Archaeology and History
Led by Carol Rosenthal
August 30 - September 9, 2020


Tour Rates & Dates:

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Group flights on El Al from JFK.


Tour Overview:

INCLUDED ON THIS FASCINATING TRIP:

2 nights Sheraton Hotel, Tel Aviv
2 nights Kibbutz Hagoshrim, Upper Galilee
4 nights Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide 
Breakfast daily
Welcome dinner at a Tel Aviv restaurant
Carmel Market chef tour and dinner 
Kibbutz dinner
Dinner prepared by “Women Cook” in the north 
Private Shabbat dinner at Jerusalem hotel 
Farewell dinner in Jerusalem 
Neot Kedumim program with shepherd's lunch 
Visit to Taglit Innovation Center
Wine tasting in Tzippori
Chocolate workshop
Optional Sound and Light show
Beit Guvrin archaeological dig 
Machane Yehuda tasting tour 
Transfer included if arriving/departing with the main group
Wine at welcome, Shabbat and farewell dinners
Entrance fees as per itinerary
Porterage
Bottled water on the bus 
Whisper headsets

NOT INCLUDED: 

Roundtrip airfare, departure taxes and fuel surcharges (group flights coming soon)
Border taxes or visa fees
Tips to guides, driver, and dining room waiters ($22 per person, per day; pre-collected) 
Meals not listed above 
Items of a personal nature 
Travel insurance (highly recommended)


Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Sunday, August 30, 2020: DEPARTURE

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

Day 2: Monday, August 31, 2020: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• We arrive in Israel and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative.
• We travel to Neot Kedumim Biblical Gardens for a special program about the ancient olive oil press and water gathering, sheep herding and a shepherd's lunch.
• This afternoon, we drive to Tel Aviv and check into our hotel with time to relax and refresh.
• Tonight, we join together for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 3: Tuesday, September 1, 2020: ARCHAEOLOGY IN ISRAEL

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day with a speaker from Tel Aviv University who will discuss archaeology in Israel.
• In Old Jaffa, one of the oldest cities in the world, we wander through the cobblestone alleyways and admire the art galleries while taking in the views of the sea. We also hear about the history of this ancient port city from the time of the Egyptians.
• We continue to Tel Qasile, an over 3,000-year-old archaeological site with remains of a port city founded by the Philistines located on the grounds of Haaretz Museum. After visiting the archaeological site, we tour several of the museum's exhibits.
• Our next stop is at the cutting-edge Taglit Innovation Center, where we catch a glimpse into Israel's high-tech advances in the fields of science, medicine, security and space in the interactive exhibition, followed by a meeting with one of Israel's up and coming entrepreneurs.
• Later this afternoon, we stroll along Nachalat Binyamin, where the artists and entertainers bring the streets of Tel Aviv to life.
• This evening, a chef accompanies us to the popular Carmel Market, for a sensual immersion, engaging with the vibrant colors, smells and flavors that are found in this bustling marketplace. We wander through the pyramids of spices, bright-colored exotic vegetables, nuts, olives, and delicious halva creations. Our chef will introduce us to the most characteristic ingredients of the local cuisine and to the Israeli food habits, while we prepare dinner together with our purchases.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 4: Wednesday, September 2, 2020: THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we drive to Hadassah's Meir Shfeya Youth Village, where we interact with the kids and staff and visit the village, including their working farm and winery.
• We travel north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the former Roman capital of the area, where we view the theater and the aqueduct.
• We continue to the necropolis at the ancient town of Beit Shearim. Now a UNESCO site, in the 2nd century the area offered sanctuary to Jews exiled from Jerusalem by the Romans. Go underground into the burial caves and follow dramatically lit hallways adorned with impressive symbols, inscriptions and figures.
• Our next stop is in Tzippori for a tour and wine tasting at a local winery.
• This evening, we travel to the Galilee to check into our kibbutz with time to refresh before dinner together this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 5: Thursday, September 3, 2020: THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• This morning, we visit Bar'am National Park, which overlooks Lebanon and contains the ruins of two of Israel's most beautiful synagogues. The Bar'am synagogue is built of basalt stone with a six-column portico and three doorways facing Jerusalem.
• We travel to the mystical city of Safed, center of Kabbalistic practice, and stroll through the cobblestone streets to view the ancient synagogues and admire the galleries in the artist's quarter.
• We continue to Korazim (Chorazin), a second temple time synagogue.
• Next, we drive to the top of Har Bental to take in the panoramic views of the Golan and Syria and learn about the current geopolitical situation.
• This afternoon, we participate in a chocolate workshop, learning from the experts in a fun and delicious way at the DeKarina Chocolate Factory.
• Our final stop today is at the 6th century Umm El Kanatir synagogue excavation in the Golan Heights.
• This evening, we enjoy a special dinner prepared by “Women Cook” who come from different culinary traditions; Moroccan, Tunisian, Ethiopian and many more. This initiative was created to empower women and give them an opportunity to be economically independent and preserve their rich cultural traditions.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 6: Friday, September 4, 2020: THE NORTH TO JERUSALEM

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• Today, we travel to the Upper Galilee and Tel Hatzor, where we read the shocking text of Biblical Yael killing Sisera after his battle with Deborah.
• Our next stop is in the ancient town of Magdala to see the newly excavated synagogue.
• We stop at Beit Alpha to see the intricate mosaics in the synagogue.
• This afternoon, we travel through the Jordan Valley, stopping to see the mosaics at the Good Samaritan Inn.
• We ascend to Jerusalem and stop atop Mt. Scopus to say the “Shehecheyanu” as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time together.
• We check into our hotel and refresh, then welcome Shabbat at the Kotel with the people of Jerusalem, followed by a private Shabbat dinner at our hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Saturday, September 5: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Spend the morning at leisure attending Shabbat services or relaxing.
• This afternoon, we set out on a walking tour through Yemin Moshe to see the first temple, the burial grounds and the water cistern.
• We drive to the top of Mt. Zion to take in the panoramic view of the Old City and view the Upper Room believed to be the site of the Last Supper.
• We return to our hotel for Havdallah followed by an evening at leisure and dinner on own.
• Optional: After dinner, we walk to the Tower of David to watch the spectacular Sound and Light show.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Sunday, September 6, 2020: DISCOVERING JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day at Ir David, the City of David, where we discover the archaeological excavations dating back to the time of King David.
• We walk through the tunnel to the Davidson Center to learn about the construction and history of the Temple Mount area through their multi-media exhibitions.
• We enter the Old City and proceed underground for a tour of the Western Wall tunnels, where an archaeologist who was part of the project shows us the wonders that once remained untouched for centuries.
• We continue our visit in the Old City with a tour of the Jewish quarter, including a stop at the Ariel Center. We step back 3,000 years in time to meet those who have made history as we view an impressive model and exhibit with findings from the days of the First Temple.
• Evening at leisure to explore and enjoy dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 9: Monday, September 7, 2020: DIGGING INTO ISRAEL

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Ein Kerem Hadassah Hospital for a tour of the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower, featuring the most modern hospital facilities in the region. We meet with staff and patients and take an in-depth look at this cutting-edge medical facility and how it has adapted to ever-changing needs. We also visit the synagogue featuring the famed Chagall windows.
• We travel through the Valley of Elah and visit some of the biblical cities in the area, including Azaka and Khirbet Qeiyafa.
• Next, we visit Tel Beit Shemesh to explore the ruins of the ancient biblical city named after the sun goddess Shemesh.
• Our day continues in Beit Guvrin, where we participate in a hands-on archaeological dig, allowing us the opportunity to unearth remnants from Israel's ancient past.
• Our final stop today is at Tel Lachish, the site of an ancient Near East city, now an archaeological site and an Israeli national park, followed by a stop at Moshav Lachish, an agricultural village founded in 1955.
• We return to Jerusalem for an evening at leisure and dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 10: Tuesday, September 8, 2020: MODERN JERUSALEM

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel. Luggage will be stored.
• Morning at leisure.
• We enjoy a lecture on Jerusalem, the City of 3 Religions, given by a guest speaker.
• We continue to the lively Machane Yehuda, where we take in the sights, sounds and smells of the market and enjoy some of Israel's delicacies on our tasting tour, including cold drinks and shakes.
• Today, we visit the Supreme Court and meet with one of the justices to learn about Israel's judicial system.
• Our next stop is at the newly renovated Israel Museum. We tour the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, as well as the archaeology wing. We finish with the miniature scale model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple days.
• We complete our visit at the museum with a festive farewell dinner, recalling all that we have experienced on this journey together.
• We transfer to the airport for our overnight flights back to the United States.

Day 11: Wednesday, September 9, 2020: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive back in the United States this morning.




*itinerary subject to change