All right, so there’s some literary license thrown in, but Israel does boast of two baseball diamonds, one being of exquisite quality with a clay and grass infield, grass outfield, fencing, bleachers, and lights.

Why not mix baseball with sightseeing in Israel? And when we’re not playing baseball, we’ll visit such historic sights as the Old City of Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Masada, Tel Aviv, the Mediterranean, and the Golan Heights.

We’ll play against senior teams (players 16 and older) from the Israel Association of Baseball, which is the governing body for baseball in Israel. This year, for the first time, the IAB is sending a senior team to the European championships. The goal of the IAB is to develop a team to compete in a future Olympics. In addition to the senior teams that we will play against, the IAB program contains about 70 teams for players from the ages of 8 to 15. The teams mirror the diverse composition of Israel. They are integrated with players who are non-religious, religious, ultra-orthodox, boys, girls, rich, poor, kibbutz children, city dwellers, recent immigrants, native-born, Arabs, Christians, and Jews.

The IAB belongs to the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) and the International Baseball Association (IABF) and is seeking competition. No county is better qualified to supply competition than the United States -- the real birthplace of baseball. In addition to the baseball games that we will play against the IAB teams, we may also help them with some baseball clinics.

We will visit the ancient and the modern Israel. We have a varied itinerary, which will allow us to interact with Israelis, both on and off the baseball diamond. Since Israel is a very cosmopolitan country where many people speak English, you do not need to speak Hebrew.

Since players might want to arrive in Israel before our trip starts, or stay after the trip ends, or use frequent flyer miles for airline tickets, our price does not include any air arrangements.

Our trip starts on Thursday, August 12 and will end on Wednesday, August 18.

Our tentative itinerary will be as follows:

Thursday, August 12: Check in at the Mt. Zion Hotel in Jerusalem in the afternoon. The hotel overlooks the walled Old City of Jerusalem. We will visit Montefiore’s Windmill, which also overlooks the Old City. Then we can pull out our baseball gear and loosen up at Liberty Bell Park, a short walk from our hotel. After that, we can walk to the Old City. We will have a group welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Dinner tonight is included in the trip price. We will stay overnight at the Mt. Zion Hotel, Jerusalem.

Friday, August 13: "An Introduction to Old and New Jerusalem." We will depart our hotel at 8:00 AM after our sumptuous Israeli breakfast. (All breakfasts are included in the trip price.) We start with a drive via the Government Center as we see the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), the Supreme Court of Israel, and the Israel Museum. Then we will have a guided tour at Yad Vashem, the central memorial and museum dedicated to the Holocaust. Afterward, we will drive to the walled medieval Old City of Jerusalem for a comprehensive walking tour with particular emphasis on the Christian and Jewish Quarters. We will walk along the Via Dolorosa and stop at at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Then we will stroll along the Byzantine Cardo of Jerusalem, the city’s main street from the 4th century and visit the magnificent Herodian Mansions, a complex of homes dating from the time of Jesus. Following a luncheon break on your own in the Jewish Quarter, we will walk to Judaism’s holiest site — the Western Wall. Shabbat dinner at our hotel this evening is included in the trip price. We will stay overnight at the Mt. Zion Hotel, Jerusalem.

Saturday, August 14: "Kings and Rebels: The Judean Desert." Pack your bathing suit. We will depart our hotel at 7:30 AM, after our breakfast, and make our way south into the desert to the oasis at Ein Gedi. As we hike along one of the streams in the nature reserve, we will see wild animals roaming freely in the desert. Then we will drive Masada, last stronghold of the Jews against the Roman forces in the year 73 AD. We will ascend to the summit by cable car or you may hike up the Snake Path. At the top we will have an in-depth tour of the site. Then we will drive to a hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea where we will have lunch and have use of the poll and private Dead Sea beach facilities. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth, 1,310 feet below sea level. The lunch and use of the hotel’s facilities are included in our trip price. Rest, relax, and enjoy the afternoon here at the hotel/spa. Then we will return to Jerusalem. Dinner will be on your own this evening. We will stay overnight at the Mt. Zion Hotel, Jerusalem.

Sunday, August 15: "The Hills of the Galilee and Golan." After packing up and having our last breakfast at the Mt. Zion Hotel, we will depart at 7:00 AM and head northward toward Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee), and the holy sites of Capernaum, where Jesus started his ministry. On the way, we will see the Mount of the Beatitudes, and Tabgha, site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. We will cross the Jordan River and ascend the Golan Heights for a special lunch (included in our trip price) and visit an Israeli Army base in the Golan Heights. We will tour the base, meet with the young men and women in uniform and have lunch in the base mess hall with the soldiers (pending final approval). This will be followed by a visit to the base memorial room, which is dedicated to those soldiers of this unit who gave their lives defending Israel. We will have a late return to Tel Aviv. Dinner will be on your own this evening. We will stay overnight at the Tal Hotel, Tel Aviv, which is one block from the beach.

Monday, August 16: "Tour Tel Aviv/Jaffa." We will depart our hotel at 9:00 AM, making our way to the old port city of Jaffa. We will tour some its historic sites and then we will drive back to the young city of Tel Aviv, founded in 1910. We will visit Israel’s Hall of Independence where David Ben-Gurion declared the country’s independence on May 14, 1948, and which is located on the city’s first street. Following lunch of our own, we will proceed, via Rabin Square (named after the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin) and other highlights of the city, to the Diaspora Museum on the campus of Tel Aviv University. After that, we will spend some leisure time along the beach and swimming in the Mediterranean. Dinner will be on your own this evening. After dinner, we will play baseball under the lights at the best baseball field in Israel. The field was built for the Maccabiah Games (the "Jewish Olympics") and is located in the Baptist Village, just outside of Tel Aviv. We will stay overnight at the Tal Hotel, Tel Aviv.

Tuesday, August 17: "Baseball and Touring." Our tour guide will be at our disposal. So we can decide to tour the Mediterranean coast north of Tel Aviv. Places to visit include the archaeological park at Caesarea, capital of the Roman province of Judea. We can see the Roman city as well as the Roman aqueduct system. Or we can drive to the old village of Zichron Yaacov. Or we can spend the day at leisure in Tel Aviv, swimming, shopping or walking along the miles of beaches. Or we can spend part of the day warming up for the evening’s baseball game. Lunch and dinner will be on your own. We will play our second baseball game under the lights at the magnificent baseball field just outside of Tel Aviv. We will stay overnight at the Tal Hotel, Tel Aviv.

Wednesday, August 18: "Lahitraot or see you soon." Depending on our schedule, we may play an early baseball game at a baseball field built by the IAB in another Tel Aviv suburb. The rest of the day will be at leisure for shopping, sightseeing or swimming in the Mediterranean. We will have a farewell dinner at the Maganda middle-eastern restaurant in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv (included in the trip price.) This is the end of our trip. Those flying back to the United States that night will have time to get to the airport after dinner.

Remember, just like you don't have to be Japanese to play baseball in Japan, you don’t have to be Jewish to play baseball in Israel.

PLAYERS NEEDED: Our team should consist of 12-14 amateur baseball players ages 16 and up. We need 3-4 pitchers, two catchers, with the rest being position players. Each baseball player is required to bring his/her own playing gear. Since wood is a scarce commodity in Israel, we will be using metal bats. Of course, you can bring wooden bats if you want. Israel is a very informal country, so you can wear any baseball uniform you want.

NON-PLAYERS: Non-players, such as spouses and other family members, are welcome to come along for the same price.

THE FOLLOWING IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF OUR TRIP:
- Hotels. Six nights’ accommodations at hotels (two persons per standard room) and 15% hotel service charge. For single supplement, see below.
- Six breakfasts (and Israeli breakfasts are very good).
- Two lunches (Saturday and Sunday).
- Three dinners (Thursday, Friday and Wednesday).
- Professional English-speaking tour guide.
- Use of air-conditioned midibus
- All tour coordination.
- Hotel porterage.
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF OUR TRIP:
- Airfare. There is daily round-trip service from New York City and other major United States cities to Ben-Gurion Airport, outside Tel Aviv, on El Al Israel Airlines. Continental Airlines also has daily flights to Israel from the United States. Delta Airlines has code share flights with El Al.
- Ground transportation between Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel and our hotels. When you arrive at Ben-Gurion Airport, ask for the Nesher taxi stand. Nesher will take you to our hotel in Jerusalem. Tell the driver to take you to the Mt. Zion Hotel. The fare will be about $15.00 - $20.00 per person (and you can add about a 10 percent tip).
- Any expenses of a personal nature.
- Entrance fees to the various parks and sites in our itinerary.
- Any gratuities.
- Any meals other than those specified as being included in our trip price.
- Any guests at meals other than the participants of our group.
- Personal health insurance and insurance for baggage, personal items, trip cancellation or trip interruption. We recommend that all insurance be arranged through your travel agent in the United States. If claims have to be made, it is much easier dealing with a local U.S. insurance company upon your return, rather than having to collect refunds from an insurance company in Israel.

PRICE FOR LAND PORTION PER PERSON SHARING A DOUBLE ROOM is $1,250.00. This price includes all the above elements — six nights in hotels, six breakfasts, two lunches, Thursday welcome dinner, Friday night Shabbat dinner, Wednesday night farewell dinner, ground transportation and tour guide (as long as we have at least six trip members). The price also includes a mandatory donation of $100.00, which will be used to buy equipment to be given to the Israel Association of Baseball. On our last baseball trip to Israel, we brought over 14 dozen baseballs, which were paid for with donations from trip participants. Feel free to bring over additional baseball equipment to donate to the IAB. Every item is appreciated.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $200.00 per person

PLEASE NOTE: The above cost is subject to change at any time if the prices are increased by hotels or other suppliers or services or if we have fewer trip members than are anticipated. Trip participants agree to pay such increased price upon receipt of written notice. Also note that our itinerary is subject to change without notice.

THE WEATHER: In August, Tel Aviv’s temperatures can get up to the 80's and 90's. Jerusalem, which is in the mountains, is drier and cooler. The Dead Sea area can get extremely hot during the day, with temperatures reaching 110 degrees or hotter.

CURRENCY: The unit of currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS), which is worth about 23 cents. However, many establishments accept United States dollars. Dollars can be exchanged for shekels at the airport upon arrival or at banks or money changers throughout the country.

PASSPORTS: Valid United States passports are required and they must not expire any earlier than six months after the last date of our trip. United States citizens are not required to obtain visas before entering Israel.

TERMS OF PAYMENT FOR THE LAND PORTION:
1. Full payment is due by July 3, 2004 (40 days before the trip starts in Israel).
2. The trip price must be paid by check only. Credit cards are not accepted.
3. Checks are to be made payable to Israel Baseball Experience and sent to the address at the end of this memo.
4. All payments must be made in United States dollars.

CANCELLATION POLICY FOR LAND PORTION:
If cancellations are received by the Israeli travel agent (after being transmitted to the Israel Baseball Experience):
1. Up to 30 days before arrival date: all money will be refunded except for hotel cancellation fees (if any).
2. Between 30 days and 7 days before arrival date: all money will be refunded except for a cancellation fee of $100.00 per person (charged by the Israeli travel agent) plus any hotel cancellation fees.
4. However, under the current circumstances, should you feel that you must cancel due to security concerns in the region, you will receive a full and complete refund on the land portion, as long as our various vendors do not penalize us.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY:
We are arranging our trip through David Bellin Travel Systems and Mabat Touring Services Ltd. (hereinafter called the Tour Operator), which are located in Israel and which act only as an agent for the various companies, owners or contractors providing the means of transportation, accommodation and other services. All exchange orders, coupons and tickets are offered subject to the terms and conditions under which such services are offered or provided. The issuance and acceptance of such tickets shall be deemed to be consent to the further conditions that the Tour Operator shall not be in any way liable for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity in any vehicle, or through the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying the passengers or of any hotel proprietor, personnel or servant otherwise in connection therewith.

The transportation companies concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their conveyances. The right is reserved to withdraw any tour announced in the program and to make such alterations to the itinerary as may be found desirable for the proper carrying out of the tours. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable in the Tour Operator’s discretion to alter the arrangements or itinerary for the passengers’ comfort or welfare or for any reason whatsoever, such alterations may be made without penalty to the Tour Operator.

The Tour Operator reserves the right to change any hotels listed with one of a similar category, if circumstances necessitate. Additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by the passengers. The Tour Operator also reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any group at any time.

QUESTIONS? Send an e-mail to richard@israelbaseball.com or send a letter to Israel Baseball Experience c/o Grayson, 134 Seacord Road, New Rochelle, New York 10804 or telephone Richard Grayson at 914-235-1345.

WHERE’S THE APPLICATION AND WAIVER? Please e-mail richard@israelbaseball.com for a copy.