metro Michigan Moms To Head To Israel 'Mega mission' trip also planned for December. During a previous moms' mission to Israel are Lisa Knoll of Huntington Woods, Aviva Gelberman of Southfield, Mary Aaron of Bloomfield Hills, Jennifer Kreiger of Huntington Woods, Rebecca Rubin of West Bloomfield, Rachel Hulen and Estie Tolwin, both of Huntington Woods, Molly Schneider of Berkley, Stacey Block and Jenny Kaplan, both of Huntington Woods. Robin Schwartz Contributing Writer U ndaunted by news of air raid sirens, people rushing to bomb shelters, Palestinian terrorists firing rockets at Israeli cities and Israel's military striking back against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, Amy Chimovitz, 39, a wife and mother of four from Oak Park, is packing and prepar- ing to travel to Israel with nine other Metro Detroit moms. The group will be among 200 women from across the country taking part in a subsidized trip sponsored by the Jewish Women's Renaissance Project (JWRP) scheduled for July 20-29, one of several held each year. At press time, there had been no change in plans. The JWRP was established in 2008 to empower women to change the world through Jewish values. "I am going to assume I will learn what to do when an air raid siren goes off:' Chimovitz said. "I've been reading [Facebook] posts from rabbis, friends and family members who are currently in Israel. They have stated that all the missiles being shot into Israel have successfully been shot down in the big cities. Everyone has been given ample time to seek shelter. People are sleeping in bomb shelters, but this is not new to the Israeli way of life." Chimovitz will temporarily part with her husband, Jared, and children Yael and Shayna, 12-year-old twins, Naomi, 8, and Danielle, 5, for the journey which is expected to include stops in Jerusalem, Tzfat, the Dead Sea, Masada and other sites. Visiting an army base, challah baking, celebrating Shabbat in the old city and attending Jewish learning events are also on the agenda. Israel's Ministry of Tourism sent out a memo July 11 stating, "Tourism to Israel continues as usual. At the present moment, more than 100,000 foreign tourists are on holiday in Israel, enjoying the many attrac- tions and activities the country has to offer." Chimovitz last visited Israel two decades ago as a teenager. "Sixteen years ago, my sister was in Israel studying," she recalled. "She went with some friends to eat lunch at a cafe in Jerusalem. Four hours after she returned to her school, a suicide bomb attack occurred where she had been eating. Life in Israel can be a challenge. I have faith that HaShem and the Israel Defense Forces will keep me safe." Chimovitz signed up for the trip through 16 July 17 • 2014 Amy and Jared Chimovitz of Oak Park with their children, Yael, Naomi, Danielle and Shayna Aish Detroit. Rebbetzin Estie Tolwin of Huntington Woods, Aish Detroit's associate director, is leading the local group; she plans 10. to take at least 96 more women to Israel in December on a mega mission of moms. "The goal is to inspire mothers to bring our Jewish values into our homes in a real and meaningful she explained. "Each woman on the trip com- mits to staying involved in follow-up programming for at least a year post-trip by attending monthly Jewish learning, social or social action programs." Tolwin added that while some participants have Estie Tolwin expressed concerns about the escalating tensions, from her experience "it feels a lot safer when you are on the ground." She says some of her own children plan to meet her in Israel while she's there. An Aug. 18-27 summer family mission made possible through a grant from the William Davidson Foundation is also planned. A letter sent to JWRP leaders reads in part, "We are all watching and monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Our office gets updates regularly from the Moked Teva [civil authority that monitors all activity and sends out security alerts and updates], and they are in contact with the army and national security We are careful and deliberate about our trip decisions in these circumstances and take all the necessary precautions." Mega Mission Takes Shape Informational meetings about the Dec. 8-17 mega mission of moms have been taking place. Jewish women with children under age 18 (and at least one child in middle school or younger) are eligible to participate. So far, 120 local moms have applied and were interviewed, and 83 women are set to go on the trip. Participants include women who've never been to Israel before and those who have made trips there in the past. Space is still available; registration will remain open until mid-September. "I'm a little nervous," said Jennifer Fishkind, 44, of Bloomfield Hills, a mega mission participant. "But, I'm so excited and appreciative for this opportunity to experience Israel with my friends and other moms." Fishkind, a blogger with 3.5 million fol- lowers on the projects and ideas website Pinterest, has three children, Jake, 15, Joey, 12, and Aidan, 9. She decided to join the mission after taking a Melton (adult Jewish learning) class. She previously visited Israel with her family as a child and again as a teenager. "I went to Sunday school and had a bat mitzvah, but I never really understood why we do the things we do," she said. "The class gave me the chance to reconnect and appre- ciate being Jewish and going to Israel is just another way to build on that." The Israeli Ministry of the Diaspora allocated $250,000 to the JWRP for Aish Detroit's mega mission alone. Participants pay for their plane tickets (or use frequent flier miles) and a $36 registration fee, Aish Detroit pays $350 per participant, and the JWRP provides the rest of the fund- ing (approximately $2,500 per woman). A bike-a-thon was held in May at Kensington Metropark to raise a portion of money. "When you inspire a Jewish mom you inspire an entire family:' Tolwin says. "Most moms don't have the time, opportunity or interest to explore their Jewish identity as an adult, yet as we raise a Jewish family this is the most important time. That's why this trip is so impactful." ❑ For more information or to apply for the mega mission of moms, go to www.jwrp.org/apply and select "Detroit" from the drop down menu or contact Lisa Knoll at lisak@aish.com .