Rubenstein Parker-Lentz Israel Trip

Activities:

• Happy Rosh Hashana

• 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.

• Drive to Tel Aviv & check in to your hotel - Please note: check-in time is at 6:00 PM

• 8:00 PM Dinner at Manta Ray - Nahum Goldmann St 4, Tel Aviv (not included)

• Tel Aviv: Poli House

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - Every morning you'll enjoy a delicious Israeli breakfast at your hotel

• Day to explore on your own - Enjoy a full day to explore the city your way
  Suggested tours you can add:
  A. Israeli Fashion Tour,
  B. Israeli Cuisine Culinary Tour in Levinsky / Carmel Market,
  C. Tour of Jaffa's Old City and Flea Market,
  D. Surfing lesson in the Mediterranean Sea,
  E. Bike tour on Tel Aviv promenade,
  F. Tour of Tel Aviv Museum of Art: What is Israeli Art? What can we learn about Israeli society from the art we see?,
  G. Street Art Tour in the Florentine neighborhood,
  H. An urban tour of the city - architecture, art, history, and more...,
  I. Milk & Honey Distillery - tour and tasting

• Tel Aviv: Poli House

Activities:

• Breakfast & check out from the hotel

• Your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and head north along the coast

• Tour of Caesarea National Park - It was in Caesarea where King Herod built a large port in honor of Emperor Augustus Caesar 2,000 years ago. Visit the Roman Theater, Herod’s palace, the walled Crusader town with its galleries and restaurants and Caesarea’s latest attraction, the Time Trek, a fascinating multimedia presentation.

• Wine tasting at Amphorae Winery - Visit Amphorae Winery which deserves the coveted title it has received of Israel’s most beautiful vineyard and can compete with rural vineyards around the world. At the heart of the Makura Farm on Moshav Kerem Maharal in the north, sits the lovely winery building, decorated with a stone mosaic and shaded by a red tile roof, with the forested slopes of the Carmel mountain ridge in the background.

• Stop for a magnificent lookout over the Bahai 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 truly spectacular views, so have a camera ready!

• Travel to Rosh Hanikra - Also known as "Head of the Grottos", see the stunning chalk-white cliffs 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.

• Proceed to the hotel & check in - Enjoy dinner on your own (not included)

• North: Amirey Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Tour in Tzfat - birthplace of Jewish mysticism - The city of Tzfat (also spelled Tsfat or Safed) is one of 4 holy cities in the Jewish tradition, together with Tiberias, Hebron, and, of course, Jerusalem. It resides on the top of Mount Canaan which overlooks the green tops of Mount Meron to the west and the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights to the east. The city became 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 Torah (aka - 5 Books of Moses), and the principles of Kabbalah as they are obscurely worded in the 13th-century founding book of Kabbalah - Zohar ("The Glow").
  As part of our tour, we will walk explore the alleyways of Tzfat, visit some of the main synagogues of the city, and have a chat with one of the Kabbalah-inspired artists that resides in the ancient part of town.

• Havat Rom - Enjoy a visit to this magical organic farm located on a mountain with a beautiful view of Mount Meron. This is an agricultural organic farm, where they use ancient knowledge along with modern tools - trying to find the balance between humans and nature. Enjoy a light meal from the fresh produce and excellent cheeses.

• Afternoon at leisure and prepare for dinner

• Friday night dinner at a Druze home - 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.

• Optional: Have some drinks at a local bar in Rosh Pina

• North: Amirey Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Visit 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 in 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 the 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.

• Swim time in the Kinneret

• Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee - The best way to appreciate the beauty of the Sea of Galilee is by taking a boat ride across the blue water, especially at sunset as the sky changes color and the sun sinks behind the dreamlike hills that surround the lake. Alternative: water sports are available.

• Suggested: Dinner and a drink at Urban Wine Bar in Tveria - (not included)

• North: Amirey Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Optional for this morning: Go rafting along the Jordan river

• Begin your day with a beautiful hike through the Banias - 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.

• Explore the Golan Height by Jeep - 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 strategical 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.

• Lunch on route

• Pelter Winery - The Pelter Winery was established in 2005 and is a study in terroir - the environmental factors including soil, climate, and sunlight that gives wine grapes their distinctive character. Taste the wines made from grapes grown in the rich Golan soil and hear the story of the winery. Together with the wine, enjoy a lunch of local cheeses.

• 7:30 PM Dinner at the hotel's restaurant - (not included)

• North: Amirey Hagalil

Activities:

• Breakfast & check out from the hotel

• Nazareth - Set in the lower Galilee, Nazareth, Israel’s biggest Arab city, is a fascinating place which 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).

• Special visit to Rish Lakish - Stop to see this family-owned olive oil press. Meet the family, see the process of making olive oil, and taste a variety of local olive oils produced here.

• Couscous workshop with Vered Tsabari - At the home of Moshe and Vered in Kfar Saba, enjoy a fun and intimate cooking workshop - make delicious Moroccan couscous.

• Drive to Tel Aviv & check in to the hotel

• Tel Aviv: Royal Beach

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Yom Kippur Eve - Explore Tel Aviv - Take the day to relax and explore the city on your own. Places will close early. The city starts to shut down at around 5:00 PM in preparation for Yom Kippur.

• Dinner at the hotel - Reservation should be made in advance (not included)

• Tel Aviv: Royal Beach Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel - Cold food will be served. Please note food won't be served during the rest of the day.

• Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement - The whole city shuts down completely but it is a beautiful mix of modern city culture and ancient religious tradition. Take the time to rest, swim in the sea, or visit a local synagogue within walking distance for those who are interested. Experience the special Israeli Yom Kippur spirit in the streets of Tel Aviv - some kids and families ride their bikes, others pray in a synagogue, and some meet in the street over the day. Please note: places will be closed down and roads are closed to car traffic.

• Tel Aviv: Royal Beach Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast & check out from the hotel

• Your guide and driver will meet you in the hotel lobby and you will head together to Jerusalem

• Visit 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.

• Tasting tour at the Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem, this bustling multi-ethnic market is 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.

• Afternoon tour of 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 for the challenge that stood before Herod the Great during the biggest of all his immense building projects - the expansion of the Temple Mount.

• Check in to your hotel & check out the rooftop pool

• Night life in Jerusalem - Recommended: for music and bars we recommend going back to the market to experience the buzzy nighttime atmosphere. For something light, check out Hadir bar restaurant located on the beautiful grounds of the Hansen House.

• Jerusalem: Herbert Samuel Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Begin with a meaningful 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.

• Head to the Old City and take time to reflect at 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.

• Lunch break - Browse the famous Arab shuk (market) in the Muslim Quarter. Taste the local hummus and sweets. The many stalls in the shuk sell spices, pastries, pottery, sheepskin, embroidered clothes and so much more. Meet store-owners whose stores have been in their family for generations.
  **On Fridays the market gets busy with Muslims that come to Al Aqsa for Friday prayers. Therefore, you may have lunch in a different part of the Old City.

• A visit to 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 Jewish Quarter - See archaeological finds from the First and Second Temple periods, Roman ruins, vibrant synagogues, and learning institutions, all jostle for space in these busy stone streets.

• Proceed back to the hotel & get ready for dinner

• 8:30 PM Friday night dinner at Adom restaurant - David Remez St 4, Jerusalem, First Station Complex. (not included)

• Jerusalem: Herbert Samuel Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Begin your day with a tour of 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.

• Hike through 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 an otherwise 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.

• Lunch on route - (not included)

• Time to swim and attempt floating in the Dead Sea - At 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth. Known in Hebrew as "The Sea of Salt", it is also one of the saltiest lakes in the world - with about 34.2% salinity.
  This is 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.

• Proceed back to Jerusalem - Enjoy dinner on your own (not included)

• Jerusalem: Herbert Samuel Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast & check out from the hotel

• Explore Beit Guvrin - The caves of Beit Guvrin hold a rich trove of artifacts from the Greek and Roman periods. Don’t forget to check out the amazing Bell Cave too.

• Meet Naftali Aklum - Drive to Be’er Sheva to meet Naftali, an Ethiopian activist born in Ethiopia in 1979, and the youngest of 12 siblings. His brother Ferede Aklum z”l, determined to reach Jerusalem, set out from Ethiopia in 1978 on a long, dangerous trek through the desert, ultimately reaching Sudan. Naftali reached Israel with his family in 1980, at age one, thus fulfilling a dream that had been kept alive for 2,500 years. Hear his story and that of the Ethiopian Aliyah. (pending availability)

• Drive to Mitzpe Ramon & check in to the hotel

• Dinner at the hotel - Reservation should be made (not included)

• South: Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Enjoy a day at leisure - Spa treatments are available - reservation in advance is required (not included)

• Optional: Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center and/or bike tour

• Dinner at the hotel - Reservation should be made (not included)

• South: Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Enjoy the hotel's facilities - Spa treatments are available - reservation in advance is required (not included)

• Afternoon Jeep tour of Makhtesh Ramon - Makhtesh Ramon (Ramon Crater) is a type of geological formation found only in Israel and northern Sinai. The steep rock cliffs surrounding a closed valley drained by a single wadi are the product of erosion. Ramon Crater is the largest of three craters in Israel. Your jeep tour guide will meet you at the hotel lobby at 4:30 PM.
  Adam +972-50-5308272.

• Stop for a beautiful view of the sunset and a glass of wine

• Dinner at the hotel - Reservation should be made (not included)

• South: Beresheet

Activities:

• Check out from the hotel

• 3:30 AM Private group transfer to Tel Aviv - Contact person +972-52-6493322

• At Ben Gurion Airport you will meet your VIP assistance - Fast track VIP service. Fly back home. Flight information - LH695 8:00AM.

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