Jewish Roots Holy Land Tour (14 Days / 13 Nights)

 

DAY 1

Afternoon arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel

VIP Airport Service and Baggage Handlers

Check-in to our hotel

Kabalat Shabbat at hotel

Shabbat Dinner

Overnight: Dan Panorama Tel Aviv

DAY 2

Shabbat prayers

Morning 2-hour walking tour of Tel Aviv (see Trumpledore Street & Cemetery, Bialik Street, Nachalat Benyamin, Nave Tsedek)

Enjoy the rest of the day on the beach

Overnight and Dinner: Dan Panorama Hotel Tel Aviv

DAY 3

Visit the Ayalon Institute, the pre-state underground bullet manufacturing facility

Experience hands-on an archaeological excavation at Beit Guvrin. Those who do not want to dig can have a walking tour of the site

Return to Hotel to freshen up

Optional visit the Israel Diamond Center in Ramat Gan

Dinner out in Tel Aviv in Jaffa Port

Overnight and Dinner: Dan Panorama Tel Aviv

DAY 4

Independence Hall

Rabin Square

Yitzhak Rabin Center

Palmach Museum

Nahalat Benyamin

Old Jaffa Port

Overnight and Dinner: Dan Panorama Tel Aviv

DAY 5

Akko (Knights’ Halls, Templar Tunnel, Ancient Port)

Tsfat, city of Kaballah (tour of Old City and shopping time in the galleries)

In Tesfat we will walk through the alleys of the old city, stopping at the synagogue of the Ari Hakadosh, Rabbi Isaac Luria, mystic and student of the Kabbalah.

Drive to Amuka to visit the grave of Rabbi Yonatan Ben Uziel.

Mt. Meron is the site of the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the Rashbi, a great sage of the second century who is credited with writing the first book on the Kabala and Zohar. Supposedly written during the 13 years he and his son hid from the Romans after the destruction on Lag Baomer, a day of celebration as it was the day that the plague which killed Rabbi Akiva's students ended. His burial site has become an annual mass pilgrimage site.

Enjoy a full-buffet dinner at the hotel

Overnight: Ramot Nofesh (Nature Cabins)

DAY 6

Visit Tiberius on the shores of the Kinnerth, the Sea of Galilee was built by Herod Antipas early in the first century. It has many archaeological remains from the Mishnah and Talmud period. We will visit the grave of Rabbi Baal Hanes, a pupil of Rabbi Akiva who is buried not far away. Also visit the tomb of Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon or Moses Maimonides, the Rambam. A world renewed sage scholar, philosopher and doctor, author of the 14 volume "Mishne Torah" .

Visit a military base in the Golan Heights (security permitting)

Visit the Golan Winery

Enjoy lunch at a Druze village

Have fun rafting on the source of the Jordan River from Kibbutz HaGoshrim

Enjoy a full-buffet dinner at the hotel

Overnight: Ramot Nofesh (Nature Cabins)

DAY 7

Visit the ancient city of Beth Shean (Roman Theatre, Hippodrome, Bathhouse)

Swim in the Sachne Spring or in the hot springs of Hamat Gader

Drive into the Judean Desert to the site of Qumran, where we’ll have lunch and see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered

Have fun on a camel ride, a pita-bread making contest and eating dinner, biblical style, at Abraham's tent

Overnight: Jerusalem, Mt. Zion Hotel

DAY 8

Visit Yad vaShem Holocaust Memorial

Visit the Israel Museum

Drive by the Knesset Israel's Parliament and the Supreme Court

Visit Machane Yehuda Market and Ben Yehuda Street

Overnight and Dinner: Jerusalem Mt. Zion Hotel

DAY 9

Free - Day on your own

Optional walking tour of Christian sites in the old city

Overnight and Dinner: Jerusalem, Mt. Zion Hotel

DAY 10

Visit the Southern Wall Excavations & the Davidson Center and see a 3D Virtual Model of the former Temple

Visit the Kotel/Wailing Wall

Journey through the Western Wall Tunnels

Enjoy lunch and some shopping time on your own in the Jewish Quarter

Experience the City of David (3D Movie, Warren’s Shaft, Hezekiah’s Tunnel)

Depart for the Dead Sea

Check in at Daniel hotel

Enjoy a full-buffet dinner at the hotel

Overnight: Daniel, Dead Sea (Classic Rooms)

DAY 11

Masada (Cable car up and down)

Experience the desert of Ein Gedi and enjoy a refreshing swim in the natural spring water OR have the option to visit Kibbutz Ein Gedi’s botanical garden

Afternoon leisure at the hotel spa and beach

Enjoy a full-buffet dinner at the hotel

Overnight: Daniel, Dead Sea (Classic Rooms)

DAY 12

Travel down the Arava Valley

Ein Yahel, a Reform Kibbutz

Arrival Eilat

Overnight and Dinner: Hilton Queen of Sheba (Deluxe Rooms)

DAY 13

Option #1 (Add-On): Wake up early to cross the Aravah Border Crossing and make your way to the Nabataean city of Petra and back. Lunch at Basin Restaurant in Petra. (MUST BRING PASSPORTS, SUNSCREEN & HATS. Recommended: Change of Clothes. Lunch on your own.)

Option #2: Enjoy a 2nd free day on your own in Eilat

Enjoy dinner out on your own

Overnight: Hilton Queen of Sheba (Deluxe Rooms)

DAY 14

In the late afternoon/early eve, FLY from Eilat to Sde Dov or Ben Gurion

Tel Aviv port for final Farewell Dinner or Lunch

Evening transfer to airport