"In honor of Israel's 60 years of independence I decided it was time to initiate a project to bring to the country all those Jewish teachers from Pittsburgh who have never had the opportunity to visit here", promissed Dr. Tsipi Gur, Educational Director for Pittsburgh's Agency for Jewish Learning. A woman of her word, Dr. Gur was successful in organizing 2 delegations of some 30 Jewish teachers from the Pittsburgh area to visit the Karmiel-Misgav Partner Communities within the framework of the Jewish Agency sponsored Partnership 2000 program.

The first 10-member delegation comprised of teachers from Reform congregations throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area arrived in the region on Thursday July 17, 2008. The group was Leaded by Rabbi Sara Perman. For their weekend in the region, members of Karmiel's Reform congregation, "Yedid Nefesh", hosted the teachers. In honor of their visit, the congregation prepared an extra-special Kabbalat Shabbat that included Shabbat music and a Shabbat Dinner for the congregation and their guests.

The teachers and their hosts also toured together the ancient city of Akko and the grottos of Rosh Hanikra on the Israel-Lebanon border. In spite of various language barriers, a number of new, warm friendships developed between the Pittsburgh teachers and their local guests.

The second 20-member delegation was comprised of teachers from all of the various streams of Judaism, all of whom taught in Pittsburgh's Jewish educational system. For all of these teachers this was their very first visit to Israel. Wendy Weinblum, a teacher from Pittsburgh said, "For years now I have taught about the Land of Israel. Finally, all of the sites and locations that I have taught about have now become tangible and real."

As part of their visit, the teachers attended the finale of the Karmiel Dance Festival and were sincerely impressed by the colorful and professional performances as well as the large audiences who attended this fascinating annual celebration of dance.