English

Hadassah on the Road with The Branch
Led by Judy Shereck
featuring Dina Kraft, host of The Branch podcast
October 28 - November 7, 2021

Tour Rates & Dates:

This package is currently unavailable. Please check back later or call Ayelet Tours, Ltd. for more information.
*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.
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If Land & Air price is displayed, the air portion includes tax and fuel surcharges, which are subject to change until ticketed.

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Save $600 per person if registered by July 31, 2021!
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Group flights coming soon.

Tour Overview:

Experience the people and the places featured on the hit podcast, in person! The Branch podcast offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of Jews and Arabs in Israel forging meaningful relationships. Presented by Hadassah and hosted by Dina Kraft, The Branch shines a light on the stories of people living the example of a shared society. Together. Even though it's complicated. Hadassah believes in the power of women for Israel, and that positive stories from Israel can make a powerful impact. Today, the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) serves 1 million patients a year regardless of race, religion or nationality. HMO doctors, nurses and staff work together, Arab and Jewish, building bridges to peace through medicine. HMO is the only medical organization to have been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

5 nights Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
1 night Dan Panorama, Haifa
2 nights Crowne Plaza, Tel Aviv
All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle with an expert English-speaking guide
Meetings with local leaders and multi-cultural organizations
Breakfast daily
5 dinners, including Shabbat welcome dinner in Jerusalem
2 lunches
Machane Yehuda tasting tour
Meeting with a Member of the Knesset
Tree planting
Wine tasting at Barkan Winery
Ice cream at Buza Ice Cream
Old Jaffa co-existence tour
Interactive visit to Taglit Innovation Center
Entrance fees as per itinerary
Transfer is arriving/departing with the main group
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 guide, driver or dining room waiters ($25 per person, per day; pre-collected)
Meals not listed above
Items of a personal nature
Travel insurance (recommended - group policy available)

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Thursday, October 28, 2021: DEPARTURE

• We depart the United States on our overnight flight to Israel. As we journey to Israel, we'll ponder the questions we'll encounter in our time together - which efforts at building bridges are most impactful? Where do the opportunities for further advancement towards coexistence? How can building these bridges branch the divides that exist today within Israel?

Day 2: Friday, October 29, 2021: 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 ascend to Jerusalem and stop atop Radar Hill (Har Adar), captured during the Six-Day War. The site features a memorial to the Harel Brigade and offers spectacular views of the hills of Jerusalem along with Ramallah, Bethlehem and more. After a brief introduction to the area by our guide, we say Shehecheyanu as we mark the start of our journey together.
• After time to check-in and refresh, we travel into the Old City to welcome Shabbat at the Western Wall with the people of Jerusalem.
• We enjoy a welcome Shabbat dinner this evening with The Branch podcast host Dina Kraft and Hadassah guests.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 3: Saturday, October 30, 2021: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Spend Shabbat morning at leisure attending Shabbat services, exploring the city or relaxing.
• Optional morning “Shul Hopping” tour to take in the incredible mosaic of unique Jewish traditions within West Jerusalem's compact footprint.
• We gather at Beit Shmuel for Shabbat lunch.
• We return to the Old City for a walking tour through the Jewish quarter and beyond, focusing on the history of the area and the interpersonal and cultural dynamics of the various religions and peoples living in the Old City's quarters.
• This afternoon, we meet with Robi, an Israeli mother, and Bassam, a Palestinian father - each lost a child to the conflict. United by loss instead of divided by grief, theirs is a story of hope grown from the shadows of anguish. (The Branch, Episode 8)
• Dinner on own tonight (reservations arranged).

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 4: Sunday, October 31, 2021: MODERN ISSUES ADDRESSED

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we meet with Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, for an update on the current state of affairs in Israeli politics.
• Next, we visit Yad B'Yad, a cutting-edge Jewish-Arab school, where we meet with teachers and administrators, and peek in on a class of students. Our time here will illuminate both the hopes and challenges of integrated co-education in Israel. (The Branch, Episode 2)
• We enjoy an enlightening lunch at ShakShuk, a small restaurant in Machane Yehuda specializing in (you guessed it!) Shakshuka, the famed dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, and commonly spiced with cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Here, Mahdi and Michal work long hours side by side. They're like brother and sister, and they're learning how to have difficult political conversations. (The Branch, Episode 9).
• We continue with an extended tasting tour of the wider market.
• We continue to Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, for an emotional and eye-opening experience. Here, we see the many exhibits, including the Hall of Names and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations.
• Free evening for dinner on own (reservations arranged).

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5: Monday, November 1, 2021: HADASSAH BEHIND THE SCENES

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we experience dynamic education and gain inspiration on our visit to Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO), Ein Kerem Campus. While there, we enjoy VIP meetings with the medical staff and leadership.
• We visit the dialysis unit at Hadassah Hospital, where the nurses and patients are like a family. In Episode 4, Dina Kraft asked, "How do we take this island of peace and connect it to the main land?”. (The Branch, Episode 4)
• We continue to Hadassah Hospital's Bat Ami Center. When it comes to sexual abuse and assault, Dr. Dvora Bauman and Dr. Moshira Aboo Dia share the same goal; to return control to the victim. Despite their political differences, they work together here to empower women. (The Branch, Episode 12)
• We enjoy lunch on own at the Hadassah Mall.
• We visit the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, where we meet a member of the Knesset for insight on how some MKs are working together to support Arab/Jewish cooperation.
• This afternoon, we return to the Old City for a tour of the Western Wall tunnels, where we discover the archaeological wonders that once remained untouched for centuries.
• Free time for shopping or exploration around the Jewish quarter/Cardo Market.
• After time to refresh, we join together for a fun and delicious dairy dinner at Piccolino next to Kikar Hamusica.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 6: Tuesday, November 2, 2021: LIFE AND PROGRESS IN THE NEGEV

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• We travel south today to the Negev Desert city of Beer Sheva. Here we visit Beer Sheva River Park, a spectacular site co-sponsored by Hadassah and JNF. We learn how the project transformed this site into the warm and welcoming site it is today. We plant a tree to mark our visit, connecting us physically to the land.
• Next, enjoy a visit with a kick! We meet Danny Hakim and Hazam Abu Qwedar, longtime friends and martial arts instructors. Through the art of karate, they're showing kids in Israel, Jewish and Bedouin, a new approach to coexistence. (The Branch, Episode 11)
• On our way back to central Israel, we complete our day with a wine tasting at the beautiful Barkan Winery.
• Free evening for dinner on own (reservations arranged).

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7: Wednesday, November 3, 2021: BRIDGES TOWARDS COEXISTENCE

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We continue to Al-Salem/Neve Shalom, the only kibbutz meant to bring Jews and Arabs closer. Here, we will meet Rita Bolos who will speak of this inspirational place.
• Next, we visit the 900-year-old Crusader port of Akko and tour the massive Hospitaller Fortress, including the beautiful Knights' Hall that stood here, a testament to the power and wealth the Crusaders enjoyed at the height of their Kingdom. Stroll through the bazaar where artisans sell traditionally crafted wares and play recreated Crusader-era games.
• Ready for a treat? We visit Buza Ice Cream and meet owners Adam Ziv and Alaa Sweitat. This Jewish-Arab team have not only found meaningful friendship through their business, they've created "a corner of delicious sanity." (The Branch, Episode 3)
• We check into our hotel and freshen up, then enjoy dinner together in Haifa.

Overnight in Haifa

Day 8: Thursday, November 4, 2021: HADASSAH IN ACTION/BRIDGES AND BRANCHES

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We travel to Hadassah's Meir Shfeya Youth Village, where we interact with the students and staff and visit the inspiring village, working farm and winery.
• Next, we travel to Juha's Guesthouse in the Israeli Arab fishing village of Jisr az Zarka. This small guesthouse is bringing new life and opportunities to an oft-forgotten town. (The Branch, Episode 5)
• We continue to Tel Aviv where we check into our hotel and have a chance to relax and refresh.
• This afternoon, we visit Old Jaffa for a co-existence tour as a Jewish and an Arab tour guide lead us side by side. We trace the different historical narratives and explore the possibility of creating a common future and shared society.
• We enjoy a delicious dinner here in ancient Jaffa.
• After dinner, we continue to the Jaffa Theatre, meeting actors and musicians from different backgrounds, brought together by the music of famed musician Farid Al-Atrash on Episode 1 of The Branch. (The Branch, Episode 1)

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 9: Friday, November 5, 2021: FROM FOUNDATION TO HIGH-TECH TRAILBLAZING

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we stroll through Neve Tzedek to see the artistic graffiti painte don the walls and buildings and learn how it is an important form of expression in the community.
• We follow the Independence Trail through the Rothschild District, discovering the architectural, cultural and intellectual foundations of this great city along the way.
• 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 afternoon, we stroll along Nachalat Binyamin, where the artists and entertainers bring the streets of Tel Aviv to life.
• Time to relax and refresh.
• As we gather with Hadassah friends for a festive farewell Shabbat dinner, we consider the pathways towards peace and coexistence we have encountered and the challenges surrounding them. We recount the transformative experience we have shared. Shabbat Shalom!

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 10: Saturday, November 6, 2021: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel. We have use of our hotel rooms throughout the day until our airport departure this evening.
• Enjoy a free day in Tel Aviv - take a stroll along the beach, explore a museum or just relax and take in the lovely sea air and city atmosphere.
• This evening, we gather for Havdalah.
• We close our time together with The Poet and the Prophet. When Eta Weiner, known as The Prophet for his dynamic on-stage presence, met Mohammad Aguani at an open poetry mic night, he was spellbound. Together, the activist-rappers founded System Ali, a hip-hop group that tackles social justice issues. (The Branch, Episode 14)
• Free time for dinner on own.
• We check out of our hotel and transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight back to the United States.

Day 11: Sunday, November 7, 2021: WELCOME HOME!

• We arrive back in the United States this morning. Welcome back!



THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!!
*itinerary subject to change