JARCFL Israel Trip 2023

Activities:

• Welcome to Israel - 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 guide and driver.

• Tree Planting - Neot Kedumim - Neot Kedumim is the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel which is a unique endeavor to re-create the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail. Neot Kedumim embodies the panorama and power of the landscapes that helped shape the values of the Bible and provided a rich vocabulary for expressing them. As we prepare to end our time together, we will connect to the land by planting trees.
  Neot Kedumim is the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel which is a unique endeavor to re-create the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail. Neot Kedumim embodies the panorama and power of the landscapes that helped shape the values of the Bible and provided a rich vocabulary for expressing them.

• Brunch - As the group arrives quite early, we will stop for brunch and talk about the week ahead (included)

• Overlook Old and New City from Mount Scopus - Mount Scopus, or “tzofim” in Hebrew, is one of the tallest hills surrounding Jerusalem. The name “scopus” means a vantage point, and the lookout post on the edge of this hill is the place to go for the finest views of the Old City, the Dome of the Rock, and the sprawl of New Jerusalem. We will stop and say a shehehiyanu as we are arriving to Jerusalem for the first time as a group.

• Check into hotel - Take some time to relax before we come together for an early dinner.

• Dinner in Jerusalem - Dinner at your hotel (Meal is included)

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Old City, Jerusalem - Tour Jerusalem’s Old City and meet the people and places that make this place so unique. Throughout the tour explore the complexity of a city that is holy to these three major religions.

• The Western Wall Tunnels - 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 of the challenge that stood before Herod the Great during the biggest of all his immense building projects - the expansion of the Temple Mount.

• The Cardo-Old City Jerusalem - Explore the Jewish Quarter including synagogues, alleys and small shops of the Byzantine Cardo.

• Davidson Center - Walk through the Southern Wall Archaeological Gardens. Get a glimpse of the glory of the Second Temple, the heart of the ancient Jewish kingdom, and the devastation that followed. Visit the Davidson Visitors' Center and enjoy a modern and interactive virtual presentation.

• Lunch on your own - Lunch break in the Old City in Jewish Quarter (Meal is not included)

• City of David - Visit the excavation of the City of David where 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.

• Afternoon program - The group will split after visiting the City of David -

• 3PM - Clients will go to Israel Elwyn - The bus will take the group to meet with Israel Elwyn at Kiryat Menachem.
  The clients will have a chance to get to know their friends at Elwyn and have dinner together.

• Return to get some rest at to hotel.

• Dinner on your own - Your guide will make suggestions and recommendations (Meal is not included).

• Optional: Tower of David Night Spectacular - 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.

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel - After breakfast travel together to begin touring.

• This morning will be two tracks: - The bus will take everyone from the hotel together, and the group will split until lunch time.

• A. Guided tour of Yad Vashem - Visit 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. You'll be guided by a member of the Yad Vashem staff.

• B. Clients visiting the Israel Aquarium - Check out the new Israel Aquarium, a huge aquarium that tells a fascinating submarine story. Visit the “Four Seas” gallery, where you will find an extraordinary exhibit of Israel’s seas – namely, the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Sea of Galilee, and the Dead Sea. Your next destination are the different galleries displaying local fish farming and aquaculture techniques. Among these galleries, you’ll find treasures from the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and the Red Sea.

• Lunch at a local Aroma Cafe - To be coordinated with Israel Elwyn as many of the clients of IE work at Aroma Cafes around the city (Meal is included).

• 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.

• Israel Elwyn Dance Troupe Performance - Established in 2004, in collaboration with the Israel Museum, the Israel Elwyn Theater Group consists of 14 actors with intellectual or developmental disabilities who live in community living services.
  The actors gain experience in performing and dancing with the support of a range of stage art professionals

• Welcome Reception - The group will come together at Israel Elwyn where they will have a welcome reception with their friends at this counterpart organization. We'll have a chance to meet members of this special community.

• Dinner on Own - Your guide will make suggestions and recommendations (Meal is not included).

• Dinner for JARC & Elwyn board members - Details to be advised.

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• The Group will Split this Day - On this day, the clients and their staff will head to Israel Elwyn where they will spend the day with their Israeli peers. The rest of the group will spend the day in Tel Aviv

• 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 stories do these images and words tell us about the people living here? What is unique about graffiti in Israel and in Tel Aviv specifically? We will walk through Florentine, the neighborhood of Tel Aviv best-known for graffiti art, to answer these questions and many more during this dynamic and inquisitive tour.

• Neve Tzedek - This is 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. Looking to head out of the ever-growing and over-crowded Jaffa, they built, what was considered back then, modern and comfortable housing. In recent years, after a period of neglect, the neighborhood was restored and has become a trendy fun beautiful part of the city and a good place to try some Israeli Gelato!

• Lunch break at Carmel Market - The Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel), is the largest market in Tel Aviv. Touring the market reveals the taste of the ages of Tel-Aviv in the youthful atmosphere of the city's central 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. The established market that was founded over 90 years ago, can now reveal its secrets, stories, and legends to you. Enjoy tastes throughout the tour (included)

• ANU Museum of the Jewish People - In June 2021, after ten years of planning and construction, the largest Jewish museum in the world opened its doors. You’re invited to join a fascinating journey that portrays the story of the Jewish people through the generations and up to the present time. The Museum represents all parts of the Jewish people and highlights the creative works and cultural riches of a variety of communities in different periods of history. This story is about all of us and each and every one of us is part of it.

• Dinner in Tel Aviv - TBD - The group will enjoy an early dinner in Tel Aviv before heading back to Jerusalem (included)

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Adventurous Israel - Go on a fun jeep tour in the Jerusalem Hills. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the most beautiful places in Jerusalem Hills
  See places in nature where private cars and buses cannot reach.

• Lunch - Clients will join together with our friends from Israel Elwyn for a special pre-Shabbat lunch, the rest of the group will have lunch in Shalva Caf'e (Meal is not included).

• Rest before Shabbat

• Kabbalat Shabbat At the Kotel - Just before sundown we gather at the Western Wall for unique and inspiring experience, as we watch the various, modern Jewish communities gather to usher-in Shabbat. Following ancient traditions, each community blesses the 'Sabbath Queen'.

• Shabbat dinner - The group will enjoy Shabbat dinner at the hotel (Meal is included)

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Today we will have three options (please choose one in the registration form):

• A. Masada National Park and Dead Sea (with lunch) - Ascend the mountain from the east 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.
  After coming down the mountain, head to Israel’s Dead Sea, 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 'float' in the Dead Sea. We will then head back to Jerusalem.

• B. Walking tour Jerusalem - On Shabbat afternoon, we can walk through various neighborhoods - Nachlaot is known for its narrow, winding lanes, old-style housing, hidden courtyards and many small synagogues. Yemin Moshe is a quaint neighborhood of cobbled alleyways and stone houses, Yemin Moshe is home to the 19th-century Montefiore Windmill

• C. Seahorse Winery - The Seahorse winery is a small operation and is one of the better places to get to know the Judean Hills' terroir. Zeev Dunie, a filmmaker turned winemaker, has pioneered coaxing authentic Mediterranean flavors from unusual grapes. (extra cost)

• Shabbat lunch - For those who choose to stay in Jerusalem on Shabbat, we will arrange for Shabbat lunch either at the hotel or home hospitality.

• Relax at Hotel - After a lovely day, take time to relax back at the hotel before heading out for dinner.

• Dinner on Own - We can provide you with suggestions and recommendations! (Meal and transportation not
  included.)

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Visit Beit Guvrin - Explore Beit Guvrin National Park where you will be able to take part in an archeological dig. The caves of Beit Guvrin hold a rich trove of artifacts that visitors like you have uncovered over the years. Don’t forget to check out the amazing Bell Caves too.

• Picnic Lunch - Picnic Lunch in Nature

• Special in Uniform - Special in Uniform is an innovative program that integrates youth with disabilities into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and helps prepare them for careers. Visit a Special in Uniform base and meet the young recruits. (Yet to be confirmed)

• Afternoon tour of Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem sits this 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. The group will split based upon size of the group to ensure the best experience (included)

• Dinner at a Local Restaurant - If you are still hungry after the market, take the opportunity to explore different areas for dinner (Meal is not included)

• Inbal Hotel Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel and Check out by 11 am

• Kol Haot - Closing Workshop - Now is your opportunity to reflect on the time you’ve spent in Israel and to share the experiences, sites, and people you’ll want to remember most after you’ve returned home. With the "Kol HaOt" team, we will explore the personal meaning of Israel using colors and symbols to give ourselves and our fellow participants a visual picture of what this journey meant to us

• Lunch on Own

• Gather together with Elwyn Israel - Meet to reflect and summarize the experiences you have had in this trip

• Travel to Tel Aviv

• Evening tour of 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.

• Farewell dinner - Our final dinner will be at the Jaffa port (included)

• After dinner drive to Ben Gurion airport - Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by VIP representatives who will help you through all departure
  procedures.

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