The Israel 2000 venture wants to help every Jew, regardless of means, visit that country.
It sounds too good to be true.
A 10-day trip to Israel -- exploring Jerusalem, checking out nightlife in Tel Aviv, floating in the Dead Sea -- free.
But 20 young people from Kansas University will be invited to join 3,000 college students from nearly 100 campuses across the country on an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel during winter break.
"I think this is phenomenal," said Susan Shafer-Landau, director of KU Hillel, the university's organization for Jewish students.
"The Jewish community has pooled its resources so that any young Jew, regardless of means, can visit Israel. This trip will be 3,000 young people going there at once, exploring the country."
KU Hillel will be allocating the openings, and Shafer-Landau will accompany students on the trip.
The venture -- called Israel 2000 -- will be paid for by Birthright Israel, a partnership of philanthropists, Jewish communities and citizens of Israel.
The goal is to provide the first, free peer-group trip to Israel as a birthright of every Jew.
Organizers call it the most far-reaching philanthropic effort of its kind.
Any Jewish student at KU who is 18 to 26 years old and has never taken an organized, peer-group trip to Israel, is eligible to apply for one of the openings.
Students who've already been to Israel with small groups -- on family vacations, for instance -- can apply, too. But preference will be given to those who've never made the trip.
Israel 2000 is interdenominational. Any Jew, regardless of background, affiliation or practice, is welcome to go.
The trip that KU students will take is set for Jan. 3-14.
Students will need to arrange for transportation to one of five gateway cities that the Israeli airline El Al flies from: New York, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.
A $250 deposit per person is required to confirm a spot on the trip. The deposit will be refunded when students return home.
Aside from that, all that the students will need for the trip is clothing, spending money and a valid passport. Students should plan to have their passports or travel documents in order for the trip by Dec. 1.
They'll stay in three- or four-star hotels, hostels and guest houses across Israel.
The trip itinerary includes activities such as hiking through the Galilee region, visiting the ancient mountain fortress Masada and meeting Israeli students, politicians and business leaders.
The application deadline for the KU trip is Sept. 30. Applications must be made online through the Web site: www.israel2000.com. They'll then be referred to KU Hillel.
The organization might have to conduct a lottery to award the limited spaces.
Decisions on allocating the spots will be made by mid-October, Shafer-Landau said.
For more information, call KU Hillel, 749-5397.
-- Jim Baker's phone message number is 832-7173; his e-mail address is jbaker@ljworld.com.
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