Illinois Speaker of the House Chris Welch and his leadership team of 10 will leave for Israel and Palestine on Thursday. The delegation will be led by the Jewish United Fund, and it will make stops at religious and historic sites in the region.

The trip is aimed at gaining understanding about the complexities of the Middle East. Welch says it’s about building relationships abroad and to get a firsthand look at how Israel and Palestine approach some of the same issues we face in Illinois.

Daniel Goldwin, the Executive Director of Public Affairs for the JUF/Jewish Federation of Chicago says, “We hope that our meetings will result in increased cooperation and dialogue between Israelis and Illinoisians on issues important to both communities, including mental health, welcoming immigrants, and access to healthcare.”