Onorato in Israel
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 4:20PM 
We just learned that Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, a declared Democratic candidate for governor next year, is making his first trip to Israel.
Onorato, and the rest the mission he's on, arrived in the Jewish state on Sunday, Nov. 8. They are visiting sites of Jewish and Christian interest, including Karmiel and Misgav — Pittsburgh sister communities there. They will return home on Saturday.
With Onorato on the trip are his wife, Shelly, United Jewish Federation Chair Billy Rudolph, Giant Eagle Chairman David Shapira and Pittsburgh attorney Jeff Letwin, who is playing an active role in Onorato's campaign. Letwin and Cindy Shapira made arrangements for the mission.
In a brief phone call from Israel Wednesday, Letwin told us that Onorato is not traveling in his official capacity as county executive, and that no county business is planned during the trip.
We'll have more on Onorato's trip in next week's Chronicle.