What? Ten young people from Odessa, Ukraine—our sister city—are coming to Baltimore to spend week learning about our Jewish community and building relationships with their peers: YOU!
When? January 27 to February 3, 2009
How do I participate?
☺ Up to five students from each campus will be selected from each campus (Goucher, JHU, Towson, and UMBC) to spend evenings and the entire weekend of January 31 to February 2 with peers from Odessa.

☺ Students who can not commit to full participation but want to participate in some events may spend Thursday evening with the group, celebrate Shabbat Friday night at UMBC, and/or participate in Saturday afternoon Jewish learning and leadership training at UMBC.

☺ If your class schedule is flexible, we’d be happy to have some students come to greet the group on Tuesday January 27 when they arrive at JFK airport in New York, travel around Baltimore with the group during the week (to see local sites in the Jewish community) and travel with the group on Tuesday, February 3 to spend the day in New York City. See your campus’s Hillel director for more details of the itinerary.

What does it cost? There is no cost to participate but we expect participants to make a donation to support our community’s partnership with Odessa.
What now? Let your Hillel Director or engagement professional know that you’d like to participate by Friday, December 12.

SCHEDULE for Baltimore students:
Wednesday, January 28: join Odessa students at the Owings Mills JCC for icebreakers, dinner, and presentations about our communities.
Thursday, January 29: join Odessa students for a night out ice skating in Baltimore
Friday, January 30: get up early and head to Washington DC. After a tour of the Capitol and monuments, we’ll head to Hillel’s Schusterman International Center for a panel discussion, a Friday toast, and a session with Wayne Firestone, President of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. We’ll return to Baltimore and welcome Shabbat at UMBC, where UMBC students will be happy to host you overnight on campus if you wish.
Saturday, January 31: We’ll join together for Shabbat lunch at UMBC and spend the afternoon looking at Jewish texts about leadership and community together. After a rousing Havdalah (ending Shabbat) ceremony we’ll head for a night on the town.
Sunday, February 1: We begin the day with a social justice project together in Baltimore, continue with a lunchtime reception in Owings Mills, and finish the day with a Super Bowl Party.
Monday, February 2: There will be a closing dinner in the evening.

Students who are available during other day times during the week are welcome to join for other parts of the itinerary, the details of which each Baltimore Hillel director has.