| | Tour Highlights | - Visit to the Better Place Visitors' Center
- Meet with Rabbi Edgar Nof at Congregation Or Hadash
- Program at Partnership Ma'a lot
- Kyaking on the Jordan River
- Activities at the Bat Yaar Ranch
- Jeep tour in the Birya forest
- Sound & Light Show at David's Citadel
- Meeting with a Holocaust expert
- Special program for kids at Yad Vashem
- Scavanger hunts in Jerusalem
- Biblical hospitality and a camel ride in the Judean Desert
- Particpate in an archaeological dig
- Tree planting in a JNF Forest
- Interaction with local Reform communities
- And much, much more…..
Tour Includes
- Flights to and from Tel Aviv as indicated in the air section of this program.
- 9 nights accommodation + late check out using the hotel plan selected
- Arrival & departure transfers (one per group)
- 15 meals: 9 Israeli buffet breakfasts, 1 lunch and 5 dinners
- 9 days of touring in a private motor coach featuring large panoramic windows, reclining seats and foot rests
- Friendly and professional English-speaking tour educator-guide in Israel
- All program and entrance fees
- Restaurant tipping in hotels included
- All hotel and airport portage included
- Tips to the driver and guide
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| DAY ONE: Sunday, June 24, 2012 DEPARTURE - Depart Los Angeles International Airport for Tel Aviv at 1:15pm onboard El Al Flight# 006.
Overnight: Flight DAY TWO: Monday, June 25, 2012 ARRIVAL AND WELCOME- 1:45p.m. Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport on El Al Airlines Flight #006.
- Welcome by our representative and assistance with arrival formalities.
- Drive through Tel Aviv, known as the “city that never sleeps” and pass by centers of culture and recreation such as the Habima Theater, sprawling beaches, Dizengoff Street and Rabin Square.
- Check into the hotel.
- Welcome dinner at Maganda, a Middle-eastern style restaurant with a Yemenite touch with a varied selection of salads and grilled meats, located in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Tel Aviv DAY THREE: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 INSPIRATION AND NEW BEGINNINGS IN TEL AVIV- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Visit the Old City of Jaffa and ascend from the ancient port through the renovated alleyways to the Jaffa Overlook for an introduction to Tel Aviv at the place where it all began.
- Visit to Independence Hall, site of David Ben Gurion's monumental proclamation of the State of Israel in May 1948. (pending confirmation)
- Lunch on your own en route.
- Visit the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian mall with its restored buildings and sidewalk artists, and continue onto the colorful Carmel open-air market and then to Shenkin, with its hip street cafes and eclectic shops, with lunch on own.
Option 1: - Visit the Rabin Museum, dedicated to presenting the life and achievements of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as set against the events of the country and world at the same time.
Option 2: - Visit the Ayalon Institute, near Rehovot, for an eye opening tour of a clandestine munitions factory used during the British Mandate.
All - Enjoy dinner on your own in Tel Aviv, at a choice of a wide array of restaurants from the Tel Aviv Port to Jaffa, and downtown Tel Aviv.
Overnight: Tel Aviv DAY FOUR: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 CONQURERS AND FRIENDS - Breakfast at the hotel.
- Check out of the hotel and drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel's most important cities during the Roman Period; visit the Herodian Theater and new excavations along the Mediterranean shore concluding with a visit to the 900-year-old crusader city built on the same site.
- Continue north to Haifa, Israel's major port city and visit with Rabbi Edgar Nof at Congregation Ohr Chadash (pending confirmation).
- Lunch on your own en route.
- Continue north to Ma'a lot, for hospitality with members of the congregation's sister community.
- Drive to the Upper Galilee to the kibbutz guesthouse and check in.
- Dinner at the guesthouse.
- Kibbutz Ideology and Israeli Reality in the 21st Century: meet with a kibbutz member for a discussion on the place of the kibbutz in modern Israeli society; separate games and activities for the kids.
Overnight: Kibbutz Guesthouse, Upper Galilee DAY FIVE: Thursday, June 28, 2012 SECURITY, SERENITY AND SPIRITUALITY IN THE NORTH- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Optional: Short hike along the Banias River at the base of the Golan Heights.
- Explore Israel's security situation on the Golan Heights while overlooking the Hula Valley from former Syrian fortifications. Cross the Golan Plateau to the border with Syria and observe the abandoned city of Kuneitra and the United Nations outpost located nearby.
- Visit Emek Habecha, the Valley of Tears, on the Eastern edge of the Golan Heights, site of one of Israel's fiercest battles during the Yom Kippur War.
- Enjoy Rafting or Kayaking on the Jordan River.
- Lunch on own en route.
- Explore Safed, a center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years, and a contemporary artists' colony, including:
- Guided visits to the Ari, Caro or Abuhav Synagogues with their great stories and mystical messages
- A stroll through the quaint Art Galleries
- A visit to the Safed Candle Factory
- Take a jeep tour through the Birya Forest surrounding Safed and then participate in activities such as rope climbing at the ranch.
- BBQ dinner at the Bat Ya'ar Ranch.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Kibbutz Guesthouse, Upper Galilee DAY SIX: Friday, June 29, 2012 DREAMING, SPLASHING AND SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Check out and depart.
- Visit the Kinneret Cemetery and hear about the dreams of the early Zionist pioneers.
- Swim in the warm waters and natural springs at the Gan Hashlosha Nature Reserve (Sachne) situated at the foot of Mt. Gilboa.
- Lunch on your own.
- Continue drive south though the Jordan Rift Valley and east through the Judean desert towards Jerusalem.
- Stop at Mount Scopus to say the traditional shehechiyanu blessing.
- Check into your hotel and time to prepare for Shabbat.
- Kabbalat Shabbat Service at Yemin Moshe overlooking the Old city.
- Shabbat Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem DAY SEVEN: Saturday, June 30, 2012 SHABBAT AND BNAI MITZVA IN JERUSALEM- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Special B'nai Mitzvah Shabbat Services at Dan Panorama Penthouse overlooking the Old City.
- Optional: Kiddush at Dan Panorama.
- Rest of the day at leisure with optional visits on own to:
- The Old City Ramparts for a walk along the ancient walls of the city.
- The Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem, for a walk through the city's history from the time of Abraham to the end of the British Mandate over Palestine.
- The renewed Israel Museum, one of the most creative and innovative museums in the world concluding with a visit to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Shrine of the Book and the Second Temple Period Model of Jerusalem.
- Ben Kodesh Lechol Havdallah overlooking the Old City.
- Israeli Society @ 2012: dialogue with scholar Paul Liptz of the Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew Union College.
- Walk to the Mamilla Pedestrian Arcade, a new and contemporary shopping area with a taste of the past, located outside the Jaffa Gate of the Old City, and dinner on own.
- The Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum - The walls of the Citadel serve as a stage for a night time show which is a celebration of sight and sound, depicting the story of Jerusalem.(pending confirmation)
Overnight: Jerusalem DAY EIGHT: Sunday, July 1, 2012 LAYERS OF JERUSALEM- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Guided visit through the City of David's new excavations, which have redefined the origins of Jerusalem; wade through the 2,600 year old Hezekiah's Water Tunnel in the Kidron Valley.
- Enter the Old City via the Dung Gate and stop first at the Kotel (Western Wall) and then visit the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, including a visit to the Davidson Center and the Southern Wall Excavations.
- Visit the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Western Wall alongside the Temple Mount.
- Lunch on your own in the Jewish Quarter.
- Walking tour through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, for guided visits to some of the sites excavated over the past 30 years, including:
- The Cardo, a Byzantine street that is now the world's oldest shopping arcade
- The Hurva Square, the central square of the Jewish Quarter.
- Return to the hotel.
- Enjoy dinner on your own in Jerusalem, at a choice of a wide array of restaurants.
Overnight: Jerusalem DAY NINE: Monday, July 2, 2012 MEMORY AND RENEWAL- Breakfast at the hotel.
- The Memory of the Holocaust in Contemporary Israeli Society: dialogue with Holocaust scholar, Dr. Rachel Korazim.
- Guided visit through the newly renovated Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, including:
- The Avenue of the Righteous
- The new Historical Museum
- The Children's Memorial
- A concluding Memorial Service
Option for children: - Visit Ein Yael, an active, live museum, located on a 2,000-year-old archaeological site, with a possibility of taking part in weaving, ceramics, painting and many other activities as performed in ancient times.
All - Lunch on your own at Yad Vashem.
- Visit the graves of Theodor Herzl and Yitzhak Rabin on Mt. Herzl, followed by a visit to the National Military Cemetery.
- LaDa'at Machaneh Yehuda - actively explore the colorful and ethnically rich Machaneh Yehuda Market of Jerusalem
- Return to the hotel.
- Enjoy dinner on your own.
Overnight: Jerusalem DAY TEN: Tuesday, July 3, 2012 INTO THE DESERT, MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA- Early breakfast at the hotel.
- Descend to the Dead Sea Basin and ascend the cable car path or climb to Masada, Herod's mountain palace and site of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman Legionnaires. Discuss Masada's role as a symbol of Jewish defence and its current significance in modern Israel.
- Short hike to Nahal David the freshwater spring at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, a lush oasis in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.
- Lunch on your own en route.
- Bathe in the relaxing and healthy sulphur springs at the Mineral Beach and float in the Dead Sea.
- Camel Ride through the desert in biblical-style.
- Return to Jerusalem.
- Stroll along the Ben Yehuda and Nachalat Shiva Pedestrian Malls, joining the many Israelis out on the town, with dinner on own.
Overnight: Jerusalem DAY ELEVEN: Wednesday, July 4, 2012 DIGGING FOR ROOTS WITHIN THE LAND- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive to the Beit Guvrin caves and take part in an active as you prepare to get your hands dirty uncovering pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2,300 years ago, followed by a crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth.
- Lunch on your own en route.
- Late check out from the hotel.
- Enjoy Dinner at Chakra - "food made with love" and a good atmosphere makes Chakra an entertaining place to have Dinner.(pending confirmation)
- Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for the flight to USA.
Overnight: Flight
DAY TWELVE: Thursday, July 5, 2012 DEPARTURE- Depart onboard El Al flight # 005 at 1:10 a.m
- Arrival in the Los Angeles at 5:35 a.m
| | | Need to Know | Group rates are per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 30 full paying participants per bus. Should the number of participants drop below the minimum listed above, we will adjust the cost of the trip to reflect the additional expense of operating the program. Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the tour guide/educator are included. Airport Taxes & Fuel Surcharges are estimated and subject to change at any time. Airport Taxes & Fuel Surcharges are not guaranteed unless the group air tickets have been issued. Group air tickets are issued approximately 35 days prior to departure. Group air tickets are only issued upon receipt of full payment from all of the trip participants. Air and land packages are open for registration until March 01, 2012 (based on availability), thereafter the tour will be available for land-only services. Cancellation of group air reservations after March 01, 2012 (and before the group flight tickets are issued) will entail a penalty of $100 per ticket. Hotel Accommodations: The tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering value. Although the level of the accommodations may differ slightly from hotel to hotel, we are committed to your comfort. Two-bed rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bed rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended when considering the comfort of those in the room. King-size beds are not available in most hotels; what is considered king-size usually consists of two single beds pushed together and made up separately, but with one headboard. Some two-bed rooms may have two twin - not full- or queen-size - beds. Meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Expedition Director / Tour Educator or Guide: All trips are conducted by our tour educators or local guides who remain with the group throughout the tour. Gratuities Included: All gratuities for restaurant staff are included. Luggage Responsibility: All tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person and one carry-on bag. Excess luggage will be subject to charge of up to $100 per piece. The Travel Agent and/or Tour Operator shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to the insurance company.
Not Included Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States. Please see Flights tab in the right-side toolbar. Personal Expenses: All personal expenses such as: laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls and postage are not included. Guide and Driver Gratuities: In keeping with normal standards in international tourism, we recommend the following for tipping: 10-19 passengers: Guide $10, driver $5 - per participant per day 20 passengers and more: Guide $8, driver $4 - per participant per day
Additional Information Airline Security Measures: In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket or you may be denied boarding. If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport. Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov to obtain more information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage items.Air Services: Once issued, tickets are non-refundable. Airline schedules and flights are subject to change without notice. We will not be responsible for penalties incurred for tickets, international or domestic, not issued by us due to schedule and/or flight changes. Airlines reserve the right to demand immediate issuance of tickets whenever they determine that specific flights are heavily booked even when normal ticketing rules do not require tickets to be issued until a later date. In this instance, we will require immediate and full payment of the airfare and airport taxes and fees as itemized on the invoice. This situation overrides invoice terms and conditions and payment due dates. If full payment is not received, seats will be cancelled by the airline and may not be available to be rebooked on the same flights or at the same airfare. Any replacement air arrangements and airfare will be the sole responsibility of the passenger. We suggest you contact your travel agent or the carrier several weeks prior to departure for seat assignments. Passengers are responsible to reconfirm their flights 72 hours prior to departure for all flights. Package is based on discount fares for group travel. Group members deviating from group dates will be charged a $75 deviation fee per person. Holidays and Museum Closures - Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed in the destinations being visited Photography During Tours: We will occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your tour.
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Important to Know - Land-only price does not include arrival/departure transfers unless otherwise indicated.
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