Team members from the 2012 trip meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Heroes to Heroes: A lifeline now... and for the future
 
Heroes To Heroes Journeys to Israel gives American disabled veterans the experience of a lifetime and is designed to educate, motivate, stimulate discussion and bonding with peers, and be a springboard for emotional and spiritual healing both during and after the experience.

The purpose of the trip is to have participants motivate, inspire, teach and support one another as they are exposed to different perspectives, veteran's services and the sights and sounds of the Holy Land. The trips are secular and veterans from all services and all backgrounds are welcome to apply.  


The following are the five areas that will be explored during each journey:

 
1. Education on living with terrorism and understanding how important the fight is to keep terrorism from our borders. 
 
2. Exploration of holy sites, whether Christian or Jewish, and the opportunity to experience religion and find spirituality where it all began.
 
3. Visitation of Israeli facilities available to disabled veterans as well as learning from Israeli activist veterans how they were able to turn their dreams into reality.
 
4. Meetings with disabled Israeli veterans who have become business leaders. Our veterans will get advice on turning their military service skills into marketable private sector experience.

5. Forging relationships with their American and Israeli peers - creating a new unit that is built on support and post-war experiences.

Michelle and Kim
Team members Michelle and Kim, with her service dog Toby, from the 2011 trip.

Alumni Programs and Events

Upon their return home, Heroes To Heroes will encourage alumni to stay in touch and continue to support one another.

Online Blogs and Discussions: Upon each trip's return, alumni will be given access to alumni-only blogs and discussions. This is a peer-to-peer support system that is not meant to replace professional help that may be needed. Keeping groups intact and expanding them to include others who have had similar experiences will give our disabled veterans connections to many others who can be there for them. This international support group can help them with their emotional and spiritual needs. This group may also be a forum to provide information on medical advances and various programs both in the United States and Israel that can be beneficial to all involved.

Alumni Events: A minimum of every two years Heroes to Heroes will host an alumni reunion. These reunions will include the Israeli alumni. The reunions will feature seminars underscoring their original experience as well as social events to reunite the individual ‘units'.

Alumni Ambassadors: Alumni will be chosen to represent Heroes To Heroes to various groups upon their return home. These groups will include but will not be limited to Veterans Groups, Churches, Civic Organizations, and schools. The Ambassadors will have the opportunity to represent Heroes To Heroes both online and offline.