Sunday – Bruchim Ha’baim!, VIP Arrival and Hotel Transfer
Welcome home! A representative of the tour company will meet you as you disembark from the plane and streamline your visa and customs processing. You will be brought to a waiting VIP van which will bring you to your hotel.
Sleep in Tel Aviv
Monday – Tel Aviv , (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
Just outside of Tel Aviv, on a small hill is located one of the State of Israel’s best kept secrets. Now a museum, this former bullet factory was hidden under a laundromat in a kibbutz training facility and arguably saved the State of Israel. In 1943 as the War of Independence was approaching the Hagana (the pre state army) desperately needed weapons and ammunition but the British ruled the land. This secret underground factory was established, and in 3 years produced over 2 million bullets under the nose of the British. It was so secret that for the next 30 years no one had even heard of it!
Tradition tells us that Jaffa, or Yafo as it’s called in Hebrew, was founded by Yefet the Son of Noah many, many years ago. Throughout history it’s known as one of the most famous Middle Eastern ports and the one from which Jonah set forth on his famous voyage. Today its artists colony, alleyways, and views sets it apart as one of the most beautiful places in Tel Aviv. It’s for this very reason that one can spot brides and grooms having their photoshoots on almost everyday of the week in Yafo.
There is no better place to get in touch with the real Tel Aviv than in its most famous and vibrant market. There is never a dull moment when wandering through this dizzying array of fruits and spices, clothing and chotchkas, with local Tel Avivians just out for a snack. On Fridays Nachalat Binyamin Pedestrian becomes a must see artists’ market with craftsmen and artists from all over Israel setting up booths and selling their crafts.
Sleep in Tel Aviv
Tuesday – Galilee & Mediterranean Coast, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
This picturesque 2,000 year old port city was a dream of King Herod. The Caesarea port was an unparalleled feat of engineering and instrumental in solidifying trade agreements with the Roman Empire. It was at the time, one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire and the capital of Rome in Israel.
We will visit the excavated hippodrome, theater and bathhouse. Once a symbol of Roman power, today Caesarea is a testament to the eventual victory of the Jews over Rome.
Over half a million visitors from around the world flock to Haifa to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site Baha’i Gardens covering some 200,000 square meters and majestically cascading down 19 different terraces. Besides being a holy place for the Bahai, it is the burial site for the Bab, the founder of the Baha’i faith. It offers one of the most stunning views of Haifa from the Carmel Mountains.
On a small peninsula jutting out of Israel’s northern coast, lies a walled port city that has almost 4,000 years of continual use. Although Akko has seen the Phonecians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, besides numerous other conquerors, its golden age was in the 12th century when it became one of the most important and wealthiest cities of the Crusaders.
We will explore the walls and moats of Akko, as well as the newly uncovered Hospitallers fortress. We will go underground through tunnels and crypts going back in time 800 years to the age of knights and maidens.
On Israel’s northern border with Lebanon sits one of the most magnificent natural phenomenons in Israel. We will take cable cars down to grottoes that were carved into the mountainside over thousands of years by the beating waves of the Mediterranean Sea. From the cliff sides we will get one of the most picturesque views of the Mediterranean coast that you can imagine.
Sleep in Galilee
Wednesday – Galilee & Golan Heights, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
In Judaism’s most mystical book, the Zohar, Tzfat is described as having the purest air in all of Israel and that’s not only because Tzfat is almost 3,000 feet in elevation. Of Judaism’s four Holy Cities, Tzfat is the one described as mystical and connected to the element of air, that which is intangible… hidden.
It is for this reason that 500 years ago Tzfat attracted mystics and rabbis, and built breathtaking synagogues which we will explore. In recent years Tzfat’s beauty has attracted artists from all over who have opened their galleries to the public, making Tzfat a highlight of any trip to Israel.
We will climb up a dormant volcano to a height of 1,260 feet above sea level to take in a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Golan Heights. From this former Israeli defensive position we can look down into Syria and on a clear day even see the approaches to Damascus only 45 miles away. We can also climb through the decommissioned bunker and trenches of the IDF.
At this major crossroads of the ancient world, on the Northern banks of the Sea of Galilee, sits one of the most famous villages in the world – Capernaum. In the Christian Bible it’s the most mentioned town besides Jerusalem, and is even described as Jesus’s town! We will see the Byzantine era synagogue built directly on top of a 2,000 year old synagogue, the one in which Jesus preached. Perhaps the most amazing site is the modern day church built on the remains of two ancient churches, which were built directly over a 2,000 year old house…. Many scholars believe that this home is none other than the house of Simon Peter, where Jesus lived in Capernaum.
Resting on the Lake Kinneret and one of the four Holy Cities of Judaism, Tiberias is a 2,000 year old city both home to a vibrant Jewish community and the resting place of great rabbis. Besides the stunning views of the Golan Heights and upper Galilee, we will learn about Rabbi Akiva and Maimonides as Jewish history comes alive beneath our feet.
After a long day of touring we will take in the sunset sailing on the Sea of Galilee. We will follow this with a fish dinner of local fare in Tiberias.
Sleep in Galilee
Thursday – Jordan Valley, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
Magdala is a 2,000 year old fishing village which was the hometown of Mary Magdalene, an enigmatic woman revered by christians worldwide. Not only was she one of the few people mentioned in the gospels as being present at the crucifixion, she was also the first recorded witness of Jesus’s resurrection. These newly excavated ruins show the remains of this vibrant city on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Not only do we find the remains of a bustling industrial zone, we will also see one of the oldest excavated Synagogues in the world…perhaps where Jesus himself preached.
Ever wonder what it’s like to live on a kibbutz? At Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu we will tour not only one of the last vestiges of authentic kibbutz life in Israel, but also a world leader in organic farming and biological pest control. We will learn about owls, bees, worms, and donkeys as well as various other trailblazing techniques that this kibbutz is using to try to make the world a better and cleaner place. We will finish the tour with lunch in the cheder ochel or communal dining room for a kibbutz lunch!
In the 1920s Jewish immigrants from Poland were digging irrigation channels in the fields of their kibbutz when they chanced upon a magnificent discovery, an ancient Synagogue dating to the 6th century! The mosaic floors of the Synagogue were decorated with depictions of ancient Jewish life as well as themes of Jewish theology. This discovery bridges the gap between past and present, showing the continuity of the Jewish People throughout the ages and the connection of the people of Israel with the land of Israel.
Besides that, this mosaic floor is an unparalleled work of art and not to be missed.
Nearly 3,400 years ago in this very place, the Children of Israel crossed over from the desert into the Land of Israel. 2,000 years ago Jesus met his cousin John the Baptist who was using these holy waters of the Jordan for the purposes of baptizing the masses with the Holy Spirit. It was in this very place where Jesus was baptized setting him off on a journey that would change the world.
Though the Jordan River is no longer split, only a few dozen feet away lies the modern country of Jordan. Kasr al Yahud was opened to the public in 2011 just across from Jericho on the lush banks of Israel’s longest river, the Jordan.
The rabbis of theTalmud state that Jerusalem is the highest place in the world because everyone “ascends” to Jerusalem. The spiritual plateau of the world is here in this most famous and yearned after city. As we enter Jerusalem we will breathe in her beauty from the Mount Scopus Viewpoint and recall the words of the sages that one “doesn’t come to Jerusalem, rather they return to Jerusaelm.”
Friday – Jerusalem Old City, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
Western Wall Tunnels
The Kotel Plaza today has an exposed section of 57 meters out of 488 meters of wall! Underneath the Muslim Quarter of today is the excavated sections of the Western Wall which were once open to the sky. Although the average stone in the wall is only 2-3 tons, we will see the largest stone that weighed a whopping 570 tons, making it one of the largest hewn stones in the world.
Just outside of the Old City we will explore the ancient city where King David held his capital. Ir David, or the “City of David” as it is known in English, is the actual location of the biblical city of Jerusalem captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. Highlights include entering the secret tunnel
leading to the Gihon Spring, walking through Hezekiah’s water tunnel, The Olei Regalim street from the Breichat Hashiloach up to “Wall Street” the ancient financial district and shopping area.
The Jewish Quarter has been home to Jews almost continuously for 2,700 years! Home to nearly 3,300 residents it combines history, religion, and archeology as well as shops and restaurants, yeshivas and synagogues. Although there is a modern neighborhood on top of these ancient ruins, the stones come to life and whisper the prophecy of Zachariah that “there will once again sit old men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, and the streets will be filled with playing children”
If Jerusalem is the heart of the Jewish People then the Temple Mount and its western retaining wall are its soul. After the Temple’s destruction 2,000 years ago, the Western Wall or Kotel is one of its last remaining walls. Although we only see a fraction of it exposed, it spans over a quarter of a mile and once stood, 20 stories high! Although made of limestone, local tradition holds that it is made of the tears and prayers of 2,000 years of Jews yearning for “Next year in Jerusalem.” According to Jewish thought this is the holiest place on earth and the entryway to the spiritual world.
Friday night is a special time to be in Jerusalem. As the day ends a new day begins – Shabbat. The Kotel in Jerusalem becomes a unifying place for the Jews as holiness of time and place intertwine. Soldiers and Hassids, tourists and locals, dance arm in arm to welcome the Jewish Sabbath with song and joy. This celebration has no parallel in the world and should not be missed.
Saturday- Jerusalem, (Private Guide On Foot)
From the Hotel we will ascend on foot to the Old City Via the Jaffa Gate, passing through Jerusalem’s oldest and most picturesque neighborhood outside the Old City’s walls, Yemin Moshe. Besides being Judaism’s holiest city, it is a holy city to both Christianity and Islam. Today Jerusalem has four distinct areas colloquially called “the four quarters,” the Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, and Armenian Quarter. Together we will explore the hidden gems of this holy city, climb the rooftops, wander her allies, and unlock her secrets.
Take a day to recover from a hectic week of travel and touring. As the State of Israel takes a rest, why not take this opportunity to visit one of Jerusalem’s many synagogues, lay out by the pool, or stroll through one of the many parks Jerualem has to offer.
Sunday – Jerusalem, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
Yad Vashem was founded in 1953 as Israel’s central holocaust memorial and museum. It’s for this reason that after the Kotel it is Israel’s most visited site. It is here where visitors will hear the story and the meaning of the holocaust within the greater story of the people of Israel and the Land of Israel. All political delegations that come to Israel must come to Yad Vashem to see for themselves what can happen when the Jews don’t have a place to call home.
Perched on one of the highest hills in western Jerusalem is our country’s national cemetery. At the peak buried, is the namesake of the mountain, Theodore Hertzl the founder of modern Zionism. Flanking Hertzl are Presidents and Prime Ministers, on a foundation of our boys…IDF soldiers who have fallen in battle. No nation is given its land on a silver platter; those who sacrificed their lives are here as a monument to the struggle for our homeland.
Israel’s Knesset or parliament is made of 120 elected lawmakers who toil day and night for the State of Israel. We will stop by the outside of the building where we can see the Menorah, the symbol of the State of Israel. This menorah was made in 1966 and is an amazing work of art composed of 30 relief engravings creating a visual textbook of the History of the Jewish People.
Where would the Jewish People and the State of Israel be without our friends around the world? This interactive museum was opened in 2015 dedicated to the heroism and support of Israel’s non-Jewish friends and Christian Zionists around the world who had bravely fought for and supported the Jewish People in their monumental fight to return to their homeland and to unfold biblical prophecy.
There are no words to accurately describe the “shuk”…one must immerse themselves in the sights, smells, and above all tastes of Jerusalem’s largest outdoor food market. It teems with locals and tourists alike, and is a meeting place for the Jerusalmites from all over. Make sure to taste the chalva, techina, the famous marzipan rugalach, and get a fresh Juice from Uzi.
Monday – Dead Sea, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
In the year 30 BCE King Herod built here his desert fortress par excellence. Perched on a mesa 450 meters above the Dead Sea yet only 58 meters above sea level, surrounded by a four meter high double wall and steep cliffs, it was thought to be impregnable. Nearly 100 years after it was built the drama will unfold as the most famous battle in Israel; the last stand of the Jews in their Great Revolt against the Romans.
We will visit this desert oasis where King David hid from his enemy Saul as recounted in the Bible in the Book of Samuel. Here we can do easy to difficult hikes through the beautiful Judean Desert, periodically stopping to dip in the cold water springs, and cool off under the waterfalls. It’s not uncommon while hiking in this nature reserve to see wild ibex drinking from the stream, hyraxes climbing the trees, or eagles soaring overhead.
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be weightless? Here in the lowest place on earth we have the saltiest lake in the world. The water is so dense it’s impossible to sink. The waters of the Dead Sea have been known throughout antiquity to have healing qualities, and a day at the Dead Sea has the power to rejuvenate the skin. The hypersalinity and high mineral content have been shown to be therapeutic for arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, much much more.
Sleep in Jerusalem
Tuesday – West Bank, (Private Guide and Luxury Tour Bus)
At the outbreak of the second intifada, or palestinian terror uprising in the year 2000, Israel began building her controversial security fence. We will meet with Col. (Res.) Dani Tirtzah, who was the chief visionary and architect of this strategic project. He will share with us his challenges and dilemmas in preserving human dignity and rights for the Palestinians while at the same time, creating a barrier that put a halt to the horrific daily terror attacks that Israel was suffering from.
Located in the heart of the biblical “Wilderness of Zif” where King David composed many of the Psalms and hid from King Saul, the Arugot Farms, in just a few years, has transformed the barren desolate Judean wilderness into a Garden of Eden-like oasis, unlike anything in The Land. We will meet Rabbi Ari Ari Abramowitz, one of the pioneers behind the project who will show us why his farm is an integral part of the modern redemption of the Land of Israel.
Yehuda, the son of Yaakov received the following blessing of wine from his father:
“כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ, וּבְדַם-עֲנָבִים סוּתֹה. חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם, מִיָּיִן; וּלְבֶן-שִׁנַּיִם, מֵחָלָב”
“…he washes his garments in wine, and his robe in the blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” The commentaries teach that this was a prophecy of the land of Judah in which wine will be as plentiful as water springs. Shraga & Tamar z”l Rosenberg founded the Gush Etzion Winery in 2005 and it has become one of the most famous boutique wineries in Israel.
A visit to their award winning restaurant is an enjoyable experience that can include a tour of the wine cellar as well as a tasting of their world renowned wines.
3,800 years ago the biblical patriarch Abraham made the first Jewish acquisition of land in the Land of Israel for his descendants. Ever since then, Mea’arat HaMachpela or the Tomb of the Patriarchs has been a site of pilgrimage and prayer for the children of Avraham and Sara and the city of Hebron is waiting with open arms. At the tombs of the matriarchs and patriarchs of Judaism we will be embraced with holiness and awed by the beauty of this thousands year old shrine.
The Rabbinic tradition tells us that Rachel was buried on the road by Bethlehem so that when the Jews would be going into exile, they would be consoled by the hope that Rachel’s prayers can guarantee their return. In the place where Benjamin was born and Rachel died, King David and the seeds of the messiah will sprout. There is a special power at the Tomb of Rachel to pray for the ingathering of the Jewish People.
Wednesday – L’hitraot, (Luxury Tour Bus)
In Israel we dont say goodbye we say l’hitraot…that means “see you later”
A representative of our company will bring you to Ben Gurion Airport and streamline your flight check-in and departure. Looking forward to next time!
Amazing! - Daniel was an amazing tour guide! He was knowledge, patient, kind, and very humble. He truly enhanced our experience. I highly recommend you use him!
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Eretz Israel Tours
