Day One
Sunday – Jerusalem
Ramparts Walk
We will walk from the Jaffa Gate on top of the old city’s walls recounting the words of King David;
סֹ֣בּוּ צִ֖יוֹן 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 the 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.
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.”
Day Two
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.
Day Three
Caliber 3 Anti-terrorism Training
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 Zipline
Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime! At a quarter of a mile long and more than 350 feet high, the Gush Etzion Zipline is the longest zipline in Israel. More amazing than the thrill of speeding over valleys and trees are the stunning views out into the Judean hills.
Visit and Tree Planting With Unity Warriors
In Gush Etzion we will meet with Ben Goldstein, the founder of “Unity Warriors” who dedicates all of his time and energy to giving back to our brave IDF soldiers and protecting the Land of Israel. Not only does Unity Warriors facilitate donations of tactical gear, life saving bandages, as well as bulletproof vests to IDF soldiers, they have embarked on a program to plant fruit trees throughout Gush Etzion in order to strengthen our roots in Eretz Yisrael.
Hevron
3,800 years ago Avraham Avinu made the first land acquisition in Eretz Yisrael for Am Yisrael. Mearat HaMachpela has been a site of pilgrimage and prayer for the children of Avraham and Sara, and the city of Hevron 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.
Day Four
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.
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 which 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.”
Har HaGerizim & Overlook to Shechem
Mount Gerizim is situated over the city of Shechem (modern day Nablus), where both Avraham and Yaakov built altars to Hashem upon their entrance to Eretz Yisrael, it will be here that the blessings and the curses will be pronounced in front of the entire nation upon the day they entered Eretz Yisrael with Yehoshua Bin Nun, just before they buried Yosef in his tomb below. Today Nablus is an extremely hostile village in Area A and off limits to Jewish travelers but from Har HaGerizim we will be able to view Kever Yosef and, daven by his kever even if it’s only in the distance.
