Day One: Sunday
ON THE WAY TO ISRAEL

• Depart the U.S.A.

Overnight: Flight

Day Two: Monday
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL / THE START OF A SPECIAL JOURNEY

• Arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport. Our representative will be on hand to assist with all formalities and ensure your journey has the smoothest of starts.
• Make the short drive to Tel Aviv, also known as “the city that never sleeps.” A place of sun and fun, its centers of culture and history are complimented by great beaches, stores and entertainment.
• Check into the hotel.
• Meet your tour educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
• Beginnings: Modern Tel Aviv grew out of ancient Jaffa. Gaze out over the Mediterranean Sea, learn why Jaffa was so historically important (it was mentioned in the biblical story of Jonah and the Whale) and see how its Old City reflects the present as well as the past.
• Welcome dinner: Celebrate your arrival in Israel with dinner and opening remarks as we look forward to the exciting days ahead. A journey through Israel is also an exploration of its fabulous, varied food. Your enjoyment of Israel cuisine will begin at Maganda, located in Tel Aviv's Yemenite Quarter, with a traditional Middle Eastern meal of meat skewers, hummus and salads.

 Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day Three: Tuesday
INNOVATION & ENERGY: THE TEL AVIV STORY     

• Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet before checking out of the hotel.
• From a Hebrew City to a Hebrew State: Walk along the newly-opened Independence Trail in Tel Aviv and embark on a remarkable journey that begins with the founding of Tel Aviv in 1909 and ends with the establishment of Israel in 1948.
• The Changing Architecture and Culture of Tel Aviv: As we make our way along the Independence Trail, we'll see the diversity of Tel Aviv's architecture and find out how this reflects the culture of a city that refuses to stay the same. Examine the “eclectic” early architecture and the Bauhaus buildings from the 1930s that gave Tel Aviv the nickname of the “White City” and recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We'll also see Tel Aviv's 21^st century skyscrapers and ask what they reveal about modern Israel.
• Israel: A Start-Up: Explore the inventiveness and audacity that are making Israel a world leader in technology and transforming the nation's economy at the State of Mind Innovation Center, followed by a meeting with a start-up entrepreneur.
• Tel Aviv's food scene is booming. Check out some of the options with lunch (on own account) at the Nachalat Binyamin food and crafts fair before joining the hustle and bustle of the Carmel market.
• Departing Tel Aviv, we'll head northwards and back in time to Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel's most important cities during the Roman Period. Explore life 2,000 years ago with its ancient amphitheaters, palaces and bathhouses.
• Continue to the kibbutz hotel in the Upper Galilee, enjoying a dinner combining international cuisine with local flavors and the freshest of produce.

Overnight: Kibbutz Hotel, Upper Galilee

Day Four: Wednesday
SECURITY & SERENITY: THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Hit the ground racing as we go off-road for a jeep tour of the Golan Heights that will combine natural beauty with insights into one of Israel's most strategically important areas. Retrace the experiences of Israeli soldiers in their battles here during the Six-Day War of 1967 and talk with your jeep drivers about their personal experiences and feelings about the Golan.
• The Golan Heights is also wine country. Sample some of its best during a tour of the boutique Pelter Winery. We're doing the driving so treat yourself to some Israeli gin to go with the grapes. L'chaim and cheers!
• Northern Borders, Northern Battles: We'll gaze across the Golan and into Syria from the top of Mount Bental and gain powerful insights into Israel's geopolitical and security situation. Analyze the current challenges Israel faces on its northern border, examine the impact of the tragic civil war in Syria, and hunker down in bunkers from the vital battles that took place here during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
• Lunch (on own account).
• May to September: Take to the water with rafting or kayaking down the Jordan River. (Water shoes are recommended.)
• October to April: The Hula Nature Reserve, Israel's best place for bird-watching, is home to thousands of storks, cranes, pelicans and flamingos. We'll learn why early Zionist efforts to drain these swamps have been replaced by environmental protection and feel as free as a bird during a 3D movie that put us up in the air alongside a migrating flock.
• Da'at Encounters Radical Then, Still Relevant Now? The pioneering, socialist kibbutz movement played a vital role in the establishment of the State of Israel and was one of the early state's most influential and distinctive communities. Meet with a second-generation kibbutz member and hear how life has changed on the kibbutz in today's more individualistic era.
• Dinner at the kibbutz hotel.

Overnight: Kibbutz Hotel, Upper Galilee

Day Five: Thursday
MYSTICS & MULTI-CULTURALISM IN THE NORTH

• Breakfast at the kibbutz hotel before checking out.
• Perhaps it's the combination of mysticism and art or maybe it's the mountain air in Israel's highest city. But entering Tsfat, there is a sense of something uniquely Jewish but not quite of this world. Here, you'll:
• Visit the Ari synagogue and share in the inspiration and innovation that moved Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Holy Ari) and his fellow mystics. In Tsfat, they developed the Kabbalah, the esoteric insights of Judaism and created Kabbalat Shabbat, the prayers sung on Friday evenings to welcome the arrival of the Sabbath.
• See the Caro synagogue, built originally, like the Ari, in the sixteenth century. It is where Rabbi Joseph Caro, one of the greatest of all Jewish legal authorities, taught and lived. Hear the story of how he was visited here by a maggid, an angelic messenger, who revealed secrets of the Torah.
• Walk through the cobbled streets and alleyways to the Artists' Colony with its galleries, shops and studios.
• From the Sky to the Sea: At Rosh Hanikra, the steepest cable car ride in the world will take us down to beautiful sea grottos (sea caves) formed by countless waves hitting the soft chalk rock.
• Lunch (on own account).
• Drive to Akko (Acre), a UNESCO Heritage Site, for a fresh look at one of the oldest towns in the world. Once a stronghold of the Christian crusaders in the Holy Land, Akko was also an important center of Muslim Ottoman rule and today is an example of the multi-culturalism of northern Israel. Highlights include:
  • The restored Crusaders' Fortress and look into the lives of the Templar knights, the Christian warriors based here from the twelfth century.
  • The el-Jazzar Mosque, one of Israel's largest mosques and an illustration of the Muslim influence in the country, then and now. The mosque is named after its designer, the talented but brutal Ottoman governor Ahmad Pasha el-Jazzar, who in Akko in 1799 repulsed the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte.
  • Walking along the fortified walls that protected Akko and made it a militarily crucial town. Over the centuries, invaders, including Napoleon Bonapart's French army in 1799, damaged but could never destroy these walls. We'll see the massive security measures carried out by Ahmad Pasha el-Jazzar on order to defeat Napoleon at Akko.
• Da'at Encounters Service and Separation: Visit a village in the Carmel Forest for a glimpse into the world of Israel's Druze Hear personal stories and insights about their culture, closely-guarded beliefs and their tradition of military service to the State of Israel. Then enjoy the tastes of the Druze kitchen with dinner in the home of local residents, and groove to the Levantine beat as we sing along with darbuka drummers.
• Head to Haifa, Israel's largest port city, and check into the hotel.

Overnight: Haifa

Day Six: Friday
THE MANY FAITHS OF THE HOLY LAND

• Breakfast at the hotel before checking out.
• Da'at Encounters Which Way Towards Coexistence? It is often argued that Haifa is Israel's strongest area for Arab-Jewish cooperation. Explore what has been achieved and what remains to be done at Beit HaGefen, an Arab-Jewish cultural center. We'll talk with Israeli Arab activists and wander through the multicultural Wadi Nisnas neighborhood and markets.
• Take a moment at the top of Mount Carmel, the setting for many biblical stories and the old stomping ground of the prophet Elijah, to admire the view of Haifa Bay.
• Haifa's diversity is also reflected by the fact that it is a world center of the Baha'i religious movement. We'll see the beautiful Baha'i Gardens and one of their holiest sites, the gold-domed Shrine of the Bab, and discuss the complex and sometimes tragic history of this faith and how it ended up being based in Israel.
• As we drive along the Trans-Israel Highway towards Jerusalem, there will be plenty of opportunities to see the “Security Barrier”, which runs along the seam zone between Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and learn about the barrier's effects on Israeli security and Palestinian communities.
• A First Look at the Holy City: Over the centuries, many have been moved and awed by their first sight of Jerusalem. We'll stop at Mount Scopus for a stunning overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
• Lunch (on own account).
• A walking tour will take you to the heart of Jewish life, history and holiness: Jerusalem's Old City and the Jewish Quarter. Among the highlights will be:
  • A walk along the rooftops for a bird's eye view of the remarkably diverse yet closely bound communities of the Old City.
  • The Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns.
  • King Hezekiah's “Broad Wall,” a massive wall built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 year ago.
  • Hurva Square, the center of modern-day life in the Jewish Quarter.
  • No visit to Israel is complete without experiencing the Western Wall (the Kotel), widely considered Judaism's holiest site. Each year, over one million notes containing prayers and wishes are placed in the cracks of the wall. We'll discuss the wall's historical and contemporary importance and experience its unique atmosphere.
• Optional: Join Jerusalem in welcoming the Sabbath, the highpoint of the Jewish week, with Kabbalat Shabbat services. The city boasts a dizzying variety of synagogues. We'll be happy to supply maps and suggestions of which might work best for you.
• Celebrate your journey through Israel with a traditional Shabbat dinner at Beit Shmuel. Share in the rituals, the recipes and the joy of the Sabbath in Jerusalem. 

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day Seven: Saturday
THE CITY OF SHABBAT

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• A free day will allow you to explore Jerusalem at your leisure. Enjoy the peacefulness of Shabbat in Jerusalem or check out some of the following sites:
  • The Tower of David Museum where the story of Jerusalem, from the time of Abraham to the end of the British Mandate over Palestine, is told with exciting exhibitions and in a remarkable location.
  • The Christian Quarter of the Old City. See the bargains and bargaining in its shuk (market).
  • Then follow the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus is believed to have taken as he walked, holding a cross, to his crucifixion.
  • The final station of the Via Dolorosa is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the place where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. This church is one of Christianity's great pilgrimage sites and a testament to the remarkable diversity of the Christian world. It includes an empty tomb where it is said that Jesus was buried and resurrected.
  • The Israel Museum is the nation's largest cultural institution and an internationally-renowned art and archaeological museum. Take your choice from exhibitions that range from the Dead Sea Scrolls to contemporary Israeli art and much in-between.
  • Then hit the town. One fun option is to join the Saturday-night strollers in the Ben Yehuda and Nachalat Shiva Pedestrian Malls for dinner (on your own account).
• The Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum: The walls of the Citadel serve as the stage for this cinematic celebration of sight and sound depicting the story of Jerusalem. (Without guide; we will provide a voucher for your entry.)

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day Eight: Sunday
JEWISH MEMORY, JEWISH RENEWAL

• Start your day the healthy way with a fitness and wellness session at Liberty Bell Park. A trained fitness instructor will have you feeling fine.
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visiting Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, is an essential emotional and educational experience. Your guided tour will include:
  • The Avenue of the Righteous, where trees symbolic of the renewal of life have been planted along with plaques honoring brave non-Jews who saved Jews during the Shoah.
  • The Historical Museum, a state-of-the-art interactive display reflecting decades of research and educational expertise. The story of the Holocaust, with an emphasis on individual victims, is told through survivor testimonies, original artifacts and personal possessions saved from the ghettos and camps.
  • The Children's Memorial, where candles shine like stars in the sky to commemorate the 1.5 million children lost during the Holocaust.
  • A special Memorial Service where you can pay personal tribute to the victims of the Holocaust.
• Eat, drink and be educated at the Machane Yehuda shuk (market) as we sample food and sweets from all over the Mediterranean and the Middle East and try to figure out what's Israeli about Israeli food. This multicultural, all-inclusive tasting tour can double up as a delicious lunch.
• Return to the Old City to explore the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Kotel, and examine important archaeological discoveries that are revising our understanding of daily life in Jerusalem after the Roman conquest.
• Da'at Encounters The State of the State of Israel: Talk with Professor Paul Liptz of Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew Union College about the key issues shaping Israeli society today. Find out whether the country is stronger than ever or splitting into separate “tribes.”

OR

• Da'at Encounters Navigate Your Way Through the Labyrinth of Israel Politics: Join Professor Reuven Hazan of the Political Science Department at Hebrew University for an introduction into Israel's turbulent political scene where coalition governments and powerful ideological divisions are a fact of life.
• Enjoy a night out with dinner (on own account) in Jerusalem. Among the options are the First Train Station The city's rail link from the late nineteenth century, it is now a center of restaurants, shops and culture.

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day Nine: Monday
INTO THE DESERT: MASADA & THE DEAD SEA

• Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before setting out to explore the Dead Sea Get ready for some amazing experiences in this unique natural environment.
• As Low as it Goes: We'll drive to the Dead Sea Basin, 1412 feet below sea level and the lowest place on earth. The desert, the landscape and the views are breathtaking.
• How Fast can this Thing Move? Take a camel for a test drive as you ride into the heart of the desert.
• The Last Stand: A cable car will bring us to the top of Masada with its extraordinary views and fascinating archaeological remains. This UNESCO World Heritage site is where Jewish rebels are believed to have made their final attempt to resist Roman invaders (c 74 CE) before committing mass suicide. We'll learn about Masada's importance as a symbol of Jewish defense and discuss its influence on modern Israel.
• Lunch (on own account).
• The Sea of Salt: Go floating, rather than swimming in the Dead Sea. Not much can live in what is the saltiest piece of water in the world, nine times saltier than the ocean, but the weightless feeling of floating is great fun.
• While returning to Jerusalem, we ‘ll drive by Qumran, where a separatist Jewish sect from the Second Temple period created an isolated community and where the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most ancient and important religious manuscripts in existence, were discovered.
• High Times in the Holy City: Explore Jerusalem's night life with a free evening and dinner (on own account).

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day Ten: Tuesday  
GIVING BACK & LOOKING FORWARD

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Da'at Encounters The Art of Tikkun Olam: Meet elderly, often impoverished, immigrants who are finding a sense of purpose and creating beautiful artwork at Yad LaKashish (Lifeline for the Elderly). We'll hear personal stories and see the ageing artisans in action, talk with those running this inspirational organization, and check out the fabulous giftshop that supports this endeavor.
• Arming for Independence: Visit the Ayalon Institute near Rehovot and uncover its role in the establishment of the state of Israel. This secret ammunition factory produced millions of bullets for Jewish forces fighting for a Jewish state and the end of British rule over Palestine.
• Lunch (on own account).
• Diggin' for Roots: On the last stop of our journey, we'll literally get in touch with the land and history of Israel. Take part in an archaeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves. Get your hands dirty uncovering pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2300 years ago, and then crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth (non-crawling options are available) in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Return to Jerusalem for a free evening with dinner (on own account) and take the chance to reflect on the experiences and discoveries that have inspired you during this journey through Israel.

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day Eleven: Wednesday
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

• Breakfast at the hotel before checking out.
• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your return flight to the USA.

It has been our pleasure and privilege to help you discover the diversity and wonders of Israel.
Shalom u'lehitraot, goodbye and see you soon.