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Temple Sinai of Oakland Family Trip

Program
  
Highlights
  
Need to Know
  
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Tour Highlights

  • 8 nights accommodation + late check out using selected hotels 
  • Visit to the Ayalon Underground Munitions Factory
  • Walk through the Park Alona water tunnels
  • Rafting on the Jordan River
  • Visit to a dairy farm in the Galilee
  • Bedouin experience and camel ride in the Negev
  • Swim in the Dead Sea
  • Shabbat with a Reform community
  • Sift for ancient artifacts under the shadow of the TempleMount
  • Dialogue with Professor Reuven Hazan
  • Tree planting
  • And much, much more….


     

    Trip Includes
     

    • 8 nights accommodation + late check out using selected hotels
    • One arrival & one departure transfers
    • 14 meals: 8 Israeli buffet breakfasts and 6 dinners
    • 8 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
    • Water on bus on touring days
    • Youth counselor throughout the program
    • Tips to the guide and driver


     

    • DAY ONE: Saturday, June 15, 2013
    DEPARTURE

    • Depart U.S.A.

    Overnight: Flight

    DAY TWO: Sunday, June 16, 2013
    ARRIVAL AND WELCOME
    • Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport.
    • Welcome by our representative and assistance with arrival formalities.
    • Drive towards Tel Aviv and begin with a visit to the Jaffa Overlook for an introduction to Tel Aviv at the place where it all began and welcome yourselves to Israel (pending flight arrival time).
    • Enter the city of Tel Aviv, known as the “city that never sleeps” with its centers of culture and recreation and national history such as the Habima Theater, sprawling beaches, Dizengoff Street and Rabin Square. 
    • Check into the hotel.
    • Enjoy a Middle-Eastern-style Welcome Dinner with a Yemenite touch at Maganda, located in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv, and which offers a varied selection of salads and grilled meats.

    Overnight: Crowne Plaza, Tel Aviv

    DAY THREE: Monday, June 17, 2013
    FOUNDATION OF A CITY AND A STATE
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Drive to nearby Rehovot and visit the Ayalon Institute for an eye opening tour of a clandestine munitions factory used during the British Mandate.
    • Return to Jaffa for time to explore on your own in the world famous Jaffa Flea Market/ Shuk HaPishPeshim, followed by lunch on your own.
    • Visit to Independence Hall, site of David Ben Gurion's monumental proclamation of the State of Israel in May 1948 and a powerful experience for children and adults of all ages.
    • Return to the hotel to relax by the pool, walk along the promenade, crash the waves of the beautiful Tel Aviv beaches or just to wander the early neighborhoods of Tel Aviv such as Neve Tzedek. .
    • Dinner on your own in the renovated Old Port of Tel Aviv with its wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops, right on the waters edge OR in the Tachana, Jaffa's Old Train Station, renovated and restored- no longer with trains but with a great pedestrian complex, with restaurants and shops and great open space for people watching.

    Overnight: Crowne Plaza, Tel Aviv

    DAY FOUR: Tuesday, June 18, 2013
    ON, IN AND ABOVE THE LAND OF ISRAEL
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Check out of the hotel and drive north along the coastal plain 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.
    • Walk through the 2,000-year-old underground water tunnels at Park Alona, which once brought water to Caesarea.
    • Lunch on your own en route.
    • Continue north to the border with Lebanon and descend the cliffs of Rosh Hanikra via cable car to explore the natural grottos and experience the crashing Mediterranean waves against the caves.
    • Drive to the Upper Galilee and check into the kibbutz hotel.
    • Dinner at the hotel.

    Overnight: Pastoral Hotel, Kibbutz Kfar Blum

    DAY FIVE: Wednesday, June 19, 2013
    SERENITY AND SECURITY ON THE GOLAN
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Walk through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve located on the largest tributary of the Jordan River and the Biblical settlement of Dan.
    • Visit Tel Facher, an abandoned Syrian outpost and follow in the footsteps of the Israeli combat soldiers who fought here; gain further insight into the challenges faced during the 1967 Six Day War and the power and surprise of its aftermath.
    • Lunch on your own in a Druze Village.
    • Visit Emek Habecha, The Valley of Tears, located on the Eastern edge of the Golan Heights and site of one of Israel's fiercest battles during the Yom Kippur War while looking deep into Syria.
    • Descend from the Golan Heights.

    Option 1:

    • Enjoy Rafting or Kayaking down the Jordan River.

    Option 2:

    • Return early to the kibbutz to enjoy facilities or just relax.

    All:

    • Dinner at the hotel.
    • Optional walk through the kibbutz with local kibbutz member for insight and conversation on the kibbutz in 2013.

    Overnight: Pastoral Hotel, Kibbutz Kfar Blum

    DAY SIX: Thursday, June 20, 2013
    KABBALISTS, COWS AND CAMELS
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Check out of the hotel.
    • LaDa'at  Families in Safed - Using stories and synagogues, mystics and alleyways, take part in a family exploration of Safed, where yesterday becomes tomorrow and the treasure's never too far away.
    • Lunch on your own en route and drive south through the Lower Galilee.
    • Robo Cow: Visit the ProbBot Dairy Farm on Kfar Yechezkel for an insight into the agricultural high tech world, developed in Israel, ready to change the world, one happy cow at a time.
    • Continue south via the Trans Israel Highway where you'll view the security barrier and discuss security, social and political issues in context with the pulsating geo political realities in the region.
    • Drive through the Negev desert to the Nokdim encampment in the Southern Judean Desert for Bedouin-style hospitality and a ‘Hafla'Dinner, with a camel ride and a night under the stars in a Bedouin tent.

    Overnight: Kfar HaNokdim, Judean Desert

    DAY SEVEN: Friday, June 21, 2013
    PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL PEAKS
    • Very early breakfast at the encampment.
    • Depart for the western slope of Masada for an early sunrise ascent up the Roman Ramp and explore Herod's mountain palace and site of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman Legionnaire; discuss Masada's role as a symbol of Jewish defence and its current significance in modern Israel.
    • Bathe in the relaxing and healthy sulfur springs at the Mineral Beach and float in the Dead Sea and enjoy lunch on your own.
    • Ascend to Jerusalem through the Judean Desert and stop at Mount Scopus for an overlook of the New and Old Cities of Jerusalem and to say the traditional shehechiyanu blessing.
    • Check into the hotel and time to prepare for Shabbat.
    • Kabbalat Shabbat Service at Kehillat Mevasseret Zion led by Rabbi Maya Leibovitz (pending confirmation).
    • Home Hospitality Shabbat Dinner/Communal Shabbat Dinner with local congregants OR Festive Shabbat Dinner at the hotel (to be determined).

    Overnight: Mount Zion, Jerusalem

    DAY EIGHT: Saturday, June 22, 2013
    SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • OptionalShabbat Services.
    • Free Shabbat in Jerusalem for an opportunity  to relax by the pool or perhaps to visit (on own):
      • 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 with a wide and eclectic collection, ranging from Judaica and archaeology to Renaissance and contemporary Israeli art.
    • Ben Kodesh Lechol: Havdallah overlooking the Old City.
    • Free Evening in Jerusalem on Ben Yehuda Pedestrian Mall or on Emek Refaim Street in the German Colony, with 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.

    Overnight: Mount Zion, Jerusalem
     

    DAY NINE: Sunday, June 23, 2013
    LAYERS OF JERUSALEM
    • Breakfast at the hotel.

    • Option 1 for Adult and Older Kids:

      • The Labyrinth of Israeli Politics: Dialogue with Prof. Reuven Hazan of the Political Science Department at Hebrew University.

      Option 2 for Younger Children

      • Free time to relax OR guided walk through Yemin Moshe neighbourhood by Montifiorie's Windmill and camera's in hand to take the perfect shot of Jerusalem (to be determined)
    • Short bus ride up to Mt. Zion and enter the Jewish Quarter via Zion Gate.
    • 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:
      • A walk along the Rooftops of the Old City for a behind the scenes look at the various communities in Jerusalem and how they live together.
      • The Cardo, a Byzantine street that is now the world's oldest shopping arcade.
      • The Hurva Square, the central square of the Jewish Quarter.
    • Stop for lunch on your own in the Jewish Quarter.
    • Guided visit to the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, including a visit to the Davidson Center and the Southern Wall Excavations.
    • Stop at the Kotel (Western Wall)
    • Join the Temple Mount Sifting Operation; sift through rubble that originated in ancient buildings from the Temple Period and learn about the findings from archaeologists and expert guides at the site.
    • Late afternoon return to the hotel to relax by the pool. 
    • Free time in 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.

    Overnight: Mount Zion, Jerusalem

    DAY TEN: Monday, June 24, 2013
    MEMORY, RENEWAL AND FAREWELL
    • Breakfast at the hotel.

    Option 1 for adults and older kids:

    • Guided visit through the 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 2 for younger children:

    • Visit the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, a beautifully landscaped habitat with a special focus on preserving Biblical fauna, geared to children of all ages (2-80).

    All:

    • Lunch on own.
    • Visit the Jerusalem Bird Observatory for interactive activities, including bird watching, bird ringing and further insight into the urban wildlife of Jerusalem as well as the opportunity to plant roots in Jerusalem with tree planting.
    • Return to the hotel for final packing, relaxing or a last stroll through the streets of Jerusalem.
    • Late check out from the hotel.
    • Farewell Dinner at Olive & Fish, a meat and fish restaurant located across from the Liberty Bell Gardens.
    • Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for return flight to USA.

    Overnight: Flight

    DAY ELEVEN: Tuesday, June 25, 2013
    • Arrival in USA.
     

    Need to Know

    • Group rates are per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 40 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.
    • 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.

     

    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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