Day One
Sunday – VIP Arrival and Hotel Transfer
Welcome to Israel – Bruchim Ha’baim
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 Jerusalem Hotel
Day Two
Monday – Jerusalem Old City
Ramparts Walk
We will walk from the Jaffa Gate on top of the old city’s walls recounting the words of King David;
סֹ֣בּוּ צִ֖יּוֹן וְהַקִּיפ֑וּהָ סִ֜פְר֗וּ מִגְדָּלֶֽיהָ שִׁ֚יתוּ לִבְּכֶ֨ם לְֽחֵילָ֗ה פַּסְּג֥וּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ לְמַ֥עַן תְּ֜סַפְּר֗וּ לְד֣וֹר אַֽחֲרֽוֹן
“Walk about Zion and encompass her, count her towers. Mark well in your hearts her ramparts, raise up her palaces, that you may tell it to subsequent generations.”
City of David
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.
Southern Wall Excavations
At the Southwest corner of Har Habayit lies the excavated ruins of Second Temple Period, downtown Jerusalem from 2,000 years ago! From here we will be able to recreate in our mind’s eye the sites and sounds of a bustling marketplace filled with cohanim and neviim,, rabanim and olei regel. The archeological gardens are littered with the treasures of the Jewel in the Crown of Jerusalem…Bayit Sheni.
The Kotel
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, the kotel is one of its last remaining walls. Although it’s made out of limestone, local tradition holds that it is really made of of the tears and prayers of 2,000 years of Jews yearning for “Next year in Jerusalem.” According to Jewish thought the Temple Mount is the holiest place on earth and the entryway to the spiritual world.
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter has had a Jewish presence 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.”
Sleep Jerusalem Hotel
Day Three
Tuesday month date – Dead Sea
Masada
Masada stands as a powerful reminder of Jewish resilience and strength. Built by King Herod in 30 BCE atop a rugged desert plateau, its cliffs and towering walls made it a near impenetrable stronghold above the Dead Sea. Decades later, it became the final refuge for Jewish rebels fighting against the Roman Empire. Their last stand has come to symbolize unwavering courage, with Masada forever embodying the pledge that “Masada shall not fall again,” a promise of endurance and defiance that echoes through generations.
Ein Gedi National Park
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.
Dead Sea Float
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 that 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, and much, much more.
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Day Four
Wednesday – Gush Etzion & Hevron
Caliber 3 Anti-terrorism Trainaing
Established in 2003 by Colonel Sharon Gat, Caliber 3 has since become the leading counter terror and security training academy in Israel. The training includes a simulation of a terror attack in a Jerusalem marketplace, a demonstration with attack dogs, and a live fire sniper tournament. This activity is the closest one can come to being part of an elite counterterrorism team but still remain a civilian.
Gush Etzion Winery & Restaurant
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 have 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.
Hevron
3,800 years ago Avraham Avinu made the first land acquisition in Eretz Yisrael for Am Yisrael. Me’arat HaMachpela has been a site of pilgrimage and prayer for the children of Avraham and Sara, and the city of Chevron is waiting with open arms.
Kever Rachel
Chazal tell us that Rachel was buried on the road by Beit Lechem so that those Jews going into exile would be consoled by the hope that her prayers guarantee our return. In the place where Binyamin was born and Rachel died, David Hamelech and the seeds of Moshaich will sprout. There is a special segula at Kever Rachel to daven for the Geula Shleima.
Evening Activity – Tower of David Night Spectacular
4,000 years of Jerusalem come alive as they are projected on the walls of the Tower of David. In this citadel, where once the palace of King Herod and the Maccabees stood, the history of the city will be projected in a beautiful swirl of sounds and images which will bring the stones almost literally to life.
Sleep Jerusalem Hotel
Day Five
Thursday – Shefela
Machon Ayalon – Clandestine Bullet Factory
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 on 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!
Plant a Tree
“For when you come into the Land, and you will plant a fruit tree…” Vayikra 19:23
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said “If while holding a sapling in your hand you are told that the Messiah is about to arrive, first plant the sapling and then go out to receive the Messiah.”
Bar Kochva Tunnels
Almost 1,900 years ago the soldiers of Bar Kochva fought a guerrilla war against the Roman Empire. The ruins of a town from that period were discovered here with escape tunnels running underneath the ruins that we will explore on our hands and knees. This is not for the claustrophobic! You must bring flashlights and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Biblical Museum of Natural History
Many people don’t think of animals when they think of the Tanach, but in fact the Tanach is full of descriptions of animals, whether in regard to kashrut, or metaphors and symbolism. Part zoo, part museum, we will come face to face with many of the animals of the Tanach, and get to hold them as well.
Latrun Tank Museum
Latrun has controlled a strategic intersection from time immemorial. It has seen the armies of Joshua, the Maccabees, Romans, Egyptians, Byzantines, Persians, and more. Most recently it saw two major battles between Israel and Jordan in 1948 and 1967.
It is the main memorial for the IDFs Armored Corp and tank museum. We will see and crawl all over tanks and armored vehicles from the State of Israel’s history hearing and hear stories about them and the wars in which they fought.
Sleep Jerusalem Hotel
Day Six
Friday – Shomron
Shiloh
In the center of the hill country of Ephraim was discovered the first capital of Israel, from over 3,000 years ago! Walking through the excavations of Tel Shiloh is like walking through a time machine back to the period of the Shoftim when Eli HaCohen was Cohen Gadol and the Navi Shmuel was just a lad. Here the Mishkan stood for 369 years as the spiritual center of Am Yisrael and the resting place of the shekhina. One can almost smell the Ketoret as we stand at the entrance to the Mishkan where the righteous Chana taught us the proper way to daven.
ATVs in Nachal Shiloh
Every four amot in Eretz Yisrael is a mitzvah, and what quicker way to rack up the mitzvot than on all terrain vehicles? We will take ATVs through Nachal Shiloh into some of the most off the beaten track places. The Shomron is unsurpassed in beauty, especially in the winter season when the nachal flows and everything is green. As we pass the vineyards we will recall the words of the Navi Yirmiyahu
עוֹד אֶבְנֵךְ וְנִבְנֵית, בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל: עוֹד תַּעְדִּי תֻפַּיִךְ, וְיָצָאת בִּמְחוֹל מְשַׂחֲקִים. עוֹד תִּטְּעִי כְרָמִים
בְּהָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן; נָטְעוּ נֹטְעִים, וְחִלֵּלוּ
“I will yet rebuild you and you will be rebuilt maiden of Israel: and you will adorn yourself with drums and go forth in the dance of the joyous. You will again plant vineyards in the mountains of Samaria, the planters will plant and redeem their fruit.”
Kever Shmuel HaNavi
Just outside of Jerusalem lies the traditional kever of the Shmuel Hanavi. The product of a miraculous birth, he lived his life in kedusha and became one of Israel’s greatest nevi’im even being compared to Moshe! As the leader of Am Yisrael 3,000 years ago, he anointed both Shaul Hamelech and David Hamelech, and wrote several books of the TaNaCh. His kever commands one of the most strategic positions overlooking Jerusalem, and it is for that reason that it will be a battle site and gathering point for nearly every army that comes through the Land.
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Day Seven
Shabbat – Jerusalem
Shabbas Menucha
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Day Eight
Sunday – Mediterranean Coast
Caesarea
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.
Neve Michael Children’s Home
For over the last 75 years Neve Michael has been providing a safe haven for children ages 5-15 who have been removed from their homes by the Israel’s social welfare department due to abuse by their caretakers. Every child deserves a home full of warmth and love, and at Neve Michael this is their core mission. We will see their seven acre campus, tour the school, and see a family home. The highlight is sharing lunch with the children in the dining room and showing our solidarity.
Haifa Bahai Lookout
Over half a million visitors from around the world flock to Haifa to see the famous Bahai Gardens covering some 200,000 square meters cascading down 19 different terraces. Besides being a holy place for the Bahai, it is also the burial site for the Bab, the founder of the Bahai faith. It offers one of the most stunning views of Haifa from the Carmel Mountains.
Rosh Hanikra Grottoes & Cable Car
On Israel’s northern border with Lebanon sits one of the most magnificent natural phenomenon 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 North
Day Nine
Monday – Golan Heights & Galilee
Tzfat Old City & Artist Quarter
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.
Har Bental Viewpoint and Bunkers
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.
De Karina Chocolate Factory & Workshop
Karina & Gyora Chepelinski made aliyah in 2003 and brought with them a three generations old trade. The Chocolatiers have made the Golan Heights bloom with their family chocolate recipes. We will tour this one of a kind boutique chocolate factory, situated in picturesque Kibbutz Ein Zivan less than a mile from the Syria/Israel border . Besides seeing the factory floor, and tasting the delicious treats, we will get our hands dirty making our own truffles in a one of a kind workshop.
IDF Bunker Challenge
Capt. Yaakov Selavan will take us on an exciting field adventure in the footsteps of the 188th brigades holding back the advancing Syrian army during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. We will descend into the darkness of Tel Saki and work together to turn our fears into strengths as we connect the experiences of IDF soldiers to our own Jewish identity.
Sleep North
Day Ten
Tuesday – Jordan Valley
Tiveria & the Kinneret
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.
Gan Hashlosha Swim
Gan Hashlosha or the Sachne as the locals call it, was listed by Time magazine as one of the most beautiful places in Israel and one of the top 20 exotic places in the world. This natural thermal spring has a year-round water temperature of 82 degrees! These pools are a welcome relief to the temperature outside, whether it be hot or cold, and swimming in this paradise is enjoyable year round.
Eretz Breishit – Camel Ride & Abraham’s Tent Hospitality & Dinner
We will go back in time 3,800 years and leave our four wheeled vehicle for one of the four legged variety. Our camels will transport us back to the tent of the Patriarchs – Avraham and Sara. We will learn about hachnasat orchim (hospitality) and bake our own pita bread. As the day ends sets we will enjoy a meal fit for kings and queens served by Avraham Avinu himself and take in the glory of the setting sun over the mountains of Moav.
Sleep Jerusalem Hotel
Day Eleven
Wednesday – Jerusalem
Ammunition Hill Battle Site
On the night of June 6th 1967, a pinnacle four-hour battle took place here at Ammunition Hill in which 36 IDF soldiers lost their lives. This battle was the turning point in the Six Day War that led to the redemption of the Old City and saw the return of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount to Jewish hands. Her we will tell the stories of the heroes of Jerusalem, run through the trenches in which they fought, and even climb on tanks as we relive one of the most glorious days in modern Jewish History…the unification of our capital.
Pantry Packers
The root of the Hebrew word ahava is hav which means giving, thus to love is to give. This is our chance to give to those less fortunate than us. Pantry Packers is part of an initiative of feeding the hungry in Israel regardless of religion, ethnicity, or nationality. Besides wholesale supermarkets, soup kitchens, meals- on-wheels etc. at their warehouse in Jerusalem, volunteers pack boxes of dried goods to be shipped all over the country. Nothing is more rewarding than giving back and giving tzedakah to those in need.
Machane Yehuda Shuk – Jerusalem Market
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 Jerusalemites from all over. Make sure to taste the chalva, techina, the famous marzipan rugalach, and get a fresh Juice from Uzi.
Yad Vashem – Israel’s Holocaust Memorial
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.
Sleep Jerusalem Hotel
Day Twelve
Thursday VIP Departure and Airport Transfer, VIP Transfer and Departure
In Israel we don’t 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!
