English

Venture Out
An Inspired Project Kesher Travel Experience
Moscow and Odessa
September 2016

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:

Download a PDF version:

Venture Out...
An Inspired Project Kesher Travel Experience

September 18 - 25, 2016

Insight...Inspiration...Influence

• Experience the renewal of Jewish life & the social change created by 27 years of Project Kesher women activists working in this region
• Participate in fabulous touring options
• Meet with local change-makers and leading activists on issues of gender equality, women's health, trafficking, domestic violence, tolerance & more.
• Meet with activists working to build the new Ukraine
• Make life-long connections
• Choose from a variety of travel experiences including art exploration, cooking, music, dance & learning
• Join in our Torah Return Project as we hand carry Torah Scrolls to give to communities long without
• Celebrate a joyful seaside Shabbat with local Jewish community members
• Sample authentic local cuisine, vodka tastings, traditional delicacies...and more

Be part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience...

For more information about Project Kesher visit www.projectkesher.org

3 nights Marriott Grand Hotel, Moscow, Russia
3 nights Bristol Hotel, Odessa, Ukraine
Professional Tour director throughout
All touring and sightseeing per an agreed upon itinerary in a deluxe
air-conditioned vehicle with a English speaking local guides
Internal flight from Moscow to Odessa **
Breakfast daily
3 lunches and 5 dinners as per itinerary
Luggage handling at hotels
(1 piece per person upon arrival & departure)
Headsets as needed throughout tour
Group transfers and airport assistance upon arrival and departure
Entrance fees as per itinerary
Porterage
(one bag per person)

These prices do not include:

Roundtrip airfare & departure taxes and fuel surcharges
(Please contact Ayelet Tours for assistance)
Any border taxes or visas
Tips to guides, driver, and dining room waiters
($15.00 per person, per day-pre-collected)
Any items of a personal nature
Travel Insurance
(Highly recommended)

* NOTE: Russian Visa MUST be obtained in advance of travel by the individual participants and can take up to a month to process (we will assist in pointing participants to approved vendors for assistance in the visa process). At 3 months before departure, we will send invite letters to all participants so they can apply for their visas.

** Note: Internal flight from Moscow to Odessa is included in the land tour prices, but is an estimate only & is subject to change upon final confirmation

Tour Itinerary:

SUNDAY, September 18, 2016

Depart JFK for overnight flight to Moscow, Russia

MONDAY, September 19, 2016

Upon arrival in Moscow, greeting by local guide and transfer to the Marriott Grand Hotel. Late night welcome hors d'oeuvres reception at the hotel.

Overnight Moscow

TUESDAY, September 20, 2016

Optional early morning walk. Breakfast. Orientation followed by touring and lunch. Select from two tracks

Track 1: Intro to Moscow: This track is for first-time visitors to Moscow and/or those wanting to experience city sites. Includes a city overview with stops to see some Jewish highlights and, of course, Red Square.

Track 2: Moscow Arts: Ideal for the repeat visitor, this track will take you to the Garage Center for Contemporary Culture. En route, walk through the fully renovated and beautiful Gorky Park, now one of the most popular spots in the city. The Garage Center is a unique, cutting edge venue with a focus on contemporary art. Private meeting with local contemporary artists.

Visit new (opened in 2012) Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center. This unique, interactive center provides the backdrop and historical content to our trip. Meet with Project Kesher activists and local Jewish leaders.

Festive dinner on a boat on the Volga River with with Project Kesher activists and partners from throughout the region.

Overnight Moscow
 
Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Optional early morning walk. Breakfast. Briefing with Project Kesher partners and government officials to learn about their work on critical social issues including tolerance and women's health & safety. Travel by bus to the nearby community of Mytishchi. Meet with community members and participate in a mitzvah project together. Dinner in Mytishchi with local community.

Overnight Moscow

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Very early morning departure from hotel for connecting flights to Odessa, Ukraine. Upon arrival in Odessa, greeting by local guide and transfer to hotel (touring information en route). Known as “little Paris”, “little Vienna”, or “mother Odessa”, the city was part of the Pale of Settlement, and Jews from all parts of the Russian empire were welcomed to live there. Prior to World War II, one third of Odessa restaurants were Jewish and Yiddish speaking. After hotel check-in and welcome reception, options include a guided walk to nearby seaside promenade and shops, rejuvenation in the hotel swimming pool/spa or rest before dinner. We are joined by PK activists and Jewish community members making for a fun, interactive and meaningful weekend together.

Overnight Odessa

Friday, September 23, 2016

Optional early morning walk. Breakfast. Depart hotel for visit to the Odessa Massacre Memorial followed by a remembrance ceremony and Odessa Mitzvah project together with the international Project Kesher community. A guided historical, cultural and Jewish tour will follow to include key sites throughout the city and a docent tour of the Odessa Fine Arts Museum. Lunch at kosher restaurant at site of the Great Choral Synagogue of Odessa. Meet with PK partners in Odessa including, members of the Progressive movement (their top leader was trained by PK!), the new Masorti movement and Hillel. Connect with the team that is working to pilot new government wide reforms in social services, technology and education projects in Odessa then, replicate it Ukraine-wide. Time off to Prepare for Shabbat. Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner.

Overnight Odessa

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Breakfast. Shabbat service with Project Kesher leaders, our delegation and members of the Odessa community. During the Shabbat service there will be a Torah Return Ceremony [as we bring Torah Scrolls from the U.S. to communities in the region], music and dance, and options for cross-cultural study, and more. Shabbat lunch at the hotel. Late afternoon and dinner on own (with suggestions of a variety of nearby indoor and outdoor cafes. Prepaid hotel option available.). Join together in the evening for Havdalah and a festive closing celebration.

Overnight Odessa

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Optional morning walk. Breakfast. Free time until 11 a.m. departure for airport.

*Itinerary subject to change