I finally arrived in DC on Saturday for orientation, albeit a few hours late to finally meet the rest of our delegation.  The next morning we prepared with final workshops and briefs before taking to the skies.  After a short Metro trip and connecting flight to Altanta, we boarded our 777 bound non-stop for Tel Aviv, departing at 10:35PM and arriving at 5pm local time.... that's a ten-hour flight plus seven-hour time difference.  Cramped in a middle seat, I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. despite my best efforts to bore myself with the touch-screen in front of me.   Upon entry at Ben Gurion, one of our delegation was singled out for extra questioning and taken aside; we waited as a group for 3 hours before most of us loaded onto the bus for our hour-long ride  to Jerusalem, dinner and our hotel.  The rest who had stayed behind waiting at the airport, includinng two Jewish-Americans eventually arrived at 2am... having everyone finally reunited was a sight for sore eyes the next morning.