Samply Synagogue Culinary Trip

Activities:

• Arrival at Ben Gurion airport - VIP services and private transfers can be arranged upon request at an additional cost.

• Ascend to Jerusalem and check into your hotel

• Meet Avihai Tsabari, founder of Via Sabra, who will open the trip with a conversation: “What makes Israel a unique culinary story?”

• Get down to business at Hatzot - Hatzot is a part of Jerusalem’s history. Two brothers, Abraham and Michael Ajami founded this landmark family restaurant in 1970. Legend has it that Meurav Yerushalmi - the favorite Israeli mixed grill dish - was born at Hatzot Restaurant.

• Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Start the day Back to the Sources at Neot Kedumim - Neot Kedumim is the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel which is a unique endeavor to re-create the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail. Travel through and taste some of the Seven Species which are some of the building blocks in the story of Israeli Cuisine.

• Continue outdoors with a Foraging and Cooking Workshop with Nura - Meet Nurit Hertz in her natural habitat- the outdoors. Nura will teach you identify edible plants then you'll cook a delicious lunch with these fresh greens.

• Return to the hotel to refresh

• Explore the Role of Culture in Building Bridges at Feel Beit - Feel Beit is a cultural home for creating art, expanding perspectives, and imagining new ways forward for Jerusalem. "We are a group of Israelis and Palestinians who create art and music to bridge divides in Jerusalem. Everything we present is rooted in love for the diverse people of this place. We are driven by the conviction that when all else breaks down, art and music must break through." Mekudeshet is an award-winning, cultural organization that creates original art and music to reimagine Jerusalem from being a center of conflict into a laboratory for connections between people of all kinds.

• Dinner at HaSadna Restaurant - HaSadna Restaurant's menu features fresh ingredients with a minimum of treatment. Part of the charm is the interior of this building which was once a warehouse that served the Jerusalem railroad and railway station built in 1892. Part of the Machneyuda group, HaSadna is a jewel of contemporary Israeli Cuisine.

• Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Explore Jerusalem's Old City - Tour Jerusalem’s Old City and meet the people and places that make this place so unique. In the Jewish Quarter, uncover the layers of Jewish history from the time of the First Temple until the present day. In the Christian Quarter, visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and, if conditions permit, visit the one of the holiest Muslim sites, the Temple Mount. Throughout the tour explore the complexity of a city that is holy to these three major religions.

• Old City Tasting Tour - Walk through the Muslim and Christian Quarters of the Old City seeing the historical and religious sites. See some off-the-beaten track sites in the winding alleyways and enjoy some Jerusalem delicacies. We will have a “taste of history” that interweaves stories and anecdotes, historical information, and, of course, combines the senses of smell, taste, and sound.

• Take in a bird's-eye view of the Old City - On the rooftop of the Austrian Hospice, have a beer and look out over the Old City from above.

• Time at the Western Wall - Proceed to the Kotel (The Western Wall), sacred 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.

• Dinner at Cafe Shalva - Shalva is a Jerusalem based organization that provides services to children with special needs and their families. Graduates of Shalva work at the café, and the café’s profits go back to the center to support its programs.

• Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• 'Shtisel' Tour with a focus on Ashkenazi Food - A taste of the Ultra-Orthodox world-walk the streets of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, get to know the people, the food, and feel the vibrations of this life. Gain a more complex appreciation for the people by listening to their music, visiting synagogues, various institutions, seeing unique leisure, fashion, and art this world encompasses.

• Machane Yehuda Market Tasting Tour - In the heart of Jerusalem sits this bustling, multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. 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.

• Learn and volunteer at Metzilot Mazon - Metzilot Mazon, the Jerusalem Food Rescuers, aims to create a more Just and sustainable urban food system with less waste. Working with the wholesale market, they divert surplus produce that would have otherwise gone to waste and support communities that don’t have equitable access to food, engage in food literacy focused activities such as lectures and workshops with kids and adults, and run a sustainable catering business.

• Return to hotel, free time

• Dinner on your own

• Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Begin to drive north

• Stop at Kibbutz Magal with a focus on agricultural innovation - Visit the kibbutz's olive and almond agricultural and production center, as well as Netafim, the world-renowned agricultural lead in irrigation methods.

• Continue to Alexander Brewery - The Alexander Brewery was founded in 2008 with the goal to brew excellent Israeli craft beer in Israel, the way they like it, fresh and local. The raw materials used to make the beer determine the beer’s quality and taste. They use only the highest quality raw materials: European malt and hops and Israeli water treated by reverse osmosis treatment, becoming totally pure. Taste their beers and have a light lunch.

• Focus on the history of the area with a visit the the ancient town of Magdala - Magdala was established in the Hellenistic Period and grew to a thriving fishing village by the time the Romans invaded the Galilee in 67 AD. Situated at the shores of the Sea of Galilee Magdala was an active city filled with fishermen, shopkeepers and townspeople. A decade ago archaeological discoveries indicate the presence of an observant Jewish community in Magdala, as is evidenced in its First Century Synagogue, one of seven in the world.

• Check into your hotel and get settled

• Dinner at the beautiful home of Chef Gadi Elias - In the Moshav Yesod Hamaaleah celebrate the local fare and experience a decadent farm to table meal. Devour an array of grilled and roasted aged meat served with variety of salads. A feast of Gadi’s is not complete without a wide variety of local wines from Golan Heights and Naftali Hills.

• Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, North

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Start the day in Yanuh-Jhat - Yanuh Jhat is a Druze village in the Galilee, where an ancient olive press stones testify to thousands of years of olive oil production.

• Tis the season- the olive harvest! - In Deir Hana, join in an olive harvest picking olives from trees that are the oldest ones in Israel that are still harvested today.

• Druze Cooking Workshop - 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.

• For desert, stop for Knafeh - Knafe is one of the most popular Middle Eastern desserts! Here you will get to taste some of the best Knafeh in Israel.

• Free time to enjoy the hotel facilities - Rest and prepare for Shabbat

• Kabbalat Shabbat with the group or with Kehillat Rosh Pina

• Shabbat Dinner at the hotels' chef restaurant, The Wood Grill

• Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, North

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Shabbat musical tour with stories and sounds that come from the stones and enter the heart and the soul-Musical tour of Um el Kanatir - Um el Kanatir, also known as Ein Keshatot, is home to a Jewish village from the Period of the Mishna and Talmud, with a magnificent synagogue in its center. Enter a synagogue that features the original Ark Complex – the most preserved and magnificent ever to be discovered in Israel. The synagogue was excavated and reconstructed with advanced technological methods, and today it stands at a height of one story. The Ein Keshatot site also offers a visit to the village spring, which flows into ancient pools, surrounded by shaded areas.

• Wine tasting, tour, and seasonal lunch at Assaf Winery - Assaf Winery a wonderful example of a family-owned fine winery built in the spirit of elevating the wine culture of Israel through unique Israeli wines.

• Optional: Agamon HaHula - Bikes & Golfcarts - The Hula Valley is part of the northern Syrian African Rift Valley which stretches as far south as Mozambique in Africa. Each migration season, over 500 million birds travel through the Hula Lake. This wetland paradise is the perfect stopover for small waterbirds, cormorants, herons, pelicans, raptors, storks, and cranes. (not included)

• Free time to enjoy the hotel

• Havdalah

• Dinner at the hotel

• Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, North

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel - Check out of the hotel

• Be hosted at the incredible Havat Rom - Visit 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. Enjoy a light meal from the fresh produce and excellent cheese.

• Drive to Akko

• Akko tour - Walk through 4,000 years of history in this ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage site. The ancient city of Akko, situated on the Mediterranean coast, is one of the oldest ports in the world, and a city shared by Jews and Muslims.

• Dinner at Uri Buri - For the past 40 years , the popular Uri Buri restaurant has offered a variety of delicately prepared fresh fish and seafood dishes, and boasts a wine list with over 100 different kinds of fine Israeli wines.

• Drive to Tel Aviv and check into the hotel

• Royal Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Begin the day at Assif: Culinary Institute of Israel - Asif is a cultural center in Tel Aviv with a library, farm, gallery & café that encourages open discourse around local foodways and identity.

• Meet Adeena Sussman or other expert to discuss culinary trends in Israel

• Continue to Levinsky Market for a tasting tour lunch - The Levinsky Market specializes in spices and Mediterranean delicacies. It is, in many ways, the best market in Tel Aviv, known for its variety, freshness, and special atmosphere. Whether you are looking for a rare Indian spice or some good quality saffron - this is the place. Shops offer a cornucopia of excellent cheeses, smoked fish, wines, and other delicacies. Tour the market and have "tastings" throughout.

• Each person will be able to choose one option:

• -Fashion Tour - The tour addresses the relationship Israeli fashion has with the various aspects of living in Israel including identity questions, sub-groups in Israel, immigration to Israel, wars and cultural life and social entrepreneurship. Meet old and new fashion brands, designers who use ancient crafts and other professionals who use the best technology. We will walk, talk and shop.

• -Lev Ha'ir Walking Tour - Explore Lev Ha'ir, the Heart of the City, where the first roots of Tel Aviv were planted in 1909. Lev Hair contains some of Tel Aviv’s most beautiful buildings, being at the center of the UNESCO designated “White City” known for its Bauhaus, Eclectic, and International Style architecture. The area is rooted in history with a glance towards the future with impressive skyscrapers, and a high concentration of start-up companies.

• Israeli Cocktail Workshop 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.

• Dinner in small groups at various restaurants Not included) - Spread out in Tel Aviv's many restaurants and play restaurant critic! Be prepared to review your meal for the rest of the group the next day.

• Royal Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• The Association for Urban Farming - Visit an urban garden in a school for children of Asylum Seekers - a project of the Association for Urban Farming, a non-profit organization based in Tel Aviv that promotes urban agricultural infrastructure in cities around the world. The association sponsors programs throughout the city, including urban gardening in schools and commercial centers.

• Walking and tasting tour of Jaffa - Visit Jaffa's historic and legendary eateries while taking in Jaffa's streets and history.

• Free time with option to visit Nahalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Market - Nachalat Binyamin, an open-air market in the heart of Tel-Aviv that has become synonymous with quality Israeli crafts and folk art. The market is comprised of over 100 stands representing specialty crafts and folk art in virtually every medium imaginable: wood, stone, sand, glass, ceramics, and various metals with most if not all containing materials or themes found only in Israel.

• Before the final dinner stroll through the Carmel Market

• Final dinner at HaBasta - Small but perfectly formed, HaBasta is located on a street leading off Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, from where almost all its produce is sourced. An extensive daily changing menu is scribbled on a piece of paper on the wall. The dishes, while simple, are satisfyingly complex in execution. You will be greeted by Maoz Alonim, chef and owner.

• Transfer to the airport