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Journey of the Spirit: Beth Shalom's Israel Experience for Adults

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  • 10 nights’ accommodation at select hotels
  • 8 days of touring in a luxury, air-conditioned bus with licensed, English speaking tour educators + walking tours on Shabbat
  • 1 group transfer and assistance from/to the airport
  • All site entrance fees and program fees as per itinerary
  • Meals: daily breakfast, 1 lunch, and 5 dinners
  • Water on the bus during touring days.
  • Portage at the airport and hotels

Day One: Sunday, October 28, 2018
DEPARTURE

  • Depart the U.S.A.

Overnight: Flight

 

Day Two: Monday, October 29, 2018
ARRIVAL

  • Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport.
  • Welcome by our representative and assistance with arrival formalities.
  • Meet your tour educator, Avi Ben Hur, and depart the airport.
  • Upon entering Tel Aviv visit the Old City of Jaffa and ascend from the old port through the renovated alleyways to the Jaffa Overlook for an introduction to Tel Aviv at the place where it all began.
  • Walk through the famous Jaffa Flea Market - “Shuk Hapishpishim”.
  • Check into the hotel.
  • Welcome dinner with your tour educator and Rabbi Adelson, at Deca, a gourmet restaurant featuring Mediterranean cuisine, focusing on fresh fish and superb cheeses, all supervised under the management of world-renowned chef, Haim Cohen.

Overnight: Park Plaza Orchid Hotel, Tel Aviv

 

Day Three: Tuesday, October 30, 2018
FOUNDATIONS OF A CITY AND STATE

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Depart Tel Aviv for a visit the Ayalon Institute near Rehovot for an eye-opening tour of a clandestine munitions factory used during the British Mandate.
  • Lunch on own en route.
  • Drive along the coast of the Mediterranean, stopping at Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel's most important cities in the Roman Period. Visit the Herodian Theater and the excavations along the Mediterranean shore, concluding with a visit to the ruined 900-year-old Crusader town.
  • Visit Atlit, site of a British internment camp for thousands of Jewish refugees who were caught attempting to immigrate to Israel during the British Mandatory period.
  • From the top of Mount Carmel view the Baha'i Gardens and gold-domed Shrine of the Bab, one of the holiest sites of the Baha'i religion.
  • Drive north to Karmiel, Pittsburgh's twin city of Karmiel, the ‘folk dance capital' of Israel.
  • Take a bus tour through Karmiel followed by dinner and Limmud with community leaders, Rabbi Amy Levin, Rabbi Seth Adelson and Avi Ben-Hur, your tour educator.
  • Check into the hotel.

Overnight: Dan Panorama, Haifa

 

Day Four: Wednesday, October 31, 2018
ALONG THE MEDITERRANEAN

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out of the hotel.
  • Drive north and tour the Akko Center for Arts and Technology, a technology training school made possible by the Northern Israel Center for Arts and Technology, an extension of Pittsburgh's Manchester Bidwell Cooperation.
  • Visit Akko (Acre), a UNESCO Heritage Site, for a multi-layered experience from the days of the Crusades through contemporary Israel, including guided visits to:
  • The restored Crusaders' Fortress.
  • The al-Jazzar Mosque, one of the largest and most interesting in Israel.
  • The colorful Akko shuk (market).
  • Lunch on own en route.
  • visit the Zippori National Park, known for its extraordinary ancient mosaics and its central role in Jewish life after the destruction of the Temple.
  • Continue to the Upper Galilee and check into the hotel.
  • Dinner at the hotel

Overnight: Kibbutz HaGoshrim, Upper Galilee


Day Five: Thursday, November 1, 2018
NATURE AND SECURITY ON THE GOLAN

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Walk through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve, located on the largest tributary of the Jordan River, and explore the ruins of the great Biblical city of Dan.
  • The panoramic views from Bental (overlooking the abandoned Syrian town of Kuneitra) give sharp insights into Israel's security situation on the Golan Heights, and the enormous challenges it faced in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the new threat from the north, ISIS.
  • Lunch on your own in Katzrin, the ‘Capital of the Golan'.
  • Visit a boutique winery on the Golan Heights; wine tasting is included.
  • Visit the remains of the Second Temple-period town of Gamla on the Golan Heights, site of one of the fiercest battles fought against the Romans during the Great Revolt.
  • Return to the hotel.
  • Dinner at the hotel.
  • Kibbutz Ideology and Israeli Reality in the 21st Century: Meet with a second-generation kibbutz member.

Overnight: Kibbutz HaGoshrim, Upper Galilee

 

Day Six: Friday, November 2, 2018
ALL ROADS LEAD TO JERUSALEM

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out of the hotel.
  • Explore Tsfat, a center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years and a contemporary artists' colony, including:
  • Guided visit to the Ari, Caro or Abuhav Synagogues, each with its great stories and mystical messages.
  • A stroll through the quaint Artists' Colony, shop in the galleries and crafts shops and engage in dialogues with local artisans inspired by the messages of Kabbalah.
  • Lunch on your own, en route.
  • Visit the Beit She'an National Park, one of Israel's largest archaeological sites, with its Biblical period archaeological mound and excavated Roman-Byzantine city OR Visit the 1,500-year-old Beit Alfa Synagogue, with its beautiful mosaic floor, for an insight into Jewish spiritual life during the Byzantine period (located on Kibbutz Heftziba, at the foot of the Gilboa range).
  • Drive southwards along the Jordan Valley, part of the enormous Syrian-African Rift.
  • Upon entering Jerusalem, stop at Mount Scopus or Mount of Olives for an overlook of the Old and New City of Jerusalem and to recite the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing.
  • Check into the hotel and time to prepare for Shabbat.
  • Kabbalat Shabbat services at the Masorti section of the wall OR perhaps at the Yemin Moshe terrace overlooking Mount Zion and the Old City Walls.
  • Festive Shabbat dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Seven: Saturday, November 3, 2018
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Optional Shabbat Services.
  • Shabbat Walk through unexpected paths to Zion, with a visit to the Temple Mount Overlook and King David's Tomb.
  • Shabbat lunch at the Sephardic House in the Jewish Quarter.
  • Walking tour through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, for visits to archaeological treasures and other highlights, among them:
  • A walk along the Ramparts of the Old City.
  • The Cardo, the main street of Jerusalem in the 6th
  • King Hezekiah's First Temple-period “Broad Wall”.
  • Hurva Square, the central square of the Jewish Quarter.
  • Time permitting: a walk along the Rooftops of the Old City for a behind-the-scenes look at the various communities in Jerusalem and how they live alongside each other.
  • Visit the Kotel (Western Wall) and experience the special atmosphere of this holy site.
  • Free time to relax.
  • Ben Kodesh Lechol: Havdallah overlooking the Old City.
  • Free time in the Mamilla pedestrian arcade, a very contemporary shopping area with a whiff of the past, located outside the Jaffa Gate of the Old City; dinner on own.
  • The Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum: The walls of the Citadel serve as a stage for a night-time show - a celebration of sight and sound - that depicts the story of Jerusalem.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Eight: Sunday, November 4, 2018
THE LAYERS OF JERUSALEM

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Return to the Old City to explore the excavations at the City of David, the very core of ancient Jerusalem, view the Gihon Spring and wade through the 2,700-year-old water tunnel of King Hezekiah (optional dry exit).
  • Explore the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Temple Mount's Western Wall, exposed in recent years.
  • Walk through Jerusalem's famous Old City Market (shuk) with lunch on own.
  • Visit the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other Christian sites.
  • Enjoy some free time to explore the city on your own.
  • Free Evening in Jerusalem on Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall or on Emek Refaim Street in the German Colony with dinner on own.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Nine: Monday, November 5, 2018
REALITY ON THE GROUND

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Visit the Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, including:
  • The Avenue of the Righteous
  • The Historical Museum
  • The Children's Memorial
  • A concluding Memorial Service
  • Walk the connecting path and visit the National Military Cemetery on Herzl to recall landmark events in modern Israeli history in which these soldiers gave their lives. Follow with a visit to the graves of Theodor Herzl, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres in the adjacent section for Leaders of the Nation.
  • Lunch on own en route.
  • 1 City, 2 States, 3 Religions, 4 Quarters: Take a ride on the Jerusalem light rail, starting in the Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood, through the Arab villages of Shuafat & Beit Hanina, then through the Ultra-orthodox area of Ramot Eshkol and ending by Mount Herzel Gain a first-hand and authentic look at the mosaic and diversity of Jerusalem's population. Discuss the differences between East and West Jerusalem and the ongoing struggles between the different communities.
  • Visit Ammunition Hill, site of a Jordanian Police Academy until 1967, and one of the most crucial battle sites for the unification of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War.
  • Free time to explore Downtown Jerusalem, including the Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall and the Nachalat Shiva neighborhood, with dinner on own.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Ten: Tuesday, November 6, 2018
INTO THE DESERT, MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Descend to the Dead Sea Basin and ascend by cable-car or walk up the Snake Path to 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.
  • Lunch on own at the base of Masada.
  • Short hike to Nahal David, the freshwater spring and waterfalls in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, where David hid from King Saul.
  • Experience an astonishing sense of weightlessness as you float in the super-saline Dead Sea.
  • Return to Jerusalem.
  • Free time to explore Downtown Jerusalem, including the Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall and the Nachalat Shiva neighborhood, with dinner on own.
  • Dinner on own, perhaps on vibrant Emek Refaim Street, in Jerusalem's German Colony.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Eleven: Wednesday, November 7, 2018
THE MANY FACES AND CHALLENGES OF JERUSALEM

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Pass by the ‘Sigd' celebration, one of the unique holidays of Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewry) community at the Haas Promenade. The holiday symbolizes the acceptance of the Torah and is marked by the breaking of the fast, dancing and general revelry.
  • Guided visit the renewed and wonderfully creative Israel Museum, with its wide-ranging and eclectic collection, from Archaeology and the Dead Sea Scrolls, to Jewish Life and Art, European art, contemporary Israeli art and the open-air model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period.
  • Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Machaneh Yehuda open-air market, with lunch on own.
  • Free time to pack and last-minute shopping.
  • Festive farewell dinner at Olive & Fish, a meat and fish restaurant located across from the Liberty Bell Gardens.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem

 

Day Twelve: Thursday, November 8, 2018
RETURN HOME

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out of the hotel and transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport to check in for the departure flight to the U.S.A., arriving the same day.

Da'at Educational Expeditions itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.
To book this package, please contact one of our reservation agents at 888-811-2812.

Flight Details

Accommodation Details

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Park Plaza Orchid Image

Park Plaza Orchid
Tel Aviv

The Park Plaza offers breathtaking views of Tel Aviv's lively boardwalk, white sandy beaches and sparkling blue sea. With 182 state-of-the-art rooms and suites overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the marina and old Jaffa.

Dan Panorama Image

Dan Panorama
Haifa

Haifa's Dan Panorama Hotel rises twenty-one stories high above Mount Carmel Bay and Israel's beautiful Mediterranean coastline, and is a short walk from the nearby entertainment  venues and sightseeing areas.

Hagoshrim Kibbutz Hotel Image

Hagoshrim Kibbutz Hotel
Kibbutz Hagoshrim

The Hagoshrim Kibbutz Hotel is situated in the center of the Galilee, with views of Mount Hermon. Located in a pastoral landscape, it offers comfortable accommodations and facilities as well as an array of nearby activities.

Orient Residence Jerusalem Image

Orient Residence Jerusalem
Jerusalem

The Orient Jerusalem hotel, part of the Isrotel Exclusive Collection, is nestled at the heart of the German Colony, walking distance from countless cultural, tourist, and historic attractions: the First Station, Liberty Bell Park, and Mishkenot Sha'ananim, as well as charming boutiques and bistros.

  • Group rates are per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 15 full paying participants per bus. Should the number of participants drop below the minimum listed above, we will adjust the cost of the trip to reflect the additional expense of operating the program.
  • Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the tour guide/educator are included.
  • Hotel Accommodations: The tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering value. Although the level of the accommodations may differ slightly from hotel to hotel, we are committed to your comfort. Two-bed rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bed rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended when considering the comfort of those in the room. King-size beds are not available in most hotels; what is considered king-size usually consists of two single beds pushed together and made up separately, but with one headboard. Some two-bed rooms may have two twin - not full- or queen-size - beds.
  • Meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
  • Expedition Director / Tour Educator or Guide: All trips are conducted by our tour educators or local guides who remain with the group throughout the tour.
  • Gratuities Included: All gratuities for restaurant staff are included.
  • Baggage: All tour packages / group tours allow one piece of luggage per person and one carry-on bag. Excess luggage will be subject to charge of up to $100 per piece. The Travel Agent and/or Tour Operator, shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to the insurance company. With regard to airline baggage allowance, different carriers have different regulations for business and coach, please check with your individual carrier with regard to permitted number of pieces, weights and dimensions. The tour operator is not responsible for fees levied by any air carrier for the transport of personal belongings of any kind.

 

 

Not Included

  • Personal Expenses: All personal expenses such as: laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls and postage are not included.
  • Tips to the guide and driver (recommended guidelines vary based on number of participants)
    • For a group of 12-15 passengers and more:
      $12 per participant per day for the tour educator & $6 per participant per day for the driver
    • For a group of 20 passengers and more:
      $8 per participant per day for the tour educator & $4 per participant per day for the driver
  • Credit card fees.
  • Guests at meals.
  • Luggage: All tour packages allow one pieces per person and one carry-on bag. Excess luggage will be subject to a charge of up to $100 per piece. Da'at shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to the insurance company.
  • Transportation in evening when dinner is on own.
  • Amendments to the program: In the event that any sites, programs or meals etc are added to the program, an additional fee may be required.
  • Personal extras: Items of personal nature such as laundry, wines, mineral water, beverages, coffee, tea, food other than the table d'hotel menu, passport and visa fees, insurance, and foreign port taxes, unless otherwise specified.
  • Snacks on the bus.
  • US and foreign airport taxes, Q fuel surcharge and border taxes when applicable.

 

 

Additional Information

  • Airline Security Measures: In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket or you may be denied boarding.
  • If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.
  • Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov to obtain more information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage items.
  • Air Services: Once issued, tickets are non-refundable. Airline schedules and flights are subject to change without notice. We will not be responsible for penalties incurred for tickets, international or domestic, not issued by us due to schedule and/or flight changes. Airlines reserve the right to demand immediate issuance of tickets whenever they determine that specific flights are heavily booked even when normal ticketing rules do not require tickets to be issued until a later date. In this instance, we will require immediate and full payment of the airfare and airport taxes and fees as itemized on the invoice. This situation overrides invoice terms and conditions and payment due dates. If full payment is not received, seats will be cancelled by the airline and may not be available to be rebooked on the same flights or at the same airfare. Any replacement air arrangements and airfare will be the sole responsibility of the passenger. We suggest you contact your travel agent or the carrier several weeks prior to departure for seat assignments. Passengers are responsible to reconfirm their flights 72 hours prior to departure for all flights. Package is based on discount fares for group travel. Group members deviating from group dates will be charged a $75 deviation fee per person.
  • Holidays and Museum Closures - Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed in the destinations being visited.
  • Photography During Tours: We will occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your tour.
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