30th ANNUAL MISSION OF PRESIDENTS CONFERENCE TO ISRAEL:

SHARON, KATSAV, NETANYAHU, MOFAZ, SHALOM, OLMERT, PERES, YAALON, TO BRIEF
U.S. JEWISH LEADERS IN JERUSALEM

(JERUSALEM)-More than 100 leaders of the major American Jewish organizations
will convene for the 30th annual Conference of Presidents Leadership Mission
to Israel, February 18-22, at the Jerusalem Inbal Hotel. The assembly will
explore today's major security and political issues, including the roadmap,
security fence, Syrian track, Iran/Iraq, the international court hearings,
US-Israel relations and the PA while also delving into the economic and
social ramifications of each topic within the region.

"This is an especially significant time for the leadership of the American
Jewish community to come to Israel," said James Tisch, Chairman and Malcolm
Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations. "The United States prepares to host national
elections of historic proportion. Israel's government is in the midst of
assessing far-reaching policy decisions that will impact this and future
generations. Terrorism remains, new antidotes such as the anti-terror fence
have been created since our last official visit and momentous initiatives
including the 'Road Map' remain on the table. At such a time, it is
essential for our leaders to have a crystal clear understanding of the
dynamics at work. There is no better way to accomplish this than to see
realities with our own eyes and to hear the thinking of Israel's leaders
with our own ears."

Among the many officials and experts scheduled to confer with the Presidents
Conference are: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, President Moshe Katsav, Deputy
Prime Minister & Minister of Industry, Trade & Labor Ehud Olmert, Finance
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom, Labor Party leader Shimon Peres, Jerusalem
Mayor Uri Lupolianski, IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Moshe Yaalon, leading
strategic, academic, economic and security experts as well as US Ambassador
Daniel Kurtzer.

The sessions will consist of experts discussing disengagement, legislative
issues, new directions for Israel's economy, the international court
hearings in the Hague on the security fence, Israel's atomic energy,
US-Israel relations, the roadmap, the Islamic world and the West, new
regional assessments, Hizbullah, Anti Semitism and special security
briefings.

Leaders from the 53 member organizations of the Conference will arrive in
Israel direct from a historic visit of the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations to Morocco, at the invitation of His Majesty
King Mohammed VI (February 15-17, 2004). Among those the members of the
delegation met with were His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Religion, as well leaders and members
of the Jewish communities in Marrakesh, Casablanca and Rabat. Among the
goals of the visit are to foster cooperation with modern Muslim states and
closer ties with Israel, and to show solidarity with the Moroccan Jewish
community.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is the
central coordinating body representing 53 national Jewish organizations on
issues of national and international concern.