Day 1: Monday, March 25, 2019: DEPARTURE

• We depart Miami on our overnight flight to Israel.

Day 2: Tuesday, March 26, 2019: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport this afternoon and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative.
• Transfer to Tel Aviv to check in and have time to orient ourselves with the city.
• This evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 3: Wednesday, March 27, 2019: TOURING TEL AVIV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day with a visit to Independence Hall, where David Ben Gurion declared Israel's independence in 1948.
• Next, we visit the Palmach Museum, where we “join up” with the paramilitary forces from Israel's pre-statehood days.
• We discover the secret underground ammunition factory that played a pivotal role in Israel's fight for independence at the Ayalon Institute.
• This afternoon, we walk through the Neve Tzedek neighborhood, one of the first neighborhoods in the State of Israel, and now home to many artist studios and galleries.
• This evening, spend time at leisure discovering all that this metropolitan city has to offer and enjoy dinner on own.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 4: Thursday, March 28, 2019: JERUSALEM

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Latrun, Israel's outdoor armed corps museum, where we explore the tanks and artillery used by the Israeli Defense Forces throughout the country's history.
• We ascend to Jerusalem, stopping at the Haas Promenade, where we say the "Shehecheyanu!" as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time.
• We enter Jerusalem's Old City and tour the Western Walls tunnels, where we discover the archaeological wonders that once remained untouched for centuries.
• Our next stop is at the Davidson Center, where we learn about the construction and history of the Temple Mount area through multi-media exhibitions built directly into the ancient stones.
• We continue into the Jewish quarter, with a stop at the Cardo market.
• Spend the remainder of the day at leisure and enjoy dinner on own this evening.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5: Friday, March 29, 2019: A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day with a moving visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, where we tour the exhibits, including the Hall of Names and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations.
• We continue to the 9/11 Memorial built to honor those who lost their lives on that fateful day in 2001.
• This afternoon, we visit the bustling Machane Yehuda marketplace, where Jerusalemites are busily preparing for the coming Shabbat.
• As the sun begins to set, we welcome Shabbat at the Western Wall with the people of Jerusalem, followed by Shabbat dinner together at our hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 6: Saturday, March 30, 2019: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Optional Shabbat services at one of the many local synagogues.
• Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. You may choose to visit the newly remodeled Israel Museum on own to see the famous Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, as well as the miniature model of Jerusalem from the time of the Second Temple.
• Walk to the magical Ben Yehuda Street for shopping and dinner on own, as Jerusalem welcomes the week ahead.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Sunday, March 31, 2019: MASADA & THE DEAD SEA

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We depart early this morning and travel to the Dead Sea basin.
• We stop at the Qumran Caves, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a local shepherd.
• We ascend Masada by cable car, to see the remains of King Herod's fortress as we learn about the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman forces.
• We descend the mountain and head to the beach for lunch on own and an unsinkable swim in the healing salty waters of the Dead Sea.
• This afternoon, we stop for a short visit in the desert oasis of Ein Gedi.
• Return to Jerusalem for an evening at leisure and dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Monday, April 1, 2019: THE ROAD TO THE GALILEE

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We begin our day at Ir David (City of David), where we wander through the carefully preserved excavations dating back to the time of King David.
• Our next stop is at Emek Tzurim, where we participate in the dig, sifting through the Temple Mount rubble. New and important finds are made here every day.
• We visit Hadassah Hospital to view the beautiful famed Chagall windows.
• We depart Jerusalem and begin traveling north through the Jordan River Valley, stopping to view the intricate mosaic floor at Beit Alpha.
• We continue to the Galilee to check in to our kibbutz and have time to relax.
• This evening, we join together for dinner at our kibbutz.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 9: Tuesday, April 2, 2019: THE MYSTICAL NORTH

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• This morning, we visit Tzippori, where we see the ancient mosaic known as the Mona Lisa of the Galilee.
• We join Makom Bagalil, an organization dedicated to peace for all the people of the Galilee, for a session with Nir Topper. Our time together will include a meeting with leadership in a nearby Israeli-Arab village.
• We travel to the mystical city of Safed, where we walk along the cobblestone streets, touring the ancient synagogues and meeting local artisans. Enjoy time to browse and shop among the many local galleries.
• We return to our kibbutz to relax and enjoy dinner together here this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 10: Wednesday, April 3, 2019: NATURAL BEAUTY

• Breakfast with representatives from the kibbutz, as we hear about the history and modern development of kibbutz living.
• We ascend to the Golan Heights, arriving at Katzrin, the ancient Talmudic village, where we tour the facility and visit the museum.
• Next, we take in the view of neighboring Syria from atop Har Bental.
• Continue with a short hike through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve, source of the Jordan River and site of ancient archeological finds.
• Later this afternoon, we visit Tel Hai, a national monument commemorating the death of Joseph Trumpledor and seven other Jews in the Battle of Tel Hai in 1920.
• Return to our kibbutz for dinner together this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 11: Thursday, April 4, 2019: THE NORTHERN COAST

• Breakfast and free morning at our kibbutz.
• Later this morning, we check out of our kibbutz.
• We visit the Naot shoe factory, founded in 1942 at Kibbutz Naot Mordechai, located in the Upper Galilee. Today, nearly 70 years later, Teva Naot footwear is sold in over 6,000 places around the world.
• We continue to the crusader city of Akko, where we see the secret templar tunnels, and the crusader fortress with its checked history.
• Our next stop is in Haifa, where we take in the panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea from the beautiful Bahai Gardens.
• We stop for a breathtaking view of the Valley of Jezreel and see the Statue of Elijah at Muchraka.
• We descend to Tel Aviv and enjoy some free time for last minute shopping or just to relax.
• This evening, we enjoy a festive farewell dinner, as we recall all that we have experienced together.
• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our overnight flight to the United States.

Day 12: Friday, April 5, 2019: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive back in Miami this morning.

THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!!!
*Itinerary subject to change.