um, you are going with someone else and you're not going alone, and you make sure that your cell phone is on and working and and has, you know, proper enough battery so that way you can reach us and we can reach you if necessary. Um, I know there are questions coming into the chat and I'm sorry I'm I'm not looking at them right now. I'm just going to You're welcome to keep on putting them there as they come to your mind. I'm going to finish up the presentation then I'm going to I'm going to come back to all of them. Um, uh, one one other note that I wanted to make that I I didn't make is that if you are visiting with with friends or family, you know, it's okay time to do that. There are various times throughout the trip when it's okay and these nights out would be one of them. just make sure that they understand the defined area that your tour guide's given you. And you could talk to your tour guide about that when you arrive to Israel and identify those times when it might make sense for for friends and family to come visit you. Um, but as I said, you know, stay within the boundaries. Make sure you're with at least one other person and always have your cell phone um available, working, ready, charged, not just on vibrate, etc. Uh, where will you be staying during the trip? So, for the most part, we stay at hotels, um sometimes host, and sometimes Kibut's guest houses. Um so, you can expect that um throughout the 10 days of your trip. Uh usually you'll stay at like three or four different places. Um all of our lodging has to eat has to meet, you know, a specific standard. Um what you're looking at here is a what's called the Bedawin tent. Um, and this is a cultural experience that most of our groups will go on where you go either to a bedawin tent or actually to a tent site that also looks similar to this that's not not a bedawin campsite, but more of a kind of just a a campground. Um, so, you know, it's kind of like the Israeli version of glamping. I I guess it's not like it's not luxurious, but it's also not roughing it. Um, you know, we have these kind of large tents. They have electricity. you have uh bathrooms with running um you know toilets and showers and things like that. We spend one night there, usually the night before you hike Masada early in the morning. It's a great experience. It's a lot of fun. It's beautiful. You'll be able to see the stars. Um and uh it's a really really um good time to kind of bond with the group. So that's one night. Um and we'll have we'll have sleeping bags that are cleaned uh as well as kind of mattress pads that you can sleep on. um the rest of the time you'll be staying in more traditional accommodations and hotels and host expectations for the trip. So I think that it's very common when you go on a trip like this to think about the logistics many of which we're talking about today like what do you need to pack? What are the things you need to do to get ready? Um but we hope that you will think of this as more than just a trip and and really as a journey as an experience. Um and you know we'd encourage you to think of some of these bigger questions that we have here. what your expectations are, what you hope to gain from it. Um, and and it might be meaningful to then reflect on them after the trip. I leave it up to you, but but something to think about and we hope that however you approach it that you'll really try to make the most of it and get the most out of this. It's not just a tour, it's so much more. And it maybe is kind of hard to understand right now, but once I think once you start the the trip and you know, once you're a day or two in, you'll you'll see what I mean. But also, we know you need to think practically. So, talking about a packing list, you do have a packing list in the Birthright Israel app. Also, if you go to israeloutdoors.com/prepare, you have a packing list there as well. Um, you can see some kind of bulletoint items that we just want to remind you about. Um, these are things you actually might pack in both not just the summer, but the winter too. It is hot. Um, it's going to be hot uh in most places. If you were to look, you know, at weather app right now, you you know, search Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beva in the south, and um, you know, somewhere in the north, like fat, something like that. Safed sa s a f d. Um, you'd see that like everywhere it's like at least 80° right now. In some places this week, I'm seeing it's 90. So, it's going to be hot for the most part. That's how you want to pack. And I can tell you Israel is a very, very casual country. Um, so for the most part, you don't need any, you know, to dress up in anything. And on a day-to-day basis, you want to be comfortable. Um, so make sure you're you're wearing comfortable clothes, but and make sure you are um you also have comfortable shoes as well. Uh, during the summer months, as I said, it can get extremely hot. Um, in addition to comfortable clothes and shoes, remember to bring a hat um as well as a water bottle. You can bring a water bottle from home or buy one in Israel. But we want to make sure that you always have those two things with you, a hat and a water bottle. And ideally, you know, you pack them in a backpack, something like a backpack. Um, you also want sunscreen and sunglasses probably. Um, but it it gets hot and the heat will hit you fast and before you know it, you'll be dehydrated. So, um, if if I could stress one thing along with your passport, uh, hat and uh, and water. Don't forget it. Um, I mentioned you're going to spend one night in the desert, we usually recommend bringing like a smaller bag for that night because you're not going to have access to your larger luggage. And that bag could be your backpack. Um just make sure you you account for that uh for that night. Um and um I mentioned that for the most part, you know, you don't need to dress up. There are a couple times when we recommend wearing, you know, some nicer clothes or maybe something a little bit more modest. So, first of all, Friday night Shabbat, we do dress up like a little bit more. usually nothing super fancy, but sometimes people will wear like a polo shirt or a button-down shirt or a dress, something along those lines, just kind of separate the the evening a little bit more from others, separate the day from others. Um, when your group is in Jerusalem, you're going to visit the hotel, the Western Wall. Uh, so men will at that time wear a a kipa, a yamaka. If you have one, you know, bring it. If not, you can get one there. Um, they also provide them at the Western Wall. Um, and women, you know, um, should dress a little bit more modestly in terms of having having your shoulders and legs covered. That's required by the women's section at the Western Wall. Um, you could wear like a kneelength skirt or bring a wrap. They do have them there and they they will give them to you if you know something's not covered. So, you might want to prepare accordingly and bring your own. Um, in addition to the to the visit to the western walls, most of our groups will also go to spot in the north and you'll visit usually some some historic synagogues there as well that do require a little bit more modesty. Um, so that's the only other time when you really want to prepare for that. Other than that, um, you know, mostly it's not something you need to worry about and and as I said, dress comfortably because you're going to be doing a lot of walking. Um, okay, that is basically the end here. Um, I'm happy to take questions. some of which may hit these bullet points here. The one thing I want to say is that you've all submitted a $360 deposit. At the end of your trip, upon successful completion of the program, you're going to get an email from Birthright Israel. It's going to ask you uh if you'd like to activate the deposit refund back to your original method of payment or if you want to donate some or all of that deposit, we encourage you to think about that and and perhaps pay it forward. A lot of people do and it makes these trips possible. Um, so I'll raise that now, but you can you have plenty of time to think about that um and make a decision and and that just know that you will have an opportunity to get that refund at the conclusion of the program. Okay? And we wish you a niatva a great trip. Uh so with that, I know we've got a lot of questions that have come in. So I'm going to take a look at them. Um and feel free, I'm going to start answering these questions in the chat. Feel free to continue to put questions in the chat. And if you want to talk, if you want to um ask a question verbally, that's great, too. Just raise your like a Zoom hand on the bottom here. Usually, you can find the raise hand function. And um I'll I'll be happy to come to you and I'll start out, but I'll start out with these questions. Um Zachary asked, "When you mention cash, is that US cash or do we need to convert?" I think this was a question about um I think it was about the tip um because I said $100 a tip for the guide and the driver and that's $100 US and you can give it in US dollars or you can give it in Israeli shekels converted. Uh so it's it's totally up to you. Um the you you'll give it to your trip staff, your North American trip leaders, and they will take care of uh you know worrying about the conversion and dividing it for the the guide and the driver. Matthew asked if it's 100 each for the tour guide and the driver. And the answer to that is no. Um we are going to split that $100 between the two of them. So you just bring $100 for that is our recommendation. That's what's customary and then we'll take care of of allocating it to each of them. Um, great question from Alexis. The SIM card plans look like they're only 30-day plans. Is there a way to extend this since I'll be staying for the Onward program? The answer is yes, there is. Uh, it gives you the option there to extend it or you can you can write to the um you can you can shoot a message to the to 019, which is the SIM card company, and let them know you're extending and they'll take care of you. Jacob asked, "Can you put um can you put what the website for SIM cards in the chat?" Yes, I can. Gladly. Israeloutdoors.com/sim. There you go. Okay, that did bump me from my question, so I just got to go back up. Um, okay. Okay. Megan asked, "Is there any update on flights? my group mentioned Delta cancel flights. Um, thank you Megan for that question. So, um, as many of you have probably heard, some of the non-Israeli airlines have canceled flights. Um, some some usually through like a specific date. Uh, most people on this on this call right now, it's it's not relevant to you. Um, most of you are with airlines that have not canceled flights such as LL Airlines or Archa Airlines or even some of the other non-Israeli airlines that are still flying to Israel. Delta is one that has canceled flights. Um, I want to say through May 19th. Um, but Megan, I'm guessing that you are on our May 18th departure. And yes, we we did find out that Delta has canceled your flight. I wish I had an update for you right now. I don't. I can tell you that Birthright Israel works very closely with the airlines and they're they're on it trying to find, you know, a good flight for the group. Um, so I don't have an answer now, but I can assure you that as soon as we do, we're going to send a message. Um, you know, we asked the staff to give you a heads up today. I think that's how you found out. Um, so we'll we'll update you as soon as we do. I know you're anxious for a resolution and so are we. Um, okay. Thank you, Tom and David, for supporting that question. We're going to we're going to let you guys know as soon as we know. Uh question about carryons. Uh so I mentioned check bags. Everyone is allotted one checked bag um that comes with the the ticket not to exceed 50. In addition, you also can bring a carry-on as well as a personal item. Um so a personal item would be for example like a backpack or a purse. Um when I go if I go on these trips, you know, I personally just like to bring one check bag. Usually I'm bringing like a rolling check bag and a backpack. Um, which would be considered a a personal item. Um, if you want to also bring a carry-on in addition to that, you can. Um, but just keep in mind that you're going to be, you know, kind of bringing your luggage on and off the bus a few times into hotels. So, you don't want to make it too too cumbersome. You want to make sure to that you can easily carry everything. Um, so I would try to limit it as much as you can. But I also know that some of you have plans in Israel and maybe elsewhere um in the region or Europe after this trip and you might need more. So um you know whatever whatever works for you. Uh but that that's what you're allotted. Uh there is a packing list Lily. Um you can find it in the Birthright Israel app. You can also find one at israeloutdoors.com/prepare. Um, okay. Lori asked, "Do we check in with staff on departure day at the gate 4 hours before the flight or where?" Not at the gate. Um, you're going to check in with our staff at the check-in desk for your airline. So, when you arrive to the airport, uh, let's say you're flying LL Airlines, you're going to go directly to the LL Airlines check-in area and before you go to the counter to check in with the airline, you're going to look for our staff. They're going to be wearing turquoise Israel Outdoors um and Birthright t-shirts and they're going to be looking for you too. You're going to be re really, really excited and hopefully you will be also. Uh and you're going to check in with them with our staff. They're going to mark you off on the roster and then they're going to tell you, they're going to give you a name tag and then they're going to tell you to go check in uh with the airline. Once you check in with the airline, you can go through security and the staff will have told you that, you know, you're going to probably meet like an hour before boarding at the gate, something along those lines. Um, you'll meet as a group before before you actually board the plane. Okay, Jordan asked a great question. Um, he wrote, "Nah O is listed on the itinerary for my trip. Nal O is really close to the Gaza Gaza Strip. Is that safe?" Um so most of our groups will have a day in the western in the southern part of Israel um including areas um like southern border communities which Nalo would be one of them. Some of our groups will visit uh the the site of the Nova music festival. Some of our groups will visit Stro which is a community um that's not far from Gaza. And the answer is yes it is safe. U there have been times since October 7th where we haven't traveled there during different stages in in the conflict. Um, but now it's it it is quite safe to go there. Um, if that changed, we would we would not go there any longer. Um, but as of now, it is it is safe to go there. And I think you'll find it's a really really meaningful day. Um, but I I'll also say that like nothing that we do on this this is not a mission. Nothing that we do on this trip is to prove a point um or to make a statement. um we only do things uh that you know first of all fit within the vision uh our vision and the vision of Birthright Israel and that are safe. Um and if it wasn't safe we wouldn't you know power through cuz we want to make a statement. Um we we would we would just stop going there. Um so I think you'll feel that it's very safe on the day you go there and you'll find it's a really meaningful day. Um but if anything changes between now and then that would give us pause then uh we'll we'll change our plans accordingly. Um, someone asked in a direct message, what's the difference between Chicago community and quest? Uh, the only difference, the itinerary is basically the same. A community trip, like a Chicago community trip, New York community trip, Los Angeles community trip, those follow a Quest itinerary. Um, but they're generally made up of people from that community. Um, so it's specifically traveling with people who are from Chicago or from the Chicago area. Uh, Alexis asks, um, the CTOS insurance policy can only be extended for 60 days. What insurance coverage can I get for the remaining days for my internship with the onward program? Alexis, I'm I'm pretty sure that if you send a message to CTOS that you can extend it for longer than 60 days. It may not be like an automatic option, but if you send them a message, you should be able to. Um, additionally, um, through your Onward program, and I don't know if you're traveling with us on Onward or a different organization, but through almost any onward program, they they should be all be able to also purchase insurance for the dates of that onward program. So, you could reach out to CTOS, but you also could reach out to your insurance uh to sorry to your Onward provider um for direction on that as well. Um, okay. Question. What about meds and sleeping arrangements? Good question. Um I I don't know exactly what what I don't know. I'll try to hit what I think you might be asking. Um but it raises a good point. Medicine. Um one thing I meant to mention is that if you are bringing prescription medication, do not pack it in your checked bag. Uh make sure that you pack it in your carry-on bag. So that way if anything happens to your check bag, if it's lost or even just delayed for like a day or two, um you know, if it's in your check bag, then you won't have it. So make sure you have it in your carry-on so you're you're not without it. Also, make sure you think about the fact that you're going to be traveling on a flight that's like, you know, at least 10 hours long, in some cases more. Um and um that there's going to be a big time change and figure out and in some cases if you need to speak with your uh medical, you know, with the with your medical provider, you know, figure out when you need to take your medication based on the long flight and the time change that you're about to experience. Uh sleeping arrangements, we divide um you know, by by male and female, and it's generally three per room. Um it depends on your staff and what type of group it is in terms of whether you're choosing your own rooms, you're choosing your own roommates. um or they're choosing for you. For the most part, we have you choose your own roommates, but also in some cases, if it's a group where nobody knows each other before the trip, then your staff may choose in the first accommodations to kind of guide that process. Um and then often they're leaving it up to you for the rest of the trip. So, that that really varies trip to trip. Um but it's it's three per room of the same gender. Um Angela asks, "How much slash for how long are you walking on average a day? And aside from the hike at Msada, is there a need for hiking shoes? Uh, good question. I'm not going to be able to to answer that with like a number. Um, but I'll say a lot. You're walking a lot. Um, even on the days where like you're not hiking and when you're in like the city, uh, Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, you're walking around a ton. So, I cannot stress enough that you should have comfortable shoes. But, you don't need to have hiking hiking shoes or hiking boots. As long as you have good sneakers um that ideally have some grip, that's fine. In addition to Msada, you usually will be doing at least one other hike. Um but these hikes are generally meant for everyone. Um these aren't meant to um you know, if you're if you're doing outdoors max, it can be a little bit more intense. But if you're doing quests, then you know, these aren't meant to be um hikes that are only, you know, targeted for people of a specific level. And you don't need to have special equipment to do them. Um, if you have hiking boots or hiking shoes and you prefer them, that's great. But otherwise, if you're comfortable in sneakers, like that that's totally fine, too. Um, Alexander asked, "When will the itinerary be sent out?" Most of the itineraries are posted about in in the Birthright Israel app, about 2 weeks before departure. Uh, so hopefully if your trip departs um in two weeks, it's it should be there. Um, if it's not, you can let us know. Um, but usually it's about 2 weeks before departure. Rachel asks, "Uh, can we decide to extend the trip once we're in Israel or do we need to do it beforehand?" You can decide to extend once in Israel. You know, you can't wait until the last minute. If you're leaving the next day, um, and you try to ex like if you're leaving from Israel, if it's like the last day of the trip, the last day, it's probably too late. Try to do it at least 72 hours in advance. So, and and 72 like in on business business days, so not like on Shabbat. Um, so that way the travel agent has time to receive your request and try to find you something. But you can do it once you're in Israel. Just keep in mind that your ability to extend depends on the airlines availability. Uh so typically the longer you wait, the less availability there is, but sometimes that can that can change and availability can fluctuate. Cancellations can come in. So you never know. But by rule, you can definitely do it in Israel. Um Alex asked, "Where do we send a copy of the inside cover of the passport?" You can upload that to your Birthright Israel application. If you go if you want to access it, you can access it at israeloutdoors.com/go and it'll bring you to your Birthright Isisrael application. If you're having trouble, send us send it to us via email at [email protected]. Um, also Alexis, do we need to sign up for the Smart Travel Enrollment Program? I don't think so. Uh, I'm actually I've heard of that, but I'm actually not familiar with it and I don't think you need to. I think that's separate from the ETA IL that you need to get. Um, so I don't think you need to worry about that. Uh, Rachel, should we get adapter H or C, or do we need both? Uh, Rachel, you've come to the question that I always dread because I can never remember which letter it is. Uh, drill adapter. Um, so I'll tell you first of all, you don't you you generally don't need a converter for most devices. Um, people often ask about converters. Um, and you you generally don't need a converter unless you're using like a haird dryer or something like that. Um, but if you're using like a, you know, a laptop or a phone, you don't need a converter. You just need the adapter that will allow you to plug it into the wall. And I believe it's it's type H is what it is. Uh, and it's very easy to find on Amazon or at any store. Uh, Katie asked, "What is the likelihood of a trip being cancelled for this month?" Uh, very very low. Uh, I I expect all of our trips to move forward. Um, I can tell you that, you know, as you heard, we received some questions um from some uh travelers who are scheduled to fly Delta. Uh, and Delta is, you know, cancelling cancelling flights. And we're not canceling, you know, we're not planning to cancel the trip. We're just finding alternative uh options. Um so we do not have plans to cancel any trips. Um if the situation required it, if it if it was not safe for us to travel, then we would cancel it. Um but so long as it's safe to travel, and I expect it will be, we're we're going to continue with our trips as we've been doing since January 1st, 2024. Um and if but again, if we have to make modifications to the trip, then that that is more likely that there might be a modification to a trip. Um, so if an area became unsafe for, you know, for whatever reason, then we wouldn't travel to that area. Um, that's that's also on the table. Um, but as of now, you know, we're very um feeling very good about the safety and security of our trips moving forward. Um, Aviana asked about confirming that all documents for the trip um have uh been received and um having a phone call. Uh so, first of all, Aviana, if you if you do send us an email, we can we can check for you to to make sure that all the documents have been received at [email protected]. Um, and um, we're going to be adding for we're going to be adding more times. If you ask to schedule a call via email, we'll do it with you. We're also going to be adding more times to israeloutdoors.com/call. Uh, we got booked up quick. Um, but we're going to be adding more times this week so that you can schedule a call with us and and we'll be happy to chat with you. Um, Lori asked about canceled flights and and being concerned. Lori, I I mean, hopefully I've answered the question already, but if I haven't, you know, happy to happy to talk about it more. Um, Alexandra asked about the activation of the SIM card. Um, I believe it activates as soon as you like you activate it in your phone. Um, so if it's if it's an eSIM, you have, you know, you'll be able to activate it um using like a code. And if it's a physical SIM card, then you'll put it in your phone and it'll activate at that point. Is roaming okay or do we need the Israeli SIM? Um, from Josh. Josh, roaming's okay. If if that's what you prefer to do, that's okay. I I recommend the SIM. Um, it gives you an Israeli phone number, too, and it puts you on an Israeli network. Uh, but um but uh but that's okay. Um, if you want to do roaming. Okay. Um, someone actually mentioned Lufansza cancing also. I'll just say that we we actually have groups that are flying Lufansza on Monday and they're they're continuing they're planning to fly on Monday. Um, so unlike unlike Delta, they they do plan to to resume their service. Um, question about sleep pap machines. Um, if you I I would email us about that. Um, I don't, you know, you can you can certainly use one. Um, but you may want to consider I know that they can sometimes be loud and so maybe we want to, you know, figure out the roommate situation in advance. So, email us about that and, you know, we can we can look into it for you. Um, okay. Question about extensions. So, I had said earlier that the extended flight is a minimum to extend it's a minimum of $150, but it might be more. And the question is, what did I mean by that? What are you paying for? Fair question. So, when you extend your ticket, you're doing so through a travel agent called Guild Travel. And they do charge a fee for the service, which is $150. So, you're paying that to them, $150. Um now when you um secure a seat on a new flight um sometimes that seat could be the same cost like like we already have you on a on a ticket home right now. If if you're on a if you're on a trip with us May 12th through 24th for example when when we accept you on the trip we are holding a seat for you on both the departure flight to Israel and the return flight from Israel back to the US. If you choose to extend then you are changing the seat that we already have booked for you. So, in addition to paying that $150, if there's a difference in cost between the original seat that we've booked and the new seat that you want to book, then you would be responsible for paying that cost. In some cases, it doesn't cost extra and the seats are, you know, this the same amount of money. Um, if that's the case, then you won't pay anymore. But if there's a difference in cost, then, you know, you would be responsible for paying that if you choose to accept the extension. Uh when you put in your extension request, you'll typically put in a handful of uh potential return dates that you would be open to and the travel agent will then get back to you and let you know what options they can offer you and what the cost of those options. So you'll have a chance to decide what you want to do and accept or decline the options that they give you. Um Rachel asked if all hotels/s sleeping locations have elevators or will we need to bring our luggage upstairs? Um, you know, I'm hesitant to say everyone does because I know, you know, I'm can't think of everyone off the top of my head right now. Uh, but pretty much everyone does. Um, I I, you know, there any, first of all, anywhere where there's like a lot of levels, uh, they definitely do. Uh, if there's a place that has like, you know, two levels or something, maybe it doesn't. Um, there also are some kibutz guest houses where you know you're not walking onto different levels of a building. So, there's no elevators there obviously, but anywhere where you would expect an elevator. There generally is one. Uh, Alexander asked if everything in the packing list is required to bring. Uh, no. I wouldn't say necessarily it's all required. Um, I think we put like kind of even I think there's even some like fun items in there that, you know, you might just consider, but um I would use it as a guide um and figure out what's best for you. Um, great question from Robert. Out of curiosity, why does Israel bring Jews on this trip? Like, what's the point? Is it to bring uh Jews back to the homeland? This trip seems like such a nice gift. I agree. It's a very nice gift, and it's kind of like, what's the catch? Um, but uh but yes, this this program was started about 25 years ago. Um, it was founded by two Jewish philanthropists. Um, and the idea was, um, to bring to bring Jews together. Um, and Israel was a vehicle to do that. Um, and so that's what this trip is is all about. And certainly in the last 25 years, it's evolved in many different ways. And there's components of the trip, um, like the MEF Gosh program in which you're going to be joined by Israelis for half the trip that I don't think the founders ever envisioned as being, you know, such a a key component of the program. Um, so um, so so yeah, it's this incredible incredible gift. Um, and I think it's hard to understand. I I think by the time you're done with the program, you'll have a better understanding of why um, this is something that not only the founders thought was important, but now um, many, many other people have found important, including thousands of people like you who ultimately help fund this gift and pay it forward. Um, so great question, and I hope that by the time the trip's over, you'll you'll feel it's answered. Um, Lori said, "I read that non-essential travel to Israel is not recommended right now. Is Israel outdoors worried more than normal for the trips that are leaving in the next few weeks?" Um, I I can't, you know, speak to exactly what you're what what you're referencing. I mean, I know that at various times, you know, there are travel advisories um from the State Department and things like that. typically those types of advisories group together all different parts of Israel and in some cases you know like even like the West Bank. Um so um you know I I can't speak to exactly what it's referring to but I hope you feel like I've addressed kind of the the the elephant in the room that is the security situation. All I can say is that we take it really really seriously. Um Birthright Israel is known in the tourism industry in Israel as like the most cautious of organizations. Um and um I think that our track record is really really good. Um both recently since October 7th um but also like over the last 25 you know years plus of of Birthright um where there's been a lot of challenges in Israel and I think we've navigated them really well frankly without incident. Um, so it doesn't make us uh cocky or arrogant or ignorant, but um it just makes us want to maintain that that that track record and that's why we, you know, we have all these security measures that we do. I also will say that there are a lot of people that are going to Israel this summer. So if you're someone who's like, you know, your family members, your friends are like, what are you doing? Um there's like there are thousands and thousands of people who are going to be on Birthright Israel programs this summer ranging from from 10 days uh to 8 weeks. Um so you're not alone and throughout your time in Israel, you're going to see a ton of these other travelers, I'm sure. Um and um and and so I I hope that you know you don't feel alone in this decision. It's going to be a very very despite the situation, it's going to be a very festive atmosphere in Israel this summer during your trip. Uh, Zachary asks a good question. Do we need any sort of special documentation for medications that are considered controlled substances other than other than the bottle it comes in? Um, so yeah, really good question, Zachary. I mentioned to make sure you bring your prescription medication in your carry-on bag. And in addition, you should make sure that it's in the bottle it came in. You don't really need anything besides that, but if you do have like a prescription, it's never a bad idea to have it with you just just in case. Um, what do you do if you have physical limitations? Please reach out to us. Uh, send us an email at [email protected] and let's make sure we talk about it. Um, so, uh, we can make sure that, you know, you're accommodated on the program. Uh, next question from Amy. It's recommended that we have a backpack to carry for every day, right? Yes, it is. I mean, you should have a bag with you that can carry, you know, the things you want to have with you. water bottle, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, um anything that you pick up along the way. I think a backpack is a great way to go. Um but whatever your preference is, uh that that works. Um okay, I see that we're coming. We're we've just passed the the hour mark of this call. I'm still here and I'm sticking with you guys till the very end. Um but I know people are are dropping off, have other things to do, getting sick and tired of listening to me. So, no problem. For those of you who are dropping off, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for joining us tonight. um and uh for for joining this group experience with us uh this summer in Israel. We're really really grateful to have you. Um so if you have to drop off, I totally understand. Um but I'll I'll continue on with the questions uh for as long as as long as it takes. U Madison asks, "What time does the trip end on the last day? Am I able to leave 4 hours early?" The trip, sorry, the trip ends when the group departs um from the airport. Um, so, um, so you cannot you actually cannot leave before the group fight. We need you to stick with us till the end. Jacob says, Jacob asked, "Did you say that if we purchase the SIM card online, it will be there for us when we arrive at the airport?" Um, H is the Israel adapter. C will work. Thanks, Jake. I appreciate that. Um, and the answer is yes. If you purchase a SIM card in advance via 019 at israeloutdoors.com/sim um then yeah, we'll have it we'll bring it to the airport for you. We we work closely with the with 019 the SIM card company. So they give us the SIM cards in advance. Um so yeah, your staff will have it upon arrival to Israel. Uh David asks, "What if we have TSA PreCheck or other frequent traveler benefits?" Well, um, most likely those won't work. Um, because, um, I'm actually not sure that you can use TSA pre-check on any international flight, but I could be wrong about that. But you typically you can't use it you can't use it for this booking. You are part of a group booking. Um, and so it's pretty restrictive and it won't allow you to to add on T by rule. It won't allow you to add on TSA pre-check or any of the other frequent traveler benefits. Uh Jake asked, "For our flight tickets, are we alphabetical or random seat assignments?" Um, usually it's random. And again, it's part of a group booking, so it's not something we have any control over in advance. When you get to the airport and check in, you can make a request then, but it's not something we or you are able to do in advance just by by nature of these group bookings. Uh, are the water shoes required for the Dead Sea? That's a good question, Katie. I really like to wear something on my feet when I go in the Dead Sea. Um, some of the salt can be a little bit rough on your feet, but it's not required. People do go in without anything on their shoes. Um, so, um, if you don't want to wear anything, you don't you don't have to, but I find that people often like to have something on their feet. Um, rubber rubber B socks are are fine. Um, David, if that's what you'd like to bring. Alexandra asks, um, where will where will the recording of this Zoom be? how will we be able to access it? We will not um we will not post it anywhere. We will not share it publicly um because we do like to keep um some things kind of with within our within our group here. Um but you can you can get it if you email us at [email protected] or we will send it to you in your final pre-trip email. So, I mentioned that within a week of departure, you'll be receiving an email from us that's going to include departure day, you know, instructions and reminders. Um, for groups departing May 11th and 12th, you're going to receive that email tomorrow. Um, and for groups departing May 18th and 19th, you'll get it next week. Um, so we are going to put the recording in that email. Um, so you can definitely get it then. Uh, you'll get your itinerary, Eton, usually we post it in the Birthright Israel app about 2 weeks in advance. Um, Lehi asks, "If we extend our trip, do we get the deposit back?" Absolutely. Um, you still get your deposit back. Um, if you don't show up for your return flight, you would lose your deposit. But if you extend or you forfeit your return flight in advance, which you can do in the Birthright Israel app, if you're not going to use your return flight at all and you're going to book your own, um, yeah, you you still get your deposit back. Okay, I think I've come to the end of your question, your great questions. Um, I know it was a bit of a a rush there. I wanted to make sure I got to all of them. Um, oh, Lee, bonus question. Um, okay. We pay to extend separately. Yes, when you um when you make your extension in the Birthright Israel app, uh you will you will pay uh you will pay there uh through Gil Travel, which is the travel agent that will handle your extension. Um any other questions? again. You can you can put the questions in the chat or Matthew, you can raise a hand. Thank you so much. Go ahead, Matthew. Yeah, I just had a question um like from the perspective of um like what should we tell like a concerned parent or someone who's like a little like skeptical like right now um in terms of your child to Israel just like to ease their concerns? Sure. I mean I first of all I would say like I I totally understand um and I don't know if this is you know someone who's been to Israel before or not. Um, but I I think I can understand any parent being um concerned for, you know, the well-being of their child and um there's a lot of uncertainty in the Middle East. So, it can feel it can feel scary. Um, but I would, you know, some of the things I said tonight, you know, you may highlight and I would I would point to the track record of Birthright Israel and the um seriousness in which we've always taken security in Israel in the last 25 years, having never had a security incident. Um, so I think that's like the starting point. Um, you you can also direct them to israeloutdoors.com/safety and we go over some of the security measures for all of our trips, some of which I mentioned tonight in terms of the approval of our itineraries by the authorities on a daily basis. Um, the fact that we carry GPS monitoring so we always know where our groups are. Um, areas that we, you know, travel to and don't travel to. Um, I think that page israeloutdoors.com/safety is a pretty good resource. Um, and hopefully we'll help. Um, and if they ever want to talk to us directly, you know, we we can do that, too. All right. Thank you. Sure. I hope it helped a little bit. Uh, Logan asked, "Is a physical uh is a physical required for the trip? I was registered last year and remember being asked for one, but not this time around." Uh well, we we have sent you a medical clearance form which you can find at israeloutdoors.com/medical. Um and we do ask that that be completed um by your medical professional and some will require a physical to be done in order to do that and some will not. Um so it just depends. Um but we do ask that the medical clearance form um be completed. Um, Aviana asked, "Can I stay with family or do I follow a plan still?" You cannot stay with family during the trip. You can stay with them after the trip if you want to extend, but during the trip, you know, you'd be staying with the group at all of our accommodations. Um, Rachel said, "If I scanned my passport in the app, do I still need to upload it or send it via email?" Um, no. If if you if you already sent it to us via the app, then that's great. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay, if you do have other questions, you can reach us at [email protected]. Um, and thank you thanks for hanging with us here tonight. I know uh it was a little long um but I hope it was helpful. Um, and I want to thank you for for joining us uh here tonight. Um, and really really thank you for this this upcoming summer. We're we're expecting um about on Israel Outdoors programs about 4,000 travelers in Israel this summer uh at least. Um and we're really really honored and grateful uh that you're a part of it. I I know to some of the questions that we received tonight. I know that there are a lot of questions and concerns, you know, when it comes to safety and security and we take that really seriously and we know that you are putting a lot of trust in us um as your trip organizer um and a lot of faith in us. And um that means a lot. That really means a lot. So, our plan is not to let you down and to show you not only an incredibly fun and meaningful experience, but a safe safe one as well. And um I'm we're really looking forward to doing that. So, thank you again. Um, and uh, we're looking forward to seeing you in a few days, a few weeks, a few months. Um, but for now, we'll we'll say good night and wish you all well. Take care.