DAY 1: Wednesday –
Meet at Toronto’s Pearson Airport,
bid farewell to friends who have come to say good-bye, board our flight.Israel,
here we come!
DAY 2: Thursday –
Welcome to Israel! Eagerly awaiting your arrival at Ben
Gurion Airport, our guide will help you through customs and porters will load
your bags onto our super deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach. We’ll drive to Tel Aviv, the modern business
and cultural capital of Israel, check
into our luxurious, beachfront hotel near the Tel Aviv Marina and Sea
Promenade. You might be too excited to
relax and absorb some sunshine with the thrill of being in our land of Israel.
During the welcome night dinner, we will be briefed on the
program. In the evening, walk through people friendly Dizengoff Street with its
sidewalk cafes or along the promenade, listen to the surf and get ready for a
dream come true.Overnight in Tel Aviv. BD
DAY 3:
Friday – Tel Aviv
& Archeological dig
After your delicious buffet
breakfast, we drive to Machon Ayalon
near Rehovot,
the pre-state underground ammunition factory and see how the early Israelis
prepared for battle under the noses of the British Army. Continue to the ancient city, Beit Govrin for archeological digging at Tel Maresha. We sort
through our excavated treasures then
visit caves! In the afternoon – on the way back to Tel Aviv we visit the Carmel
Market have authentic Israeli falafel, mingle with the crowds and become part
of this bustling life style. If time permits our next stop is the fascinating
Museum of the Diaspora (Beit Hatfutsot) located on the campus of Tel Aviv
University, with a special program just for us. We return to the hotel to
prepare for our traditional Shabbat Dinner at the Hotel BD
DAY 4: Shabbat – Tel Aviv/Jaffa
Free
in Tel Aviv to enjoy the sun and the sea. Take advantage of the vast activities
this city is offering or visit with relatives.
In the early evening we visit the 4,000 year old port city of Jaffa, you’ll have a breath- taking view
of modern Tel Aviv and the ancient/modern contrast of the two. You’ll want to
stroll through the narrow, picturesque streets of this old city, view the art
galleries and enjoy the special Mediterranean ambiance. Dinner at the port of Jaffa B D
DAY 5: Sunday – on way to Galilee
After a bountiful breakfast, you’ll start your tour at Independence
Hall where in May 1948, the proclamation of the establishment of the
State of Israel was declared by its first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion. You’ll
see the original documents and drafts created by the pioneer leaders of the
fledgling Jewish nation and stand beneath an inspiring portrait of Theodore
Herzle, in this, the room where history was made! Alas, we bid farewell to Tel
- Aviv and drive north along the coastal road. Visit Caesarea the
most famous port city built by King Herod, visit the newly excavated Hippodrome
and experience the new Multi Media Show that depicts the history
of this ancient city and with which you will have one on one “animated”
conversation with the people who lived there two thousand years ago. If time
permits we’ll drive through a Druze village (maybe stopping for
lunch) on the way to Haifa, Israel’s major port city. View the Baha’i Shrine and beautiful
Persian Gardens. In the Golani Junction
we’ll plant trees, and then drive to our hotel for Dinner and overnight. BD
DAY 6: Monday – Golan and
Galilee
Exploring the northernmost part of Israel: What a blast! We
begin at Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar’s
shooting range to test our
target shooting skills! As the
kids boast about who scored best. Visit an army base, a real Army Base – not just a museum!!
for yet another unbelievable experience.
We will climb onto tanks, speak with the soldiers who defend the
northern borders and observe the life of a combat unit! We continue to the Banias
Springs, one of the
sources of the Jordan River,
Afterwards, we’ll proceed to Har (Mount) Ben Tal. This stronghold overlooks the deserted
Syrian city of Kuneitra and provides a breath taking view of the whole area
including kibbutzim below and how vulnerable they had been, prior to 1967. (This
northern program is subject to changes due to the political situation). In the
evening we drive to Tiberias where we have an evening of surprises, fun and good food at Decks Restaurant on Lake Kinneret.
Overnight in Tiberias.
DAY 7: Tuesday – Enroute to Jerusalem
Begin our tour driving to the east bank of the Sea of Galilee
to visit Kfar Haruv, from which we will have a fantastic view of
Lake Kinneret and better understand the political complexities in this part of
the Golan Heights. We continue south, via the eastern shores of the Sea of
Galilee, along the borders with Syria and Jordanu to Beit Shean, to view the Roman amphitheatre and tour the largest excavation site of any Roman
city in the Middle East. We’ll continue through the coastal plain,
attempting an early Jerusalem arrival (16:00 hrs) to participate in a ‘Shehechiyanu’ ceremony. After registration in our deluxe, Inbal
Hotel, and a short break, we will meet the Rabbi to have rehearsal before the
BM ceremony. Dinner at the hotel. BD
Day 8: Wednesday – Old
City of Jerusalem
Before entering the Old City we’ll have a historical
orientation then our guide will take us through sites to which very few have
access! We will visit the Jewish Quarter,
the Cardo, the colonnaded
main street of Byzantine Jerusalem. the Kotel
(Judaism’s holiest site -- the Western Wall, into which you may place a note),
the Herodian Mansions, a completely
excavated residential quarter of 2000 years ago and the Davidson
Exhibtion to see a fantastic computer imaging presentation of the
Temple. We’ll see the Hafirot Hakotel
(the most recent Wall excavations), Southern Wall Excavations, the Rabbinical Tunnel under the
Temple Mount, the stores under the Robinson Arch. Learn of the illegal
excavations by those who are trying to destroy Jewish archeological evidence of
our homeland. Ride the Time Elevator,
a multi-media attraction which takes you on a fascinating, three-dimensional,
simulated ride through the last two millennia of Jerusalem’s history. See the
Bazaars and more… Evening is free.
Overnight in Jerusalem. B
DAY 9: Thursday – Massada/Dead Sea
A pre-dawn departure to Massada. We ascend by the new cable car to view the
gorgeous view of the mountains of Moab and Dead Sea from this fortress which
staved off the arduous Roman advance and earned a position as one of one
hundred “World Heritage Sites” by the United Nations. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah service will be held in our shaded spot,
ensuring everyone’s maximum enjoyment of the ceremony. You’ll have some time to
visit the famous palace, synagogue, bathhouse and more, built here by Herod the
Great. We proceed onto our Desert Experience – a day of
exceptional family excitement! We’ll encounter the desert Bedouins at Havat
Hanokdim. A caravan of camels
will take us for a ride through the desert where we’ll have a “Chafla” lunch, enjoying Bedouin
hospitality. We continue our enjoyment of this day by dipping ourselves into
the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, cover our bodies with black mud (good for what ails you!) and have fun.
We return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. BLD
DAY 10: Friday – Latrun
We begin our day at Yad
Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial, for a lecture followed by a tour of its
exhibits, Children’s Memorial and Dead Communities Valley. We proceed to Har Herzle, the Military
Cemetery to pay homage to Theodore Herzle, other Israeli statesmen and heroes
at their final resting place. We drive west of Jerusalem to Latrun to visit the
magnificent Mini Israel. At Mini Israel you’ll be mesmerized by
the astonishing miniature replicas of all the major structures and historical
sites of Isreal, which make this country unique we’ll then tour the Armored
Forces Museum, occupying the
premises formerly used by the British Army during their mandate. This site was
of strategic importance in defense of the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem supply route
during the War of Independence. Today young soldiers (and visitors) learn of
those who preceded them here. You’ll have plenty of photo opportunities as you
and your children examine all the different tanks and armored vehicles
that were in IDF service after which we visit a diamond and gold factory. Dinner at the Hotel. BD
DAY 11: Shabbat – March 17 – Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration
A free day to rest, explore the Old City, visit relatives,
friends or take an optional tour (if prearranged) to the Israel Museum. Swim in the enclosed pool, rest
before the tour continues. Tonight, we will have our Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration
dinner. Guests may be invited (must be coordinated in advance) Overnight in Jerusalem. BD
DAY 12: Sunday, March 18 – Back home1
Our flight departs at 11:30 am and lands in Toronto the same
day at 6:15 pm).
As bookings are made
many months prior to departure it may be necessary to make minor changes before
the final itinerary is published. Final
versions of the itinerary will be sent to the participants approximately three
months or less before departure. The
information meeting held prior to departure will provide further details. All
efforts are made to use the restaurants mentioned in the itinerary. However changes may have to be made at the last
minute subject to number of participants and availability, on location.
B - Breakfast