The temperature's hot and getting hotter. But you're young — 21 to 28? — and everyone knows you can stand the heat. So, this summer, take some time to discover a country and a people whose passion for life and Jewish values is as intense as your own. Make new friends. Build lasting bonds.

The UJC Young Adults Mission to Israel gives you community, connection, continuity and a whole lot more.

There's fun, excitement, history and tradition at every turn. Mingle with Sabra and immigrant contemporaries. Kibitz with kibbutzniks. Come alive hiking, biking, swimming and horseback riding along Israel's magnificent coast. Get backstage passes to front-page news from leading political and military leaders, scientists and religious delegations.

Buckle up and hold on tight for a jeep ride up the slopes of the Golan Heights. Navigate the mighty Jordan by raft, kayak or boat. Feel the pull of mystical Safed. Step inside ancient synagogues and modern artists' galleries. Stop by Tiberias, the 2000-year-old city on the western shore of the Galilee.

Take tradition by the hand in Jerusalem for Kabbalat Shabbat at the Western Wall. Walk through the tunnel built by Herod the Great. Escort your appetite and dancing shoes to a festive Shabbat dinner. Shabbat morning and afternoon take an extended time out or step out for a number of optional walking tours. Conclude the Sabbath with a Havdallah service and dinner at your leisure. Walk through the Old City's Jewish Quarter. Pick up a local treasure from a local treasure. Dig your heels in at an archaeological dig. Pause for remembrance at Ammunition Hill. Pay tribute to those whose memories are kept alive at Yad Vashem and the children's Holocaust memorial, Yad La Yeled. Offer your respects to Israel's fallen soldiers and to the late Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.

Trace the roots of your family tree at the Beit Hatefutsot Museum of the Diaspora. Connect with the land and plant your own trees in a nearby forest. Sample a slice of the "Big Orange," the locals' name for Tel Aviv. Enjoy the culture and architecture. Taste, touch and smell the excitement — and the falafel — at the colorful outdoor markets. Party hearty at a beach blanket barbecue in Old Jaffa.

Shake the sand from your hair then head south. Wade the warm waters of the Dead Sea. Float among the salt clusters or get down and dirty in a mineral mud bath. Trek or tram to the peak of Masada. Become one with Mother Earth at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Pamper yourself at a spa. Reach new heights hiking and repelling the Ramon Crater. Touch down at a local IDF air force base.

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COST: $2,267 per person (after a UJC subsidy of $500). This cost is based on double occupancy (single supplement $697) including Super Apex round-trip airfare New York/Tel Aviv/New York. Land only cost, $1,101 (including UJC subsidy.)

REGISTRATION AND DEADLINES: Applications accompanied by a $500 deposit per person must be received by June 12, 2001 to reserve a space on the mission. After this date, registration is on a first come, first served basis. Should the mission reach capacity prior to the stated deadline, registration will be closed. Air tickets will not be mailed until full payment of basic cost is received.

EXTENSIONS IN ISRAEL: We encourage participants to extend their stay in Israel, to relax, visit sites or visit with family. Extensions in Israel cannot exceed 45 days from the date of your U.S. departure. Other restrictions may apply. Extensions should be requested on your application, but no later than 30 days prior to departure. All land extensions must be paid directly to the agent in Israel and cannot be paid to UJC. You may contact Gil Travel, (212) 284-6667, or (800) 880-1369 for additional information on extensions.

CHANGES: We will accept a maximum of two changes per participant. Any airline routing change within 14 days of departure or during the Mission is subject to a $100 change fee. Once your ticket has been issued and mailed, changes will not take place until the original ticket is returned.

CANCELLATIONS: There will be a $25 processing fee for all cancellations. Cancellations within 14 days of departure are subject to an additional $100 penalty, which is deducted from the $500 deposit.

COMMITMENT: All participants will be asked to contribute to Jewish social services at home, in Israel and worldwide by making their voluntary gift to the UJA Federation Campaign of United Jewish Communities. For all Mission participants, we suggest that you consider making a voluntary commitment of $180.

Generally, according to the Internal Revenue Code, your gift is deductible only to the extent that it, plus your payments for this mission, exceed the benefit received (i.e. the fair market value of the mission as stated above). In addition, any payments for extra air and/or land are not tax deductible.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact the UJC Missions Information Center, 212-284-6519, your local federation or one of the UJC regional offices listed below.

Northeast (201) 489-2700

Midwest (312) 427-1600

Gold Coast (954) 428-6677

West (818) 386-0100

Southeast (404) 881-4025

UJC reserves the right to limit participation based upon eligibility requirements and space availability. Prices, programs and dates may vary and are subject to change.