English

Interfaith Israel
Led by Rabbi Brian Zimmerman, Beth El Fort Worth
& Pastor Mark Stephenson, Harmony - Toluca Lake
January 15-26, 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.

Tour Overview:

Download a PDF version:

INCLUDED:

1 night Grand Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv
3 nights Kibbutz Nof Ginosar Hotel, Galilee
1 night Irus Hamidbar (Desert Iris) Hotel, Yerucham
4 nights Dan Boutique Hotel, Jerusalem
All touring and sightseeing in an air-conditioned vehicle with an expert English-speaking guide 
Breakfast daily
7 dinners, including Shabbat dinners in the Galilee and Jerusalem 
Visit the Orchard of Abraham's Children
Off-road jeep tour in the Golan 
Bedouin hospitality including a camel ride and traditional “hafla” lunch 
Discussion with Rabbi Tamar Elad Applbaum
Meeting with Israelis and Palestinians at Shorashim/Roots 
Interfaith discussion with Very Reverend Hosam E. Naoum 
Sound & Light Show 
Transfer included, if arriving/departing with the main group 
Entrance fees as per itinerary 
Porterage

NOT INCLUDED:

Roundtrip airfare departure taxes and fuel surcharges (available to book 11 months prior)
Any border taxes or visas
Tips to guides, driver, and dining room waiters ($18.00 per person, per day-pre-collected)
Meals not listed above
Any items of a personal nature
Travel insurance (highly recommended)

Tour Itinerary:

Together we will experience sites of importance to Jews and Christians throughout the region.

Day 1: Wednesday, January 15, 2020: DEPARTURE

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

Day 2: Thursday, January 16, 2020: WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• We arrive in Israel and are met by an Ayelet Tours representative.
• We drive to Tel Aviv and check into our hotel with time to refresh.
• Tonight, we enjoy a welcome dinner together.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 3: Friday, January 17, 2020: THE JEWISH SABBATH

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Independence Hall, the sight of the signing of Israel's Declaration of Independence, establishing Jewish sovereignty in 1948.
• We travel to Old Jaffa and stop at the Jaffa overlook for an introduction to the area.
• Next, we visit the Orchard of Abraham's Children, an educational and co-existence initiative.
• We travel north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, where we see the ruins, including the Roman theater and the aqueduct.
• We continue to the Galilee and check into our kibbutz.
• This evening, we enjoy Kabbalat Shabbat services with Rabbi Or Zohar of the Progressive community of Mitzpeh Har Halutz, including a discussion of progressive Jewish values and how they are acted upon in the Galilee, followed by Shabbat dinner with members of the community.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 4: Saturday, January 18, 2020: NATURE AND THEOLOGY

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• Our day begins with a guided tour through Capernaum, where Jesus taught during the days of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, including the ancient synagogue and church, with time for personal worship.
• We continue to Tabgha, a traditional site of multiplication of loaves and fish. We conclude the visit around the Sea of Galilee with an overlook of the gleaming water from atop the Mount of Beatitudes, where the Sermon of the Mount took place.
• Lunch on own en route.
• We ascend by off-road jeep into the Golan Heights and visit Bukata, a Druze village, where we meet with students and teachers at the local school for dialogue on their relationship with Israel and Syria.
• Our next stop is atop Har Bental, where we gain a better understanding of the events of Israel's wars in 1967 and 1973, and the current realities facing Israel in the wake of the Syrian Civil War.
• We return to our kibbutz for time to relax, followed by dinner, and a group processing session this evening entitled “Living Together in a Fractured Land,” with Rabbi Mark Rosenstein of the Galilee Center for Values Education and Elias Jabbour, an Arab Christian and founder of the House of Hope Peace Center.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 5: Sunday, January 19, 2020: THEOLOGY AND SECURITY

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.
• Our morning begins with a Christian worship service.
• We visit Hiram Rehabilitation Center at Kibbutz Harduf, whose work is directly supported by Beth El Ft. Worth. We discuss their achievements with founder Ron Hiram.
• “A Mosque and a Church.” We take a guided visit through Nazareth, including stops at the Church of the Annunciation and Jacob's Well. We also participate in a dialogue with Muslim and Christian leaders involved in resolving the dispute between their communities over the construction of a mosque in front of the Church of Annunciation.
• This afternoon, we travel to Safed, center of Kabbalah study and practice, where we view the Ha'ari and Caro synagogues and have a chance to shop in the the artist colony.
• We continue to Tzippori, where we see the floor mosaic known as the “Mona Lisa of the Galilee”.
• This evening, we return to our kibbutz for dinner together.

Overnight in the Galilee

Day 6: Monday, January 20, 2020: TO THE DESERT, WHERE IDEAS BLOOM

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.
• Today, we drive south to the Negev Desert, via Route 6, Israel's main North/South highway.
• We experience Bedouin hospitality including a camel ride and traditional “hafla” lunch, followed by an opportunity to learn about the culture of the Negev Bedouin, their relationship to Israel, and the challenges facing their community.
• We explore Sde Boker, where we view David Ben Gurion's original hut and gravesite.
• Later this afternoon, we drive to the desert city of Yerucham to meet Mayor Michael Biton, known by many as the small town mayor who just might “rekindle Zionism” with his work inspiring many to acts of chesed and social justice.
• We check into our hotel and enjoy dinner together this evening.

Overnight in Yerucham

Day 7: Tuesday, January 21, 2020: DEAD SEA BASIN

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we travel to the Dead Sea basin for a day of adventure.
• Upon our arrival, we ascend Masada by cable car or snake path, to view the remains of King Herod's fortress and learn about the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman armies.
• We head to the beach for lunch on own and an “unsinkable” swim in the healing, salty waters of the Dead Sea.
• We ascend to Jerusalem, stopping at the Haas Promenade, where we say a special “Shehecheyanu” as we overlook the City of Gold for the first time.
• We check into our hotel and refresh before an evening at leisure and dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8: Wednesday, January 22, 2020: BETHLEHEM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we travel to Bethlehem, where we visit the Church of the Nativity. We have time to shop at a Christian shop specializing in olive wood souvenirs.
• We continue to Shepherd's field, where the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.
• We drive to Ein Kerem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist, where we visit the Church of the Visitation and the fascinating Biblical Resources Scripture Garden.
• Evening at leisure and dinner on own.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 9: Thursday, January 23, 2020: THE OLD CITY/SHORASHIM

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• “Welcome to an Interfaith Jerusalem:” We join together in a discussion with Rabbi Tamar Elad Applbaum, founder of the Zion Congregation.
• We ascend to the Mount of Olives for an introduction to the city by our guide, while overlooking the Temple Mount.
• We enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate, and walk along the marketplace rooftops, exploring the multi-ethnic weave of the city, with a birds' eye view of the different living quarters.
• We continue to the Jewish quarter for a guided tour through the upper city of 2,000 years ago. Time for lunch on own here.
• After lunch, we visit the Etzion Settlement Block south of Jerusalem and meet Israelis and Palestinians at Shorashim/Roots, a grassroots project that brings together Palestinian and Jewish settlers in a realistic and unique co-existence dialogue/living project, with Ali Abu Awad and Shaul Yudelman.
• We have free time to explore Jerusalem on our own, or in organized groups, followed by a free evening and dinner on own.
• We return to the Old City to view the Western Wall - lit up at night and with a totally different feeling than during the day. We enjoy a late-night tour of the Western Wall tunnels, discovering the archaeological wonders that once remained untouched for centuries.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 10: Friday, January 24, 2020: THE JEWISH SABBATH

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, and experience exhibits, including the Historical Museum, the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations and the Children's Museum. We conclude our visit with an interfaith memorial ceremony.
• We meet with Very Reverend Hosam E. Naoum, Dean of St. Georges, for a discussion on the challenges of interfaith discussion in Jerusalem.
• We continue to Machane Yehuda where Jerusalemites busily prepare for the coming Shabbat.
• We take a guided tour of the Christian quarter in Jerusalem's Old City, including a walk along the Via Dolorosa, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• As the sun begins to set, we depart for the Kotel (Western Wall) as Jerusalemites and guests gather to welcome the Sabbath. We continue to Azarat Yisrael for an explanatory Kabbalat Shabbat service, led by Rabbi Zimmerman OR Join the Progressive congregation at Har El for services (one option for entire group - decision TBD).
• Our evening continues with a delicious Shabbat dinner together at a local restaurant (non-kosher).

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 11: Saturday, January 25, 2020: WORSHIP AND EXPLORATION

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we have the option to attend Shabbat services on the campus of HUC, Hebrew Union College.
• We visit the newly renovated Israel Museum, world class in every way, to tour the famed Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, as well as the miniature replica of Jerusalem from the Second Temple days.
• Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to discover Jerusalem on own.
• Tonight, we check out of our hotel and head to the Tower of David Museum to view the spectacular Sound and Light show.
• Later this evening, we join together for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, as we recount all we have experienced together.
• We check out of our hotel and travel to Ben Gurion Airport for our overnight flight back to the United States.

Day 12: Sunday, January 26, 2020: WELCOME HOME!

• We land in the United States this morning. Welcome home!


THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!
*itinerary subject to change