Day 1: Friday, June 10 | Arrival + Into the Desert
The people that are in Israel already will meet in one of the hotels in TLV and drive to the airport to meet the people that are arriving on this day.
Ein Avdat – canyon in the Negev Desert of Israel. Archaeological evidence shows that Ein Avdat was inhabited by Nabateans and Catholic monks. Numerous springs at the southern opening of the canyon empty into deep pools in a series of waterfalls. The water emerges from the rock layers with salt-tolerant plants like Poplar trees and Atriplexes growing nearby.
Drive to Mitzpe Ramon and preparation for Shabbat
Shabbat Dinner together at the hotel
Overnight: Mitzpe Ramon
Day 2: Saturday, June 11 | Shabbat in the Desert
Tfila (Services) – overlooking the crater
ODT – Outdoor Training in the beautiful setting of the Ramon Crater. There will be fun activities and many team building games, this will be exhilarating and a lot of fun!
Lunch at hotel
Rappelling at Mitzpe Ramon, cliff of the Ramon Crater – Descend the cliffs of the Ramon Crater, the world’s largest makhtesh (crater) in a new fun, exhilarating, and safe way, abseiling down the cliffs of the crater from the town of Mitzpe Ramon, you’ll not only experience something new, but will also have incredible views across the desert landscape and feel the thrill first-hand
Relax at the hotel
Dinner at hotel
Star Gazing – At night, we’ll have a mesmerizing experience – watching the stars at the desert with a telescope, with an astronomy expert, while we sit around a bonfire and drink coffee and tea.
Overnight: Mitzpe Ramon
Day 3: Sunday, June 12 | More Magic of the Desert
Breakfast at the hotel
Jeep Ride @ Ramon Crater – We will have an unforgettable 2 hours Jeep ride in the crater, allowing us to explore the crater from a different angle.
Ben Gurion’s Tomb – The graves of David and Paula Ben-Gurion overlook a breath-taking view of the Tsin canyon and the Avdat highlands in the heart of the Negev. The path from the parking lot to the tranquil grave site goes through a garden of carefully nurtured local flora that can thrive in the arid climate and saline conditions of the local soil.
Lunch on your own in the Midrasha
Salad Trail – we’ll walk through “The Salad Trail”, Shvil Hasalat, a working farm and interactive museum designed to teach visitors what it takes to farm and grow crops in the desert (a window to the Israeli world famous Hi-tech agriculture).
Dinner on your own in Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Day 4: Monday, June 13 | Digging into the Past & A Visit to the Partnership Region
Breakfast at the hotel
Navon School, Rehovot – We will visit our partner school, located in Tel Aviv
Lunch on your own
Take part in an Archeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves and prepare to get your hands dirty as you uncover pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2,300 years ago, followed by a crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth (crawling is optional)
Emek Ha’ela – where the most famous biblical battle took place between David and Goliath at Emek Ha’ela
Dinner on your own in Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Day 5: Tuesday, June 14 | Tel Aviv & Jaffa from Old to New, Markets, Art & Culture
Breakfast at the hotel
Old Jaffa, rambling through the streets where Napoleon once strolled, learning of its early history, visiting art galleries and finish on top of the Jaffa hill at Jaffa Overlook for an introduction to Tel Aviv at the place where it all began.
Visit the colorful Shuk Hapishpeshim, or Flea Market, where you never know what kind of great bargain you might find. Here we will play “speed scavenger hunt” (divide the bus by families – each get a list of missions and need to come back with as many as possible done in 20 min).
Lunch on your own at the flea market area / Abulafia / Dr. Shakshuka / new trendy restaurants
View from outside the Independence Hall, where David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel on May 14th, 1948.
The Art Experience-Street Art & Graffiti Tour – Tel Aviv is a melting pot of different people and cultures, diverse forms of expressions and character that makes the urban scene what it is today – a magnificent variety of contemporary art, street art, graffiti and much more.
After the Graffiti Tour we will have free time or an optional high-end Gallery Tour: the contemporary art scene of Tel Aviv is an ever-changing world reflecting the hottest world trends with a local unique point of view. On this tour, we’ll visit between 4 and 6 galleries, exploring the contemporary art scene as a whole as well as the specific exhibitions and artists, to give you an insider’s view of this fascinating art world.
Dinner on your own in Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Day 6: Wednesday, June 15 | Bridging the Generations of the Past & Present, and Arrival in Jerusalem
Breakfast at the hotel
Leave the hotel
The Israel Children’s Museum- Dialogue with Time –In our everyday n hustle and bustle of life, this tour offers an opportunity for a moving journey bringing young people, just for a moment to leave their personal world and to think with curiosity about their Grandparents and unique story of family roots. This tour bridges so many generations together leaving everyone transformed.
Lunch: Israeli style lunch
Sorek Cave – Sorek Cave, in the Avshalom Nature Reserve, located on the west slopes of the Judean Mountains. This is a small but impressive cave with a wide array of stalactites and stalagmites. This cave is unique among caves of the earth as it has all the known formations of stalactites and stalagmites in the world.
On arrival in Jerusalem: Traditional “Shehechyanu” blessing, on Mount of Olives or Haas Promenade. A communal ceremony with huge challahs and wine, start to feel the amazing vibe that is special to Jerusalem.
Dinner on your own in Jerusalem
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 7: Thursday, June 16 | Into the Desert, Masada, and the Dead Sea
Early Breakfast. (100 minute drive to Masada)
Masada – Herod’s mountain palace and the site of the Jewish Zealots’ last stand against the Roman legionnaires. Discuss Masada’s role as a symbol of Jewish defence and its current significance in modern Israel.
Split into two groups:
First group will walk up the Snake Path (around an hour’s walk)
Second group will take Cable Car Up
At the top we will split into three groups – each group will pass between different actors who will act out different stories of Masada. You will meet characters of the past and learn of their history.
Lunch at the Crown Plaza Hotel
Dead Sea Spa at the Crown Plaza Hotel – float at the Dead Sea, use the famous mud or just enjoy an outdoor pool, optional to have spa treatments.
Return to Jerusalem and Dinner on your own in Jerusalem
The Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum: The walls of the Citadel serve as a stage for a nighttime show – a celebration of light and sound – that depicts the story of Jerusalem
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 8: Friday, June 17 | Jerusalem the Ancient
Breakfast at the Hotel
Explore the excavations at the City of David, the very core of ancient Jerusalem. The place where the Jewish Nation began their special relationship with the magical city of Jerusalem. Here we will walk in King David’s palace and enter the Biblical version of a “water ride” through the pitch black Hezekiah Tunnels, armed with our flashlights. Explore the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, including the Davidson Center, Robinson’s Arch and the Southern Wall steps where Jewish pilgrims entered the Temple Mount 2,000 years ago
Walking tour through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, for visits to:
The Cardo, the main street of Jerusalem in the 6th century.
King Hezekiah’s First Temple-period “Broad Wall”
Hurva Square, the central square of the Jewish Quarter
Time at the Kotel (Western Wall)
Shabbat Services – We will join together in worship with a Reform Community in Israel
Shabbat Meal
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 9: Saturday, June 18 | Shabbat in Jerusalem
Breakfast at the hotel
Shabbat Morning services as a group (option for celebrating B’nai Mitzvah on our trip)
Lunch at the hotel or in walking distance
Walk along the Ramparts of the Old City.
Walk along the Rooftops of the Old City for a behind the scenes look at the various communities in Jerusalem and how they live together.
Havdallah overlooking the Old City followed by dinner
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 10: Sunday, June 19 | Memory and Jerusalem the New
Breakfast at the Hotel
Pantry Packers – We will volunteer to pack food for the needy
Visit the Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, including:
Adult First Timers
The Avenue of the Righteous
The new Historical Museum
The Children’s Memorial
Adult Returnees
The Holocaust Toy Exhibit
The Art Museum
The Valley of the Communities
Older Youth
Special children/youth program at the Yad Vashem complex the Jewish National Memorial to the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, including guided visits to the Holocaust Toy Exhibit, the Children’s Memorial and the Sculpture Garden, using interactive programming, arts & crafts and children’s stories and diaries from the time of the Holocaust.
Younger Children
Visit the Biblical Zoo, a beautifully landscaped habitat with a special focus on preserving Biblical fauna, geared to children of all ages (2-80).
Culinary Tour – At Israel’s most famous outdoor market, Mahane Yehudah, where we’ll have a chance to taste delicacies of Jewish communities from the entire globe!-it will be the coolest way to have lunch
