Bar Mitzvah trip to Israel – July 2023

Activities:

• 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.

• Group transfer to Jerusalem & check-in to your hotel

• Dinner at local restaurant - We will be happy to make recommendations and make reservations for you. (meal not included)

• Jerusalem: King Solomon Hotel, 2 Grand DLX triple rooms

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - Every morning enjoy a delicious Israeli buffet breakfast.

• Meet your guide at the hotel lobby and begin your journey - A private driver will take you to the first two stations of the day and the rest of the day will be a walking tour in the old city.

• A panoramic lookout over the city from the Mount of Olives - There are countless Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions about Mt. Olives, including that from here the Messiah will come, and from here the dead will be resurrected in the vision of the End of Days. Enjoy a beautiful lookout of the Holy Basin, the old and new city of Jerusalem.

• Tour the City of David - Visit the excavation of the City of David. King David captured a Jebusite citadel to build his capital. The city was well fortified with its own water source and Jerusalem was a perfect site for the new kind of national state that David envisaged.

• Exciting walk through an ancient water cistern - Biblical King Hezekiah had the Siloam tunnel built in preparation for an Assyrian attack in the 8th or 7th century BCE, to redirect water from the Gihon spring into Jerusalem. Today, you can splash through the knee-deep water as you marvel at this astonishing feat of ancient engineering that is still standing today. When you exit the tunnel you will visit an important pool dated to the Second Temple Period, where it was a gathering spot of the Jewish pilgrims before they climbed up to the Temple. Take a shuttle back to the entrance, change clothes and continue with your tour.

• Take time to reflect 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. Place your special and personal prayer in the cracks of the stones.

• Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - The Holy Sepulchre is situated on the hill called Golgotha or Calvary. The Church contains the last five Stations of the Cross including the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Several Christian denominations claim ownership to various parts of the site so holy to Christendom.

• Lunch break and browse through 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 not included)

• Continue touring the Jewish Quarter - See archaeological finds from First and Second Temple periods, Roman ruins, and vibrant synagogues, and witness learning institutions jostle for space in these busy stone streets. The central plaza offers an excellent place to contemplate the power this quarter holds for so many.

• Transfer back to the hotel

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Your private guide will meet you at the hotel lobby

• IDF counter terror experience - All our instructors are weapons experts, seen combat, and still active reservists in the Israel Defense Forces. Interact with them and hear their stories about places and operation that you have read about in the news.
  Experience what it's like to be an Israeli counter-terror soldier. You'll be trained to shoot rifles. All instructors are weapons experts, served as combat soldiers, and are still active reservists in the Israel Defense Forces. Interact with them and hear their stories about places and operation that you have read about in the news. Watch Krav Maga combat display.

• Pina Hama - Pina Hama in Gush Ezion junction is a kiosk for the soldiers serving in the area and those who travel by. This is run by volunteers that prepare sandwiches, drinks and serve snacks for free for the IDF soldier. Stop at a local grocery store to get some snacks and pastries and donate it to the soldiers serving in the area.

• Head back to Jerusalem and enjoy a free afternoon and explore on your own - Optional additional activities for this day:
  - Slide down the longest zipline in Israel, in Deer Land (near Caliber 3)
  - Archeological dig in Beit Guvrin
  - The Hebrew Music Museum
  - Culinary tour in Machane Yehuda Market
  - Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum
  - The Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Tower of David Sound and Light Show - Amidst the archaeological remains in the David Citadel courtyard the story of Jerusalem unfolds through virtual reality images. The Night Spectacular uses trompe l'oeil technology – the stones of the walls and structures fade into the scenes and the viewers are part of a multi-sensory experience.

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - We recommend an early start as it is very hot in the desert.

• Masada Fortress - Ascend the mountain by a 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.

• Lunch and swim at the Dead Sea - Israel’s Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, 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 attempt floating in the Dead Sea. You will also be able to use the hotel's facilities - pools and showers.

• A beautiful hike through Ein Gedi oasis - This beautiful nature reserve features Nahal David, 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 jaw-dropping canyons, and past caves. If you’re both quiet and lucky, you might even glimpse the sure-footed ibex and other local animals. Weather and time permitting.

• Travel back to Jerusalem

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast & check-out from hotel

• Private transfer to Haifa port

• Enjoy your cruise!

• Day 6: Aug. 10, Thursday

• When you dock back in Haifa you will be greeted by your guide

• Begin with a lookout over the Bahai Gardens - From the Louis Promenade at the top of Mount Carmel, we will admire the stunning scenery. Nicknamed the Balcony of the Country, a 400-meter long promenade at the top of the Baha'i Gardens offers a view of the entire Haifa Bay, all the way to the border with Lebanon. This impressive spot offers a truly spectacular view, so have a camera ready!

• Caesarea National Park - On the Mediterranean coast, Caesarea National Park is one of Israel’s most impressive archeological sites. Here, amazing ancient harbor ruins, beautiful beaches, and impressive modern residences sit side-by-side. The city was initially built by King Herod in the 1st century BC, who dreamt of a major seaport to connect the Province of Judea with Rome. For this purpose, the king's men designed an entirely artificial harbor that was in use for about a millennium. Caesarea became a central city in Roman and Byzantine times as can be seen from the massive archeological remains on site. View the spectacular Roman amphitheater, still used today as a performance venue, as well as the hippodrome that held 20,000 spectators for chariot races.

• Drive to Tel Aviv-Yaffo

• Browse through the Jaffa Flea Market and eat lunch there as well - Wind your way through the Flea Market which features everything from antiques to hip new clothing and design stores, cafes, restaurants, and bars. (meal not included)

• Tour 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.
  On a walk through Jaffa, discover the ancient and modern situated side-by-side. Stroll through the alleyways of the Old City filled with artist studios as well as archaeological discoveries. Discover which Jewish and Christian stories took place in the city.

• Dynamic Graffiti Tour - Enjoy a colorful fascinating street art tour in the trendy neighborhood of Florentin. The tour is a window to discuss current issues and learn about the Israeli society. Discover new and daring Israeli Graffiti Artists that are gaining recognition around the world.

• Farewell dinner in a local restaurant - We will be happy to make suggestions and book a table for you.

• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport and fly back home - VIP fast-track assistance is available for an additional cost.

• We look forward to hosting you again in our beautiful country!