Families Israel Trip with Cantor Debbi Ballard | Summer 2025

Activities:

• Welcome to Israel!

• She'hecheyanu and Kabbalat Shabbat Ceremony - Introduction to your trip and get to know your group members. At a beautiful lookout over the Old City walls, in the First Jewish neighborhood outside of the walls, gather to recite the She'hecheyanu blessing together, and welcome in Shabbat. Kabbalat Shabbat services will be led by Cantor Debbi.

• Shabbat Friday night dinner as a community at the hotel

• 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 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 'swim' in the Dead Sea.

• Nature hike in the 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.

• Travel back to Jerusalem

• Dinner on your own - Ask us for recommendations!

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• A meaningful visit to Yad Vashem - Take a 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 will guided by a member of the Yad Vashem staff.

• Tasting Tour in Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem sits this bustling, multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. Immerse yourself in the world of Middle Eastern cuisine as you indulge in a tasting tour through Machane Yehuda Market. Learn about the market's rich history, and meet the vendors who bring this place to life, as you experience the vibrant energy unique to this iconic culinary destination.

• Take part in an archaeological dig in Beit Guvrin - Unleash your inner archaeologist and become part of an ongoing story that spans millennia. At an authentic archaeological site, and equipped with the necessary tools, you'll participate in the excavation process and engage in discussions which will provide a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the site.

• Proceed back to Jerusalem and enjoy dinner on your own

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Shacharit and Torah Reading at Ezrat Yisrael by Robinson’s Arch - Celebrate the bnei and bnot mitzvah 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 Debbi.

• Celebratory kiddush - Enjoy a light breakfast at the Davidson Center and commemorate this special occasion together!

• Visit the City of David - 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!

• 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 - camel ride and dinner - 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 and check out from the hotel

• Drive north through the Jordan Valley

• Time to swim in the beautiful Sachne - Gan Hashlosha National Park - Located in the lower Galilee, the water here is crystal clear, and warm (82F) year-round, making it a refreshing break any time of year. The pools are surrounded by palm trees and lush green lawns.

• Group lunch at a local restaurant

• Jeep tour in the Golan - 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 strategic 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.

• Check in to the hotel and have dinner there as well

• North Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Rafting Adventure - Raft 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.
  And, glide down a 300-foot long zip-line into the water of the Jordan River! Do you dare?!

• Drive to Tzfat - Stop along the way to purchase lunch.

• Tour of Tzfat - Discover Tzfat (Safed in English), 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 short 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

• North Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast and check out from hotel

• Travel to Rosh Hanikra - With its stunning chalk-white cliff, Rosh Hanikra sits 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 Baha'i 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 the impressive Caesarea National Park - Located on the Mediterranean coast, 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 and check in to the hotel

• Dinner on your own

• Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin the day with a visit to Ayalon Institute - This clandestine ammunition factory was 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 your own

• Sunset tour of 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 a community, welcome the Shabbat in a beautiful lookout over Old Jaffa, modern Tel Aviv, and the Mediterranean Sea. The service will be led by Cantor Debbi.

• Shabbat dinner at the hotel

• Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - On this day no guide, transportation and activities are included.

• Time to explore Tel Aviv - 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

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