Day 1: Thursday, February 15, 2018: DEPARTURE

• We depart the United States on our overnight flight to Israel.

Day 2: Friday, February 16, 2018: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• We arrive in Israel this afternoon and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative.
• We transfer from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem, stopping at Haas Promenade for a panoramic view, and to say the “Shehecheyanu!” blessing while we look out over the City of Gold for the first time.
• Continue to our hotel to check in and get ready for Shabbat.
• Join together for candle lighting (4:51pm) and Shabbat services as the sun begins to set over Israel.
• We enjoy a welcome Shabbat dinner with IDF lone soldiers this evening at our hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 3: Saturday, February 17, 2018: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we have the option of attending Shabbat services at one of the various synagogues in Jerusalem (options will be provided).
• We have Shabbat lunch together in the early afternoon.
• After lunch, we enjoy a fun-filled scavenger hunt through the Yemin Moshe neighborhood, a great way to get to know the area.
• This evening, we have a short Havadallah service at our hotel, signifying the end of Shabbat.
• We have the chance to explore Jerusalem and have dinner on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 4: Sunday, February 18, 2018: EXPLORING JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We take part in tikun olam at Yad L'Kashish, the workshop known as the “lifeline for the aged”, and hear the story behind this amazing place.
• Our day continues with a visit to Ir David (City of David), located just outside the Old City walls. We wander through the carefully preserved archaeological excavations dating back to the time of King David.
• Continue to the Western Wall, a place of worship for local and visiting Jews alike.
• We stroll through the cobblestone streets of the Old City, discovering the four quarters - Jewish, Arab, Christian and Armenian, with time for lunch on our own.
• We embark on a moving experience at Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, where we view many exhibitions, including the Hall of Names and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations. Young children have the option of visiting the Biblical Zoo during this time.
• Our next stop is at Mt. Herzl, Israel's military cemetery, where we pay our respects at the gravesites of Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin.
• After a fulfilling day, we enjoy a relaxing, leisurely evening on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5: Monday, February 19, 2018: THE DEAD SEA BASIN

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we depart Jerusalem and travel to the Dead Sea basin, the lowest point on Earth.
• We ascend Masada by cable car and hear the story of the remains of King Herod's desert fortress. Together, we celebrate our B'nai Mitzvah while looking out over the beautiful landscape.
• After descending Masada, we head to the beach for lunch on our own and take an “unsinkable” swim in the healing waters of the Dead Sea.
• We travel to the heart of the desert at Mitzpe Ramon to check in to our hotel and have time to refresh.
• Later this evening, we enjoy dinner together at our hotel.

Overnight in Mitzpe Ramon

Day 6: Tuesday, February 20, 2018: DESERT ADVENTURES

• This morning, we participate in sunrise shacharit services overlooking the stunning Ramon Crater.
• We return to the hotel for breakfast.
• Stop at the Mitzpe Ramon Visitor's Center to take in the amazing views, followed by an exciting jeep ride through the beautiful desert landscape and into the Ramon Crater.
• We have the opportunity to visit an IDF base to meet Israeli soldiers (pending military approval).
• Time for lunch on our own.
• Take a short afternoon walk, ending atop Mt. Gamal, as we watch the sun set over the desert.
• We return to our hotel for dinner together.
• After dinner, we enjoy a unique desert stargazing experience.

Overnight in Mitzpe Ramon

Day 7: Wednesday, February 21, 2018: DISCOVERING SOUTHERN ISRAEL

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We begin our day at Sde Boker to pay a visit to the gravesite of David Ben Gurion.
• Continue to Avdat National Park, a beautiful canyon in the Negev, and hike to the Ein Avdat spring.
• Nearby, we have the chance to experience Carmey Avdat, a 1,500 year old agricultural settlement on the path of the ancient Spice Route. Here, we visit their winery and participate in a wine tasting.
• Time for lunch on our own in Kiryat Gat.
• Our last stop of the day is at Beit Guvrin, to participate in a hands-on archaeological dig, allowing us the opportunity to unearth remnants from Israel's ancient past.
• We travel to Tel Aviv to check in to our hotel and enjoy a leisure evening and dinner on our own.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 8: Thursday, February 22, 2018: EXPLORING TEL AVIV

• Breakfast and at our hotel.
• This morning, we volunteer at Project Leket, where we will collect leftover fruits and vegetables for those in need, fulfilling the mitzvah of gleaning the fields.
• We visit the Weizmann Institute, where some of the brightest scientific minds are working to overcome some of the biggest challenges facing humanity today.
• Our tour continues at Kiryat Atidim, Israel's largest hi-tech center, for a visit to one of the start-up companies that have come to represent Israel's high-tech success.
• We have time for lunch on our own.
• This evening, we have free time to explore the vibrant nightlife of Tel Aviv and have dinner on our own;
OR
• Option to enjoy dinner in the dark at the BlackOut Restaurant, an exceptional culinary experience that will trigger your senses, followed by a performance of “Not by Bread Alone” at the Nalagaat Center for the blind and deaf (additional cost).

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 9: Friday, February 23, 2018: TEL AVIV TO JERUSALEM

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We begin our day at Independence Hall, where we hear David Ben-Gurion declare the establishment of the State of Israel as it happened in 1948.
• Continue to Nachalat Binyamin and stroll through the arts and crafts market with time for lunch here on our own.
• We depart for Jerusalem.
• Our first stop in Jerusalem is at Machane Yehuda, where we take in the sights and sounds of the marketplace while the locals busily prepare for Shabbat.
• We check in to our hotel and have time to refresh.
• As the sun begins to set, we meet to for candle lighting (4:56pm), followed by Shabbat dinner together.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 10: Saturday, February 24, 2018: SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM & DEPARTURE

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we have the option of attending Shabbat services at one of the various synagogues in Jerusalem (options will be provided).
• We come together for Shabbat lunch at our hotel.
• This afternoon, we enjoy a psalms inspired walking tour around the Old City.
• Return to our hotel to pack and check out.
• At sundown, we participate in a short Havdallah service, as Shabbat comes to an end.
• We share a light Oneg Shabbat at our hotel, recalling all that we have experienced together.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 11: Sunday, February 25, 2018: ARRIVAL HOME

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We transfer to the airport for our flight back to the United States arriving later today.