English

Temple Akiba
An Adventure to Israel
Led by Rabbi Shapiro and Cantor Frailich
June 29 - July 11, 2022

Tour Rates & Dates:

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Tour Overview:

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Traveling together in Israel is an opportunity to connect – with the people of Israel, with the land itself, and with each other. As a community, we will bond through our shared experiences and stimulate our minds through fascinating encounters with locals. Our days are fun-filled, interactive and exciting, and we finish each evening feeling both satisfied and eager for the next day’s experiences!

OUR 10 NIGHT JOURNEY INCLUDES:

  • Discover the charm, delight and complexity of Jerusalem’s Old City, including the Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter and a spectacular rooftop vista.
  • Celebrate our B’nai Mitzvah at Hebrew Union College.
  • Descend below ground and back in time at the Dig for a Day - a real, live archaeological expedition! Discover the ancient past, transforming their trash into modern treasure.
  • Discover the richness of the Jewish Diaspora at ANU, the Museum of the Jewish People, that traces the journey of Jewish communities worldwide from the destruction of the Temple through today.
  • Repair the world with tikkun olam and give back to the community at Pantry Packers, packing food supplies and serving the needy in Israel.


Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Wednesday, June 29, 2022: DEPARTURE

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

Day 2: Thursday, June 30, 2022: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• Welcome to Israel! Our time in this incredible land has officially started and our excitement mounts as we set off on the adventure ahead. For those of us on the group arrival: just beyond passport control, an Ayelet representative will meet us in the baggage claim area and assist us through customs.
• We begin our tour with a visit to Neot Kedumim, an amazing biblical nature reserve, where we see the varied flora and fauna from times of antiquity. We plant trees, taste fresh cheeses and learn about life during biblical times with the opportunity to do some sheep herding.
• We continue to Tel Aviv to check in to our hotel and refresh.
• We visit the ancient port city of Old Jaffa, filled with storied history, to wander through the cobblestone alleyways and admire the artist galleries, all framed by views of the sea, followed by our Welcome Dinner later this evening.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 3: Friday, July 1, 2022: A TASTE OF TEL AVIV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we follow the Independence Trail through the Rothschild District, discovering the architectural, cultural and intellectual foundations of this great city along the way, including a stop outside the famed site of Israel’s Independence Hall. (Independence Hall is currently closed for renovations.)
• Next, we visit the cutting-edge Taglit Innovation Center, located in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, for a glimpse into Israeli advances in science, medicine, technology, security and space via the interactive exhibition.
• We continue to the Carmel Market, filled with fresh produce, spices, nuts, olives and delicious treats, and browse amongst the stalls as the locals busily do their daily shopping.
• We enjoy a stroll through the charming Nachalat Binyamin Craft Fair, a biweekly market featuring Israeli artisans and entertainers who bring the streets of Tel Aviv to life.
• Welcome shabbat with people of Tel Aviv as we joine a service on the Beach
• Shabbat dinner together in hotel

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 4: Saturday, July 2, 2022: SHABBAT SHALOM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Relax at hotel this morning.
• We uncover the secrets of the Ayalon Institute, where an underground ammunition factory played a pivotal role in Israel's fight for independence at the end of the British Mandate.
• We tour the ANU museum (the recently renovated and renewed Diaspora Museum), featuring 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.
• Free evening in Tel Aviv

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 5: Sunday July 3, 2022: GOING NORTH, MYSTICAL ISRAEL

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• Today, we depart and travel north, our first stomp will be in Caesarea National Park, the Roman regional capital. Here, we view the ancient theater, stroll through the hippodrome and Roman theater and stand in awe at Herod’s palace and harbor.
• We continue to Haifa and drive to the top of Mt. Carmel, where the panoramic overlook of the Bahai Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, slopes beautifully downward toward the bay
• Visit the mystical city of Safed, birthplace of Kabbalah and home to legends, myths and miracles. We will wander the cobblestone alleys, visit the ancient Caro and Ha’ari synagogues, hear stories of the great mystics and stroll through the enchanting artists’ quarter. We complete our exploration of mystical Safed with a hands-on challah-making experience.
• This afternoon, we enjoy a boat ride on the glistening Kinneret.
• Dinner together.

Overnight Kibbutz in the Galilee

Day 6: Monday, July 4, 2022: DISCOVERING THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• We begin our day with a hike in the beautiful Tel Dan Nature Reserve, discovering the flora and fauna alone our scenic route and take the opportunity to dip in the spring water wading pool.
• We set out on an adventurous jeep tour through the Golan Heights, riding along ancient Roman roads, passing through Syrian ruins and admiring the stark beauty of this windswept plateau. We ascend to the top of Mount Bental, a former Israeli bunker overlooking the ruins of Quneitra and the Valley of Tears. As the full vista comes into view, we reach a deeper understanding of both the past and present complexities facing Israel in a hostile Middle East.
• This afternoon, we participate in a hands-on chocolate workshop, learning from the experts in a fun and delicious way as we make our own confections at the DeKarina Chocolate Factory. Adults may choose to visit the adjacent Pelter Winery for a tour and tasting.
• We complete our day with a rafting adventure down the Jordan River.
• We return to our kibbutz for a relaxing evening and dinner together.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 7: Tuesday, July 5, 2022: THE DEAD SEA BASIN AND TO JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We depart early this morning and travel south along the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea basin. Upon arrival, we ascend the imposing mountain of Masada by cable car to view the remains of King Herod’s fortress, including the synagogue, walls and bathhouse, as we learn about the Jewish Zealots’ fateful last stand against the Roman forces.
• We head to the beach for an unsinkable swim in the luxuriating, salty and mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, where we can cover ourselves in silky, healing mud and float at the lowest place on Earth.
• Next, we enjoy a short hike to the hidden David Waterfall at Ein Gedi sets the pace for a fantastic day exploring the desert beauty.
• We complete our day at Genesis Land to experience authentic Biblical hospitality in the hills overlooking the Judean Desert, including a camel ride and a traditional Hafla dinner.
• We ascend to Jerusalem, stopping at the Haas Promenade to say the Shehechianu as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time together.
• We check into our hotel,

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Wednesday, July 6, 2022: FEELING JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we tour of Yad V’Shem, 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.
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• At. Mt. Herzl, Israel’s national cemetery, we pay our respects by the gravesites of some of Israel’s most prominent leaders, including Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, in addition to hearing about the many lesser-known heroes of Israel’s wars buried here. We also tour the Herzl Museum for an audio-visual story of the life and times of Theodore Herzl, visionary of the state of Israel.
• ALL: We join together again and continue to the Machane Yehuda open-air market to enjoy a lunch-time tasting tour! This colorful market features a mix of vendors selling their produce as well as trendy cafes and restaurants.
• We return to the Old City for a tour of the Jewish Quarter, passing by the rebuilt Hurva Synagogue, Broad Wall, golden menorah and other sites, including time to shop in the ancient Cardo Market, filled with Israeli designers and artisans.
• We complete our day at the Kotel, or Western Wall, built 2,000 years ago by King Herod to dignify and support the Second Temple. At this silent monument, a witness to triumph and tragedy, to hope and despair throughout the generations, we take time to reflect and pray, perhaps wedging a sacred note into a stone crevice and enveloping ourselves in the sense of holiness pervading the plaza.
• Evening at leisure and dinner on own, together with last-minute B’nai Mitzvah preparations.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 9: Thursday, July 7, 2022: B’NAI MITZVAH CELEBRATION!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we celebrate our B’nai Mitzvah at the Hebrew Union College (HUC). Mazel tov!
• We continue the celebration with a luncheon in honor of our B’nai Mitzvah children.
• We return to our hotel to get ready for the afternoon.
• Returning to the area of the Old City, we visit Ir David, the City of David, where the stories of the Biblical King David come to life through the palace excavations, underground passageways and monumental fortifications. For the fearless, descend with a flashlight into Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a 2,700-year-old pitch-black water-filled tunnel, a marvel of engineering, that brought water into the ancient city.
• Dinner on own tonight.
• Optional: Set out on a late-night guided bike ride through the city.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 10: Friday, July 8, 2022: DIGGING ISRAEL, SHABBAT SHALOM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We visit the state-of-the-art Levinson Visitor’s Center at the Weizmann Institute, giving us a glimpse into the process of scientific investigation and discovery that takes place via the technological exhibits and a multi-media presentation.
• We travel to Beit Guvrin and take part in a real, live archaeological expedition! Through our digging and sifting, we will uncover the ancient past, hidden for over 2,200 years, and turn their trash into our treasure.
• In the late afternoon, we join together at the Wall To welcome Shabbat as a community and with the people in Jerusalem
• Shabbat dinner at hotel

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 11: Saturday, July 9, 2022: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we enter the Ottoman walls of the Old City via the Jaffa Gate and ascend to rooftops, where the beauty and complexity of Jerusalem becomes apparent from this incredible vantage point. We continue into the Christian quarter to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was crucified, and through the bustling alleys of Via Dolorosa, then into the Muslim quarter and on to the colorful Arab shuk.
• This afternoon, we tour the Israel Museum, the country’s premiere cultural institution, featuring ancient archaeology, modern Israeli art and everything in between. We will walk through the Shrine of the Book, housing the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, pass through the replica of King Herod’s Jerusalem and enjoy a taste of this amazing museum.
• Leisure time for dinner on own.
• After dinner, we meet again to watch the Tower of David Night Spectacular, a sound and light show that transforms the walls of David’s Citadel into the living story of Jerusalem.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 12: Sunday, July 10, 2022: TIKKUN OLAM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Yad L’Kashish, the Lifeline for the Aged, an artisan workshop which empowers and supports hundreds of elderly and disabled Jerusalem residents.
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• We engaged in an unforgettable hands-on experience of packing food staples included in monthly food baskets and delivered to Israel’s neediest families at Pantry Packers.
• This afternoon, we explore the power of Jewish ideas, texts and values during a hands-on music and art workshop with Rabbi Matt Berkowitz of Kol HaOt.
• Spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure exploring or doing some last-minute shopping.
• We return to our hotel to finish packing and check out.
• We enjoy a festive farewell dinner, recalling all that we have experienced together on this journey.

Day 13: Monday, July 11, 2022: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive back in the United States this morning.

THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!
*itinerary subject to change