Temple Israel Columbus, OH Multigenerational Adventure in Israel

• Depart the United States on your overnight flight to Israel. 

• Shalom and B’ruchim Habaim – welcome to Israel! Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, we are met by a Makor/ Ayelet Tours representative who assists us through customs and baggage claim.

• Ascend to Jerusalem, stopping atop Mt. Scopus to recite the Shehecheyanu as we look out over the City of Gold for the first time together.

• We continue to our hotel to check in and refresh after our long journey.

• This evening, we come together for a delicious welcome dinner at our hotel to kick off our adventure. 

• Breakfast at our hotel.

• This morning, we enter the Old City and head underground for a tour of the Western Wall tunnels and an opportunity to discover the many layers of Jerusalem’s history, passing through grand building projects from ancient Rome to today.

• Next, we visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust, where we view many moving exhibitions, including the Hall of Names, the Children’s memorial and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations. Kids under 12 will visit the Biblical Zoo with a chaperone at this time.

• This afternoon, we head to the famed Machane Yehuda market, where we make our way through the rows of fresh produce, piles of spices, meats, cheeses and delicious halva creations and enjoy a quick lunch on own.

• We return to our hotel for a chance to relax and refresh.

• As the sun sets over Jerusalem, we come together for Kabbalat Shabbat in a private room at our hotel led by Rabbi Mars, followed by a delicious Shabbat dinner together. 

• Breakfast at our hotel.

• This morning, we enter the Old City via the Jaffa Gate for a walking tour of the different quarters. We begin above the rootops for an aerial view of the various communities and see how they coexist side by side. Then, we descend to ground level and begin exploring the Jewish Quarter, including the Cardo Market, King Hezekiah’s Broad Wall and Hurva Square, the central square in the Jewish quarter.

• After time for lunch on own in the Jewish quarter, we walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian quarter and complete our tour amongst the colorful and exotic vendors in the Arab shuk.

• We stop at the Kotel and have time for personal reflection.

• Next, we set out on a fun and informative scavenger hunt through the diverse Nachlaot neighborhood, giving us a better sense of the area and a chance to interact with local residents.

• This afternoon, we tour the Israel Museum, the country’s premiere cultural institution, featuring ancient archaeology, modern Israeli art and everything in between. We will walk through the Shrine of the Book, housing the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, pass through the replica of King Herod’s Jerusalem and enjoy a taste of this amazing museum.

• As night falls, we come together for Havdallah overlooking the Old City marking the end of Shabbat and the beginning of a new week.

• After time for dinner on own, we attend the Tower of David Night Spectacular, a sound and light show that transforms the walls of David’s Citadel into the living story of Jerusalem. 

• Breakfast at our hotel.

Today, you will have the opportunity to choose your adventure.

OPTION 1: A DAY IN THE DEAD SEA BASIN

• After breakfast, we depart Jerusalem and travel south to the Dead Sea basin. Our first stop is for a short hike to the hidden waterfalls in the desert oasis of Ein Gedi.

• Next, we ascend the imposing mountain of Masada by cable car to view the remains of King Herod’s fortress, including the synagogue, walls and bathhouse while learning about the Jewish Zealot’s last stand against the Roman forces.

• We descend the mountain and head to the beach for lunch and an unsinkable swim in the healing, salty waters of the Dead Sea, where we can cover ourselves in silky mud and float at the lowest point on Earth.

• Later this afternoon, we stop at Eretz Beresheet for a biblical experience, including a camel ride through the desert. 

OPTION 2: JERUSALEM IN-DEPTH

• We begin our day at the Davidson Center, where we learn about the construction and history of the Temple Mount area through multi-media exhibitions.

• Next, we head underground to visit the Wohl Archaeological Museum, where we will see beautiful mosaic floors, mikvaot, pottery, coins, furniture and much more.

• We complete our day at the Alone on the Ramparts Museum filled with images of the stages of the Jews’ surrender and expulsion in 1948 through the Zion gate, as well as a video in which those expelled from the Jewish quarter tell their moving story.

ALL

• Enjoy the evening at leisure 

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.

• This morning, we celebrate our B’nai Mitzvah overlooking the hills of Jerusalem. Mazel tov!

• Next, we visit Yvel, a unique international jewelry company and workshop with an inspiring story of social change and a wonderful example of social awareness in business.

• We travel to Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim to meet with children from the youth village and participate in a chesed painting project.

• We begin our trek north traveling along Route 6, where we will pass the security fence and hear about its importance to the safety and security of the people of Israel.

• This afternoon, we enjoy a program with Galileat, including lunch and wine tasting. From their website: “We offer true grass roots cultural experiences, based around food, working closely with a wide variety of host families in the Galilee region of Northern Israel. We believe that in order to properly experience the Galilee, to encounter the authentic, day to day life of Israel’s green North, it has to be done with and by locals. Our programs go far beyond just a good meal. We are about co-operation and co-existence, empowerment of local women and respect and equality to all people living in the region. The economic benefits to the largely rural population is of vital importance.”

• We continue east to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where we board a boat for a delightful sunset cruise.

• This evening, we check into our kibbutz, where we enjoy a relaxing evening and dinner together. 

• Breakfast at our kibbutz.

• This morning, we meet Eitan, a member of Kibbutz Malkia, and partake in a dialogue regarding some of the issues relating to the security of communities in Northern Israel. Our visit also includes meeting with IDF soldiers serving on the Lebanese border.

• Buza = Glida = Gelato = Ice Cream: Coexistence sure tastes good at Buza (Arabic for ice cream). This Arab-Jewish joint venture uses natural ingredients and Italian techniques to create Galilean glida (Hebrew for ice cream). We’ll kick things off with some affogato – vanilla gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso, before learning more about making ice cream the Buza way. Then, find out that while eating ice cream straight from the carton tastes good, ice cream straight from the vat is even better during a “five-type” tasting tour.

• Next, we set out on an exciting jeep tour through the Golan Heights, riding along ancient Roman roads, passing through Syrian ruins and admiring the stark beauty of this windswept plateau. We ascend to the top of Mount Bental, a former Israeli bunker overlooking the ruins of Quneitra and the Valley of Tears. As the full vista comes into view, we reach a deeper understanding of both the past and present complexities facing Israel in a hostile Middle East.

• Our final adventure today is kayaking down the Jordan River with a calm current suitable for all ages and a great chance to cool off.

• We return to our kibbutz for dinner together this evening. 

• Breakfast and check out of our kibbutz.

• This morning, we depart the Galilee and make our way to the west coast shoreline and Rosh Hanikra, where we discover the chalk cliff grottoes carved out by the Mediterranean waters over thousands of years.

• Our next stop is in Akko to tour the massive Hospitaller Fortress and Knights’ Hall that stood here. We will then walk through the secret tunnel to the sea and wander through the market with time for lunch on own.

• This afternoon, we meet Rabbi Rinat Safania Schwartz and learn about Kehillat Shoham, the Reform congregation and community she leads.

• Upon arriving in Tel Aviv, we check into our hotel before setting out again for an evening at leisure and dinner on own. We suggest visiting the Sarona Market for a world-class dining experience with cuisines of all types or heading to the Tachana, Tel Aviv’s renovated train station filled with shops and restaurants.

• Optional: This evening, we set out for Dinner in the Dark, an experience that will tantalize all your senses, followed by a performance of Not by Bread Alone, at the Nalagaat Center, whose actors are both visually and hearing impaired (separate cost, transfers by taxi). 

• Breakfast at our hotel.

• This morning, we travel to Beit Guvrin and take part in a real, live archaeological expedition! Through our digging and sifting, we will uncover the ancient past, hidden for over 2,200 years.

• Next, we visit the Ayalon Institute, the underground ammunition factory that played a pivotal role in Israel’s fight during the War of Independence.

• We return to Tel Aviv and follow the Independence Trail, a journey from a Hebrew city to a Hebrew state, which includes: The First Kiosk, Nachum Gutman Mosaic Fountain, Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium and Independence Hall. We also discover “The White City”, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to thousands of international-style buildings, among them the famous Bauhaus.

• This evening, we come together one last time for a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant and a chance to reminisce about all of our adventures together.

• For those in search of a little more fun on our last night, visit Milk & Honey Whiskey Distillery, Israel’s first whiskey distillery. Learn how Israel got into the Scotch game, see the stages of making spirits from grain to glass and then raise your own glass in celebration of your journey. L’chaim! 

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.

• We transfer to the airport for our flights back to the United States, landing later today.

Extend your stay with Shabbat in Tel Aviv! Contact Ayelet Tours for options/details.