A delegation of 15 members of the Pittsburgh Jewish Community headed by the newly selected Pittsburgh Partnership 2000 co-chairperson, Linda Simon, conducted a two day visit to the Karmiel-Misgav region this past March 3rd and 4th.  Linda told the members of the delegation, some of whom were on their first visit to Israel about the warm relationships with Karmiel-Misgav residents she has developed through her volunteer activities and invited them to join the Partnership family following their return to Pittsburgh.
During their visit, the delegation members met with residents of the region and local officials from the Karmiel & Misgav municipalities as part of the now 15-year-old partnership between the partner communities created under the auspices of the Jewish Agency sponsored Partnership 2000 program.
The delegation’s first stop was a visit to the Misgav Regional Council where Eti Levy, the council’s general manager greeted them. From there the delegation split into two groups with one enjoying a fascinating visit at the Misgav Technological Incubation Center where they received an explanation of the center’s activities from the center’s director, Steve Rhodes. The second group conducted an intimate and emotional visit at the Children’s Village in Karmiel.
During dinner that evening, the delegation met with representatives of the Israeli Steering Committee led by Adi Eldar, Karmiel’s chairperson and city mayor and Roma Manor, the committee’s chairperson on behalf of the Misgav council.  Adi welcomed the group to Israel and the region, especially during a week marked by severe, yet welcomed rains that as he explained did much to raise both the nation’s morale and the water level of the Kinneret. Adi also took this opportunity to introduce Shula Cohen, the city’s deputy acting mayor.
For “dessert”, the delegation enjoyed a brief performance by a troupe of ten young people from the Karmiel-Misgav area selected as members of the Youth Delegation for Community Ceremonies. This delegation is scheduled to visit the Pittsburgh community at the end of April and conduct a number of performances as the Pittsburgh Jewish Community marks Israel’s Memorial Day and its 61st anniversary of its independence.
 The second day of the visit began with a visit to the Misgav community of Kishorit, a kibbutz for individuals with special needs. From there, they continued to Karmiel’s City Hall where they met with Hanna Kovel, the city’s manager who presented them with an overview of the city and toured with them the new Family Park.

The final hours of the group’s visit were dedicated to Kibbutz Eshbal. The members of the kibbutz surveyed for the delegation the educational work that they are conducting within both the non-formal educational framework in the area and the educational boarding school operated by the community. Misgav’s mayor, Ron Shani, met with the group before their departure, thanking them for taking the time to visit and providing them with a brief overview concerning the regional council.