 | 13-Day Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tour of Israel |
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|  Get familiar
with Israel. From Tel
Aviv to Haifa, Jerusalem to Eilat, you'll experience history,
culture, tradition and modernity on your trip. Walk the streets of today's
cities and the ancient pathways of the past. See the changing geography and
topography of Israel - a small country that's big
on what to see and do. | | | | Tour Highlights | Trip Includes
- 11 nights
accommodation in selected hotels
- 1 night Tel
Aviv
- 2 nights
Galilee
- 1 night
Haifa
- 4 nights
Jerusalem
- 2 nights Eilat
- 1 night Tel Aviv
- Breakfast daily and 6
dinners
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony,
preparation and services at an additional cost of $950
per family
- Sightseeing per itinerary in
a modern air-conditioned motor coach with panoramic windows, reclining seats
and footrests
- Services of a friendly and
professional English-speaking Expedition Educator throughout the
trip
- Entrance fees per
itinerary
- All hotel and airport portage and
tipping included
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| DAY ONE:
Sunday
DEPARTUREOvernight: Flight
DAY TWO: Monday
ARRIVAL IN ISRAEL- Land in Israel. Welcome by our representative and
assistance with arrival formalities at Ben Gurion International Airport.
- Transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv,
known as the ‘city that never sleeps.'
- Check into your hotel.
- 6:30-6:45 p.m - Pick up from your hotel for
orientation and dinner in Tel Aviv with your tour educator.
- Visit the Jaffa Overlook for an
introduction to Tel Aviv at one of its important, historical reference points.
- Enjoy a Middle-Eastern style dinner with a Yemenite
touch at Maganda, serving a varied selection of salads and
grilled meats, located in Tel Aviv's Yemenite Quarter.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
DAY THREE: Tuesday
ALONG THE
COAST - Breakfast at your hotel.
- Check out and departure.
- Begin the day with an introduction and special visit
to Independence Hall, site of David Ben Gurion's monumental
proclamation of the State of Israel in December 1948.
- Stroll down Rothschild Boulevard, Tel
Aviv's Bauhaus architecture district that is recognized as a UNESCO World
Heritage site and led to Tel Aviv's other name, the ‘White City'.
- Visit the Nachalat Binyamin
pedestrian mall, with its restored buildings and sidewalk artists, and
continue onto the colorful Carmel Market and then to Sheinkin, a trendy Tel
Aviv shopping street.
- Lunch on your own.
- Depart Tel Aviv.
Guided visit to
Caesarea, one of ancient 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.Walk through the 2,000-year-old
underground water tunnels at Park Alona, which once brought
water to Caesarea (weather permitting, water shoes recommended)
or guided visit to Zichron Ya'acov, one of the first
communities established by the early Zionist pioneers, including a walk along
the colorful Pedestrian Mall or Wine tasting
at a local winery.Check into your kibbutz
guesthouse. Dinner at the
guesthouse.Overnight: Kibbutz guesthouse, Upper
Galilee
DAY FOUR: Wednesday
NATURE AND
SECURITY - Breakfast at your kibbutz guesthouse.
- Walk through the Tel Dan Nature
Reserve located on the largest tributary of the Jordan River and near
the biblical settlement of the tribe of Dan.
- Take a jeep tour climbing into the
Golan Heights, following in the footsteps of IDF soldiers and
their battles in the Six Day War, Enjoy the beautiful, natural scenery and
gain insight into the strategic complexity of the Golan, followed by a tour of
the Golan Heights.
- Cross the Golan Plateau to the border
with Syria and observe the abandoned city of Kuneitra and the United Nations
outpost located nearby.
- Lunch on your own.
- Enjoy rafting or
kayaking on the Jordan River (weather permitting, water shoes
recommended) or visit the Hula Nature
Reserve and the Ophoria Interactive Experience, connecting birds,
water and the Zionist endeavor.
- Da'at
Encounter: Dialogue with a kibbutz member.
- Return to your kibbutz for dinner at the
guesthouse.
Overnight: Kibbutz guesthouse, Upper Galilee
DAY FIVE: Thursday
THE GALILEE AND THE
CARMEL - Breakfast at your kibbutz guesthouse.
- Check out and departure.
- Explore Safed, ancient and modern
center of Jewish mysticism, and the city's contemporary artists' colony,
including guided visits to: The Ari, Caro or
Abuhav synagogues with their great stories and mystical
messages, followed by a shopping stroll through the quaint artists' colony and
galleries.
- Drive north to Rosh Hanikra, a
collection of rock grottoes at the very northern tip of Israel. Rosh Hanikra
was created when the strong Mediterranean waters carved subterranean tunnels
out of the soft limestone rock, creating beautiful caves and formations.
- Lunch on your own.
- Visit Acre (Akko), a UNESCO Heritage
Site with history ranging from the Crusader period into modern times. The tour
includes guided visits to the newly renovated Crusader city, Jezzar
Pasha Mosque, one of the most important mosques of Israel's Muslim
community, and the Ottoman Fortifications around the city.
- Da'at Encounter:Visit a Druze village in the
Carmel Mountains for a window into the unique world of the Israeli Druze
community, including dinner at a Druze home.
- Drive to Haifa and check into your hotel.
- Evening at leisure.
Overnight: Haifa
DAY SIX: Friday
THE LAYERS OF
JERUSALEM - Breakfast at your hotel.
- Check out and departure.
- Stand on top of Mount Carmel for a scenic overlook of
the Haifa Bay and Bahai Gardens and Shrine,
one of the holiest sites of the Bahai religion.
- Drive to Jerusalem via the
Trans-Israel Highway for a close up view of the ‘Security Barrier' along the
seam line between Israel and the Palestinian territories.
- Upon entering Jerusalem stop to recite the
‘shehechiyanu' blessing, traditionally recited upon entering
Jerusalem, followed by an introduction to the city.
- Guided visit through the Old City of Jerusalem,
travelling through 3,000 years of Jewish life.
- Experience the sites, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem
while walking through the Machaneh Yehuda market, with lunch
on your own.
- Check into your hotel.
- Optional Kabbalat Shabbat services at
local synagogues in Jerusalem, on your own.
- Festive Shabbat dinner.
Overnight: Jerusalem
DAY SEVEN: Saturday
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM (NO
GUIDE)- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Shabbat services with a bar/bat mitzvah ceremony overlooking the
Old City.
- Lunch on your own.
- Enjoy dinner on your own in
Jerusalem, at a choice of a wide array of restaurants.
Overnight: Jerusalem
DAY EIGHT: Sunday
HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY
JERUSALEM- Da'at Fitness Walkabout
Jerusalem: Integrate Wellness and fitness into your trip experience with your
athletic trainer in Liberty Bell Park.
- Early breakfast at your hotel.
- Guided visit through the newly renovated Yad
Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to the
six million
Jews who perished in the Holocaust, including the new Historical Museum, the
Children's Memorial, and a memorial service. - Lunch on your own.
- Return to the Old City and experience the special
energy at the Western Wall (the Kotel), followed by a visit
to the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Western Wall
alongside the Temple Mount.
- Guided visit through the City of David's new
excavations, which have redefined the origins of Jerusalem and wade through
the 2,600-year-old Hezekiah's Water Tunnel in the Kidron Valley (depending on
weather conditions. Water shoes recommended).
- Da'at
Encounter: Israeli Society @ 2011 Dialogue with a
scholar.
- Enjoy dinner at Olive & Fish, a
meat and fish restaurant, located across from the Liberty Bell
Gardens.
Overnight: Jerusalem
DAY
NINE: Monday
JEWISH STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL - Early breakfast at your hotel.
- Descend below sea level to the Dead
Sea Basin.
- Camel ride through the desert in
biblical style.
- Ascend the cable car to Masada,
Herod's mountaintop fortress and site of the Jewish Zealots' last stand
against the Roman Legionnaires. Discuss Masada's role as a symbol of Jewish
defense and its current significance for modern Israel.
- Lunch on your own.
- Experience the weightlessness of the Dead Sea as you
float in its saline waters.
- Return to Jerusalem.
- Enjoy dinner on your own in Jerusalem, at a choice of
local restaurants.
Overnight: Jerusalem
DAY TEN: Tuesday
DIGGING FOR ROOTS
- Breakfast at your hotel.
- Check out of the hotel.
- Da'at Encounter: Tzedek Project Visit
to meet children from Save A Child's Heart, an Israeli-based, international humanitarian project providing
life-saving heart surgeries and follow-up care for children from around the
world. (Gifts of art supplies and small treats are always appreciated.)
- Visit the Ayalon Institute, near
Rehovot, for an eye opening tour of a clandestine munitions factory used
during the British Mandate.
- Lunch on your own.
- Take part in an active dig at the Beit Guvrin
Caves, south of Beit Shemesh and prepare to get your hands dirty as
you uncover pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2,300 years ago, followed by
a crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth.
Transfer to domestic airport.
Depart on a domestic flight to Eilat
(commuter plane). Arrive in Eilat and transfer to your hotel. Check into the hotel. Enjoy free evening and dinner on your own in
Eilat.Overnight: Eilat
DAY ELEVEN: Wednesday
THE WONDERS OF THE
RED SEA - Breakfast at your hotel.
- Day at leisure in Eilat with the following possible
activities:
- Guided tour of the 1,800-year-old Nabatean city of
Petra, recognized as one of the Ten Wonders of the World,
including lunch (advance purchase required).
- Visit the Eilat Underwater
Observatory on your own and experience the wonders and mysteries of
the world beneath the Red Sea.
- Have some fun with optional water
sports, swimming with the dolphins; Red Sea cruise or rest and
relaxation.
- Dinner on your own and evening at
leisure.
Overnight: Eilat
DAY TWELVE: Thursday
EILAT TO TEL
AVIV - Breakfast at your hotel.
- Morning at leisure in Eilat.
- Check out and departure.
- Transfer from your hotel to the Eilat Airport.
- Check in and depart for domestic flight to Tel
Aviv.
- Transfer and check-in to your hotel in Tel Aviv.
- Free evening and dinner on your own in Tel
Aviv.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
DAY THIRTEEN: Friday
RETURN TO THE U.S.
- Breakfast at your hotel.
- Check out and departure.
- Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport for your
flight to the U.S. (arrival on the same day).
| | Need to Know | - 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 Expedition Educator are included.
- 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 Educator: All
trips are conducted by our Expedition Educators or local guides who remain
with the group throughout the tour.
- Gratuities Included: All
gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff.
- 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 your
insurance company.
The Bar/Bat Ceremony will take
place in Jerusalem (please note that the Southern Wall is closed on Saturday).
The Bar/Bat ceremony is an experience which is shared by all the families who
are participating on the trip. Once you have signed up for the trip, we will
put you in touch with a Rabbi who will contact you about the details of the
actual ceremony.
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:
- 4 seater -
$70 (i.e. 2 pax) - per day
- 7 seater - $90
(i.e. 3-5 pax) - per day
- 10 seater - $110
(i.e. 5-7 pax) - per day
- 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.
- 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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| |  | View MapAccommodations- 13 Day B/M - Bronze
 | Day 2: Prima Tel Aviv HotelTel Aviv The Prima Hotel is only a few minutes away from Tel Aviv beach, night clubs,
the famous Tel Aviv boardwalk, historical sites and the old city of
Jaffa.
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| |  | Day 3 - 4: Hagoshrim Kibbutz HotelKibbutz Hagoshrim The Hagoshrim Kibbutz Hotel is situated in the center of the Galilee, with
views of Mount Hermon. Located in a pastoral landscape, it offers comfortable
accommodations and facilities as well as an array of nearby
activities.
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| |  | Day 5: Dan PanoramaHaifa Haifa's Dan Panorama Hotel rises twenty-one stories high above Mount Carmel
Bay and Israel's beautiful Mediterranean coastline, and is a short walk from the
nearby entertainment venues and sightseeing areas.
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| |  | Day 6 - 9: Prima Royale HotelJerusalem The Prima Royale Hotel is centrally located in
Jerusalem's Talbieh district and within walking
distance to all the tourist attractions of the
ancient and modern city.
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| |  | Day 10 - 11: Dan PanoramaEilat Eilat's Dan Panorama Hotel overlooks the city's lovely lagoon, and is just
a few minutes walk from the beach and the clear waters of the Red Sea. It is
ideally located for a vacation that blends sun and fun with Eilat's spectacular
natural attractions.
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| | | Day 12: Prima Tel Aviv HotelTel Aviv The Prima Hotel is only a few minutes away from Tel Aviv beach, night clubs,
the famous Tel Aviv boardwalk, historical sites and the old city of
Jaffa.
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| |
- 13 Day B/M - Silver
 | Day 2: Dan PanoramaTel Aviv Ideally located on Tel Aviv's lively seafront, the Tel Aviv Dan Panorama has
a pool and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean are just across the
road. |
| | | Day 3 - 4: Hagoshrim Kibbutz HotelKibbutz Hagoshrim The Hagoshrim Kibbutz Hotel is situated in the center of the Galilee, with
views of Mount Hermon. Located in a pastoral landscape, it offers comfortable
accommodations and facilities as well as an array of nearby
activities.
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| | | Day 5: Dan PanoramaHaifa Haifa's Dan Panorama Hotel rises twenty-one stories high above Mount Carmel
Bay and Israel's beautiful Mediterranean coastline, and is a short walk from the
nearby entertainment venues and sightseeing areas.
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| |  | Day 6 - 9: Dan PanoramaJerusalem The Jerusalem Dan Panorama is centrally located in the city, within easy
reach of modern Jerusalem's lively downtown, theaters, shopping and eateries,
while still within walking distance of the Old City and other historic
sites.
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| | | Day 10 - 11: Dan PanoramaEilat Eilat's Dan Panorama Hotel overlooks the city's lovely lagoon, and is just
a few minutes walk from the beach and the clear waters of the Red Sea. It is
ideally located for a vacation that blends sun and fun with Eilat's spectacular
natural attractions.
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| | | Day 12: Dan PanoramaTel Aviv Ideally located on Tel Aviv's lively seafront, the Tel Aviv Dan Panorama has
a pool and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean are just across the
road. |
| |
- 13 Day B/M - Gold
 | Day 2: CarltonTel Aviv Tel Aviv's Carlton Hotel is for tourists who want to fully experience the
dynamic city of Tel Aviv. Centrally located in the heart of the city, and a
short walk from the city's expansive Mediterranean beaches, many of its
guestrooms offer a gorgeous view of the sea. |
| |  | Day 3 - 4: Pastoral HotelKibbutz Kfar Blum Kfar Blum's Pastoral Guesthouse is a comfortable, tranquil hotel located
in the Upper Galilee and close to the sites of Mount Hermon, the Golan Heights,
the nature reserves of the Hula Valley and other attractions of the
north. |
| |  | Day 5: Dan CarmelHaifa The Dan
Carmel Hotel is perched on Mount Carmel with breathtaking views of Haifa Bay and the Mediterranean coastline. The hotel is situated on Haifa's beautiful
hilltop promenade, just a short walk from the
many entertainment venues of the Carmel
neighborhood.
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| |  | Day 6 - 9: InbalJerusalem The deluxe Inbal Jerusalem Hotel provides its guests with the most luxurious
facilities, pampering services and discerning cuisine. Overlooking Jerusalem's
Liberty Bell Park, on the corner of King David Street, the Inbal's 283 rooms and
suites are within easy walking distance of the city's main cultural venues and
the Old City. |
| |  | Day 6 - 9: Mamilla HotelJerusalem Located in the remarkable position in the city centre with breath-taking views of the Old City walls, and alongside Alrov Mamila Avenue, the hotel brings world-class lifestyle hospitality. Mamila Hotel offers modern international style with the unique and vibrant culture of Jerusalem. |
| |  | Day 10 - 11: Hilton Queen of ShebaEilat The Hilton Eilat Queen of Sheba hotel is in the middle of it all, with a
seafront pool, spa and adjoining shopping mall. Just a five-minute drive from
Eilat Airport and a two-minute walk to the beach, prepare to unwind at the Queen
of Sheba.
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| | | Day 12: CarltonTel Aviv Tel Aviv's Carlton Hotel is for tourists who want to fully experience the
dynamic city of Tel Aviv. Centrally located in the heart of the city, and a
short walk from the city's expansive Mediterranean beaches, many of its
guestrooms offer a gorgeous view of the sea. |
| |
- 13 Day B/M - Platinum
 | Day 2: Dan Tel AvivTel Aviv The Dan Tel Aviv on Tel Aviv's lively seafront promenade offers luxurious
accommodations overlooking the soft sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and easy
access to leisure venues.
|
| | | Day 3 - 4: Pastoral HotelKibbutz Kfar Blum Kfar Blum's Pastoral Guesthouse is a comfortable, tranquil hotel located
in the Upper Galilee and close to the sites of Mount Hermon, the Golan Heights,
the nature reserves of the Hula Valley and other attractions of the
north. |
| | | Day 5: Dan CarmelHaifa The Dan
Carmel Hotel is perched on Mount Carmel with breathtaking views of Haifa Bay and the Mediterranean coastline. The hotel is situated on Haifa's beautiful
hilltop promenade, just a short walk from the
many entertainment venues of the Carmel
neighborhood.
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| |  | Day 6 - 9: King David HotelJerusalem The King David Hotel Jerusalem is Israel's majestic landmark hotel,
steepedin history and the preferred choice of world leaders and celebrities
alike. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, the King David is superbly
located, withinwalking distance from the historic sites ofthe Old City, and
modern Jerusalem's lively center.
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| |  | Day 6 - 9: David CitadelJerusalem Located in Western Jerusalem on
the prestigious King David Street, this Jerusalem hotel faces the ancient walls
of the Old City. With modern decor, 384 sumptuous suites and guestrooms with
state of the art communication facilities, fine restaurants and a wide range of
amenities for its discerning guests.
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| |  | Day 10 - 11: Dan EilatEilat The magnificent Dan Eilat is a self-contained
vacation paradise, located on Eilat's striking Red Sea beachfront, with modern
architecture, a fabulous pool complex,
excellent cuisine and the highest standards of
service.
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| | | Day 12: Dan Tel AvivTel Aviv The Dan Tel Aviv on Tel Aviv's lively seafront promenade offers luxurious
accommodations overlooking the soft sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and easy
access to leisure venues.
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