the Moon???? On seceond thought, they might as well. It obviously is a far-away place for some of them and I don't refer to distance.

It costs way LESS than USD5000 to come to Israel for two weeks!

You are so wrong it does not cost way less than $5000 to come to Israel for 2 weeks when staying at luxury hotels & traveling with a tour bus & guide. The ticket costs about $1000-$1200 at least then 2 weeks at luxury hotels is 14 nights @ a rate of at least $200 a night per room in the summer time. So that's $2800 for the hotel so we are at $4000 at least for just flight & hotel not to mention other expenses!!!

There's a hundred ways to rip off US taxpayer, UJA Federation is one of them ,... All donations are tax deductible and must be replaced by additional taxes forced on six-pack Joe to fill the gap.

if you are staying in a luxury hotel and have a tour bus, programs etc. the money seems reasonable

the people who are being targeted for this trip are middle class American Jews who travel. Generally speaking they would travel let's say to Europe and not stay in a luxury hotel for 14 days. They would stay in a middle level hotel. They would feel safe and create their own travel program and not need a tour bus and all kinds of spoon feeding tours. But they are sold FEAR along with their packages and since FEAR is a key player these people are taught to think differently about a trip to Israel than how they would think of a trip to Europe. So for different reasons from #2 I think they are being ripped off!

FEAR is a great tool for many to abuse for their own egoistical means to an end.

Split be honest: how much taxes do you pay? Most likely nothing, since you always talk about how much “the taxpayers pay”, but you never include yourself, and you never say “we the taxpayers”. Have you heard about Freund? Of course you do not read his books; he was a Jew, a smart one, unlike yourself.

Too much - Check how much you pay, federal, state and local for a gallon of gasoline or any other item you buy on the top of income and property taxes alone ,... 35 % of gifted, hard working high school graduates will never go to college because they/their parents can't afford it but we can give away $3.5 billion in military aid to Israel alone. That amount could pay tuition for 350 000 students $10 000 a year ,... This is not only a rip-off scheme but deliberate dumbing down otherwise talented and resourceful nation. What a waste ,...

Yes there's hundreds of ways to rip off the US taxpayer...and Obama knows all of them.

..there's a cable car,or at least there was when I went,many moons a go...wouldn't get me on that snake path for all the tea in China...scary as hell..

Its very hard for Israelis to grasp that: Real unemployment in America is 23%. Real inflation is around 5%. House prices are on average down 33% on 2007 values & still have another 25% AT LEAST to fall. The US is irreversibly bankrupt & MUST soon either default or hyperinflate its way out of its debt obligations. Either way, the US dollar will collapse.

They probably think they're going to a middle eastern country that may or may not have electricity in even the fanciest hotels. The only way to get to the top of Mazada -as everyone knows- is the snake path. I can take you for a trip around the country and in the end you will think that it is one big bunker with missiles falling all the time, or I can show you Jaffa, Jerusalem and Nazereth and you will think that all of us get along fine. Don't forget your helmets and sunscreen.

Do you really live in Israel? There's a cable car that goes to the top...can you imagine a bunch of seniors trying to navigate that snake path??? Get real,i wouldn;t have gone on that and I was young at the time..have you ever been to Masada? not "Mazada",BTW..you sound like a phony to me..

The US aid to foreign countries is about 20 billion in a year. Israel receives 3.1 billion, which is slightly more than 15% of the total. You never cry about the much larger 85% which is given to other countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority including Gaza strip, majority of it ends up in the bank account of the leadership of these countries. Arafat stole close to 1 billion from his beloved brothers and sisters, and Abbas is not far behind him. You never mention that money, because of your blind hatred to Israel and/or to the Jews you are unable to see the whole picture, Other reason could be that it is too much for you to comprehend. May be your mental limitations is the reason that you could not go to college, and not due to lack of money.

Crap !!! Obama can't do a diddly squat without Congress' approval. In some cases he could use an executive order like Pres. Clinton did imposing NAFTA that started US manufacturing demise but today in Obama's case (first term) and economic/financial crisis triggered by previous neo-con infested administration starting and financing 2 wars would be a political suicide ,...

Forgot the Iron Dome scheme that rises the aid to 3.9 billion a year and almost 3 additional Billions in bribes to Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon to buy you a peace on your borders ,...

Obama overides congress every step of the way..he breaks all the rules,all the time..his massive ego makes him think he's some kind of god...he was elected in an "American Idol" type of setting...when he falls,next Nov,I hope he lands hard on his skinny ass,with his ego underneath him,and you could be there too,split ,holding his hand.

The money the USA gives/loans Israel,whatever, is paid back on the purchase of weapons from the US,thereby contributing to jobs in the US...you've heard this a hundred times,no doubt,but in true arab apologist fashion,choose to ignore facts and stick to propaganda.You guys are truly tiresome.

If this is such a deal why don't I see other business oriented nations like Chinese, Koreans, Japanese in line with handouts for IDF ? ,...

because they are not in the middle east, you dummy!

Your idiot "hope and change president"(lower case intentional) is outsourcing jobs to China and who knows who else...as for the 3 countries you mentioned..why would they????obama is giving money away as fast as he can print it..the world is laughing at this clown.

Not much point in talking to you anyway is there?..might as well talk to a wall...right?

for two weeks but on an Israeli salary it is impossible!! And you would love to know how hard it is for me to get an Israeli pension as according to Batuach Leumi I have not worked enough. I have been here for 30 years and I have severe osteoarthritis. Do you think I deserve a holiday?

It doesn't matter that it's an Israeli salary,or an American,French,Russian salary,lol..just get a better job..it's that simple.

What's phony about spelling it Mazada instead of Masada? Mazada being closer to the hebrew name for the mountain as opposed to a Masada which if youre as genuine as you seem to claim, you now to be a very different type of place..