Congregation Kol Tikvah
Pilgrimage to Israel
Led by Rabbi Bradd Boxman
June 12-23, 2023


Tour Rates & Dates:

There are no Departure Dates available for this Package.
*Please note that all rates displayed are based on standard room double occupancy.
All rates above are in US Dollars, and are based on full payment by credit card unless otherwise noted.
If check payment discount is available for this tour, it can be selected after clicking "BOOK" above.
(Deposit can still be paid by credit card).
Upgraded room categories may be available to book later in the booking process.
If Land & Air price is displayed, the air portion includes tax and fuel surcharges, which are subject to change until ticketed.

Tour Overview:

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INCLUDED IN YOUR TOUR:

All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle with an expert English-speaking guide
5 nights
Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
2 nights
Kibbutz Nof Ginosar, Galilee
2 nights
Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv
Breakfast daily
Druze lunch
Lunch + tahini making workshop in Abu Ghosh
Lunch at Levinsky Market
Shabbat home hospitality dinner at Kibbutz Gezer
2 kibbutz dinners
Farewell dinner at a Tel Aviv restaurant
Tree planting
Emek Tzurim sifting project
Machane Yehuda tasting tour
Camel ride & pita making
Meeting with Rabbi Noa Sattath of IRAC
Old City walking tour
Optional Tower of David Sound Light show
Wine tasting

Visit to Kibbutz Malkia
Safed candle making workshop
Wine and chocolate tasting
Caesarea guided snorkeling tour
Tel Aviv graffiti tour
Ethiopian hospitality at Battae
Gallery hopping tour

The Olympic Experience
Entrance fees per itinerary
Airport transfers is arriving/departing with the main group
Porterage
Bottled water (2 bottles per person, per day on the bus)
Whisper headsets

NOT INCLUDED:

Roundtrip airfare, departure taxes or fuel surcharges
Border taxes or visa fees
Tips to guide, driver and dining room personnel ($25 per person, per day; pre-collected)
Meals not listed above
Optional Kiryat Shmona activities

Items of a personal nature
Travel insurance (recommended -
group policy available)
Any costs associated with Covid-19 testing or vaccination




Tour Itinerary:

DAY 1: Monday, June 12, 2023: DEPARTURE

• We depart on our afternoon flight and travel overnight to Israel.

DAY 2: Tuesday, June 13, 2023: ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM

• Shalom and Bruchim Habaim - welcome home! We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport and are met with assistance by an Ayelet Tours representative. Our time in this incredible land has officially started and our excitement mounts as we set off on the adventure ahead.
• On our way to Jerusalem, we stop to participate in a tree planting ceremony at Neot Kedumim, connecting us physically and spiritually to the land of Israel.
• Upon arrival in Jerusalem, we pause atop Mount Scopus to recite a special Shehecheyanu blessing with challah and wine as we look out over the City of Gold.
• Next, we visit Ir David, the City of David. Here, we wander through the carefully preserved archaeological excavations dating back 3,000 years, including a walk through Hezekiah's tunnel, an ancient passage to Jerusalem's water source.
• Lunch on our own.
• No visit to Israel is complete without experiencing the Kotel, or Western Wall, widely considered Judaism's holiest site. Each year, over one million notes containing prayers and wishes are placed in the cracks of the wall. Here, we will discuss the wall's historical and contemporary importance and experience its unique atmosphere.
• Later, we check in to our hotel to refresh before dinner on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 3: Wednesday, June 14, 2023: JEWISH HERITAGE IN JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Our day begins with an essential emotional and educational experience at Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust remembrance center and national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. This tour will include:
o The Avenue of the Righteous, where trees symbolic of the renewal of life have been planted and plaques honoring brave non-Jews who saved Jews during the Shoah.
o 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.
o The Children's Memorial, where candles shine like stars in the sky to commemorate the 1.5 million children lost during the Holocaust.
o Returnees will separately explore the Yad Vashem Archives, where Holocaust-related documents are professionally catalogued and stored for future generations by archivists, historians and conservation experts.
o We end our visit at Yad Vashem with a memorial service at the Valley of the Lost Communities.
• Lunch on our own.
• This afternoon, we experience Ein Tzurim, a live archaeological site, where we have the opportunity for a hands-on dig. Join us in uncovering the glorious past of the Temple Mount. Sift through rubble that originated in ancient buildings from the Temple Period and learn about findings from archaeologists.
• We continue with a visit to the Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Center, where we will learn about the rich history and culture of the Jewish community from the Maghreb.
• We proceed to Jerusalem's outdoor market, Machane Yehuda, for a sensual immersion, engaging with the vibrant colors, smells and flavors that will be found in this bustling marketplace. We enjoy a tasting tour as we walk through the market.
• Dinner on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 4: Thursday, June 15, 2023: THE DEAD SEA BASIN

Returnees may join the group for today's scheduled touring, spend a partial day at a Dead Sea spa (additional cost) or choose to spend the day at leisure in Jerusalem on own.

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We depart early this morning and travel south to the Dead Sea basin.
• Upon our arrival, we ascend Masada by cable car to view the remains of King Herod's fortress, including the synagogue, walls, and bathhouses, 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 a chance to enjoy the mineral-rich mud baths and an unsinkable swim in the healing, salty waters of the Dead Sea.
• Next, we stop at the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a local shepherd.
• We enjoy a hike in the beautiful oasis of Ein Gedi, where we can meet ibex, hyrax and other desert-dwelling wildlife.
• Later this afternoon, we visit Genesis Land, located in the heart of the Judean Desert, and experience life as they did in Biblical times with a camel ride and fresh pita-making.
• We return to Jerusalem for an evening at leisure and dinner on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 5: Friday, June 16, 2023: ART IN THE JUDEAN HILLS

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we meet with Rabbi Noa Sattath, Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the social justice arm of the Reform movement in Israel.
• We return to the Old City and underground for a tour of the Western Wall tunnels, including the Newly Excavated Great Bridge Tour, a unique and fascinating route underground below the tremendous bridge that led to the Temple during the Second Temple period. We will see exciting findings along the way and look at a new exposure of the Western Wall.
• Back above ground, we visit Yvel, a unique international jewelry company and workshop with an inspiring story of social change and a wonderful example of social awareness in business.
• We stop in the town of Abu Ghosh, the hummus mecca of Israel, for a lunch based on fresh local produce and enjoy a tahini making workshop.
• We return to our hotel to enjoy some free time before Shabbat.
• As day turns to night, we gather for Kabbalat Shabbat services at Birkat Shalom Synagogue in Kibbutz Gezer, led by Rabbi Steve Burnstein, followed by individual home hospitality dinner with local congregants.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 6: Saturday, June 17, 2023: JERUSALEM OF GOLD - SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we attend Shabbat service on our own at a local synagogue or join a "shul-hopping" tour to experience the different services at the some of the city's most interesting synagogues, all within walking distance from each other, including the Great Synagogue, Italian Synagogue, Sephardic, Moroccan, Masorti, Reform and Conservative. Experience the connection of the different sects of Judaism to the Land of Israel.
• This afternoon, we venture on a guided walking tour through Jerusalem's Old City. We begin in the Jewish Quarter to experience the center of Jewish life, history and holiness, then continue to the Christian and Muslim quarters. Among the highlights will be: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (marking where Jesus is believed to have been crucified), the Hurva Synagogue and the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's most sacred and beautiful sites. We will also see the Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns, as well as King Hezekiah's Broad Wall, a massive wall built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 years ago.
Optional (on own): Tour the newly renovated Israel Museum, Israel's premiere cultural institution, featuring ancient archaeology, modern Israeli art and everything in between. This is also the site of the Shrine of the Book, housing the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as a large-scale replica of King Herod's Jerusalem.
• Ben Kodesh Lechol - We gather to celebrate Havdallah looking out at the Old City walls.
• Free evening in Jerusalem yo explore and enjoy dinner on own. Take a stroll along Ben Yehuda Street, through Emek Refaim or visit the Mamilla pedestrian mall, filled with shops and restaurants.
Optional: Later this evening, we gather to watch the Sound and Light Show Spectacular at the Tower of David.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 7: Sunday, June 18, 2023: NORTHERN ADVENTURE

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We begin with an early drive up north through the picturesque Jordan Valley.
• We stop at the Golani Junction for a brief overview of this important crossroads, which connects the various regions of Israel.
• We ascend to the Golan Heights to take in an amazing view before visiting Mitzpe Gadot, a memorial dedicated to IDF soldiers who lost their lives capturing this crucial spot from Syrian forces in 1967.
• We stop at Bukata to enjoy a special Druze lunch.
• Atop Mount Bental, a dormant volcano, we observe the far-reaching landscape to the Kinneret and Tiberias.
• This afternoon, we visit the Golan Wainery for a tour and tasting of some of their delicious varietals.
• This evening, we check into our kibbutz and have a chance to refresh before enjoying dinner together this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 8: Monday, June 19, 2023: THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• We begin our day looking into Southern Lebanon from Kibbutz Malkia and discuss some of the issues relating to the security of communities in Northern Israel, including a dialogue with Eitan Oren, a local Kibbutz member, and with IDF soldiers serving on the Lebanese border.
• We continue to the mystical city of Safed, birthplace of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. We will wander the alleyways, visit synagogues like the Caro and the Holy Lion, hear the stories of the great mystics and stroll through the artists' quarter.
• This afternoon, enjoy an optional water adventure at Luna Gai Park or a kayaking journey down the Jordan River.
• We return to our kibbutz and enjoy dinner together tonight.

Overnight in Galilee

Day 9: Tuesday, June 20, 2023: TEL AVIV - A MODERN-DAY MIRACLE

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• We begin driving south along the Mediterranean coast to the crusaders' city of Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region, to see the excavations of the aqueduct and the ancient theater that has been restored as a concert venue.
• Next, we take a guided snorkeling tour of the underwater archeological park and navigate the sunken ruins of what was once the largest and most modern harbor in the whole Roman Empire harbor. Did you know Caesarea is the oldest known harbor to be built according to Vitruvius' specifications?
• Lunch on our own.
• We continue south to Tel Aviv and check into our hotel.
• We begin our time here with a historic walk through Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world, and now home to an artists' enclave, a dynamic flea market, outstanding dining and more.
• We enjoy traditional Ethiopian hospitality at Battae, an interactive first-of-its-kind Ethiopian Israeli heritage center, telling the compelling story of Ethiopian Jews' journey home to the promised land.
• Later, we visit the Rabin Center, where the spiraling exhibits lead us through the modern history of the state and broader world history through the prism of the life of one of Israel's most beloved leaders, Yitzhak Rabin.
• We return to our hotel to relax and refresh before our evening at leisure and dinner on our own.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 10: Wednesday, June 21, 2023: ART IN THE HEART OF TEL AVIV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit the Peres Center for Peace and learn about its founder, President Shimon Peres. Here. we get a glimpse into Israel's high-tech advances in the fields of science, medicine, security and space at their interactive exhibition.
• We stroll along the Independence Trail 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.
• Next, we eat, drink and learn at the Levinsky Market, where we'll sample food and sweets from all over the Mediterranean and the Middle East and try to figure out what is Israeli about Israeli food. This multi-cultural tasting tour will double as a delicious lunch.
• Join a local art expert for a Tel Aviv gallery hop that will explore the best and boldest art in town. We'll explore the themes and influences inspiring contemporary culture in Israel and meet the artists, curators and gallery owners that have made Tel Aviv an important part of the international art scene.
• Evening at leisure to explore more of what this blended city has to offer and enjoy dinner on own. Options include:
o The Carmel Market near the Yemenite Quarter
o The Sarona Market on Kalman Magen Street, the largest enclosed culinary market in Israel, in the city's restored German Templar Colony
o The Tachana, a renovated train station filled with cafes and restaurants

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 11: Thursday, June 22, 2023: FINAL FAREWELL

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We board our bus for a final day of exploring Tel Aviv. First, we visit The Olympic Experience, where we'll learn more about the most popular sporting events in the world through Israeli goggles.
• Lunch on our own.
• Next, we tour ANU: Museum of the Jewish People (formerly the Diaspora Museum), showcasing interactive audio-visual exhibits that bring life and color to the vibrant history of the Jewish people outside the land of Israel following the destruction of the Second Temple.
• This evening, we come together one final time for a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant and a chance to reminisce about our adventures together.
• Following dinner, we transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our flights back to the United States.

Day 12: Friday, June 23, 2023: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive home this morning.




THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!!
*Itinerary subject to change