Paige Gabay Family Trip – December 2023

Activities:

• Welcome to Israel

• VIP Arrival - 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.

• Enjoy a day of leisure to explore and enjoiy Tel Aviv on your own

• The Jaffa Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Day on own to acclimate

• Old Jaffa (on own) - 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.

• Jaffa Flea Market - Wind your way through the Flea Market which features everything from antiques to hip new clothing and design stores, cafes, restaurants, and bars.

• OPTIONAL: The squadron - The Squadron functions in accordance with the typical agenda of an active IAF combat squadron which includes donning a flight suit, professional flight instruction, mission and objective reception and acceptance, simulator flight, and a flight debrief in accordance with The Squadron’s research methodology.

• Dinner at Onza (on own)

• The Jaffa Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Drive early to Rishon l'Zion for half day out of Tel Aviv

• Ayalon Institute - the Bullet Factory - This clandestine ammunitions 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.

• Basketball game in wheelchairs - Take your chance playing basketball 4 on 4, when everyone are in wheelchairs, and hear about the inclusion in Israel.

• Graffiti Workshop- Murielle - Tour the dynamic neighborhood of Florentine, Tel Aviv’s most bohemian and upbeat neighborhood and learn about contemporary Israeli culture through the writing on the wall, graffiti, bumper stickers and even painted garbage bins. In recent years Tel Aviv has become Israel's capital of urban art.
  Take part in an interactive fun graffiti workshop, where you'll make something on your own and take it with back home.

• Levinsky Market tasting tour - 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. Whether you are looking for a rare Indian spice or some good quality saffron - this is the place. Shops offer a cornucopia of excellent cheeses, smoked fish, wines, and other delicacies. Tour the market and have "tastings" throughout.

• The White City - Explore Lev Ha'ir, the Heart of the City, where the first roots of Tel Aviv were planted in 1909. Lev Hair contains some of Tel Aviv’s most beautiful buildings, being at the center of the UNESCO designated “White City” known for its Bauhaus, Eclectic, and International Style architecture. The area is densely populated, rooted in history, and with a glance towards the future with impressive skyscrapers, and a high concentration of start-up companies. Bordered by Habima Theater in the north and Florentin and Neve Tzedek in the south, Lev Ha’ir is a gateway to almost every district in the city. Lev Ha'ir is a cultural hub, filled with galleries, restaurants and parks.

• Late afternoon tour of 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!

• The Jaffa Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Day on own

• OPTIONAL: Sarona Tunnels - The Sarona Tunnels in Tel Aviv offer a fascinating underground experience, connecting the city's vibrant Sarona Market with its historic German Templar Colony. Explore and discover hidden gems below the surface.

• OPTIONAL visit to Alexander Muss

• Mike Solomonov's favorite ice cream: Pinguin - Visit Kfar Saba, Mike Solomonov's childhood town and taste his favorite childhood ice cream

• Spend the day with friends at Even Yehuda

• The Jaffa Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) - 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.

• Nahalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Market - If your tour is on Tuesday or a Friday, visit Nachalat Binyamin, an open-air market in the heart of Tel-Aviv 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.

• Check out of the hotel and head north

• Caesarea National Park - On the Mediterranean coast, Caesarea National Park is one of Israel’s most impressive archeological sites. Here, amazing ancient harbor ruins, beautiful beaches, and impressive modern residences sit side-by-side.

• OPTIONAL: Christmas in Nazareth - Set in the Lower Galilee, Israel’s biggest Arab city, Nazareth, is a fascinating place. It combines traditional, simple Arabic charm, Christian history, and grand old Arabic architecture. Nazareth is home to many important early Christian sites, including the Basilica of the Annunciation, Mary’s Well, and the Synagogue Church, as well as an authentic, living Arab souk (market). Celebrating Christmas in Nazareth is a magical experience, where the spirit of the season fills the air.

• Dinner with a local Druze family - 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 to the hotel and check in

• Vered Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Early morning Agamon HaHula - Bikes & Golfcarts - The Hula Valley is part of the northern Syrian African Rift Valley which stretches as far south as Mozambique in Africa. Each migration season, over 500 million birds travel through the Hula Lake. This wetland paradise is the perfect stopover for small waterbirds, cormorants, herons, pelicans, raptors, storks, and cranes.

• Agamon market - taste Knaffe Kaak - The spacious Agamon Market offers a variety of shops, restaurants, coffee shops and a wide-ranging authentic Galilean farmer's market.
  The spacious Agamon Market offers a variety of shops, restaurants, coffee shops and a wide-ranging authentic Galilean farmer's market.

• Banias National Park - Take a refreshing walk around the Banias, one of Israel’s most beautiful nature reserves. The Banias Spring feeds into the Jordan River, the reserve’s large waterfall tumbles down a 33-foot precipice year-round, and a nearby cave houses remains of a temple to the Greek god Pan. In the wars of 1948 and 1967, when the Golan was held by Syria, the site housed a Syrian officers’ club.

• Golan Heights - Explore the Golan Heights by Jeep, ATV, OR - EZ RIDER (!!!). Learn about the recent history of the region and explore the issues that have confronted Israel during the civil war in Syria. Stop at Har Bental, an extinct volcano and an army stronghold.

• Wedding Ceremony at Ancient Synagogue of Korazim - A Jewish town in a basalt landscape overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The beautiful synagogue at Korazim, built at the end of the fourth century or the beginning of the fifth century CE, is made of basalt, the region’s most common stone, carved in geometric, floral and faunal patterns.

• Festive dinner at Tibi's

• Vered Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Horse Back Riding - Go on a fun horseback riding in the beautiful Galilee, overlooking the Sea of Galilee and enjoy the lovely air and scenery.

• Check out and drive west towards Akko

• OPTINAL: quick stop at Ein Camonim - Ein Camonim is Israel’s first boutique cheese dairy Learn about the cheese making process and eat a delicious lunch including the farm's organic cheeses.

• Akko - The ancient city of Akko is situated on the Mediterranean, is one of the oldest ports in the world, and a city shared by Jews and Muslims. Walk narrow streets past towering ramparts, deep moats, green domes, venerable synagogues, slender Muslim minarets, and secret passageways. Discover the subterranean city built in the Middle Ages by the Crusaders beneath Akko. Learn about the city’s ancient history as well as its important role in Israel’s modern history.

• Continue to Haifa for the "Holiday of Holidays" Festival - The Holiday of Holidays Festival in Haifa is a multicultural celebration that takes place during December, embracing the diversity of the city. It showcases the traditions, music, and cuisine of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian communities, fostering unity and understanding among different cultures

• The Bahai Gardens - From the Louis Promenade at 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!

• Drive back to the hotel

• Vered Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Check out of the hotel and drive north along the coast

• Migdal Tzedek National Park - Located in Migdal Afek are the ruins of Mirabel, a Crusader castle, built on the site of ancient Migdal Afek. It was described in Muslim sources in 1225 as a village with a fortress called Majdal Yaba. In the 17th century, the village was taken over by the Rayyān family who arrived from Transjordan and built a two-story manor house.

• Visit to Tel Afek Winery, a family owned garage winery

• Drive to Jerusalem

• Jerusalem Lookout - The tour will begin with a panoramic view of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. You choose if you want to see Jerusalem and the Judean desert from Mount Scopus or the Haas Promenade – OR - to appreciate Jerusalem’s splendor from the Mount of Olives, home to many biblical events. All of these lookouts offer an unrivalled vista of the Old City and its environs.

• Check in to the hotel and free time until dinner

• Home Hospitality and Culinary Encounter - Shabbat Dinner

• Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Day on own - Here are some suggestions:

• 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.

• 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.

• Orient 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. In the Jewish Quarter, uncover the layers of Jewish history from the time of the First Temple until the present day. In the Christian Quarter, visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and, if conditions permit, visit one of the holiest Muslim sites, the Temple Mount. Throughout the tour explore the complexity of a city that is holy to the three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

• Culinary tour of the Muslim Quarter

• 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.

• Rest of day on own

• Dinner at Machneyuda - "This restaurant is considered one of the best in Jerusalem, possibly the country. Celebrity chef, Assaf Granit, grew up in Jerusalem and pays homage to the city's colors and cacophony in his elegant dishes. The menu changes twice daily, but it nearly always includes chamshuka, a fusion of chopped meat and hummus, and a raucous dessert ceremony of ice cream flung on tables covered in aluminum foil.”

• Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Private tour of Yad Vashem (minimum age - 10) - Visit the museum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Memorial to the Holocaust. Tour this memorial to the darkest moment in the 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.

• Shopping tour of Jerusalem

• 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.

• Late lunch at Azura - Lunch at Azura, a family-run institution in the Iraqi section of the market, famous for its Turkish-inspired delicacies that are slow-cooked to perfection atop kerosene burners.

• Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Check out of the hotel and head south

• Camel ride at Eretz Beresheet - Genesis Land is situated in the heart of the Judean desert, on the way to the Dead Sea, 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.

• Masada National Park - 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.

• Lunch and Swim at HOD Hotel by Herbert Samuel - 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. Enjoy lunch at one of the Dead Sea Hotels, and swim in the Dead Sea.
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• Continue driving south to Eilat

• Check in and dinner at the hotel

• Eilat hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Drive to the border and cross over to Jordan

• Half day tour of Wadi Rum - Travel (about 1 hour) to Wadi Rum. In Wadi Rum you shall pass the famous “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” on your way to the Visitors Centre, where you will have a short stop. Here you will board a local open 4 X 4 Vehicle escorted by a Bedouin guide to take you out into the desert for 3 hours. You will visit the Lawrence Spring, the Famous Ghazaly Gorge with its ancient Rock inscriptions. Lunch Break at a Bedouin Camp. At the end of the tour we drive for about an hour to Petra/Wadi Rum for check in at the Hotel

• Sunset Sandboarding at Wadi Rum - Sandboarding down Wadi Rum's fiery dunes evokes thrill and freedom, amid the timeless Jordanian landscape; a surreal blend of serenity, adventure, and raw beauty under an endless desert sky

• Dinner in Wadi Rum at a local Bedouin campsite

• Bubble Luxotel Wadi Rum - Bubble tents in Wadi Rum offer immersive stargazing experiences, enveloped by the desert's solitude. Transparent dwellings provide intimate encounters with nature's spectacle beneath Jordan's magnificent, unobstructed night sky

Activities:

• Breakfast in the desert

• After breakfast drive north to visit Petra - Petra

• Petra - half day tour - Visit Petra, Jordan's jewel, the capital city of the Nabateans. Petra is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face of the rose red stones of the Wadi Mousa Mountains by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Despite successive attempts by the Seleucid king Antigonus, the Roman emperor Pompey and Herod the Great to bring Petra under the control of their respective empires, Petra remained largely in Nabataean hands until around 100AD, when the Romans took over. Upon arrival, you will take a horseback ride (optional), and walk through the Siq - the only access to this city. Enjoy lunch (included).

• Short hike to the Monastery

• Drive south and cross the border back to Eilat

• Eilat hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Day on on to rest, enjoy Eilat and prepare for flight back home - SUGGESTIONS FOR THE DAY IN EILAT:

• Dolphin Reef - Dolphin Reef Eilat, on the shores of the Red Sea, is an ecological site unique in Israel and throughout the world where visitors can enjoy a natural atmosphere, magical views, secluded beach, together with the unusual opportunity of meeting and observing dolphins in their natural habitat.

• Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve - Shmurat Aalmogim-National park

• Afternoon drive to the airport and fly to TLV airport - 4PM flight from Eilat to BGA

• VIP Departure

• Farewell