Following a 10-day tour of Israel, as part of the Taglit programme, the participants joined a pilot programme that enabled them to lengthen their stay, to have an in-depth experience and personal acquaintance with the residents of the partnership region.

The participants were hosted by families from Shlomi and experienced an Israeli home-hospitality Shabbat. The participants enjoyed touring sites in the region in an experiential way, which included cycling along the seashore, kayaking in the Mediterranean, visiting local markets, dairy production plants and wineries.

The experience created feelings of familiarity and belonging to the area, and the participants departed with the hope of returning soon to the region together with their families.