Day 1: Wednesday, February 14, 2018: DEPARTURE
• We depart the United States for our overnight flight to Israel!

Day 2: Thursday, February 15, 2018: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!
• We arrive at Ben Gurion airport in the afternoon, and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative.
• We transfer to our hotel in Jerusalem, stopping at the Haas Promenade to recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time.
• We check in to our hotel.
• This evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner together on our first night in Israel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 3: Friday, February 16, 2018: DISCOVERING JERUSALEM
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• we enjoy a tour of the Old City, where we walk through the Jewish Quarter, including the Roman Cardo marketplace, the Arab Market (shuk), as well as the Christian Quarter. We visit the many historical landmarks, including the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Just outside the Old City walls, we discover Ir David, where we wander through the carefully preserved archaeological excavations dating back to the time of King David.
• Join Kabbalat Shabbat services with Tzur Hadassah, followed by a group Shabbat dinner together with community members and members of the Temple Sinai Teen Tour.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 4: Saturday, February 17, 2018: SHABBAT SHALOM! MASADA & THE DEAD SEA
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we depart for the Dead Sea basin.
• We ascend Masada by cable car or snake path, to view the remains of King Herod's palace and fortifications, and hear the story of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the approaching Roman armies.
• Following our descent from Masada, we enjoy the mud baths and an unsinkable swim in the salty, healing waters of the Dead Sea.
• We take a short hike to the hidden waterfalls in the desert oasis of Ein Gedi.
• We return to Jerusalem and participate in a beautiful Havdallah ceremony with the Temple Sinai teens, as Shabbat comes to an end.
• Free time for dinner on own this evening.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5: Sunday, February 18, 2018: JEWISH HISTORY
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin this morning with a discussion with Rabbi Uri Regev of Hiddush, an organization dedicated to the separation of church and state in Israel: Who is a Jew? The unresolved saga: conversion, the consequences for immigrants, the American element.
• We depart this morning for Mt. Herzl, Israel's military cemetery, where we visit the gravesites of Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin.
• Our next stop is at the Herzl Museum, where we learn about the life and work of the great Zionist visionary.
• After time for lunch, we visit Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, where we view the many moving exhibitions, including the Hall of Names and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations
• Free evening for dinner and discovering Jerusalem on our own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 6: Monday, February 19, 2018: B'NAI MITZVAH CELEBRATION!
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning we celebrate our B'nai Mitzvah at the Southern Excavations - Mazel Tov!
• Join together for a festive celebration Luncheon nearby .
• Free time and a chance to refresh at our hotel
• We engage in an unforgettable 90-minute, hands-on experience of packing food staples included in the monthly food baskets delivered to Israel's neediest families at Pantry Packers.
• After dinner, we meet again and walk to the Tower of David to view the spectacular Sound and Light show.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Tuesday, February 20, 2018: NORTHERN ISRAEL
• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we depart Jerusalem, heading north towards the Galilee.
• As we drive along the beautiful coastline, we stop in Caesarea, and view the amazing ruins, including the Roman theater and aqueduct.
• At the foot of the first Hebrew speaking school in Israel sits Rosh Pina's community garden. This afternoon, we participate in a program in the Rosh Pina Reform Congregation Garden, including an eco-education seminar. We engage in a study session with RPRC's Rabbi Golan Ben Chorin, followed by a hands-on ecological agricultural experience picking fruits and vegetables in the community garden, and cook dinner together with our bounty.
• We continue north to the Galilee and check in to our kibbutz.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 8: Wednesday, February 21, 2018: A TOUR OF THE NORTH
• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• Our day begins with a morning jeep tour in the Golan Heights.
• We pass former Syrian bunkers and pause atop Har Bental for panoramic views stretching far into neighboring Syria.
• Approval permitting, we will sponsor and share a picnic lunch with members of the IDF at one of their outposts.
• We travel to Safed, the mystical city and center of Kabbalah study and practice, where we visit the Ha'ari and Caro synagogues, and have time to shop amongst the many artist studios and galleries.
• We return to our kibbutz for time to relax and refresh.
• We rejoin for dinner together at our kibbutz this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 9: Thursday, February 22, 2018: TRAVELING SOUTH TO TEL AVIV
• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• We participate in tree planting, connecting us physically and spiritually to the land of Israel.
• We drive to Haifa, stopping atop Mt. Carmel, taking in the panoramic view of the port city and admiring the beautiful Bahai Gardens.
• We visit Zichron Yaakov, where we stroll through the streets and browse through the shops and cafes of this charming European style village, with time for lunch on our own. We will also visit the Nili Museum in town if time permits.
• Our last adventure of the day is in Holon, the museum city of Israel, where we have the opportunity to visit the Children's Museum for "Dialogue in the Dark" led by a sight-impaired guide - it is an “enlightening” experience!
• Continue to Tel Aviv for check-in and a free evening in the city that never stops!

Overnight in Tel Aviv


Day 10: Friday, February 23, 2018: DISCOVERING TEL AVIV
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Independence Hall, site of the signing of Israel's Declaration of Independence in 1948.
• Our next stop is a few minutes down the road at the Palmach Museum, where we “join up” with the paramilitary forces from Israel's pre-statehood days.
• We spend time at the Nachalat Binyamin market, browsing among the street vendors and artisans, watching as the residents of Tel Aviv prepare for Shabbat.
• We join together for Kabbalat Shabbat at Progressive congregation Beit Daniel, led by Rabbi Meir Azari.
• Shabbat dinner together this evening at our hotel.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 11: Saturday, February 24, 2018: SHABBAT SHALOM! OUR LAST DAY IN ISRAEL
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We visit the Ayalon Institute, where we have a chance to discover the underground ammunition factory that played a pivotal role in Israel's fight for independence.
• Spend a free afternoon strolling the streets of Tel Aviv or relaxing at the beach.
• We meet one last time for a farewell dinner to remember all of the exciting things we have done together on our adventure in Israel.
• We transfer to the airport for our overnight flight back to the United States.

Day 12: Sunday, February 25, 2018: RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES
• Land back in the USA this morning.