Weinstein Family Explores Israel | July 2023

Activities:

• Arrival at Ben Gurion airport at 4:20pm on flight #US90 - 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.

• Transfer to Tel Aviv

• Afternoon on own to relax and explore Tel Aviv

• Setai

Activities:

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

• 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.

• Tel Aviv Bike Tours - Go on a bicycle exciting tour to explore Tel Aviv, with its beach, boulevards and hidden streets. Get to see Tel Aviv like a local! With our Tel Aviv-Jaffa Bike Tours you get to taste a bit of everything this great city has to offer. Enjoy the great weather, the fantastic beaches and the unique lifestyle of one of the finest seaside cities in the world.

• Lunch on your own at 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.
  We recommend: Café Pu'a, Akbar, Dr. Shakshuka, Shaffa Bar, Faruk Bashuk

• Tour Old 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.

• Dinner at Ha'Achim - Ha'achim, located on Ibn Gvirol offers a spin on the middle eastern cuisine by modernizing classic dishes. (meal not included)

• Setai

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• 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.

• Light Tasting Tour at Levinsky Market - 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.

• Tour 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!

• 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.” (meal not included)

• Setai

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Visit the Center for Contemporary Art - Visit the dynamic hub that presents a rigorous and multifaceted program of exhibitions, events, and printed matter in Hebrew, Arabic and English and is a home for the city’s vibrant contemporary art scene.

• 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)

• Graffiti Tour and workshop - 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.

• Afternoon at leisure - Return to hotel to rest before Shabbat or watch the busy streets of Tel Aviv calming down and bringing in the atmosphere of holiness into the city that never sleeps

• Dinner at HaBasta - Small but perfectly formed, HaBasta is located on a street leading off Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, from where almost all its produce is sourced. An extensive daily changing menu is scribbled on a piece of paper on the wall. The dishes, while simple, are satisfyingly complex in execution. The international wine list is equally exceptional. (meal not included)

• Setai

Activities:

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

• Travel north to 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. The city was initially built by King Herod in the 1st century BC, who dreamt of a major seaport to connect the Province of Judea with Rome. For this purpose, the king's men designed an entirely artificial harbor that was in use for about a millennium. Caesarea became a central city in Roman and Byzantine times as can be seen from the massive archeological remains on site. View the spectacular Roman amphitheater, still used today as a performance venue, as well as the hippodrome that held 20,000 spectators for chariot races.

• We leave for our marine-tour on Tornado speedboats - From the Achziv lagoons via the protected islands to the scenic grottoes of Rosh Hanikra, one of Israel’s most beautiful and famous natural attractions. During the marine tour we will anchor by one of the five islands to snorkel using the masks, snorkels and flotation vests that we provide. Bask in the glorious sun and swim in the warm Mediterranean waters before jumping back on the boat.

• For lunch, try the best Hummus plate in Akko at Abu Said in the market

• Akko historical tour - Walk through 4,000 years of history in this ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage site. The ancient city of Akko, situated on the Mediterranean coast, 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 beneath Akko in the Middle Ages by the Crusaders. Learn about the city’s ancient history, as well as its important role in Israel’s modern history.

• Continue to a Druze Cooking Workshop and Dinner - 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. (meal included)

• Pereh/Bayit BaGalil

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Celebrate an intimate Bnei Mitzva ceremony at the Korazim ancient synagogue - 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.

• Light lunch and Wine Tasting at Tel Winery - Tel Winery is a woman-owned micro boutique winery, offering intimate tours led by the passionate and knowledgeable Lital. All wines are single varietal, made exclusively from Northern Golan grapes and feature high acidity and fruits flavors which provide for a refreshing sip. (meal included)

• Off-Road ATV tour - Explore the Golan with its scenic views, fresh air and excellent routes, and varied terrain. You'll be in the driver's seat!

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

• Pereh/Bayit BaGalil

Activities:

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

• Begin your day with a gorgeous lookout at Nimrod Observation Point

• 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. 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 on own in Safed, we recommend checking the Yemenite Food Bar

• Brothers For Life Experience - You will meet one of the staff members of Brothers for Life non-profit organization and hear about their special mission. BFL vision is that every wounded combat soldier receives the care and support needed to ensure his return to fulfilling and contributive life.

• Continue south to a Bedouin Hospitality - Learn about the Bedouin heritage, lifestyle, and culture firsthand from a local. Experience the Bedouin's famous customs of hospitality over traditional coffee, tea, and conversation, followed by “hafla” dinner.

• Beresheet

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Visit Kibbutz Hatzerim and hear about their astonishing story - At Kibbutz Hatzerim, one of the last communal Kibbutzim in Israel, tour the Kibbutz and learn about the advanced Israeli Agri-tech. Walk to the Jojoba orchards and be amazed at how the desert is painted green by the leading technologies invented here in Netafim. Hear about life in the kibbutz from the past to the present, and get a better understanding of the socialist ideology from where it all began.

• Bread baking workshop and lunch at Lasha Bakery - When it’s time for lunch meet Hadas Meir of the Lasha Desert Bakery who will guide you in a bread baking workshop. “For Meir, baking is a spiritual thing. ‘I think bread is a blessed food. It is the most moving interpretation of combining matter and spirit. Even physically, bread is spiritual in essence. You’ll have a lunch of salads and bread.

• Jeep Tour in Mitzpe Ramon - Enjoy a jeep ride in Makhtesh Ramon. Ride through the stunning Negev Desert and get to know the endless variations of the landscape. Explore the area of Makhtesh Ramon and immerse yourself in the details of the land around you.

• Continue on an exciting rappelling experience - For a real thrill slide down a 15 meters cliff with a stunning view of the Ramon Crater.

• Return to hotel for dinner

• Optional: Stargazing, bonfire and S'mores - When night falls in the desert, a whole new setting is revealed, and what could be better than stargazing in Mitzpe Ramon, one of the best locations to do this in Israel (and in the world!)?

• Beresheet

Activities:

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Dead Sea Boat Ride - Take a boat ride on the Dead Sea in a small group motorboat or in kayaks and see amazing salt formations and scenery. During this unique experience you will enjoy the wondrous muds, salt pearls, salt diamonds, water springs streaming to the sea and sink holes filled with sweet water. Learn about the ecosystem and the environmental issues connected to the Dead Sea.

• Camel ride at Genesis Land - 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.

• Continue to Jerusalem - And check in to hotel

• Dinner in a local restaurant in Jerusalem (TBD) - (meal not included)

• Mamilla/David Citadel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Begin your day with the Mount of Olives offers a panoramic lookout over the city - There are countless Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions about Mt. Olives, including that from here the Messiah will come, and from here the dead will be resurrected in the vision of the End of Days. Enjoy a beautiful lookout of the Holy Basin, the old and new city of Jerusalem.

• Walk through the Southern Wall Archaeological Gardens in Davidson Center - Get a glimpse of the glory of the Second Temple, the heart of the ancient Jewish kingdom, and the devastation that followed. Visit the Davidson Visitors' Center and enjoy a modern and interactive virtual presentation. The museum presents a taste of the archaeology of Jerusalem from different eras - covering the First Temple, Second Temple, Byzantine, Islamic, and the Crusades periods.

• 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. (replaces lunch)

• We take the time to reflect at the Western Wall – Ha Kotel Ha’Ma’aravi or simply HaKotel - Over generations, Jews came to pray here, as it was the closest they could come to the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount. When you see the Wall, you aren't just seeing it with your eyes - there is so much more. There are thousands of years and the weight of millions of Jews there. Your eyes may just see giant bricks and people praying, but your heart sees infinitely more. What does being here mean to each of us individually and as part of the Jewish people?

• 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.

• Dinner in a local restaurant in Jerusalem (TBD) - (meal not included)

• Optional: Sound and Light Show at 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.

• Mamilla/David Citadel

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• 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.

• Tasting Tour at 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.

• Musrara Neighborhood - The Musrara neighborhood is a hidden gem off the beaten path in Jerusalem's center, near the Old City. The serene nineteenth century homes and prevalence of art galleries and artists belie the turbulent history of the neighborhood, which was once located "on the seam" between Israeli and Jordanian-occupied Jerusalem. It was here where, in the 1970s, the Black Panthers roared for social justice. In the 1980s renewal, gentrification, and ultra-orthodoxy began and now, Musrara is in high demand.

• Return to hotel to rest and prepare for Shabbat

• Shabbat Dinner at HaSadna Restaurant - HaSadna 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. (meal not included)

• Mamilla/David Citadel

Activities:

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

• Transfer to Ben-Gurion International Airport

• Depart on flight #695 at 8:00am - Farewell! Safe travels and we hope to host you again in our beautiful country!