During Chanukah, a delegation of four members of the art taskforce from Acco and Mateh Asher visited the Omaha and Indianapolis communities.  The purpose of the trip was to create contacts with artists in the community through art, by offering workshops to the communities' children, personal meetings and a professional tour of the museums and cultural centers.

The delegation was comprised of members of the art taskforce:  Albert Ben Chelouche; the principal of Acco's Hatomer Art School - Aliza Pariski; Director of  Acco's Preschool Art Center - Orli Shai and Director of the Mateh Asher's Cultural Department - Edna Taf.  The four are members of the JAFI Partnership 2000 art taskforce.

Upon the delegation's arrival in Omaha, the members met with Japanese artist  Jun Kaneko and participated in his art workshops.  Afterward, they visited exhibition halls which house the priceless art.  The fascinating meeting lasted three hours, during which the members were introduced to the artist's work methods and his unique creative style.

During the visit to the communities, the delegation members gave workshops to the communities' children using materials they brought with them from Israel.  The workshops motivated the children to create a product related to the Chanukah holiday.  250 children participated in eight workshops, in which they created a Chanukiya from aluminum and wood, a mobile with symbols of the holiday and stained glass inspired by the artist Marc Chagall.  Volunteers were recruited for the arts and crafts activity, with Chanukah songs and candle lighting with candles brought especially from Israel.

As part of the tours and meetings in Omaha, delegation members visited the train museum and were shown the private art collection of Schrager.  Moreover, there was a meeting of the delegation's women with women from the community and a visit at the Rose Children's Theater at the Art Hot Shop and the Julie Philips studio (she is scheduled to visit the region as part of the resident artist program).

In Indianapolis, delegation members visited the children's museum, the art museum and the art center.  Moreover, they met with the Kaleidoscope Dance Troupe, the Fringe Theater director and the Kenyatta African American Dance Troupe.

The delegation also met with community members at Omaha's synagogues and in Indianapolis, a Chanukah party was held at the Rotenberg Family's house, with the participation of many artists.  There was also a meeting with the Jewish Center team.

These meetings were very important in introducing the artistic activity of the Partnership 2000 Western Galilee region.  New contacts were made with people who were previously unfamiliar with the activity and who now have expressed their desire to take part in JAFI's Partnership 2000- Western Galilee.