JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR - 2010

9 Nights 6 touring days

FRIDAY

Arrival to Ben Gurion airport where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Tel-Aviv.

SATURDAY: at leisure

Overnight in Tel-Aviv

SUNDAY

Drive north to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region. See the excavations of the crusaders' city, the aqueduct and the amphitheatre which has been restored as a concert venue. Proceed to Haifa for a panoramic view from Mt. Carmel and visit

“AF AL PI CHEN” , the naval museum of the illegal immigration to Israel at the time of the British mandate. Drive to Acre; walk along the old harbour and local market ; Continue to the northernmost point of Israel at Rosh Hanikra.

Descend by cable into the limestone Grottoes.

Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse.

MONDAY

Drive to Safed, center of Kaballa movement; Visit the JOSEPH CARO and the HA’ ARI synagogues, the most important synagogues in the city; stroll around the Artist’s quarter . Enjoy a Jeep tour to the foots of the Golan.

Continue to the Golan heights ; Stop at an observation point over the city of Kuneitra, and the Syrian territory.

Stop at Tel Facher, a former syrian army camp ; Visit the Banias springs.

Next, a visit to Tel-Hai ; See the “Roaring Lion” monument and learn about the heroic battle of Josef Trumpeldor and his comrades in 1920 .

Overnight at a kibbutz guesthouse.

TUESDAY

Drive to Tiberias to visit Rambam’s grave ;

Proceed to Beit Shean, also called "Scythopolis", the biggest archeological park in Israel with beautiful excavations from Roman and Byzantine periods. Stop at Beit Alpha to see the beautiful mosaic floor of a synagogue from the Byzantine period. Onto Gan Hashlosha, (Sachne) where you will have an opportunity to enjoy in the water springs located at the foots of the Gilboa mountain, the famous mountain on which King Saul was killed in the battle against the philistines. Continue via the Jordan valley to Jerusalem; Stop at Mount Scopus for a blessing as you enter the city. Overnight in Jerusalem.

WEDNESDAY

Tour the old city of Jerusalem .

Start with a visit of the tomb of King David on Mt. Zion. Walk along the Cardo, the ancient Roman road ; Visit the four Sepharadic synagogues restored after 1967 war

in the Jewish quarter . Tour the Kotel Tunnels; Visit Davidson center and walk through the Roman Cardo, to the local Arab bazaar. Walk through Jaffa gate to David’s Tower museum and see the ancient remains of the city beginning with the first Temple period.

Overnight in Jerusalem

THURSDAY

Enjoy seeing the Bar-Mitzvah ceremonies at the kotel.

Continue to Mea Shearim and learn about the unique lifestyle of the

ultra orthodox communities.

Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament and see the Menorah with the biblical

emblems. Next visit the Israel Museum, the Shrine of the book where the Dead sea scrolls are housed , and the new holyland model – a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period.

Drive to mount Hertzel , the military cemetery and Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust . Visit the ammunition hill, a former Jordanian army stronghold , conquered by the Israeli army in the Six Day War , and converted into a national memorial site and museum.

Overnight in Jerusalem .

FRIDAY

Drive through the Judean desert to the Dead sea. Stop at Qumeran , the site where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Continue to Massada, ascend by cable car and

tour the ancient fortress ; visit the remains of the walls, palaces, synagogue, the bathhouses etc. Descend by cable car .

Next stop for lunch and Spa facilities in one of the leading hotels in the area.

Overnight Jerusalem.

SATURDAY:

at leisure

Overnight in Jerusalem

SUNDAY

Jerusalem /Ben-Gurion airport

Transfer to Ben-Gurion airport for departure.