Streicker Center – Adults March 2024

Activities:

• 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.

• Welcome to Israel

• Head south to the Negev

• Opening L'chaim with a Wine Truck en route - Trip opening with desert wines and a quick Israeli introduction

• Sde Boker Grave of Ben Gurion - Visit the grave of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, whose vision for settling the desert continues to bloom today. Throughout the day, you’ll see his vision come to life.

• Orlyya Farm - Orliyaa Farm is named after the Goddess of love, Aphrodite, who represents feminine power and wisdom.
  Located a short drive from the ancient Nabbatean settlement of Avdat, Orlyya focuses on agriculture, particularly cultivating oil from the Argan tree – a great flavor enhancer in countless dishes and a wonderful ingredient for
  cosmetic.

• Dinner at the hotel

• Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• 2 morning tracks:

• OPTION 1: ATV's through the desert - In the middle of the ride, stop for a short hike to discover NASA's Columbia Spaceship's Memorial, in the diddle of the desert

• OPTION 2: Wine infused morning - Start with a tour of the vineyards of Makhtesh Ramon, followed by a meeting with a winemaker in the region, and finish with a wine tasting of a variety of desert wines.

• Unique lunch: the Desert Delicacies - This one of a kind lunch, hosted in a private villa overlooking the Makhtesh, will include only ingredients grown and brough from the desert. Vegetables, cheese, bread, and wine, all grown within 10 miles of this beautiful place.

• Free time at the hotel

• Desert journey to your desert festival - Ride a camel through the desert to reach a magical desert dinner, in the middle of wilderness

• Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Ashalim Power Station - private tour - Ashalim is the tallest solar power station in the world, standing 260 meters (853 feet) tall. Ashalim Power Station uses an array of 56,000 solar panels known as heliostats arranged around the tower to reflect sunlight onto the pinnacle. The heliostats are computer-controlled and follow the sun as it moves from east to west through the day.

• Ramat Negev Agricultural R&D Center - Visit the R&D Visitor Center. Its main purpose is to encourage the development of agriculture in the peripheral areas, taking advantage of natural resources. Ramat Negev R&D focuses on developing advanced agriculture in arid conditions, irrigating with brackish water. After a short explanation visit a greenhouse of unique vegetable varieties.

• Tour Shivta-National park - Tour the archaeological site of a classic Nabatean town located along the ancient spice route. It was later a Byzantine agricultural colony and way station for pilgrims en route to the Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula.

• Lunch cooked only by local ingredients

• Shirat Hamidbar - When a dream comes true. At Beer Milka, in the sand dunes of Halutza, lies a unique organic farm which grows medicinal herbs and spices, Moroccan Argan trees, edible grapes and a colorful orchard, all are examples of sustainable desert agriculture. Meet Golan and Noa to see how they live their dreams.

• Kesem Hamidbar Kadesh Barnea - Here the arid desert, a miracle of agriculture takes place with cherry tomatoes. Meet Chermi, the farmer and see what has been achieved through technology.

• Dinner at the hotel after a short rest

• Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Check out of the hotel and drive to the Gaza Envelope

• Security briefing with Grisha Yaakobovich - Either at the Black Arrow Monument, overlooking the city of Gaza, or if possible - visit one of the Hamas tunnels dug before the operation of 2014.

• Tour Sderot (with optional meeting with the mayor)

• Lunch at Hummus shel Thina - A Local hummusiya in Sderot

• OR - meet and tour Make Eat (Ashkelon) - The innovative culinary startup hub, helping young businesses open their doors to the public, offering an easy go-to-market ecosystem.

• Drive to the hotel and check in and dinner on your own

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Morning with personal shoppers!!! - In groups of 3-5 people, pick your theme of the morning, and head out of the hotel to explore the hidden gems of Tel Aviv with... a personal shopper.
  Themes:
  - Fashion
  - Art
  - Special food ingredients
  - Jewelry and Judaica

• Tasting Tour at one of the markets - In the heart of the city sits a bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. A tasting tour through Carmel or Levinsky Market is an adventure for your taste buds! Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds these iconic Tel Aviv market offer

• Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel - Asif is a non-profit organization and culinary center in Tel Aviv dedicated to cultivating and nurturing Israel’s diverse and creative food culture, a joint venture of the New York City-based Jewish Food Society and Tel Aviv’s Start-Up Nation Central.

• Time on own

• Pre dinner round tables - Meet pre dinner for round tables to discuss Israel's related topics, to untangle the Israeli story. In a few smaller groups, have open conversations, led by speakers and professionals, and have the opportunity, to have an open discussion about any of the above topics:
  - Israel - Palestine (in 2023)
  - The Judicial Reform and the political situation in Israel
  - Israel's geopolitical situation (including the Haredi and Arab communities)

• Dinner at M25 - One of the top meat restaurants in the city just happens to be this unassuming, tavern-style eatery. Featuring one-of-a-kind Israeli dishes, with fresh meat taking the spotlight, carnivores can rejoice in the deliciously juicy flavors, and a menu that changes daily.”

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Jessica Steinberg - morning talk : "Israeli Narrative through Netflix's Shows" - Jessica Steinberg is the culture editor at the Times of Israel, covering Israeli life, culture, food, travel and business.
  Jessica will explore the Israeli narrative portrayed in popular TV shows like "Fauda," "Shtisel," and "Queen of Jerusalem." Through analysis of storytelling, character development, and societal themes, she'll delve into the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ultra-Orthodox Jewish life, and historical events that shape the Israeli narrative.

• OPTIONAL: MEET FAUDA STARS

• 2 MORNING OPTIONS: - Shop for a costumes before Purim's Adloyada
  Visit Kuchinate and Kite Pride

• Nahalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Market (free time) - 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.

• Free time

• Join Rabbi Josh Davidson for Friday services and dinner with the rest of the group

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• LIGHT breakfast at the hotel

• Shabbat Brunch - In private setting indulge in a Jewish Shabbat Brunch. Enjoy the variety of classic ethnic foods that are part of the Shabbat day meal. These dishes are brought directly from the homes in which the food was cooked for families that share their heritage and flavors.

• Talk with Adeena Sussman - Shabbat Cookbook - Host Adeena Sussman for a talk about her new cookbook - Shabbat

• Enjoy in Tel Aviv's Purim Adloyada Parade

• Enjoy Havdalah and a lively Megillat Esther reading with a local Reform synagogue.

• Dinner at Beit Kandonif - Mediterranean cuisine with unique Jaffa touches while focusing on bringing the best and the freshest products that Israel has to offer.

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Check out of the hotel and head to Rehovot

• Ayalon Institute - 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.

• Soreq Wine Making School and Winery - meeting with garage winemakers - Meet owners of garage wineries, to learn and taste these micro wineries, and experience some of Israel's rarest wines

• Farm to Table - Mata with Nura - In the lushness of March in Mate Yehuda, meet Nurit Hertz in her natural habitat- the outdoors. Nura will teach you identify edible plants then you'll cook a delicious lunch with these fresh greens.

• Drive to Jerusalem

• GET CRAZY (!) PURIM PARTY (including dinner)

• Mamilla Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Tour the Old City of Jerusalem in 2 tracks - 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.
  TRACK 1 - FIRST TIMERS AND CLASSICS
  TRACK 2 - UNTOLD 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.

• Time to rest

• Farewell dinner: Rama's Kitchen - “Rama’s Kitchen” was founded by Rama Ben Zvi 22 years ago, as a unique restaurant in the Jerusalem hills. Over the years Rama’s Kitchen has become a thriving culinary landmark and is consistently ranked as one of Israel’s leading restaurants. The magnificent surroundings enhance a total and uniquely special culinary experience. The menu constitutes a confluence of contemporary western cooking techniques and traditional Arab and Mediterranean cuisine.

• Mamilla Hotel

Activities:

• Mamilla Hotel

• Farewell

• Departure