April 28, 2006

A story about a cluster of grapes

When people think of Israel, the first thought that comes into their heads is not usually that it is a land flowing with...wine. However, Israel is overflowing with surprises as there is always something new to discover in this fascinating country. Did you know that there are 200 wineries in Israel? Many produce wines on par with other regions of the world, and frequently win awards at international exhibitions.

There is a long history of wine flowing throughout Israel. The story begins with Moses who sent twelve spies across the river to explore the Promised Land. As the story is told, two of the spies returned with a cluster of grapes and those grapes yielded enough wine to last the people for their forty years wandering in the desert.

Israel used to offer only sweet, syrupy wine utilized primarily for ceremonial purposes. The wine culture dramatically changed after the 1970’s when experts discovered that the soil and climate of the newly-captured Golan Heights was ideal for cultivating grapes. Vines were planted, and in 1983 the first wines produced in the Golan Heights were released to the public. Some of the famous wineries that can be found throughout Israel are located in Rishon Lezion, Zichron Ya’acov, Castel and Tzora.

For your next trip to the Holy Land, don’t miss the chance to experience the best wine Israel has to offer, when customizing your next program, ask your ARZA World program specialist about incorporating a private visit to a boutique vineyard in Israel.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 03:01 PM

December 02, 2005

A virtual roller coaster ride, narrated by Fiddler on the Roof star, Chaim Topol

The Time Elevator experience is a ride through the 3000 year history of Jerusalem. A 30-minute, semi-virtual multimedia show illustrating the history of Jerusalem is presented in a former auditorium refitted with special chairs and a floor that provides special motion effects.

A great way to get a grip on the dizzying history of Jerusalem is to visit the Time Elevator, a virtual roller coaster ride, narrated by Fiddler on the Roof star, Chaim Topol. The performance is based on a 3000 year old man, who has lived in Jerusalem and experienced its history.

This is a fun introduction for children and those wanting a framework for further understanding Jerusalem's past.

ARZA World travelers can experience the Time elevator on their next visit to Israel.

ARZA World is committed to using a holistic approach to the educational experience. Our programs are designed thematically, combining educational and geographical considerations while in Israel. Introductory sessions, usually in the form of interactive programs, (discussions, workshops presentations) precede most topics of study, and site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes. To contact us about your next trip to Israel and the Jewish World call 888-811-2812 or email: groups@arzatravel.com.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)

September 12, 2005

The Kings City biblical theme park opens in Eilat!

After four years of construction, the much anticipated "Kings City" biblical theme park opened in Eilat this summer at an investment of USD 40 million, bringing a unique concept in family entertainment to Israel.

Built over a 40,000 square feet area on three levels, the park is designed in the setting of a king's palace and can handle 1,800 visitors per day. A spokesman for Kings City said that they expected approximately 500,000 people to pass through the new complex in its first year of operation.

The park is divided into four sections in what park management says will "convey to visitors an experience of a voyage in time through caves quarried in the rock, sailing through King Solomon's halls and an abundance of interactive experiences."

According to a park brochure, visitors will be able to view screenings of 3-D films in the "Voyage to the past" section, which will include elements in motion and active chairs, which take the visitor through a unique experience centered on the story of ancient Egypt and the era of Pharaohs.

"The cave of illusions" will include an interactive museum with 65 attractions such as giant labyrinths, a "crooked" room and "test yourself" games.

Visitors will reach the entrance to the "Biblical cave" via an elevator which descends 100 feet below the earth to a cave carved from rock, where they will be able to watch staged scenes from the Bible.

In the fourth section of the park, visitors will have opportunity to take a boat ride through "King Solomon's waterfalls", designed to recreate elements from King Solomon's era. According to many, the king used Eilat as a trade center. The 10-minute ride ends in an artificial lake reached through "a huge, exciting and thrilling water slide."

Entrance to Kings City costs USD 35 per adult and USD 25 per child.

The park is open from 9:00 a.m. till 1:00 a.m. everyday except for Friday when it closes for Shabbat. It reopens on Saturday night.

ARZA World travelers can experience the “Kings city” on their next visit to Israel.

ARZA World is committed to using a fun holistic approach to the educational experience. Our programs are designed thematically, combining educational and geographical considerations while in Israel. Introductory sessions, usually in the form of interactive
programs, (discussions, workshops presentations) precede most topics of study, and site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes.

To contact us about your next trip to Israel and the Jewish World call 888-811-2812 or email: groups@arzatravel.com.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2005

Interactive virtual Herodian Temple Mount is the star of Jerusalem's Archaeological Park

One of the highlights of the Jerusalem Archaeological Park's Ethan and Marla Davidson Center is a real time visual simulation model of the Herodian Temple Mount on display in the Center's interactive classroom.

This model was constructed for the Israel Antiquities Authority by Lisa M. Snyder of the Urban Simulation Team at UCLA following the reconstruction plan of Jerusalem Archaeological Park.

Real-time models are very different from the computer animations that are common today. Animations use a sequence of pre-determined and pre-rendered images and create the illusion of movement along a fixed path. This type of animation is very limited in terms of user interaction, comparable to a rented movie on video - you can play it, you can rewind it, and you can play it again, but little beyond that. In contrast, the individual frames of a real-time simulation model are rendered at the moment of interaction, allowing the user complete freedom to explore the modeled environment. This experience is roughly comparable to a military flight training simulation.

ARZA World travelers can experience the Ethan and Marla Davidson Center and the virtual exhibit on their next visit to Israel. ARZA World is committed to using a holistic approach to the educational experience.

Our programs are designed thematically and introductory sessions (discussions, workshops presentations) precede most topics of study. Site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 09:31 PM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2005

Train Tracks to Jerusalem

The Tower of David Museum presents "Train Tracks to Jerusalem", its new temporary exhibition that focuses on the historic train line from Jaffa to Jerusalem from the late 19th century.

The exhibition hall has been transformed into a train station, and the exhibition takes its visitors on to a station platform as if they too are waiting for a train. Outside in the courtyard, the archeological gardens have become the back drop to every train enthusiasts dream... a mini-park of model trains, big and small, that bridge the ancient stones of the Tower of David as well as a huge Model Train City that has non-stop trains running through it.For more information please visit: http://www.towerofdavid.org.il/eng/upload/tour/rexhib.html

ARZA World travelers can visit the Tower of David Museum on their next visit to Israel, and enjoy the majesty of the beautifully lit courtyard, the mini-park of model trains, the Model Train City, the exhibition “Train Tracks to Jerusalem” and the permanent exhibition of the 4000 years of history of Jerusalem.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2005

New Herzl Museum complex opens in Jerusalem

A new Herzl Museum complex was inaugurated in Jerusalem on May 19th. The new Herzl Museum complex includes a state of the art museum with the most modern audio-visual effects, and a Zionist learning center.

Among the artifacts on display are the desk on which Theodor Herzl wrote “The Jewish State” which was published in 1896 and documents from the First Zionist Congress held in Basel, Switzerland between August 29th and 31st 1897.

The inauguration of the Museum coincided with the Hebrew date of Herzl’s birth in Budapest on the 10th of Iyar in 1860, which was designated last year by the State of Israel as the official day for
commemorating Herzl, the visionary of an independent and sovereign Jewish National Home. The new Herzl Center is a project of the World Zionist Organization and is supported by the Jerusalem Foundation.

For further information contact: Monica Zelinger, Telephone: 011-972-6202330 E-mail: herzlcntr@jazo.org.il

Posted by ARZA World Team at 08:47 AM | Comments (0)