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Brookdale Community College
'Lifelong Learning'
Unforgettable Tour to Israel
Led by Rabbi Brooks Susman
October 19-30, 2023

Tour Rates & Dates:

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 If choosing to book the extension, please choose Land Only and airfare can be added to your reservation at a later time. Airfare for the extension is available through Anjie@ayelet.com or 1-800-237-1517 ext. 340.

Tour Overview:

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INCLUDED IN YOUR UNFORGETTABLE TOUR:

2 nights Tal Hotel by the Beach, Tel Aviv
2 nights Kibbutz Kfar Blum, Upper Galilee
6 nights Brown JLM Mamilla, Jerusalem
All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned motor coach with an expert English-speaking guide
Breakfast daily
Dead Sea lunch & swim
Welcome Shabbat dinner at our Tel Aviv hotel
2 kibbutz dinners
Shabbat dinner at our Jerusalem hotel
Barbeque dinner hosted by Rabbi Susman and Gil & Randi Zohar
Shabbat dinner at our Jerusalem hotel
Farewell dinner
Tree planting
Machane Yehuda graffiti and challah bakery tour
Old City walking tour
Tower of David Sound & Light show
Beit Guvrin archaeological dig
Airport transfers if arriving/departing with the main group
Entrance fees per itinerary
Porterage
Bottled water (2 bottles per person, per day on the bus)
Whisper headsets

INCLUDED IN EILAT/PETRA EXTENSION:

1 night Brown Hotel, Eilat
1 night Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp, Wadi Rum
Petra day tour
Breakfast daily
Dinner at Wadi Rum camp
Flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv with transfers
Entrance fees per itinerary
Porterage

NOT INCLUDED:

Roundtrip airfare, departure taxes and fuel surcharges
Jordanian border taxes and visa fees ($135/person; pre-collected)
Tips to guide, driver and dining room personnel ($25 per person, per day; pre-collected)
Meals not listed above
Optional classical music concert in Jerusalem
Items of a personal nature
Travel insurance (recommended - group policy available)
Any costs associated with Covid-19 testing and vaccination

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Thursday, October 19, 2023: DEPARTURE

• We depart from Newark Airport on our overnight flight to Israel.

Day 2: Friday, October 20, 2023: THE START OF A SPECIAL JOURNEY

• Shalom and Bruchim Habaim—welcome to Israel! We arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative and our tour guide Gil Zohar. Our time in this incredible land has officially begun and our excitement mounts as we set off on the adventure ahead!
• We stop at Neot Kedumim, a biblical landscape preserve, where we plant trees, connecting us physically and spiritually to the land of Israel.
• We continue to Tel Aviv and visit Independence Hall to see where Israel became a state in 1948 before checking into our hotel.
• Option to visit a synagogue for Shabbat evening services.
• This evening, we enjoy a delicious welcome Shabbat dinner together.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 3: Saturday, October 21, 2023: EXPLORING TEL AVIV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we meet with a docent for an overview tour of the amazing ANU: Museum of the Jewish People (formerly the Diaspora Museum), featuring interactive audio-visual exhibits that bring life and color to the vibrant history of the Jewish people. Following the tour, we return to the exhibits that most intrigued us. We break for lunch on own, available on the patio of the Aroma Coffee Shop located on the first floor and then continue to explore the museum.
• Next, we visit the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial at Tel Aviv City Hall.
• We enjoy an afternoon walking tour along Rothschild Boulevard to see the Bauhaus architecture that makes this city a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Free evening to walk along the boardwalk to explore Old Jaffa, where you can wander through the cobblestone alleyways and admire the artist galleries all framed by the view of the harbor.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 4: Sunday, October 22, 2023: THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we depart Tel Aviv and travel north along the Mediterranean coast.
• Our first stop is Caesarea, where we explore King Herod's port city including the Roman theater and aqueduct.
• Next, we stop atop Mount Carmel to view the beautiful Baha'i Gardens.
• Our next stop is the Crusader city of Akko where we eat lunch at Abu Christo (pay on own) in the port and tour the massive Hospitaller Fortress and Knights' Hall that stood here. We will also visit the gallows of the infamous Acre Prison where during the British Mandate Jewish freedom fighters were executed, then walk through the secret tunnel to the sea.
• We travel to the Upper Galilee and check into our kibbutz, where we enjoy dinner together this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 5: Monday, October 23, 2023: THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• We begin our day with a visit to the Hula Nature Reserve to witness the bird migration, and then drive up to the Golan Heights, passing by Syrian bunkers along the way to the UN peace-keeping post atop Mount Bental, where we take in far-reaching views stretching into Syria.
• Next, we visit the Mount of Beatitudes to meditate from the beautiful overlook and visit Antonio Barluzzi's magnificent church.
• We stop at Tabgha to visit the Church of the Multiplication, see the ancient mosaic floor depicting the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and visit Mensa Christi.
• Lunch on own.
• We continue our day by visiting the mystical city of Safed, where we view the beautiful ancient synagogues and stroll along the cobblestone streets in the artist's quarter.
• We return to our kibbutz for dinner together this evening.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 6: Tuesday, October 24, 2023: THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• We depart the Galilee and travel south, stopping at Maimonides' tomb in Tiberias and Beit She'an to view the ancient ruins. We enjoy a picnic lunch (cost on own) at the Roman gladiator arena.
• We also stop at Beit Alpha Synagogue to view its unique mosaic floor.
• We ascend to Jerusalem and stop at the Haas Promenade to say the Shehecheyanu prayer as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time.
• Next, we enter the Old City and head underground for a tour of the Western Wall tunnels, where we see the archeological wonders that once remained buried for centuries.
• We check into our hotel and have time to refresh before setting out for dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Wednesday, October 25, 2023: MASADA and THE DEAD SEA

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we depart early and travel south to the Dead Sea basin. Upon arrival, we ascend Masada by cable car to view the remains of King Herod's tiered palace and hear the story of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman legionnaires.
• We descend the mountain and set out on a short hike to the waterfalls in the desert oasis of Ein Gedi.
• This afternoon, we head to the beach for lunch and an unsinkable swim in the healing, salty waters of the Dead Sea.
• As we return to Jerusalem, we pass by the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a local shepherd.
• We spend our evening exploring at leisure and enjoying a BBQ hosted at the home of Gil and Randi Zohar and Rabbi Susman (transportation on own).

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Thursday, October 26, 2023: ISRAEL OLD AND NEW

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our morning by ascending to the Temple Mount/Haram ash-Sharif to see the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque
• Next, we drive to the Mount of Olives for a stunning overview of the city before embarking on a walking tour through Kidron Valley.
• We stop at the Church of Pater Noster, where the Lord's Prayer was composed and is today inscribed upon the walls of the church.
• Next, we pass the Tomb of the Prophets, an ancient burial site located on the upper western slope of the Mount of Olives. According to a medieval Jewish tradition also adopted by Christians, the catacomb is believed to be the burial place of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the last three Hebrew Bible prophets.
• We continue down the Mount of Olives to the Dominus Flevit Church, where Jesus wept as he prophesized the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the Garden of Gethsemane, a beautiful green space believed to have been a garden even in biblical times, where we see the amazing olive trees that are hundreds of years old.
• We continue to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem to view the amazing Chagall windows, then visit the Arthur Rubinstein Memorial in the Jerusalem Forest.
• Tonight, we have time for dinner on own in the Machane Yehuda market and see the graffiti on the closed market shutter stalls, plus tour the challah bakeries as they prepare for the coming Sabbath. We also visit the “Ohel” of the Gerrer Rebbe.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 9: Friday, October 27, 2023: THE NEW CITY

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, 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.
• At Ir David, the City of David, we explore the ancient water works and walk through Hezekiah's tunnel to the Pool of Siloam.
• We return to our hotel for time to refresh.
• As the sun begins to set, we greet Shabbat with the people of Jerusalem at the Western Wall, followed by Shabbat dinner at our hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 10: Saturday, October 28, 2023: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Morning at leisure to relax or join us for Shabbat services.
• We return to the Old City, where we stop at Saint Anne's Church and the Pool of Bethesda, followed by lunch on own at the Austrian Hospice on the Via Dolorosa.
• After lunch, we make our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's great pilgrimage sites and a testament to the remarkable diversity of the Christian world.
• We continue with a tour of the Old City's Jewish and Christian quarters.
• Dinner on own this evening as Jerusalem comes back to life after the calm of Shabbat.
• We join together later and walk to the Tower of David to see the spectacular Sound and Light Show.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 11: Sunday, October 29, 2023: ISRAEL YESTERDAY AND TODAY

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day at Beit Guvrin, where we participate in a hands-on archeological dig, allowing us the opportunity to unearth remnants from Israel's ancient past.
• Lunch on own.
• Our afternoon is spent at the Israel Museum, the country's premiere cultural institution, featuring ancient archaeology, modern Israeli art and everything in between. We will see the Dead Sea Scrolls located in the Shrine of the Book as well as the model of King Herod's Jerusalem and enjoy a taste of this amazing museum.
• We enjoy a farewell dinner together tonight, having a chance to reflect and discuss all that we have encountered on this journey.
• Optional: Choose to take in a concert of classical music at Brigham Young University on Mount Scopus. (transportation on own)

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 12: Monday, October 30, 2023: UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight home, arriving later today.


OR ENJOY OUR EILAT/PETRA EXTENSION

Day 12: Monday, October 30, 2023: JERUSALEM TO MITZPE RAMON
• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We depart Jerusalem and travel south through the desert to Eilat.
• Along the way, we stop in Mitzpe Ramon, where we see the amazing Ramon Crater with views from the Visitor's Center.
• Next, we stop at Ein Evrona to photograph the flamingos.
• We continue to our hotel in Eilat and enjoy some time at leisure on the shore of the Red Sea.
• Dinner on own this evening.

Overnight in Eilat

Day 13: Tuesday, October 31, 2023: PETRA - THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we cross the border into Jordan and begin our full day tour of Petra, the Red Rose City. We explore the Nabatean City (as seen in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), walk through the Siq and view the ancient temples. We also discover the famous Treasury, the Roman Theater and more at this, the Eighth Wonder of the World.
• We continue to our Bedouin encampment in Wadi Rum, where we enjoy authentic hospitality and a traditional dinner.

Overnight in Wadi Rum
(Note: Jordanian visa must be secured through Ayelet Tours prior to travel into Jordan; visa fee of $69.00 per person is pre-collected and non-refundable. Border taxes of $65 per person will also be pre-collected. Visa fees and border taxes are subject to change. Bring passport valid for 6 months past travel dates on the day you travel to Jordan. Please be sure to wear closed shoes; no sandals of any kind. No food or beverages may cross borders.)

Day 14: Wednesday, November 1, 2023: EXPLORE WADI RUM

• Breakfast at our Bedouin encampment, followed by a camel ride to enjoy some desert scenery.
• We return to Israel for time at leisure, then transfer to the Ramon Airport to connect with our late-night flight home from Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv.

Day 15: Thursday, November 2, 2023: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive home this morning.


The Memories Last Forever!!!
*Itinerary subject to change