Gold Israel Trip - May 2023

Activities:

• Meet your guide and start your special journey.

• Drive north along the Mediterranean Sea

• Tour of the Caesarea National Park - On the Mediterranean coast - Caesarea, one of Israel’s most impressive archeological sites. A national park 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.

• Have lunch on rout

• Akko historical tour - Walk through 4,000 years of history in this ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage site. The Old City of Akko, or Acre, has been lived in continuously for 4,000 years. There’s almost too much to see, including one of the world’s oldest ports; the amazing Crusader city which earned Akko UNESCO World Heritage status; and the khans, mosques, baths, and citadels of the preserved Ottoman walled town.

• Check into hotel

• Dinner at the hotel

• Nof Ginosar Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Tel Dan - Tel Dan National Park combines a lush nature reserve with a biblical archaeological experience and includes a short wheelchair- accessible trail. At the heart of the park is “Tel Dan”- the capital of the ancient northern Israeli biblical kingdom.

• Tour the Golan Heights - Drive to Mount Bental for a geopolitical discussion overlooking the Israeli-Syrian border. The Golan Heights are a geological and biogeographical region and is a plateau formed by a volcanic action.
  Optional: go on a jeep ride of the Golan with a local guide.

• Lunch on rout

• Visit to Capernaum - Located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum was a fishing village in the days of Jesus. This is where Jesus called his first disciples, the brothers Peter and Andrew. The remains of the ancient village were excavated starting the 19th century - some of the findings are a testimony to the rich Jewish lives in the early Roman times, and the existence of a Judeo-Christian community as Christianity grew and evolved in the land. Amongst other astonishing relics, we can still visit a very well-preserved synagogue and remains of the House of Peter and the Byzantine church that was built over it. A modern octagonal church is situated above the site nowadays - its glass floor allows a look at the remains under it. As the place in which Jesus, Peter, and the Apostles lived and preached, Capernaum is a main site of pilgrimage for Christians.

• Dinner on own in Rosh Pina or Tiberias - Optional: Druze authentic meal and home hospitality.

• Galilee

Activities:

• Breakfast and check out from the hotel

• Tour of Tzfat, city of Kabbalah - 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 row.
  
  The city of Tzfat (also spelled Tsfat or Safed) is one of 4 holy cities in Jewish tradition, together with Tiberias, Hebron, and, naturally, Jerusalem. It resided on the top of Mount Canaan that is overlooking the green tops of Mount Meron on its west and the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights on the east. The city has become the center of Kabbalah scholars in the 16th century, many of them refugees (and descendants of refugees) of the traumatic Expulsion from Spain (1492). The setting of the city, coupled with the attempt to rebuild the shattered Jewish community and Jewish identity, inspired some of these renowned Rabbis to explore the hidden secrets of Judaism, the Tora ( aka - 5 books of Moses), and the principles of Kabballah as they are obscurely worded in the 13th-century founding book of Kabbalah - Zohar ("The Glow").

• Meaningful visit to Brothers For Life Home - You will meet one of the staff members of Brothers for Life non-profit organization and hear about their special mission. BFL vision is that every wounded combat soldier receives the care and support needed to ensure his return to fulfilling and contributive life.

• Approach Jerusalem - When you enter Jerusalem stop for a panoramic lookout over the old & new city of Jerusalem. Make a toast and say together the "Shehecheyanu" blessing – appreciating the moment and the opportunity to be in Jerusalem.

• Check in to the hotel

• 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.

• Jerusalem: Harmony Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Begin your day at the Jaffa Gate - Enter the Old City of Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate. Walk through the Christian quarter and see some of the important sites in Christianity.

• Jewish Quarter - Explore the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Visit the Byzantine Cardo, and the artifacts uncovered during archaeological excavations exposing two thousand years of Jewish history in the Old City till present day.

• Lunch on your own in the old city

• 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.

• Tour the Davidson Center and the Archeological Park - The fascinating Southern Wall Archaeological Park surrounds the lower part of the Temple Mount from the West and South. Walk along the Pilgrims' road and discover the fascinating archeological findings from the Second Temple period.

• Proceed to the Kotel (The Western Wall) - Sacred because it is one of the last remnant 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.

• Return to the hotel and free evening

• Jerusalem: Harmony Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Yad Vashem - Private tour of the museum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Memorial to the Holocaust. Tour this memorial to the darkest moment in world and Jewish history, its children’s memorial, and exquisite gardens. Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance

• Machane Yehuda Market - After a meaningful morning focusing on our past, we will head to the present and modern day. In the heart of Jerusalem, at a bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life. Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers.

• Continue with a tour of Mishkenot Sha'ananim and Yemin Moshe - This was the first Jewish neighborhood built outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, on a hill directly across from Mount Zion. This was the first area of Jewish settlement in Jerusalem outside the Old City walls. Walk through this picturesque small streets and discover the history of this place. End at one of Jerusalem’s iconic landmarks, the Montefiore windmill that was originally a flour mill, built in the 19th century by British philanthropist Moses Montefiore to help the Jews of the Old Yishuv support themselves.

• Friday night dinner on own

• Jerusalem: Harmony Hotel

Activities:

• Jerusalem Lodging General - Overnight: Jerusalem

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Drive to the Dead Sea region, the lowest place on earth

• In depth tour of Masada - Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is built as a palace complex, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, (reigned 37 – 4 B.C.). Became a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 A.D. Ascend Masada by cable car and tour the site.

• Ein Gedi oasis nature hike - 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.
  Alternative: visit to a 6th-century synagogue that was discovered in Ein Gedi.

• Lunch on rout

• Continue to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth - Have time to enjoy and relax on the beach and pool area at one of the hotels on the shore of the sea. Attempt flotation in a sea that is 33% salt and keeps you buoyant.

• Return to Jerusalem

• Farewell dinner Dinner on own

• Jerusalem: Harmony Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast & check-out from hotel

• Begin your day with a visit to the Israel museum - Visit the unique collections and expansive grounds of the Israel Museum, the country’s national museum. Linger over the renowned international and Israeli art, the world’s most complete Judaica collections and the charming Billy Rose Sculpture Garden. You can also visit the Shrine of the Book, home to the exceptional archaeological finds of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other rare ancient manuscripts.

• Stop at Rehovot and visit the Ayalon Institute - A clandestine ammunitions 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.

• Drive to Tel Aviv Yaffo

• Lunch on rout

• Afternoon Tour of 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. Discover which Jewish and Christian stories took place in the city.

• Check-in and dinner on own

• Tel Aviv: Tal Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Enjoy a full walking day tour (no vehicle)

• Begin your morning with a tour of Neve Tzedek - The first Jewish neighborhood to be built outside of Jaffa and currently one of the most beautiful and desired locations in Tel Aviv. It was built by some of the dignitaries of the old Jewish community of Jaffa in 1887. They were looking to head out of the ever-growing and over-crowded Jaffa, to build what was considered back then modern and comfortable housing. In recent years, after a period of neglect, the neighborhood was resorted and became a trendy fun beautiful part of the city and a good place to try some Israeli Gelato!

• Discover the Israeli diverse cultures through a food tourLevinsky Market - 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. Tour the market and have "tastings" throughout (tour replaces lunch).

• Continue to the Independence Trail - Inspired by the Freedom Trail in Boston, the new Independence Trail leads to 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.

• Free evening and dinner on own

• Tel Aviv: Tel Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Day to explore on your own - Recommended for this day:
  - Visit ANU Museum - the renewed Diaspora Museum
  - Visit to Ben Gurion's House in Tel Aviv
  - Check out Nahalat Binyamim Art & Craft market - open on Tue. and Fri.

• Check out by noon

• Farewell - private transfer to Ben Gurion Airport

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