Families Israel Tour with Cantor Debbi

Activities:

• Shalom! Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport - Private transfers can be arranged.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• Drive north through the Jordan Valley

• Time to swim in the beautiful Sachne-Gan Hashlosha National Park

• Group lunch at a local restaurant

• Rafting Adventure 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. If you want to complete the adventure go on a zipline into the water.

• Check-in to the hotel & have dinner there as well

• Pastoral Hotel, Kfar Blum

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin the day with a jeep ride of the Golan Heights - 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 roll 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.

• Drive to Tzfat - lunch on own

• Tour of Tzfat - Discover Tzfat which 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. The old synagogues, narrow alleyways, and artists’ studios add to the hilltop city’s unmistakable charm. You can wander around the artist quarter and find some beautiful galleries in the artist quarter.

• Druze home hospitality and quikie 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.

• Drive back to the hotel

• Pastoral Hotel, Kfar Blum

Activities:

• Breakfast & check-out from hotel

• Travel to Rosh Hanikra ("Head of the Grottos") - With the stunning chalk-white cliffs at Israel’s northernmost coastal border. Enjoy the view of the Mediterranean coastline stretched out before you, then take the cable car down beneath the cliffs to the grottos below and tour the system of underground marine caves eroded by pounding waves over thousands of years.

• Admire the beautify of the The Bahai Gardens - From the Louis Promenade, on 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!

• Free time for lunch in Haifa

• Tour of the impressive Caesarea National Park - Located on the Mediterranean coast , where 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 dreamed 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 Millenium. The city 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 as a performing venue today and the hippodrome that held 20,000 spectators for chariot races.

• Proceed to Tel Aviv & check-in to the hotel

• Dinner on own

• Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin the day with a visit to Ayalon Institute - A clandestine ammunition factory built in 1945 by the Haganah. In just three weeks, preparations for the factory were completed and it was code named the Ayalon Institute. Above ground, it appeared to be no more than a kibbutz. However, located eight meters below ground, this was the country's largest bullet factory. It has been said that the bullets manufactured at the Ayalon Institute played a crucial role in the success of the War of Independence.

• Continue with a tour of the Independence Trail - Inspired by the Freedom Trail in Boston, the new Independence Trail leads to 10 of Tel Aviv’s heritage sites teaching visitors 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.

• Time to relax, swim and explore on own

• Recommended:

• Browse through the Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) - Enjoy time on own to get lunch at the Carmel Market. The Polish, the Persian, and the Yemeni...in this case, it is not the opening line of a joke, but the fascinating culinary traditions that mix in this place.

• Check out Nachalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts fair - Where local artists display and sell their crafts surrounded by beautiful, historical buildings, many in the process of being preserved.

• After lunch go on a dynamic Graffiti Tour - Explore Florentine through an urban graffiti tour. Who are the people going out at night and changing the face of the neighborhood? What kind of story do these images and words tell us about the people living there? What is unique about graffiti in Israel and in Tel Aviv? We will walk through Florentine, the neighborhood of Tel Aviv best-known for graffiti art to answer these questions and many more in a dynamic and inquisitive tour.

• Prepare for Shabbat

• Before Shabbat and sunset tour the picturesque Old Jaffa - 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.

• Kabbalat Shabbat in Hapisga Garden - Together as community welcome the Shabbat in a beautiful lookout over Old Jaffa, modern Tel Aviv and Mediterranian sea. The service will be led by Cantor Debbie.

• Shabbat dinner at the hotel

• Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Time to explore on own - Optional sites you may want to visit and you are welcome to contact us if you wish to book a private tour:
  - Tel Aviv Art Museum (tour with a local artist is available)
  - ANU - Museum of the Jewish People
  - Private surfing lesson
  - Bike ride along the beach promenade

• Lunch on own

• 6:00pm - check out from the hotel and transfer to Ben Gurion Airport

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