Celebrating Purim
Unmasking Israel's Art Scene
Takin' it Easy Track (at a slower pace)
March 8-18, 2020


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.

Group flights available on El Al from JFK. 
Contact Ayelet Tours for connecting flights at 800-237-1517 x340.



Tour Overview:

INCLUDED IN THIS AMAZING TRIP:

6 nights Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
2 nights Sheraton Hotel, Tel Aviv
All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle with an expert English-speaking guide
Breakfast daily
Welcome dinner in Jerusalem
Purim dinner party in Jerusalem
Machane Yehuda chef tour and dinner
Private Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem
Farewell dinner with "Women Cook"
Neot Kedumim program and shepherd's lunch
Druze lunch and home hospitality (main tour only)
Emek Tzurim sifting project (main tour only)
Optional Sound and Light show
Visit to Taglit Innovation Center
Meeting with entrepreneur Rony Rozen
Cocktail reception in Tel Aviv
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 available; contact Ayelet Tours for connecting flight assistance at 800-237-1517 x340)
Border taxes or visas
Tips to guide, 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, March 8, 2020: DEPARTURE

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

Day 2: Monday, March 9, 2020: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• We arrive in Israel and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative. Welcome home!
• 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.
• We ascend to Jerusalem, stopping atop Mt. Scopus to say the “Shehecheyanu” as we look out over the City of Gold.
• We check into our hotel and refresh, followed by a welcome dinner together this evening.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 3: Tuesday, March 10, 2020: SUSHAN PURIM IN JERUSALEM


• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we visit the Supreme Court and enjoy a special tour about the architectural aspects of the building.
• We continue to the Museum of Underground Prisoners commemorating the activity of the Jewish underground, Haganah, Irgun and Lehi, during the period leading up to the establishment of the state of Israel.
• This afternoon, we visit to the new building at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, one of the world's most prestigious art schools, where we meet faculty and students and learn about the art they create here.
• Later this afternoon, we attend the megillah reading, followed by a Purim dinner party with our Hadassah friends.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 4: Wednesday, March 11, 2020: ISRAEL THEN AND NOW


• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We enter the Old City and go underground for a behind the scenes tour of the Western Wall tunnels, where we discover the archaeological wonders that once remained untouched for centuries, including some of the newest excavations.
• We continue on a walking tour through the Jewish quarter, including a stop in the Cardo market.
• This afternoon, we visit the newly renovated Israel Museum for a tour of the art and Judaica exhibits.
• This evening, we tour several of Jerusalem's art galleries and studios,
followed by dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5: Thursday, March 12, 2020: A TASTE OF JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem for a tour of the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital 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 continue to the Museum for Islamic Art to view several of their exhibits, including the watches collection, devoted to the genius of time-keeping, with a spectacular collection of rare watches and clocks.
• In the late afternoon/early evening, a chef accompanies us to the lively Machane Yehuda 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 Jerusalem

Day 6: Friday, March 13, 2020: WE REMEMBER

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We begin our day at Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Here, we explore some of the newly found materials relating to places, people, and events connected to the Holocaust, including:
o Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations
o Exhibit of children's drawings
o Children's memorial
• We complete our visit at Yad Vashem with a group memorial service at the Valley of the Lost Communities.
• At Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem's military cemetery, we pay our respects at the gravesites of Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, followed by a stop at the new Remembrance Hall.
• We return to our hotel for time to relax and refresh.
• As the sun begins to set, we join together to welcome Shabbat at the Kotel with the people of Jerusalem, followed by Shabbat dinner at our hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Saturday, March 14, 2020: SHABBAT SHALOM!


• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Enjoy the morning at leisure attending Shabbat services, exploring Jerusalem or relaxing.
• Enjoy the day at leisure to explore on own.
• As evening sets in, we join together for Havdallah before setting out for dinner on own.
• Optional: After dinner, we walk to the Tower of David to see the spectacular Sound and Light show.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Sunday, March 15, 2020: NORTHERN ADVENTURES


• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• Today, we visit Hadassah's Meir Shfeya Youth Village, where
we interact with the kids and staff and visit the village, including their working farm and winery.
• Next, we stop at Ein Hod, an artist's village located at the foot of Mt. Carmel, where we meet with one of the artist residents in their gallery.
• We travel to Haifa and drive to the top of Mt. Carmel to take in the panoramic views overlooking the beautiful Bahai Gardens.
• We drive south along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the former Roman capital of the area, to view the ancient theater and the aqueduct.
• We reach Tel Aviv and check into our hotel before an evening at leisure and dinner on own.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 9: Monday, March 16, 2020: THE FOUNDATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL


• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we meet with Rony Rozen, one of Israel's up and coming entrepreneurs.
• Next, we enjoy a walking tour through the Neve Tzedek neighborhood to see the artistic graffiti painted on the walls and buildings of the community and learn how it is a popular form of expression.
• Our walking tour continues along Independence Trail through the Ahuzat Bayit neighborhood, where the city was originally developed.
• At the Taglit Innovation Center, we catch a glimpse into Israel's high-tech advances in the fields of science, medicine, security and space in their interactive exhibition.
• This evening, we enjoy a cocktail reception with artists at the Museum of Modern Art, followed by dinner on own.
• Optional: Enjoy a local concert this evening (additional cost, details TBD).

Overnight in Tel Aviv
 
Day 10: Tuesday, March 17, 2020: THE MANY SIDES OF TEL AVIV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we visit the Ayalon Institute, where we discover the underground ammunition factory that played a pivotal role in Israel's fight for independence.
• Our next stop is at the Agam Museum to view the abstract artworks described as a “visual symphony” of images based on Jewish-Kabbalistic iconography.
• Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring or doing some last-minute shopping.
• This evening, we check out of our hotel and enjoy a festive special farewell 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. We will also have time for recalling all that we have experienced together on this journey.
• We transfer to the airport for our overnight flights back to the United States.

Day 11: Wednesday, March 18, 2020: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive back in the United States this morning.

THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!!

*itinerary subject to change