Itinerary
First, A Quick Look at Where we Will be Staying
JERUSALEM - Friday, 03 November to Tuesday, 07 November: The Inbal Hotel (Deluxe New City rooms)
GALIL- Tuesday, 07 November to Thursday, 09 November: Pastoral Hotel, Kfar Blum (Classic rooms)
TEL AVIV - Thursday, 09 November to Sunday, 12 November: Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv Beach (Deluxe rooms)
MITZPE RAMON - 12 November to 14 November: Hotel Beresheet (Beresheet rooms)
We Begin our Adventure...
FRIDAY, 03 NOVEMBER
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upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. Our opening activity takes us to the spectacular outlook over Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade, the place from which Avraham first gazed at Jerusalem on his way to the Akeda. Begin to understand the complexities of pre-1967 vs post 1967 as they are reflected on the ground in Jerusalem.
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Then, off to the Inbal Hotel to settle in and prepare for Shabbat. We'll welcome Shabbat together at the Ezrat Yisrael egalitarian section of the Western Wall, then join the throngs in song and dance in the main plaza of the Kotel. Then back to the hotel for a festive dinner with our kehilla kedosha (our holy community). The rest of the evening is on our own.
Jerusalem of Gold
Jerusalem of Old... and New
SATURDAY, 04 NOVEMBER
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Shabbat in Jerusalem
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Breakfast at the hotel; the hotel buffet breakfast is open late today to accommodate people returning from services
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The morning is free to explore as you would like. Experience one of the many Shabbat services within a few minutes of our hotel, including Shira Chadasha, an amazing progressive modern Orthodox shul, for a spiritual and unique Shabbat in our ancestral -and modern- capital. Also open for your individual exploration on Saturday morning are the Israel Museum and the David Citadel Museum, both of which are open and very worthwhile places to visit
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We'll meet Peter in the afternoon for a walk through Yemin Moshe and Teddy Park to the Jaffa Gate and the Old City.
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Havdallah and, weather permitting, the laser light spectacular on the walls of the Old City
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Free time to grab a bite and explore Jerusalem's nightlife on Ben Yehudah Street, Emek Rafaim, or the New Station, all within a few minutes' walk from our hotel
SUNDAY, 05 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Explore the Old City of Jerusalem and its history which spans almost 5,000 years. Highlights will include a special site tour with the UJA to Ir David (the City David) and the recently opened excavations along the Western Wall
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At Aish HaTorah, we'll get a rooftop view of the kotel
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Explore the Jewish Quarter of the Old City where the past meets the future in the excavations and renewal since 1967
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​A visit to a community sports center built by the Jerusalem Foundation in Beit Hanina, a large Arab neighborhood in north-east Jerusalem
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OurCrowd (a crowd-sourced venture capital firm) will host us in their offices and a senior staff member will lead us in a discussion of the Israeli tech ecosystem and OurCrowd's activities
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Free evening for dinner and to further explore Jerusalem's nightlife
MONDAY, 06 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel with an early 8AM departure
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We begin the day with a visit to the Knesset, Israel's Parliament
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Visit to Ulpan Etzion, a new immigrant absorption center to hear their personal stories and see how they begin the process of becoming Israeli
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Lunch: An interactive food tasting journey through Machane Yehuda, the bustling outdoor market
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We will visit Yad Vashem, Israel's national memorial to the Holocaust. Alternative program to be determined
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Free evening for dinner and to explore Jerusalem's nightlife. Option to experience Machane Yehuda's nighttime transformation into trendy bars and cafes
TUESDAY, 07 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
THE DEAD SEA REGION​
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TUESDAY, 07 NOVEMBER, continued
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We will depart Jerusalem for the Dead Sea region and a visit to the World Heritage site of Masada. Ascending to the summit by cable car, we'll attempt to understand the issues that drove the Great Revolt against Rome in 66 - 70 CE and their impact on contemporary Jewish life in the 21st century. For those who have been before, visit the new museum in the Visitors Center at the foot of the mountain, where many of the artifacts are on display
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We'll continue north along the Jordan Valley to the Galil Region
THE GALIL & GOLAN
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Touring will include a visit to Old Gesher, the location of bridges over the Jordan River in ancient as well as in more modern times, and the attempts in the 1930s of an Israeli engineer to harness the electric power potential of the Jordan River for the benefit of both Jordan and Israel
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Arrival at the Pastoral Hotel in Kfar Blum
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Dinner á la carte at the Dag Al HaDan restaurant along the rushing headwaters of the Jordan River
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Overnight at the Pastoral Hotel
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WEDNESDAY, 08 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Ascend the Golan Heights to learn about the history of the region and the impact of its conquest by the IDF in the Six Day War of June 1967. Lookouts from Mt. Bental into Syria and Mitzpe Gadot, overlooking the Hula Valley and add to our understanding and appreciation of the issues. We'll get a view into the world of the IDF elite unit training through some leadership and team building activities and challenges (nothing too physically demanding, don't worry!)
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The Golan is dotted with boutique winery. We will visit one of them for tastes of award-winning wines that are being produced here today. One possibility is to head to Kibbutz Ein Zivan on the Syrian border for one of two options: o Chocolate Lovers Option: De Karina Boutique Chocolate Factory o Wine Lovers’ Option: Wine tasting at the Bahat Winery
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Outlook over Syria from Tel Saki bunkers, site of a heroic battle and one of the most dramatic stories from the Yom Kippur War of 1973 with Reserve Officer, Yaakov Selevan
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Continue to nearby Ramat Magshimim to meet with Eyal Dror who oversaw the remarkable project to provide medical care to Syrian citizens during the Syrian civil war. Eyal will also share insights into the political complexities of Israel’s relationship with our northern neighbor. This program can take place in late afternoon or twilight
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Dinner
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Overnight: Pastoral Hotel, Kfar Blum
HAIFA
THURSDAY, 09 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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We will travel to Haifa to see some of the sights in Israel's third largest city on the way to Tel Aviv
TEL AVIV
Herzl's Vision Realized
THURSDAY, 09 NOVEMBER, continued
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Traveling south, we will make. our way to Caesarea, where we will see the excavated amphitheater constructed during the Roman Empire.
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We'll visit a museum at Kibbutz Ein Harod
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Experience Tel Aviv – Israel's contemporary, cosmopolitan city! We will be visiting a Tel Aviv start-up to experience, first-hand, the tremendous impact that technology and innovation are having on Israel and the world
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Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Tel Aviv
FRIDAY, 10 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Visit the newly uncovered Lod Mosaic and then explore an unusual glimpse of the city of Ramla, underground
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Back to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat
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Experience a popular liberal cong'regation's Kabbalat Shabbat at Tel Aviv's Bet Tefillah HaYisraeli or The Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv-Jaffa 62 Bnei Dan St.
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Shabbat dinner together at the hotel
SATURDAY - SHABBAT, 11 NOVEMBER
Breakfast at the hotel
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Torah study at the hotel with an educator from BINA. BINA "...is an Israeli-born movement at the intersection of Jewish education and social activism. BINA works to advance democracy, pluralism, and justice in Israel and the Jewish world through limud (study), ma'ase (action) and kehilla (community), emphasizing Jewish culture and values of tikkun olam (www.bina.org.il/en)
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Afternoon walk in Tel Aviv
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Free evening to explore Tel Aviv or Jaffa
The Visions of 2 Prime Ministers
SUNDAY, 12 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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We begin with a visit to the Peres Peace Center in Tel Aviv-Jaffa where we'll discover the incredible story of Israel, the Innovation Nation, through a fascinating journey inspired by President Shimon Peres' vision for peace (www.peres-center.org/en/)
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Continue to Mitzpe Ramon in the heart of the Negev Desert, the area that David Ben Gurion believed was vital for the future of the new nation. But did Ben Gurion also envision wineries?!
MITZPE RAMON
SUNDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, continued
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Arrival and dinner at the Beresheet Hotel, in Mitzpe Ramon
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Mitzpe Ramon is the capital of star-gazing in Israel because of its clean air and low light pollution. Take a walk along the Albert Promenade and watch the night sky at the perfect time of the month - a new moon, signaling the start of Kislev!
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Overnight at the Beresheet
MONDAY, 13 NOVEMBER
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Today's activities will include a jeep ride into the crater and a tour of the Ramon Visitor's Center, which includes the moving story of Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who perished in the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy in 2003. Option to rappel into the canyon, not included in package price
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An old industrial area has been transformed into a funky artist colony with galleries, eateries, a delicious bakery, clothing factory and second-hand clothing store, among other artistic and musical delights. We’ll have the opportunity to enjoy its easy-going, bohemian vibe
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Dinner together at the hotel
TUESDAY, 14 NOVEMBER​
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Departure from Mitzpe Ramon. We will tentatively stop in Sde Boker, as we head north, to visit the retirement home of David Ben Gurion and his wife, Paula. We'll visit their home, now a small museum, and spend some contemplative time at their tomb which overlooks the magnificent Zin Valley. We'll take a leisurely walk through the park that is filled with beautiful flora and wildlife back to our bus. Expect to see some ibex along the way!
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As we head north, we hope to visit a winery, either at Sde Boker or elsewhere along the way. We might stop at Ein Avdat, a beautiful park that is easily navigated by all of us
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Heading toward the airport, we will stop for a final group dinner
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Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for flights to the US with arrival Wednesday morning, 15 November
