Lynn Family Israel Trip | October 2023

Activities:

• Welcome - 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 driver.

• Private transfer to Herzliya

• Check-in to your hotel and enjoy the hotel's facilities - Check-in time is after 3:00 PM.

• Dinner in a local restaurant - (meal and transfers are not included)

• Herzliya - The Ritz Carlton Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel & check-out

• Meet your guide and driver and begin your trip

• Drive north and begin with a tour of Tzfat - This city of Kabbalah, 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. Tzfat’s mystical aura adds to its special status as one of Israel’s four holy cities, along with Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Hebron. The old synagogues, narrow alleyways and artists’ studios add to the hilltop city’s unmistakable charm.

• Lunch break - (not included)

• Fun bike ride in the beautiful Agamon Ha'hula - Afternoon magic visit to the Hula Valley which forms part of the northern Syrian African Rift Valley which stretches as far south as Mozambique in Africa. During every migration season over 500 million birds travel through the Hula Lake. This wetland paradise is the perfect stopover for small waterfalls, cormorants, heron, pelicans, raptors, storks, and cranes.

• Check-in to your hotel

• Druze cooking workshop and home hospitality - 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.

• North

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin your day with a jeep tour - Take a fun and interesting jeep tour of Galilee with a local expert guide. While traversing the rich landscape, learn about the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Stop for a lookout over the border with Syria and Lebanon 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 northern border and what that has meant for Israel as it relates to security and humanitarian issues.

• Assaf Winery - wine and excellent meal - Assaf Winery a wonderful example of a family-owned fine winery built in the spirit of elevating the wine culture of Israel through unique Israeli wines. The visit will include wine tasting and a full meal, all made by the family.

• A visit to Mount of Beatitudes and a magnificent lookout over the Sea of Galilee - Mount of Beatitudes is a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.
  A Catholic Church was built 1930's by the well-known "Architect of the Holy Land" Antonio Barluzzi, using the local dark basalt stone. Its octagonal walls commemorate the Eight Beatitudes, each graced with the first words of one of the eight verses of the Sermon on the Mount. The church is surrounded by a marvelous garden, that allows the visitors a quiet place to contemplate and pray.

• Dinner at a local restaurant

• North

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel & check-out

• Tour of the impressive ancient Beit Shean - One of the main pagan towns during Roman rule of the region 2,000 years ago, and in the shadow of an important biblical city, Beit She’an contains a magnificent theater, Roman bathhouses, mosaics and more. It is considered one of the most well-preserved Roman sites in the region.

• Kibbutz Sde Eliahu Bio Bee - Bio Bee Sde Eliyahu is the pioneer of organic farming in Israel. While visiting the fields we not only learn about the benefits of organic farming but also about biological pest control. The Kibbutz established the first biological pest control company in Israel and is a world leader in the field of biological pest control and bumblebees for pollination.

• Suggested lunch: picnic in a beautiful nature spot

• Travel along the Jordan Valley

• Qasr el Yahud (time permitting) - According to tradition, Qasr el Yahud (Arabic: Palace of the Jews) is the Jesus' baptismal site on the Jordan river, marking his spiritual birth. It was here that John the Baptist called to the People of Judea to baptize in the Jordan River. In Jewish history, this is also believed to be the site where the Israelites crossed into Israel after wandering the desert for 40 years, as well as the site of Elijah the Prophet's ascension to heaven. The Jordan River was regarded as a sacred body of water, prominent in the scripts - it is mentioned 167 times in the Torah - more than any river, stream, lake, or sea in the Bible.

• Travel to Jerusalem and check-in to your hotel

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin with a lookout and a visit to the Tower of David Museum - 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.
  Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Old and New Cities, as an introduction to your day and the places you will be visiting.

• Continue to Mount Zion - The traditional site of the tomb of King David, holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. On the ground level are several Jewish synagogues. The second level the contains the Cenacle room where two major events in the early Christian Church are commemorated: the Last Supper and the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles.

• Enter through the Zion Gate and tour 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.

• Authentic lunch at the Arab Market - Browse in the famous Arab shuk (market) in the Muslim Quarter. Check out the local hummus and sweets, the many stalls selling spices, pastries, pottery, sheepskin, embroidered clothes, and so much more. Meet store owners whose stores have been in their family for generations.

• Church of the Holy Sepulchre - The church is situated on the hill called Golgotha or Calvary and 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 this site so holy to Christendom.

• Take time to reflect at the Western Wall - Proceed to the Kotel (The Western Wall), sacred because it is one of the last remnants 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.

• Tour of the Western Wall Tunnels - Explore what’s under the Muslim Quarter 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.

• Go back to the hotel, get settles before your afternoon activity

• Shukriya - baking workshop - Meet Avraham and Odeya - chefs, life partners, and owners of 'Shukriya - A Home for Jerusalem Culinary Culture' - who will introduce you to the culinary story of Jerusalem. Participate in an interactive hand-on bread baking workshop.

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal and transfers are not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your 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. Hiking down the mountain through the Snake Path is an option.

• Dead Sea Resort for swim and lunch - 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 'float' in the Dead Sea.

• Optional: private boat ride in the Dead Sea

• Nahal arugot (time permitting) - This beautiful nature reserve features Nahal David, a spectacular water hike for all ages. Trails in a range of levels of difficulty take you alongside and through the cool, fresh waters of Nahal David, down waterfalls, along jaw-dropping canyons, and past caves. If you’re both quiet and lucky, you might even glimpse the sure-footed ibex and other local animals.

• Travel back to Jerusalem

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included) recommended - check out Machne Yahuda Market at night.

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel & check-out

• 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.

• Culinary tour in Machne Yehuda Market - After a meaningful morning, we'll look ahead as we immerse ourselves in the life and vibrancy of Jerusalem. In the heart of the city, sits this bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. And, 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.

• Travel to Tel Aviv & check-in to your hotel

• Enjoy a free afternoon and evening to explore on your own - (dinner not included)

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin your day with a tour of the beautiful and interesting old city of 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.

• Dynamic Graffiti Tour - Graffiti tour in the trendy neighborhood of Florentine, and experience fun and artistic freedom. Discover new and daring Israeli Graffiti Artists that are gaining recognition around the world. Learn about contemporary Israel through the lens of street art.

• Street lunch - (not included)

• Continue to 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. Self-guided tour.

• Dinner at a local restaurant

• Check-out local bars - Thursday evening is when the weekend atmosphere begins in Israel. We'll be happy to give recommendations for beer/wine/cocktail bars.

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• 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 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. Along the tour you will learn about the history of the city through the various architectural styles.

• Wind your way through Nahalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Market - An open-air market in the heart of Tel-Aviv (open on Tuesdays and Fridays) that has become synonymous with quality Israeli crafts and folk art. The market is comprised of over 100 stands representing specialty crafts and folk art in virtually every medium imaginable: wood, stone, sand, glass, ceramics, and various metals with most if not all containing materials or themes found only in Israel.

• Lunch at the Carmel Market - (meal included)

• Free afternoon

• Friday night Shabbat farewell dinner - (meal and transfer are not included).

• Check-out the night life in the city that never sleeps

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Enjoy the hotel's facilities, beach time and walk in the streets of Tel Aviv

• Optional additional tour: The Israeli Culture through learning about Israeli Art - In this dynamic tour we'll figure out what makes Israeli art into what it is, and what’s it relationship with the Zionist narrative as well as the international art world. This tour through the extensive Israeli collection at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is an amazing way to visually explore the Israeli narrative from the early 20th century until today. What is the story the Arts Establishment tells about Israeli Art? The tour will be guided by a local artist and art expert (not included).

• Private transfer to Ben Gurion Airport

• VIP fast-track assistance upon departure is available - (not included)

• Fly back home

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