Temple Beth El of Boca Raton Exploring Israel Trip led by Rabbi Dan Levin

Activities:

• 7:00 AM Arrival at Ben Gurion airport - Meet your guide and driver
  Bus to depart airport at 9:00 AM. For those who arrive before June 6th, please make sure you arrive at the airport no later than 8:45 AM.

• 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.

• Continue to 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. (lunch included)

• Shehechiyanu on Mount Scopus - Gather with your guide to meet and say Shehechiyanu to bless the beginning of your journey together in Israel!
  
  With Shehechiyanu each participant will receive a small bag for collecting artifacts of the trip. Some of the treasures that will go in your bag will be given to you, others you will add yourselves.

• Welcome dinner at the Culinary Workshop - 'HaSadna' (The Culinary Workshop) Restaurant's menu features fresh ingredients with a minimum of treatment. Part of the charm is the interior of this building which was once a warehouse that served the Jerusalem railroad and railway station built in 1892. Part of the Machneyuda group, HaSadna is a jewel of contemporary Israeli Cuisine.

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

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

• City of David - Visit the excavation of the City of David. 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.
  
  Walk through water in Hezekiah’s Tunnel, part of the ancient City of David built around the Gihon spring, which is on the side of the cliff overlooking the Kidron Valley. Because the city was vulnerable to attack, in about 701 BC, a tunnel was built to protect the water supply.

• Old City Tasting Tour - Walk through the Muslim and Christian Quarters of the Old City seeing the historical and religious sites. See some off-the-beaten track sites in the winding alleyways and enjoy some Jerusalem delicacies. We will have a “taste of history” that interweaves stories and anecdotes, historical information, and, of course, combines the senses of smell, taste, and sound.

• Jewish Quarter - Tour the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, including the Burnt House. Visit the ancient Cardo and walk through the Old City's narrow streets. At the Kotel, take time for reflection.

• Dinner on your own

• Evening program: Meet with Tal Shalev - The chief political correspondent for the leading Israeli web portal Walla News. You will learn about the Israeli politics and hear some 'behind-the-scenes' stories

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Bnei Mitzvah ceremony in front of the Western Wall - At the Egalitarian Section celebrate Bnei Mitzvah ceremony

• 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.

• Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem sits this bustling, multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers.
  Make a stop at Marzipan - the pastries shop in Machane Yehuda!

• Volunteer in Lifeline for the Old / Yad LaKashish - Yad LaKashish is a non-profit organization empowering and supporting nearly 300 elderly Jerusalem residents on a daily basis by providing them with creative work opportunities in artistic workshops.

• Dinner on your own

• Evening program: Have you watched Shtisl? - A taste of the Ultra-Orthodox world-walk the streets of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, get to know the people, the food, and feel the vibrations of this life. On a busy Thursday night, when people are preparing for Shabbat, gain a more complex appreciation for the people by listening to their music, visiting synagogues, various institutions, seeing unique leisure, fashion, and art this world encompasses, and, of course by eating freshly baked challah.

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Tour Yad Vashem - Israel’s national Holocaust museum presents a profoundly Jewish memorial of the Shoah. From its dramatic structure to its powerful exhibits, such as the labyrinthine Valley of the Communities and the chilling Children’s Memorial, Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance.

• Lunch at Yad Vashem cafeteria - (not included)

• Stop at Mount Herzl - The burial site of prominent Zionists, Israeli politicians, and others who greatly influenced the development of the state. However, the true spirit and anguish of Mount Herzl are in the vast expanse of the Israel Defense Forces’ official military cemetery in which thousands of soldiers are buried. Meet some of the famous and lesser-known people who are buried here and understand the price Israel has paid to exist.

• Return to hotel and prepare for Shabbat

• Shabbat dinner with Yozma Community

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Optional: Shabbat services at a local synagogue with Rabbi Dan

• Tour the Christian Quarter with Rabbi Dan and Abraham - One of the four neighborhoods of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Christian Quarter is home to a rich tapestry of Christians of many denominations. The historic and impressive Church of the Holy Sepulcher, encompassing the last 5 Stations of the Cross, dominates the area. Retrace the footsteps of generations of pilgrims, or eat some of Israel’s best hummus at one of the authentic restaurants in the quarter.

• Lunch on own

• Group Havdalah - As the sun sets, come together with your group for Havdalah

• Dinner on your own

• Tower of David Sound and Light Show - 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.

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Depart south to the Dead Sea region

• Masada National Park - Ascend the mountain (by foot or 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.

• 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. (lunch included)

• 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 and enjoy a drummers' circle! (dinner included)

• Isrotel Orient Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - And check out from hotel

• Friends of Roots (Shorashim) - Roots envisions a social and political reality that is founded on dignity, trust, and a mutual recognition and respect for both peoples' historic belonging to the entire Land. Founded by Rabbi Menachem Froman and members of the politically-prominent Abu Awwad Family, Roots believes that human interaction is the first agent of transformation and creates the spaces and activities for such personal engagement.

• Travel north

• Visit Beit Alpha Absorption Center - Meet the Ethiopian Olim who live in Beit Alpha Absorption Center and get ready to be integrated in the Israeli society

• Lunch on own at Rutenberg - Rutenberg restaurant is situated on the banks of the Jordan, next to the old Gesher conservation site. The three bridges over the river and 10,000 years of human history attest to the fertility of the flora and fauna of the Jordan Valley. "We believe in seasonal local cuisine and are constantly in the process of discovering the region." (lunch not included)

• Spring Valley Park - Park HaMaayanot - Is home to three of the Beit Shean Valley’s most abundant and attractive springs that flow at the foot of the high cliff wall of Mount Gilboa. Enjoy Driving around in a golf cart, by self driving, and navigate between beautiful water springs, orchards, fish pools and ancient relics.

• Check-in to hotel - And dinner at hotel

• Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Archeological dig in 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.

• Tour Safed - Safed, pronounced Tzfat in Hebrew, 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. Safed’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 on own in Tzfat

• Rafting adventure along the Jordan River - Row through one of the most beautiful spots in Israel, amongst the plants, trees, and waterfalls in the middle of this beautiful Galilee nature reserve.

• Dinner at hotel

• Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Jeep ride in the Golan Heights with Erez Tzuckerman - Erez Zuckerman was born and raised in Moshav Shaal in the north of the Golan Heights. Erez has been a Tour Guide for delegations and groups during the last decade. Holds a bachelor's degree in Middle East studies. Studying for a master's degree in Middle East and Intelligence.

• Wine Tasting and light lunch at Tel Shifon Winery - Tel Shifon Winery tells the story of the Golan Heights terroir, through a glass of wine. The winemaking is done with great respect for the grapes and with minimum intervention. The deck overlooking the vineyards, with Mt. Hermon and dormant volcanoes in the distance, is the perfect location for a holistic experience of land and culture.

• Druze Cooking Workshop - 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.

• Um el Kanatir Lantern Tour - Ein Keshatot is is one of about 30 Jewish villages that existed in the Golan during the Talmudic Period, which was period of great growth in the area. The synagogue building was constructed in the 6th century CE (approximately 500 years after the destruction of the Second Temple), and was the center of local communal life. It served as a place for prayer, reading of the Torah, and various public activities.

• Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - And check-out from hotel

• Travel to Rosh Hanikra ("Head of the Grottos") - With 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.

• Lunch on own in Zichron Yaakov

• Zichron Yaakov - Established in December 1882, Zichron Ya'akov was one of the first modern Jewish communities in the country. Due to the massive support of Baron de Rothchild the town was soon named after Rothchild's father (Zichron Yaakov - "in memory of Jacob") and became known for its fine wine cellars, which produce high-quality vintages to this day. The town is also famous as the center of the NILI spy ring, organized by Jews to aid the British in ousting the Turks at the beginning of the 20th century. Tour the town to learn its history and enjoy its charming, shop-lined streets.

• Elazraki Children's home - On you way to Tel Aviv, visit Elazraki Children's home (with dinner)

• Check in to hotel

• Dinner on your own

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Walk with Abraham Rothschild Boulevard - Rothschild Boulevard was one of the first streets to be built in the city of Tel Aviv a little over 100 years ago. In the heart of the “White City”, it is lined with Tel Aviv’s iconic architecture, the Bauhaus style, which led to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Many of these buildings have been beautifully restored and now house the offices of financial institutions, creative firms, cafes, and luxury residences.

• Carmel Market Tasting Tour - Continue to Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel), 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 start 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. (The tasting tour replaces lunch)

• Free time for shoping in 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.

• Beit Tefila Yisraeli - Kabbalat Shabbat - Welcome Shabbat at the Tel Aviv Port with Beit Tefilah Israeli in a prayer that combines the old and the modern, sunset and music.

• Shabbat dinner with Eatwith - Experience an authentic Shabbat at the home of a host family in the Tel Aviv!

• Isrotel Royal Beach Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Graffiti Tour with Stav Shahaf - Enjoy a creative Graffiti workshop in the trendy neighborhood of Florentin, and experience fun and artistic freedom. Discover new and daring Israeli Graffiti Artists that are gaining recognition around the world.

• Lunch on own at Sarona Market - Sarona was a German Templers colony established north of Jaffa during the Ottoman period in 1871. In the past decade, Sarona has been revitalized as a commercial center with a modern food market at its center. Explore the area's history and enjoy tastings in the market.

• Explore Tel Aviv on own

• Late check-out

• Farewell dinner at a local restaurant

• Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport

• Farewell - We hope to host you again in our beautiful coutry!