1. What will we do?
2. How much will this cost?
3. How will rooms be assigned?
4. What if I want to extend my trip?
5. What should I wear?
6. What should I bring?
7. How much spending money should I bring?
8. What are the expectations of me when I get home?
9. What info will I get before the trip?
10. How many people are you expecting?
11. Should I invite my friends to join us? What if they’re already in DC?
12. Who is going to the reception?
13. Who will we be meeting with?
14. Can I attend the advocacy day, but not the learning day?
15. Are men welcome to attend?

1. What will we do?

A review of our tentative schedule is below. Please note that this schedule may change slightly as we get closer to February 28!  You can find a more detailed tentative schedule here.

February 28: Travel Day

Arrive, get settled in, pick-up your welcome packet and rest up – it’s a long day of learning tomorrow!

February 29: Learning Day

At Hotel Monaco:

• Breakfast and Introductions
• Policy Briefings on Sudan, Congo and Women in Conflict Zones: Learn from experts in the field about the latest policies that can help bring a just and sustainable peace to Sudan and Congo and greater safety to women in conflict zones all over the world.
• Advocacy Training: Learn how to approach lawmakers and build support for effective policy. We’ll introduce you to your advocacy team, train you on the finer policy points and prepare for our meetings on the Hill the next morning.

On Capitol Hill:

• Hill Reception, Rayburn House Office Building: Meet and mingle with legislators, policy officials and Sudan and Congo diaspora community representatives at our JWW reception inside the House of Representatives building.

March 1: Advocacy Day

• Meetings with Members of Congress and other policymakers on Capitol Hill.
• Special Briefings at White House and USAID: Get the latest inside information on the situations in Congo and Sudan from White House officials, National Security Council staff and USAID – the organization through which much of our foreign aid is delivered. Briefings will be held on-site at the White House and USAID.

2. How much will this cost?

The registration fees are as follows:

• Put yourself up:  $400 registration fee if you want to join the effort and don’t need to stay in the hotel. You’ll get everything included in the package outlined below, but you’ll need to meet us at the Hotel Monaco each morning.
• Share a room at the Hotel Monaco:  $800 includes registration and hotel if  you’re OK sharing a room (with two double beds) in a landmark, boutique hotel in Washington’s busy Penn Quarter, where our activities will be headquartered.
• Get your own room at the Hotel Monaco:   $1200 includes registration and a hotel room of your very own.

Registration includes:

• Hotel for 2/28, 2/29
• Breakfast and lunch on 2/29
• Light breakfast on 3/1
• Capitol Hill Reception
• All training, meetings and transportation to events

You’ll need to cover:

• Airfare / Transportation to and from airport
• Dinner on 2/28 and 2/29
• Lunch in-between meetings on 3/1

There is no “couples rate.”  If you are sharing a room with your spouse, you will pay $1600 cumulatively, each individual paying the $800 “share a room” rate.

When you sign up on Eventbrite, you will pay a deposit of $25 for the “Put yourself up” option or $100 for the room options. Full registration is due on Wednesday, February 1. Please send a check made out to “Jewish World Watch” to 5551 Balboa Blvd, Encino CA 91316. Make sure to note that it is for your DC registration.

3. How will rooms be assigned?

If you have a preference, that will be taken into consideration.  Otherwise, once all of our registrations are in, we will assign rooms according to which package you have chosen.

4. What if I want to extend my trip?

We will give you our contacts at the Hotel Monaco, but we will not be able to facilitate the extension of your stay on your behalf.

5. What should I wear?

Feel free to dress comfortably for our learning day. Business attire is appropriate for our Hill meetings and reception.  It will be the height of winter in DC, so make sure to bring layers!

6. What should I bring?

We will provide you with all the material and training necessary for the program and meetings, though we do ask you bring your orientation packet (which will be sent to you approximately two weeks prior to the DC mission).

7. How much spending money should I bring?

You will have to cover travel to and from the hotel, dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, lunch Thursday afternoon, and any incidental expenses.  We expect this to add up to approximately $200 (though that includes many variables, so don’t hold us to it!).

8. What are the expectations of me when I get home?

This trip should be seen as the beginning of your advocacy work.  Following the trip, we will have a debrief conference call with the larger JWW community to report on our meetings.  In the weeks and months following, we hope you will return to your individual communities and pass on the training you received in DC.  You will become a resource for your community’s advocacy work.  Arranging an in-district meeting with your representative would be especially strong follow-up and something that we will work with you to accomplish.  We will always be happy to inform your future endeavors.

9. What info will I get before the trip?

You will receive an Orientation Packet approximately two weeks before the DC mission with background reading on Sudan and Congo, a schedule of activities, and some preliminary information on advocacy work.  You can check back here as well, as we will continue to update this site with additional information as we confirm details of the trip.

10. How many people are you expecting?

We expect 25-50 people to join us for this mission.

11. Should I invite my friends to join us? What if they’re already in DC?

You are welcome to extend as many invitations as you can, to both local and non-local interested participants!  We operate on a first-come, first serve basis, so they should sign up as soon as possible.

12. Who is going to the reception?

We are in the process of creating a guest list.  You are welcome to invite guests!

13. Who will we be meeting with?

We are in the process of confirming meetings with members of Congress and other policy makers on Capitol Hill, as well as briefings with representatives from the government, partner organizations and the diaspora community.  We will update this page as confirmations come in.

14. Can I attend the advocacy day, but not the learning day?

No.   Everyone must participate in the learning day in order to go into our meetings prepared and informed. If, however, you are unavailable March 1, you are still welcome to join just our learning day.  The registration fee will still be required.

15. Are men welcome to attend?

Absolutely! We already have a handful of men signed-up to join us.