The young woman had arrived months before from Georgia - not the state, but the Caucasus country in the southwestern corner of the former Soviet Union.

While members of a Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey mission ate a lunch prepared by culinary school students in the Jewish Agency for Israel's absorption center, they listened to 22-year-old Tauna describe her experiences in a JAFI sponsored hotel course in this Israeli desert city.

From there, members of the Nov. 8-16 mission headed to the technology incubator in Arad's dusty industrial zone. Crowding into the small rooms that spawn some of Israel's cutting-edge commercial products - it was here that one scientist invested the pressurized signature pads now used by United Parcel Service deliverers - mission members listened attentively as scientists described their current projects.

In addition to offering office space and logistical support to the entrepreneurs, many of whom are recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union, the Israeli government subsidizes 85 percent of their business costs for two years.

One invention that particularly caught the attention of the mission group was an adapter that allows common household products such as lamps, fans and microwave ovens to be activated by remote control.

"You're going to make it!" magazine publisher Howard Wasserman of Watchung told the slightly bewildered inventor, a young Israeli engineer from Petah Tikva, giving him a thums-up sign as the NJ group made its way out of the building.

"This is the future, the incubator of ideas," said Wasserman's wife, Arline. "These are the people who will really make a difference in Israel."

The visits to the incubator and the absorption center demonstrate the value of mission trips, participants said, by giving a fuller and deeper picture of Israel than could be gained as a simple tourist.

"You'd never get to meet the people you do or hear the speakers you do otherwise," said Sylvia Seltzer of Watchung, whose trip last week was her third mission to Israel. "On my other trips I saw elderly, retired immigrants who felt happy if you could speak a few words of Yiddish to them. Coming to the incubator and seeing 60 year olds putting to advantage their brains, their knowledge, is wonderful."

For Seltzer's husband Saul, an engineer who runs a commercial and industrial construction company, the visit to the region was an eye-opener.

"I was fascinated by the resources that are available in the desert and how the Israeli engineers and scientists have found ways to utilize them," he said, taking shelter from the chill evening wind on a visit to the ancient ruins of Tel Arad. "I'm impressed with how they've managed to take the desert and develop settlements."

The eight-day mission, called In the Footsteps of Ben-Gurion, brought some 40 Jews from the Central New Jersey federation to Israel, beginning in Arad and the Dead Sea region, Central New Jersey is linked to the areas by the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000, a program that allows donor federations to funnel part of their money to projects of their own choosing.

Such visits "are a way to build strong relations for the benefit of the two communities" Arad Mayor Bezalel Tabib said. "In the past the donors were only plaques and symbols. Partnership 2000 made it people-to-people and a strong, warm relationship."

While the federation mission wasn't specifically linked to Partnership 2000, several participants planned to use free time to discuss projects under way or proposed for the coming year. In the past, money was disbursed to dozens of projects; this year, the Israeli lay leadership hopes to concentrate the New Jersey funding in larger grants to fewer projects, according to Gerald Flanzbaum, the Warren lawyer who chairs the Partnership 2000 New Jersey cluster. Final funding decisions will be made in January.

The mission visit came shortly after comments by Moshe Edry, Arad's Likud mayoral candidate, harshly criticizing the way Tabib has managed Partnership 2000. Tabib and several mission members involved with Partnership 2000 dismissed the criticism as election year propaganda.

"I'm sorry that Arad's dirty laundry had to be washed in the wrong place," Tabib said in a brief interview in the culinary school. Edry "caused great embarrassment to a lot of good people from New Jersey. He simply does not know what'' going on.""

Joining the mission group for the visit to Arad was New Jersey Senate President Donald DiFrancesco, in Israel on a week-long visit with his wife. DiFrancesco's schedule included meetings with former prime minister Shimon Peres, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, Likud Knesset member Naomi Blumenthal, officials of the industry and Trade Ministry and Ra'anana Mayor Ze'ev Bielski. DeFrancesco said he hoped to increase New Jersey's trade with Israel as a result to the visit.

Mission called 'an entree' to Israel's inner workings

As the El Al plane landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday, November 8, a group from the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey began its mission, In the Footsteps of Ben Gurion. The months of preparation and planning had created an itinerary that focused on the areas so important to David Ben-Gurion - the Negev and Dead Sea regions.

The 40 participants spent eight days touring Sde Boker, Ben Gurion's kibbutz in the Negev; Mitzpe Ramon, the world's largest natural crater; and the remains of Nabatean Avdat, a 2,000 year old spice route station. One trip highlight was a visit to the Tamar region, the Partnership 2000 area twinned with the JFCNJ. Through Partnership 2000, communities abroad help develop Israel's national priority areas: the Negev, Galilee and Jerusalem.

For many, the mission provided an opportunity to visit sites not normally included in their tours to Israel. "The last time I visited, I only saw the sights," commented Tom Beck, executive director of Jewish Family Service, Scotch Plains. "This time, I saw the incredible quality of life, which permeates the whole society."

The schedule included meetings with business leaders, community leaders and government officials. As the group departed for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, many participants reflected on the different perspective the mission afforded them. "There is always something new here," said David Mulgrum of Bedminister. "I have been here 20 times, and I am never bored. Everything is always changing."

Harriette Koved of Cranford, who has been to Israel many times, added, "You see people in industry and agriculture and the very knowledgeable guides and lecturers are truly inspiring. A mission is an entree into the inner workings of Israel. It is that feeling of being connected."

The mission was led by co-chairs Alf and Sandy Gelfond of Watchung, Marilyn and Gerry Flanzbaum of Warren and Richard Knoller of Scotch Plains. JFCNJ executive and director of financial resource development Amy Cooper formed the team of professionals that coordinated the mission.

Participants included: Tom Beck of Scotch Plains, Bernard and Irene Buchner of Westfield, Mindy Cohen of Basking Ridge, Sara Greenberg of New York City, William and Sbley Hausler of Rahway, Elaine Hochheiser of Scotch Plains, Karen Horowitz of Warren, Harriette and Sol Koved of Cranford, Jan Kulick of Basking Ridge, Cynthia Mintz of South Plainfield, David Mulgrum of Bedminister, Howard and Barbara Rood of Scotch Plains, Jay Scovronek of South Plainfield, Saul and Sylvia Seltzer of Watchung, Jon Ulanet of Scotch Plains, Howard and Arline Wasserman of Watchung, Sylvia Weissman of Verona, Audrey and Zygmunt Wilf of Springfield, Edna Wolgin of Scotch Plains and Sally and Susan Wovsaniker of Hillside.

"It is the group's enthusiasm that makes a mission. And it is the people who work behind the scenes who make it all come together," said Knoller.