Loading Page



 
Go

Temple Judea of Tarzana, CA

Program
 
Highlights
 
Need to Know
 
Register Now
 

Tour Highlights

  • Jeep tour in the Birya Forest
  • Security seminar on the Lebanese border and meet with IDF soldiers
  • Rafting on the Jordan River
  • Shabbat with a local Reform congregation
  • Biblical experience
  • B'nai mitzvah ceremony at Merkaz Shimshon/HUC overlooking the Old City
  • Meeting with a Holocaust expert
  • Archaeological dig
  • Participation in an social action (tikkun olam) project
  • And much, much more…..

 


 

Trip Includes


  • Flights to and from Tel Aviv as listed in the air section of this program.
  • 10 nights accommodation + late check out using selected hotels
  • Arrival & departure transfers (one per group)
  • 18 meals: 10 Israeli buffet breakfasts, 1 lunch and 7 dinners
  • 9 days of touring in a private motor coach featuring large panoramic windows, reclining seats and foot rests  + walking tour on Shabbat
  • Friendly and professional English-speaking tour educator-guide in Israel
  • All program and entrance fees
  • Restaurant tipping in hotels included
  • Water on bus touring days
  • All hotel and airport portage included

DAY ONE: Sunday, June 24, 2012

  • Depart Los Angeles International Airport on El Al Flight# 006 at 1:30 p.m. and arrive in Tel Aviv the next day.

Overnight: Flight


DAY TWO: Monday, June 25, 2012
ARRIVAL
  • Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport at 2:00pm.
  • 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 a local restaurant followed by a short orientation.

Overnight: Tel Aviv


DAY THREE: Tuesday, June 26, 2012
CONQUEST AND SPIRITUALITY
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Depart Tel Aviv and drive north along the Coastal Plain.
  • Guided visit 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.
  • Drive north through the Lower Galilee. 
  • 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 and Abuhav Synagogues with their great stories and mystical messages.
    • A stroll through the quaint Art Galleries and shop in the artists' colony.
  • Jeep ride through the Galilee Mountains from the Bat Ya'ar Ranch through the Biriya Forest.
  • Drive along the Hula Valley to the kibbutz hotel in the Upper Galilee.
  • Check into the hotel.
  • Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Kibbutz Hotel, Upper Galilee


DAY FOUR: Wednesday, June 27, 2012
SECURITY AND SERENITY IN THE NORTH
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Visit Misgav Am for a security briefing overlooking the Southern Lebanon border and a dialogue with a local resident, including a separate program for children.
  • Walk through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve located on the largest tributary of the Jordan River and the Biblical settlement of Dan, followed by a guided visit to the ongoing excavations.
  • Hear the stories of the soldiers who fought and explore Israel's security situation on the Golan Heights, as it was the eve of the Six Day War, while overlooking the Hula Valley from former Syrian fortifications at Tel Facher.
  • Light lunch at the Le Charolais restaurant, situated at the foot of the Golan Heights, with invited IDF soldiers serving on the Syrian and Lebanese border.
  • 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 1973 Yom Kippur War.
  • Enjoy Rafting or Kayaking on the Jordan River.
  • Return to the kibbutz for dinner and evening at leisure to enjoy the hotel's facilities.

Overnight: Kibbutz Guesthouse, Upper Galilee


DAY FIVE: Thursday, June 28, 2012
DRIVING THE RIFT
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out and begin driving south towards Jerusalem.
  • Swim in the fresh waters and natural springs at the Gan Hashlosha Nature Reserve (Sachne) situated at the foot of Mt. Gilboa.
  • Lunch on your own.
  • Continue south via the Jordan Rift Valley and east through the Judean Desert.
  • Welcome to Jerusalem - enter the vibrant and colourful 3,000 year old city of Jerusalem and experience the convergence of the old and the new.
  • Stop at the Old City of Jerusalem, climb to the top of David's tower to welcome yourselves to the Mount Scopus to say the traditional shehechiyanu blessing.
  • 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.
    • The Jerusalem Archaeological Park, including a visit to the Davidson Center and the Southern Wall Excavations.
    • The Kotel (Western Wall).
  • Check into the hotel and dinner at leisure.

Overnight: Jerusalem
 


DAY SIX: Friday, June 29, 2012
MEMORY AND RENEWAL
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • The Memory of the Holocaust in Contemporary Israeli Society:  dialogue with Holocaust scholar, Dr. Rachel Korazim.

Adults & Youth:

  • 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

Children (under 10):

  • A special visit to the Youth Wing for children at the Israel Museum, recognised as one of the most creative and innovative museums in the world

All:

  • A concluding Memorial Service.
  • Experience the sites, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Machaneh Yehuda Market, including lunch on your own.
  • Return to the hotel to relax and prepare for Shabbat.
  • Kabbalat Shabbat and hospitality dinner at Kehillat Yozma in Modi'in led by Rabbi Kinneret Shirion and Rabbi Nir Barkin (pending confirmation).
  • Return to the hotel.

Overnight: Jerusalem


DAY SEVEN: Saturday, June 30, 2012
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Optional morning services at various local synagogues.
  • Enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate and gain perspective and insight into the complexities and beauty of the quarters, walking along the ramparts and rooftops of the Old City.
  • Walk through the famous Jerusalem Arab Shuk (Market).
  • Walking the Psalms in Jerusalem: Shabbat walking tour of the Old City with Rabbi David Wolfond (pending confirmation)
  • Return to the hotel for a dialogue with scholar Paul Liptz of the Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew Union College, on: Israeli Society @ 2012.
  • Ben Kodesh Lechol Havdallah overlooking the Old City.
  • Stroll through the Ben Yehuda and Nachalat Shiva Pedestrian Mall, joining the many Israelis out on the town and dinner on your own.

Overnight: Jerusalem


DAY EIGHT: Sunday, July 1, 2012
JEWISH STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL
  • Early breakfast at the hotel.
  • Drive to the Dead Sea Basin and ascend the cable car 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.
  • Lunch on your own.
  • 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.
  • Bathe in the relaxing and healthy sulphur springs at the Mineral Beach and float in the Dead Sea.
  • Visit Genesis Land, a Biblical style encampment in the Judean Desert, delve into the Bible, experience Biblical Hospitality, enjoy a Hafla feast and take a camel ride through the desert.
  • Return to Jerusalem.

Overnight: Jerusalem


DAY NINE: Monday, July 2, 2012
BAR MITZVA IN JERUSALEM
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • B'nei Mitzvah Ceremony at the Feinstein Garden at HUC. (pending confirmation)
  • Optional luncheon at Beit Shmuel (not included in the package).
  • 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.
  • Return to the hotel.
  • Celebratory dinner at the Little Jerusalem Restaurant in the quaint Anna Ticho House.

Overnight: Jerusalem


DAY TEN: Tuesday, July 3, 2012
MEMORIES FOR THE FUTURE
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out of the hotel.
  • Visit the graves of Theodor Herzl and Yitzhak Rabin at Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem, followed by a visit to the National Military Cemetery at Mt. Herzl.
  • Take part in an active dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves 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.
  • Lunch on your own on route.
  • Visit Neot Kedumim, a large interactive nature reserve dedicated to the flora and fauna of the Bible, with tree planting. 
  • Continue to Tel Aviv.
  • Visit the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian mall, with its restored buildings and sidewalk artists, and continue onto the colorful Carmel Market and then to Shenkin, one of Israel's most avant-garde streets (time permitting).
  • Check into the hotel.
  • 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 ELEVEN: Wednesday, July 4, 2012
THE CHALLENGE OF INDEPENDENCE
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Visit the Ayalon Institute, near Rehovot, for an eye opening tour of a clandestine munitions factory used during the British Mandate.
  • Social Justice project with the students of the Mechina program in Jaffa (pending confirmation).
  • Visit to Independence Hall, site of David Ben Gurion's monumental proclamation of the State of Israel in May 1948.
  • Late afternoon at leisure.
  • Dinner on your own.
  • Optional cultural program OR walking tour through ancient Jaffa.

Overnight: Tel Aviv


DAY TWELVE: Thursday, July 5, 2012
TEL AVIV: THE FIRST HEBREW CITY
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Follow the story of Israel's pre-state elite fighting force, the Palmach, while walking through a state of the art multimedia experience that allows a glimpse into the lives of extraordinary people at Beit Hapalmach.
  • Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the beach, walk along the boardwalk, explore the beauty of Neve Tzedek neighborhood or the shops and restaurants of the renovated Tel Aviv port.
  • Wrap up of the program.
  • Late check out from the hotel and proceed to your festive farewell dinner.
  • Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport for the departure flight.

Overnight: Flight


DAY THIRTEEN: Friday, July 6, 2012
BACK IN THE U.S.A
  • Depart Ben Gurion International Airport on El AL Flight# 1 at 1:00 a.m. Connect in JFK International Airport to American Airlines Flight# 019 at 10:30 a.m. and arrive in LAX at 1:30 p.m.
 

Need to Know

  • Group rates are per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 20 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.
  • Baggage: All tour packages / group tours 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. With regard to airline baggage allowance, different carriers have different regulations for business and coach, please check with your individual carrier with regard to permitted number of pieces, weights and dimensions. The tour operator is not responsible for fees levied by any air carrier for the transport of personal belongings of any kind.

 

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.

 

  
Three simple ways to book ARZA World tours!

1. ARZA World customer service center is open Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:30 pm EST. Call 888.811.2812.
2. Booking with us is easy! Register online by simply finding the right program for you and clicking 'Register now.'
3. We are proud to work with the Travel Agent community. Simply contact your favored travel agent and ask them to handle your booking; restrictions apply.

Important to Know
  • Land-only price does not include arrival/departure transfers unless otherwise indicated.
  • By paying a deposit upon registration, you are agreeing to ARZA World terms.
  • We highly recommend carefully reviewing those terms for full details about conditions and penalties.
from
land + air
from
land only
AccommodationsDates & PricesThe AW Added Value AW Flights Reading ListPeace of Mind Photos