from Haaretz:

Ministry bans student Jewish Agency trips to U.S.

As of next month, elementary and high schools will no longer be allowed to send students and teachers on delegations outside Israel during the school year, the Education Ministry recently said.

The decision – which does not apply to trips to Poland and international competitions – is expected to affect the Partnership 2000 exchange program, in which dozens of delegations of Israeli pupils visit the United States through a cooperation between the Jewish Agency and various Jewish federations.

… Tel Aviv’s exchange program with Los Angeles plays a central role of the entire Partnership 2000 program. Since 1997, delegations from 19 Tel Aviv schools – seven of them elementary schools – have been sending delegations to Los Angeles.