We are joining Jacksonville Jewish Center’s Exploring Israel Adventure
Led by Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner
December 20, 2023- January 1, 2024
Optional Eilat–Petra Extension December 29–January 3, 2024
Don’t miss out! Space is still available.
Wednesday, December 20
Depart USA
Thursday, December 21 – Going up into the Land
Arrive in Israel to be met and assisted by your ITW representative (today’s program depends on arrival time).
Guided tour of the Ayalon Institute – An underground bullet factory in Rehovot used by Jewish forces before the founding of the State of Israel.
Travel to Tel Aviv.
Tour the alleys of Old Jaffa, the ancient port city once known as the Gate of Zion. Shekhiyanu-Welcome ceremony on top of Tel Jaffa overlooking modern Tel Aviv.
Check-in to the Dan Panorama Hotel on Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean Coast.
Welcome dinner at Maganda Restaurant in Tel Aviv’s old Yemenite Quarter.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv
Friday, December 22 – Tel Aviv: The First Hebrew City in 2,000 Years
Guided tour of Anu – The Museum of the Jewish People on the campus of Tel Aviv University.
Hear about the establishment of
Tel Aviv standing at the Founders’ Monument on Rothschild Boulevard. Then see the Bauhaus architecture for which central Tel Aviv was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lunch on your own and free time
to explore the Nachalat Binyamin crafts fair. While there, check out the nearby Carmel Market and bohemian Sheinkin Street – All Three of these Tel Aviv icons meet at the “Magen David Junction”.
Free time to get ready for Shabbat.
Welcoming Shabbat – Friday evening options to be determined with Rabbi Lubliner.
Festive Shabbat Dinner at hotel
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv
Saturday, December 23 – And on the Seventh Day…in Tel Aviv
Shabbat morning services – To be determined with Rabbi Lubliner.
Walking tour of historic “Little Tel Aviv” – Discover the quaint Neve Tzedek neighbourhood that gave birth to the “first Hebrew city in 2,000 years”, once home to Zionist cultural pioneers Eliezer Ben Yehuda, S. Y. Agnon and Rabbi Kook.
Traditional Shabbat Lunch at Hotel.
Visit the “Aliyah Bet” Memorial in London Square to hear the story of the illegal immigration operations which rescued Jewish refugees before the founding of the State of Israel.
Havdallah with Rabbi Lubliner.
Free evening. Dinner on own.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv
Sunday, December 24 – Cradles of Jewish Civilization
Depart for northern Israel.
Tour the ruins of Caesarea, including its Roman Theater, Promontory Palace, Hippodrome and Amphitheater. Then Contemplate a rabbinic debate over Jews attending gladiator games. Guided tour of the ornate Bahai Gardens in Haifa from the top of Mt. Carmel to the Bahai Shrine.
Lunch on own
Tour mystical Tzfat’s old synagogues and picturesque alleyways. Tzfat
was the cradle of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) in the 16th century. Judaism’s Friday night service, Kabbalat Shabbat and the hymn Lecha Dodi originated in Tzfat at that time.
Free time to browse in galleries and explore Tzfat’s Artists Colony on own. Check–in to the Ruth-Rimonim Hotel in Tzfat.
Dinner at hotel
Overnight: Ruth-Rimonim Hotel, Tzfat interiors in the Judaica Section and the Archaeology Wing.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Monday, December 25 – Ancient and Modern Geopolitics and Israel’s Finest
• Walk in the lush Tel Dan Nature Reserve, one of the sources of the Jordan River, where you’ll discover biblical intrigue and one of the oldest arches in the world.
Lunch on own.
Jeep tour of the Golan Heights for a special perspective on Israel’s complex geopolitics as we visit former Syrian bunkers overlooking Israel and then look out from the peak of strategic Mt. Bental.
Chocolate making workshop at the De Karina Chocolate Factory on nearby Kibbutz Ein Zivan.
BBQ dinner with young Israeli soldiers who are giving some of the best years of their lives to the defense of Israel.
Overnight: Ruth-Rimonim Hotel, Tzfat
Tuesday, December 26 – Across Israel: A Multicultural Jewish Society
Discover Ethiopian Jewish culture at the Germachin Center in Beit Shean. Learn about this community’s modern day Exodus story and the challenges facing the Ethiopian Israeli community today.
Lunch on own.
Continue south through the Jordan Valley and ascend to Jerusalem. Shehekhiyanu-Welcome Ceremony on Mt. Scopus overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem and Temple Mount. Enter the Old City of Jerusalem through the Zion Gate.
Tour of the Jewish Quarter including the Cardo, Broad Wall and Rooftops followed by free time to shop and explore on your own.
Check-in to the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem.
Dinner on own.
Recommendation: Visit the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Model of ancient Jerusalem in the first century. Additional recommended exhibitions are Modern Israeli art, Synagogue interiors in the Judaica Section and the Archaeology Wing.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Wednesday, December 27 – Masada and the Dead Sea: Freedom Fighters or Fanatics?
Set out early to ascend Masada by cable car to tour the ruins of King Herod’s palace and the last outpost of Jewish independence. Discussion: Which Jewish Legacy – Masada or Yavne? Who were our ancesters? What decision did they make?
Swim in the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, at a local resort. The resort also has a fresh water pool and spa facilities. Massage and
spa treatments available by prior reservation at own expense.
Lunch at Dead Sea resort (Herbert Samuel Hotel).
Tour the ruins of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, to hear about the unique community that lived there (Time permitting).
Return to Jerusalem
Free evening.
Dinner on own.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Thursday, December 28 – The Old City of Jerusalem: An Ancient Jewish Legacy
B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony at the Egalitarian Kotel (near Robinson’s Arch) to connect a Jewish past with a Jewish future.
Discover the archaeological story of the Western Wall and episodes
of Jewish life 2,000 years ago at Robinson’s Arch and the Southern Wall Excavations. Hear about a new archaeological discovery connected to the Chanukah story.
Discover underground Jerusalem in the Western Wall Tunnels.
Lunch on own in the bustling Machane
Yehuda Market to take in a slice of local life and Jewish flavors from east and west.
Engage in hands on tzedakah preparing food packages for distribution to some of Israel’s neediest people at Pantry Packers in southern Jerusalem.
Dinner on own in Jerusalem’s Mamilla Quarter.
Watch the Night Spectacular – Sound and light show at the Tower of David.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Friday, December 29 – Holocaust, Remembrance and Continuity
Tour of Yad Vashem – Israel’s national Holocaust memorial and museum, including the Historical Museum
and Children’s Memorial. (Children under age 10 are not permitted in Yad Vashem’s historical museum). Alternate program for younger children: Visit Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo, where you’ll see animals which lived in Israel during biblical times.
(Children must be accompanied by an adult. Zoo visit not included in the tour price)
Lunch on own.
Meaningful visit to the Mt. HerzlCemetery to discover chapters in the history of Israel at the graves of Yitzhak Rabin, Golda Meir, Theordore Herzl and Hannah Senesch
Free time to relax and prepare for Shabbat.
Shabbat candle lighting together as a community.
Friday/Shabbat evenings services – TBD with Rabbi Lubliner.
Festive Shabbat Dinner at hotel.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel,Jerusalem
Saturday, December 30 – And on the Seventh Day…in Jerusalem
Optional very early morning visit to a Nachlaot synagogue to hear the singing of Bakashot.
Shabbat morning services – To be determined with Rabbi Lubliner.
Traditional Shabbat Lunch at hotel. Shabbat afternoon options:
Late afternoon walking tour to the historic Montefiore Windmill to discover the first neighbourhood built outside the walls of the Old City. AND/OR: Walking tour to the First Temple period Jewish burial site at Ketef Hinnom – Where archaeologists found the oldest biblical text ever discovered.
Havdallah with Rabbi Lubliner. • Free evening dinner on own.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Sunday, December 31 – Social Responsibility and Digging Up the Past
Travel to Kiryat Gat to visit the Neve Hannah Youth Village to hear about the amazing work they do and meet with their young residents.
Lunch on own.
Dig up Israel’s past by participating in a hands on archaeological excavation with Dig for a Day in Beit Guvrin National Park.
Return to Jerusalem.
Late Check out.
Farewell Dinner at Medita Restaurant • Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport – See you again soon!
Monday, January 1 – Arrive in USA
Begin planning your next Israel trip with Rabbi Lubliner and ITW Tours!
Optional Eilat/Petra Extension December 31–January 4, 2023
Sunday, December 31
Overnight in Tel Aviv
Monday, January 1 – Eilat on the Red Sea
Morning airport transfer for domestic flight to Eilat.
Descend into a Red Sea coral reef at Eilat’s Underwater Observatory where you look out the window at the surrounding marine life. Continue exploring Eilat’s remarkable undersea world at the observatory’s aquarium.
Lunch on own
Check-in to Dan Panorama Hotel, Eilat
Dinner on own
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Eilat
Tuesday, January 2 – The Wonders of Petra
Early departure for Petra to explore the amazing red sandstone structures carved by the ancient Nabateans. Enter Jordan at the Arava Crossing and travel to Petra by bus (approx. 2.5 hours). Tour its Treasury (“Khaznieh”), Roman theatre, impressive caves and rock formations of this Nabatean City. Buffet lunch included.
Return to Eilat.
Dinner at hotel
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Eilat
Wednesday, January 3 – Red Sea Delight
Red Sea Sail – Board a luxury touring yacht at the Eilat marina for a leisurely cruise and lunch on the Red Sea. Snorkeling equipment is available for a closer look with the most exquisite coral reefs and tropical fish to be found in the world.
Evening domestic flight to Ben Gurion Airport.
Check-in for U.S. flight at Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 3.
Thursday, January 4
Return home to USA
Tour Package Includes:
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Hotels: Dan Panorama, Tel Aviv; Ruth–Rimonim Hotel, Tzfat; and Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
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All Breakfasts, 2 Friday night “Shabbat” Dinners and Shabbat Lunches, 3 Weekday dinners and lunches as per itinerary
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Touring with Rabbi Lubliner and one of Israel’s Top Tour Guide educators in a WiFi enabled deluxe touring Motor Coach
A Few Tour Highlights:
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Guided tour of the Ayalon Institute – An underground bullet factory in Rehovot.
-
Tour the alleys of Old Jaffa, the ancient port city once known as the Gate of Zion.
-
Guided tour of The New Anu – Museum of the Jewish People on the campus of Tel Aviv University.
-
Hear about the establishment of Tel Aviv standing at the Founders’ Monument on Rothschild Boulevard.
-
Welcoming Shabbat Friday Evenng Service – Shabbat morning services.
-
Discover the quaint Neve Tzedek neighborhood that gave birth to the “first Hebrew city in 2,000 years”.
-
Tour the ruins of Caesarea, including its Roman Theater, Promontory Palace, Hippodrome and Amphitheater.
-
Guided tour of the ornate Bahai Gardens in Haifa from the top of Mt. Carmel to the Bahai Shrine.
-
Tour mystical Tzfat’s old synagogues and picturesque alleyways. Tzfat was the cradle of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism).
-
Walk in the lush Tel Dan Nature Reserve, one of the sources of the Jordan River.
-
Jeep tour of the Golan Heights for a special perspective on Israel’s complex geopolitics.
-
Chocolate making workshop at the De Karina Chocolate Factory on nearby Kibbutz Ein Zivan.
-
Shehekhiyanu-Welcome Ceremony on Mt. Scopus overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem and Temple Mount.
-
Optional B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony at the Egalitarian Kotel (near Robinson’s Arch) to connect a Jewish past with a Jewish future.
-
Travel to Kiryat Gat to visit the Neve Hannah Youth Village to hear about the amazing work they do.
-
Ascend Masada by cable car to tour the ruins of King Herod’s palace and the last outpost of Jewish independence.
Print Application for Submission
Land Only Package – $4995
Discounted price for check payment
Land and Air Package – $6995
Discounted price for check payment
Single Room Supplement – $1780
Discounted price for check payment
Trip Costs and Reductions
Land Only Package – $5195
Full price for credit card payment
Land and Air Package – $7275
Full price for credit card payment
Single Room Supplement – $1852
Full price for credit card payment
Bar/Bat Mitzvah, third in a room
Reduction – $880
3rd Child, up to 12 years, sharing with parents
Reduction – $730
3rd adult in room
Reduction – $650
