Families Israel Tour with Cantor Debbi – Jerusalem part

Activities:

• Shalom! Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport - Private transfers and VIP fast-track assistance can be arranged for an additional cost.

• Optional: ice breakers and team building activity to get to know each other

• She'echeyanu and Kabbalat Shabbat Ceremony - In a beautiful lookout over the Old City walls, in the First Jewish neighborhood outside of the walls, gather together to welcome the Shabbat together. The service will be led by Cantor Debbi.

• Shabbat Friday night dinner as a community

• Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - Every morning you will enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel.

• Masada National Park - Ascend the mountain from 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 on route

• Nature hike in Ein Gedi oasis - The landscape, climatic conditions and water sources at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve have created a unique ecosystem of springs, waterfalls and pools surrounded by lush greenery in a desolate desert setting. We will have the opportunity to hike up to and cool off in the refreshing pools and waterfalls of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. The stunning Ein Gedi oasis consists of two separate waterways: Nahal David (David’s Stream), where David took refuge from King Saul; and Nahal Arugot, where remains of a 6th-century synagogue were discovered.

• Time to swim and attempt floating in the Dead Sea - At 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth. Known in Hebrew as "The Sea of Salt", it is also one of the saltiest lakes in the world - with about 34.2% salinity.
  This 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.

• Travel back to Jerusalem

• Dinner on own

• 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. (transfer not included)

• Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• A meaningful visit to Yad Vashem - Guided tour of Israel’s national Holocaust museum. Yad Vashem presents a profoundly Jewish memorial of the Shoah. From its dramatic structure to its powerful exhibits, such as the chilling Children’s Memorial, Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance. You'll be guided by a local guide.

• Tasting Tour in the Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem, a 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.

• Take part in an Archaeological dig in Beit Guvrin - Come experience the thrill of unearthing the hidden past on Dig-for-a-Day, a ground-breaking archaeological experience designed for active travelers of all ages.

• Group 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.

• Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Shacharit & Torah Reading at Ezrat Yisrael by Robinson’s Arch - Together as a community, we will gather at Ezrat Israel, the egalitarian plaza, in front of the Western Wall and the ancient streets and Robinson's Arch from from the Second Temple period. The service will be led by Cantor Debbie.
  Optional: photographer for the day to take photos of the ceremony and family photos.

• Light celebratory Kiddush

• Walk to the City of David, change clothes and begin touring

• A visit to the City of David - This hill, on which Jerusalem began 4 millenniums ago as a Jebusite village, has been continuously excavated for the last 120 years, and still, most of its mysteries are yet to be discovered. The tour of the site leads you through the biblical palace of King David, past ritual purification pools from the First and Second Temple eras, beside Roman, medieval, and Byzantine ruins.
  The highlight is to walk through water in Hezekiah’s Tunnel, part of the ancient City of David built around the Gihon spring, which is on the side of the cliff overlooking the Kidron Valley. It was built to protect the water supply, in about 701 BC.

• Explore what’s under the Kotel through the Kotel Tunnels Tour - The Western Wall is impressive, but its greatness is truly discovered when you descend underground to the Western Wall Tunnels. The tunnels run along approximately 488 meters (1601ft) of the Western Wall, giving visitors a taste for the challenge that stood before Herod the Great during this biggest of all his immense building projects - the expansion of the Temple Mount.

• Tour of 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.

• Genesis Land - dinner and camel ride - In the heart of the Judean desert, in the land where the Patriarchs lived. A magical place, it enables visitors to experience life as it was in biblical times. Ride by camel to desert hospitality in the style of Abraham and Sarah and enjoy a delicious desert meal.

• Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast & check-out from hotel - Check-out by noon.

• The group will drive up north.

• Enjoy a free day to explore on your own - You can leave your bags at the hotel's storage room until you need to drive to the airport. We will be happy to give you suggestions and book private tours.

• Fly back home - Private airport transfer and fast-track assistance can be arranged for an additional cost.

• Safe travels back home. We look forward to hosting you again in the near future.