Sample Family Bar Mitzvah Trip | Summer (Goldberg)

Activities:

• Shalom! - Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, your VIP agent will be waiting to greet you at the sleeve of the plane. After assisting with arrival procedures and collecting your baggage, you will be taken to meet your driver.

• Private transfer to Jerusalem - Check in to your hotel

• Welcome dinner at a local restaurant - (Dinner on your own - meal and transportation are not included.)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - Every day enjoy a delicious Israeli buffet breakfast in the hotel. At 9:00 AM, meet your guide, Dany Berdi, in the lobby of your hotel. Dany's number is +972 (0)50 781 1630.

• Begin your journey with a magnificent panoramic lookout from the Mount of Olives - Enjoy a beautiful lookout of the Holy Basin, the Old and New Cities of Jerusalem. Hear about the Jewish, Christian and Muslim connections to the Mt. Olives and get a introduction to today's tour of Jerusalem.

• Tour of the City of David including a fun walk in an ancient water tunnel - Take a trip back in time through the layers of Jerusalem’s past. It was on this hill where Jerusalem was built 4 millennia ago. Continuously excavated over the last 120 years, discoveries are regularly made. Tour the palace of King David, ritual purification pools, and the tour's highlight - a walk through water in Hezekiah’s Tunnel built to protect the water supply. Exit the site onto the magnificent road where the Jewish pilgrims walked, over 2,000 years ago. Get your flashlights ready!

• Proceed to the Kotel - The Western Wall is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism because it is one of the last remnants of the Second Temple that was destroyed by the Romans. Feel the stones that have witnessed so much in the history of the Jews. Place your special and personal prayer in the cracks of the stones.

• Lunch break in the Arab Market - Browse in the famous Arab shuk (market) in the Muslim Quarter. Check out the local hummus and sweets, the many stalls selling spices, pastries, pottery, sheepskin, embroidered clothes, and so much more. Meet store owners whose stores have been in their family for generations. (Meal is not included)

• Take a tour through the Jewish Quarter - See archaeological finds from the First and Second Temple periods, Roman ruins, vibrant synagogues, and learning institutions, all jostling for space in these busy stone streets.

• Return to the hotel to rest, or explore the city on your own

• Dinner: Culinary tour of Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of the city sits this bustling, multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. And a tasting tour through Machane Yehuda Market is an adventure for your taste buds! Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers. (Tastings will replace dinner.)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Visit to Yad Vashem - Participate in this B’nei Mitzvah tour with Yad Vashem's Twinning Program. Israel’s national Holocaust museum presents a profoundly Jewish memorial of the Shoah. From its dramatic structure to its powerful exhibits, such as the labyrinthine Valley of the Communities and the chilling Children’s Memorial, Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance.

• Machane Yehuda Market - After a meaningful morning focusing on our past, we will head to the present and experience the vibrant life of Jerusalem in the modern day. In the heart of the city, at a bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers. You can sense of Shabbat is in the air. There is an added urgency to the shopping frenzy as shoppers look for the nicest and freshest in honor of the Sabbat. Things that you can be sure to see in people’s baskets are Challah, wine, fruit, fish, and even aromatic leaves to be used in the Havdalah ceremony at the end of Shabbat.

• Rest and get ready for Shabbat

• Recommended: Join a local community for Kabbalat Shabbat OR in the Kotel - Nearby community: Kol Haneshama Congregation - address: 1 Asher Street, Jerusalem (Transfers are not included)

• Friday night Shabbat family dinner - Options: at a local restaurant / traditional meal with a local family at their home / at the hotel. (meal and transfers aren't included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast and early start

• Masada National Park - Ascend the mountain by cable car to explore Masada, scene of the epic stand by Jewish rebels at the end of the Great Revolt against Rome nearly 2,000 years ago. The new museum at the Visitor Center reveals the secrets of the daily life of the rebels, the story of the excavations, and how the site became one of Israel’s most important symbols.

• Visit a Dead Sea Resort for 'swim' and lunch - Israel’s Dead Sea sits at the lowest point on earth, and is a stunning, other-worldly landscape of shimmering blue water ringed by bare, orange and yellow hills. The waters of the Dead Sea hold a potent solution of minerals and salts that have strong healing properties. Together with its ethereal beauty, these health-giving minerals make the Dead Sea’s beaches and spas popular vacation spots for Israelis and tourists alike. At one of the local hotels, have lunch and 'swim' in the Dead Sea.

• Time permitting: Ein Gedi National Park - Nahal David beautiful desert oasis, is a spectacular water hike for all ages. Trails in a range of levels of difficulty take you alongside and through the cool, fresh waters of Nahal David, down waterfalls, along sheer cliffs, and past caves. According to tradition, David sought refuge from King Saul, and his courage and leadership are commemorated here. If you’re both quiet and lucky, you might even glimpse the sure-footed ibex and other local animals.

• Travel back to Jerusalem

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (Dinner on your own, meal and transfers are not included)

• The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast and check out from the hotel

• Travel Burma Road by jeep - Tour along the road that was used during the Independence War as part of the struggle to break into Jerusalem and stop the siege. Their mission was to make sure Jerusalem is part of the new Jewish state.

• Stop at the Machal Memorial - Dedicated in 1993, the Machal Memorial was created to honor volunteers who came from outside of Israel to fight on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people. The memorial is made up of the letters Mem, Chet and Lamed, forming the word Machal.

• Brothers For Life - At Beit Achim Center, you will meet one of the staff members from the Brothers for Life non-profit organization and hear about their special mission. The BFL vision is that every wounded combat soldier receives the care and support needed to ensure his return to fulfilling and contributive life. Eat lunch with former soldiers. (The visit requires a donation.)

• Swim in the Sachne - A popular spot for Israelis on hot days, you will be able to swim in wonderful pools. The waters come from springs and cascades along the Amal stream bed. The temperature of the spring water is a constant 28°C, all year round, making it the perfect temperature for a refreshing dip!

• Check in to your hotel

• Dinner at the hotel's lobby bar - (Meal is not included.)

• North

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Tour of Safed - Pronounced Tzfat in Hebrew, this city sits at a higher altitude than any other city in Israel and has been known since the 16th century as a major center of Kabbala, Jewish mysticism. Tzfat's mystical aura adds to its special status as one of Israel’s four holy cities, along with Jerusalem, Tiberias and Hebron. The old synagogues, narrow alleyways and artists’ studios add to the hilltop city’s unmistakable charm.

• Havat Rom - farm to table - A visit to a magical organic farm, located on a mountain with a beautiful view of Meron Mountain. This is an agricultural organic farm, where they use ancient knowledge along with modern tools. Trying to find the balance between humans and nature. Meet the goats, enjoy a light meal from the fresh produce and excellent cheese.

• Go back to the hotel to swim, rest and get ready for the Bar Mitzvah ceremony

• Bar Mitzvah ceremony! - Celebrate at this special ceremony in the ancient basalt synagogue in Korazim, the ancient Jewish town overlooking the Kinneret. The beautiful synagogue at Korazim, built at the end of the fourth century or the beginning of the fifth century CE, is made of basalt, the region’s most common stone, carved in geometric, floral and faunal patterns.

• Festive dinner at a local restaurant / private chef outdoor meal - (Meal is not included)

• North

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Rafting along the Jordan River - Row through one of the most beautiful spots in Israel, amongst the plants, trees, and waterfalls in the middle of this beautiful Galilee nature reserve. For a real adventure - finish with a zip-line sliding into the water.

• Sweet stop at the De Karina Chocolate Boutique Factory - Hear about the process of making chocolate and the story of the founder of the workshop, Gyora Chepelinski, who made aliyah and fulfilled her dream. Taste some of the finest chocolate in Israel and have a cold chocolate drink or coffee.

• Golan jeep tour - Take a geo-political tour of the Golan with an expert. While traversing the rich landscape, learn about the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Stop for a lookout over the border with Syria from Mt. Bental to get a better understanding of the geography and strategical role this region has for the State of Israel. Your local guide touches on the nuances of living so close to the Syrian border and what that has meant for Israel as it relates to security and humanitarian issues.

• Go back to hotel for a swim and to relax

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (Meal is not included.)

• North

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel and check out

• Tasting tour in Wadi Nisnas - One of Haifa’s most colorful neighborhoods, Wadi Nisnas is full of narrow streets, picturesque stone houses, and the well-known local market. It is a mixed neighborhood that captures the nature and atmosphere of the city of Haifa - a city of many faiths and communities, that live alongside each other in an exemplary co-existence. The market is the place to go and experience some of the local flavors: taste pastries, spiced tea, the best falafel in Israel, and strong Turkish coffee, along with other delicatessens and aromas that will have your mouth watering.

• Cooking workshop and Druze home hospitality - Together with your hosts in their private home, prepare traditional Druze Galilean dishes and then enjoy the feast you create. Learn about Druze culture and history from your hosts and from the food you eat.

• Drive to Tel Aviv and check in to your hotel

• Enjoy a sunset walk on the beach promenade followed by dinner at a local restaurant - (Dinner on your own, meal and transfers are not included)

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Drive south to explore the Negev Desert

• Kibbutz and agri-tech tour - At Kibbutz Hatzerim, one of the last communal Kibbutzim in Israel, tour the Kibbutz and learn about the advanced Israeli Agri-tech. Walk to the Jojoba orchards and be amazed at how the desert is painted green by the leading technologies invented here in Netafim. Hear about life in the kibbutz from the past to the present, and get a better understanding of the socialist ideology from where it all began.

• Visit to Pola and David Ben Gurion's Tomb - Visit the grave of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, whose vision for settling the desert is continues to bloom today. Throughout the day, you’ll see his vision come to life.

• Makhtesh Ramon Visitors Center - Through interactive exhibits, the Ramon Crater Visitor Center, set on the northern cliffs of the Ramon Crater, tells the geological story behind this unique and amazing work of nature and contrasts it with the life of Astronaut Ilan Ramon.

• Exciting rappelling experience - For a real thrill, slide down a 15-meter-long cliff surrounded by a stunning view of the Ramon Crater.

• Authentic Bedouin-style dinner in Mitzpe Ramon

• Optional add-on: magical guided star-gazing experience - Participate in this professionally guided star-gazing tour. Sit by the campfire, and enjoy a light snack before heading back to Tel Aviv. This is not included in the package.

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Walk along the Independence Trail - Inspired by the Freedom Trail in Boston, the new Independence Trail follows several of Tel Aviv’s heritage sites learning about the history of this great city along the way. The trail begins at the intersection of tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard and Herzl Street, home to Tel Aviv’s first kiosk. The trail ends across the street at Independence Hall, where on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion read aloud the Declaration of Independence as Israel was declared an independent Jewish state.
  Along Rothchild Blvd., you will also discover the development of the city through the architecture styles. As you might know, Tel Aviv has more Bauhaus buildings that any other city in the world, so many that it is designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

• Carmel Market Culinary Tour - Continue to Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel), the largest market in Tel Aviv. Touring the market reveals the taste of the ages of Tel-Aviv in the youthful atmosphere of the city's central market. The Polish, the Persian, and the Yemeni... in this case, it is not the start of a joke, but the fascinating culinary traditions that mix in this place. The established market that was founded over 90 years ago, can now reveal its secrets, stories, and legends to you.

• Peres Center for Peace and Innovation - A leading non-profit and non-governmental organization focused on developing and implementing unique and cutting-edge programs. The center presents the incredible story of Israel, the "innovation nation", and showcases the diverse fields and people behind Israeli innovation.

• Afternoon tour of Old Jaffa - Jaffa is one of the most ancient port cities in Israel and the Mediterranean basin. Today, Jaffa is a mixed city, where Jews and Arabs live alongside each other. Tel Aviv, Jaffa's younger sister, was established centuries later, in the year 1909, but the two were united into one municipality in 1949, yet each part kept its unique feel and atmosphere. Jaffa has been regenerated in recent years with the old narrow streets and courtyards becoming a highly popular part of Tel Aviv’s urban tapestry. Watch the sunset from the top of the hill overlooking Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean sea.

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (on your own, meal and transfers are not included.)

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Free day to explore Tel Aviv - Experience the weekend's atmosphere in Tel Aviv.
  Some suggestions for your day (not included, can be arranged):
  - Surfing lesson
  - Tour of the ANU Museum of the Jewish People
  - Bike tour along the beach promenade and Hayarkon River

• Enjoy time at the beach or the hotel pool

• Farewell dinner at a restaurant - (On your own, meal and transfers are not included)

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel and check out - Check out of the hotel by 12:00pm. You may store your luggage in the hotel's luggage room until you leave for the airport.

• Enjoy a day of leisure to explore and enjoy Tel Aviv on your own

• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport and fly back home - Your VIP agent will meet you at the departures terminal to assist with check-in and security procedures for your flight.

• L'hitraot! - We look forward to hosting you again in our beautiful country!