Kol Emet Israel Journey- November 7-14, 2024

Activities:

• 2:00 p.m. Meet at gathering place to begin the trip

• Begin the trip at the Haas Promenade - From the Haas Promenade take in a wide view of Jerusalem's Old and New Cities and the surrounding Judean Desert as far as the eye can see. See Jerusalem's complex geography, strategic setting, and beauty.

• Walk along the Promenade until you arrive at Feel Beit - Feel Beit is a cultural home for creating art, expanding perspectives, and imagining new ways forward for Jerusalem. The community is a group of Israelis and Palestinians who create art and music to bridge divides in Jerusalem. They are driven by the conviction that when all else breaks down, art and music must break through.

• Reporting on October 7 and After- Opening Conversation with Jessica Steinberg and Haviv Gur - Jessica Steinberg is the culture editor at the Times of Israel, covering Israeli life, culture, food, travel and business, hear from leading journalists Tal Schneider and Haviv Rettig Gur on the responsibility of reporting on October 7 and the ensuing events. Haviv Gur is Senior analyst at The Times of Israel.

• Private Chef's Dinner at the Jerusalem House of Quality

• Optional: Evening Tour of the Machane Yehuda Shuk with Rabbi Chef Josh

• Jerusalem- Waldorf Astoria - Grand City Deluxe Rooms

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Conversation with Rabbi Booth

• Meeting with Our Crowd - OurCrowd is an online global venture investing platform that empowers institutions and individual accredited investors to invest and engage in emerging technology companies at an early stage while still privately held.

• Visit the Schechter Institute For Jewish Studies - Meet Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz, Director of Israel Programs for The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Talk about religious pluralsim and the Agunah Institute,

• VIP tour of the The National Library of Israel - Founded in Jerusalem in 1892, the National Library of Israel (NLI) holds the collective memory of Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths and the Jewish people worldwide. While continuing to serve as Israel's preeminent research library, over the past decade NLI has embarked upon an ambitious journey of renewal to encourage diverse audiences in Israel and around the globe to engage with its treasures in new and meaningful ways. This transformative renewal is taking place through a range of innovative educational, cultural, and digital initiatives, as well as through the construction of a new landmark campus, on schedule to open its doors in 2023.

• Time for lunch on your own in the Machne Yehuda Market - In the heart of the city sits a bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers.

• Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel

• Shabbat dinner at the home of Chef Rabbi Josh - Rabbi Josh is a Talmud scholar, a documentary filmmaker, a registered tour guide and specialty chef at Jerusalem’s iconic Tmol Shilshom Restaurant. Overyour meal, Rabbi Josh speaks on a wide range of topics from his riveting personal story to an explanation of Jewish tradition and an introduction to the Talmud.

• Jerusalem- Waldorf Astoria

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Mountain Bike Riding including lunch in the Jerusalem Hills - This is an additional riding opportunity and is not included.

• Morning options including synagogue services, museum, guided tours

• Lunch at the hotel

• Free/Rest Time

• Late afternoon conversation with Micah Goodman - Micah Goodman is one of the most original and influential public intellectuals living in Israel today. He is a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute and is the founder of Beit Midrash Yisraeli. Goodman is the author of six bestselling books, among them Catch ’67 and The Wondering Jew: Israel and the Search for Jewish Identity, and The Attention Revolution.

• Havdalah

• Dinner and evening on your own

• Jerusalem- Waldorf Astoria

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel - Check out of the hotel

• Meet with Israeli Politicians or business meetings

• Mountain Biking from Arad to Neve Zohar - Lunch

• Short stop at the Grave of Ben Gurion - Visit the grave of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, and his wife Paula, located near Sde Boker. One of his famous quotes is: "It is in the Negev that the creativity and pioneer vigor of Israel will be tested, and this will be a crucial test" - his vision for settling the desert continues to bloom today. Overlook towards the breathtaking Tzin Valley and the Avdat highlands in the heart of the Negev. Throughout the day, you’ll see his vision come to life.

• Check into the hotel

• Dinner at the hotel

• Mitzpe Ramon- Beresheet Hotel - Beresheet Rooms

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Maktesh Ramon Hike - Walk through the stunning Negev Desert and get to know the endless variations of the landscape. Explore the remarkable Makhtesh Ramon and immerse yourself in the details of the land around you.

• Lunch

• Free time to enjoy the hotel's facilities

• Session with Rabbi Booth on Jabotinsky and the Declaration of Independence

• Desert Dinner- it’s not a mirage! - Your evening awaits under the stars with a taboon for bread making, smoked meats, spirits, desert music, star-gazing, and the most magical dinner you’ve ever had.

• Mitzpe Ramon- Beresheet Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel - Check out of the hotel

• Geopolitical tour of Otef Aza with Grisha Yakubovich - Stop at key lookout points for an in-depth discussion of the complexity of the Gaza Border situation. Grisha Yakubovich served in the Israel Defence Forces for 30 years, ending his career as Head of the Civil Coordination Department of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). He now consults and guides educational tour of the Gaza Border and the West Bank.

• IsraAid Mifgash - IsraAid founded in 2001 and has grown into the largest humanitarian aid organization in Israel. Their mission is to support people affected by humanitarian crisis. They partner with local communities around the world to provide urgent aid, assist in recovery, and reduce the risk of future disasters. Meet one of their leading staff members and hear about fascinating stories and their important work.

• Lunch at the home of Osi Lankri - Recognized as one of Ofakim's "Culinary Queens," Osi invites you to savor a home-cooked meal in her beautiful home. While enjoying the culinary experience, listen to her personal stories about life in the Envelope, her birthplace and hometown. Gain insights into how the October 7th attack affected her home, family, and neighborhood.

• Stop at the Nova Festival memorial site - at Re'im Forest stop and bear witness to the tragedy of the Nova Festival.

• Drive to Tel Aviv - Check into your hotel

• Dinner on your own

• Tel Aviv- David Kempinski

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Visit at Brothers For Life - Brothers for Life is devoted to ensuring that every wounded combat soldier receives the care and support needed to ensure his/her return to a fulfilling and contributive life. Meet staff members and clients and join them for lunch at their center. Brothers for Life was created by and is run by injured Israeli veterans, and gives critical and immediate help to other injured Israeli combat veterans who sacrificed their lives for the safety of the Israel's citizens.

• Visit Merhav Marpe, a center devoted to addressing the needs of Nova Survivors - Merhav Marpe(from Hebrew: Healing Space) is a pioneering response to the mental and emotional trauma the October 7th tragedy and the subsequent war inflicted on Israel. Founded in the immediate aftermath of the massacres, Merhav Marpe recognized both the ongoing nature of the trauma and its ripple effect throughout the whole of Israeli society. Through a holistic approach, Merhav Marpe works to repair the mind-body connection broken by the trauma and build multiple modalities of resilience to ensure the future

• Meeting with Aleph Venture Capital/Other business leaders

• Conversation with Journalist and Fauda co-creator Avi Issacharoff - Avi Issacharoff is an Israeli journalist and Middle East analyst known for his expertise on Palestinian affairs and the broader regional conflict. He is the co-creator of the hit television series Fauda, which depicts the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the lens of a counterterrorism unit. As a journalist, he has written extensively for Israeli media outlets like Haaretz and The Times of Israel. His work often bridges the gap between Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, providing nuanced insights into one of the world's most contentious regions.

• Cocktails Israeli style with Tishrey Bar - Drink down a story of Israel! Travel the different regions of the country through the drinks. Through local spirits, quality Israeli produce, cultural design, and Israeli innovation, meet the staff of an Israeli cocktail 'start-up' and see how they translate this into amazing cocktails. Cocktails are mixed with Israeli alcohol, fruit in season, and wrapped into the Israeli story. You’ll have a chance to learn to mix the drinks as well.

• Sunset Tour of Old Jaffa - Explore the enchanting charm of Old Jaffa, where ancient and modern are situated side-by-side and where people of all faiths meet. Jaffa is one of the most ancient port cities in the Mediterranean basin. Visit Jaffa Port, which for centuries was the gateway to the Land of Israel. Today Jaffa is a mixed city, where Jews and Arabs live alongside each other. Tel Aviv, Jaffa's much younger sister, was established centuries later, but the two were united into one municipality already in 1949, yet each part kept its unique feel and atmosphere. visit vibrant artist studios as well as archeological discoveries, while exploring the rich tapestry of cultures and history that defines this timeless Mediterranean gem.

• Dinner at Ewa Safi - Ewa Safi features Moroccan Soul Food

• Tel Aviv- David Kempinski

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Meet President Herzog at the President's Residence

• Meetings with relevant business leaders TBD

• Time for lunch on your own

• Visit to The square of the Kidnapped and Missing in front of the Tel Aviv Art Museum - See the powerful art created by various artists, including the Shabbat Table set for missing Israelis, to show support and shine a spotlight on the importance of rescuing the lives of those abducted to Gaza. (Hopefully, by the time of this mission, all of the hostages will have been released and back home with their families.)

• Early evening Graffiti Tour - Explore contemporary Israeli culture through an urban inquisitive graffiti tour in the Florentin neighborhood. What stories do these images and words tell about the people living here? What social issues are reflected in the art on the walls? What is unique about graffiti in Israel and Tel Aviv specifically?

• Final dinner at Poupee Restaurant - Poupee's chef specializes in haute kosher cuisine, with a vision to combine the world of haute cuisine and bridge the gap between traditional Jewish culture and foodies.

• Group transfer to the airport