Past to the Future - Highlights of the Jewish State

DEPARTS:	Thursday (fortnightly)
DURATION:	11 Days / 10 Nights
PRICE:	$2,199 USD per person (twin share)
MIN PAX:	2

Explore the best of Israel with this incredible 11 day tour that takes in the highlights of the Jewish State and connects its amazing past with its incredible future.

Friday: Tel Aviv Touring

Our first day of touring will begin immediately after breakfast. An interesting walking tour through Tel Aviv and Jaffa is ahead of us. We will start on Rothschild Boulevard, where we will see Tel Aviv’s beautiful Bauhaus style architecture, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amongst the buildings will be the newly renovated Independence Hall, the site commemorating the declaration of the founding of the state of Israel on the 14th of May 1948. We will continue on to Neve Tzedek – Tel Aviv’s very first neighborhood.

The next stop will be Jaffa, the world’s oldest port city, for a view of the old city and its well known artist’s colony.

Sunday: Travel to the North

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive south to Rehovot. Our first stop will be at the Weizmann Institute which played a key role in the development of the state. We will enjoy the new, amazing presentation of high technology and see the mansion house of Haim Weizmann, the first president of Israel. We will then continue to Caesarea, built over 2000 years ago by King Herod the Great, which served as a key Mediterranean port for centuries. Hear about Caesarea’s role in Jewish history, including its part in the Great Revolt of AD66, and interact with three-dimensional historical figures that come to life using cutting-edge technology.

Onwards to the Carmel Mountain range to visit Zichron Yaacov for a stroll through the historic streets of one of the earliest settlements from Israel’s first immigration period. Then visit the Atlit Detainee Camp, telling the heroic story of the struggle of Jewish immigrants at the detention centre established by the authorities of the British Mandate in the 1930s. Finally, we are on to Haifa - Israel’s major port city, with a stop at the Louis Promenade for a great view of the Haifa Bay and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens

Monday: Tzfat and the Galilee

Check out after an Israeli breakfast in the hotel. Our journey will begin with a drive through the mountain ranges and valleys which extend from the west to the east of the Galilee region. Visit a Galilee Winery for an Israeli wine-tasing tour, and to get an up close and personal view of the wine production process. We will continue to Rosh Pina, originally founded in 1878 by a group of ultra-orthodox Jews intending to become farmers, with the support of Baron Edmund de Rothschild. Rosh Pina is one of Israel’s oldest colonies but today boasts a small town known for great restaurants, cafés and art galleries. Drive up to Safed (Tzfat), where we will walk through ancient sections of the city and hear stories of the Kabbalists and their ancient synagogues. Our Tzfat tour will end with a visit to its famous artists’ colony where we will meet a Kabala artist and learn about his special techniques and context.

Tuesday - Adventure Day

This touring day will give you an opportunity to enjoy the North of Israel in a unique and exciting way. We will start our day by driving to Mount Bental, a beautiful spot for a panoramic view of the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights and Syria. We will then continue on to Golan Magic, an entertaining 3-D multi-media adventure viewed on a 180-degree screen. After the film, a walk through the giant model of the Golan Heights, the largest of its kind in the world, accompanied by special narration, sound and light effects. Then, we will finish the first half of the day with a visit to The Golan Olive Oil Mill and Visitor Center. As we walk through this uniquely-designed building with ancient ambience, our guide will explain the olive oil production process, including the evolution from antique tools to modern machinery.

The rest of day is free! We will be happy to provide you with a list of the options in the area and recommend the most suitable ones for your party. Some options include: biking or hiking tour, rappelling, kayaks on the Jordan River or even participating in a gourmet chocolate workshop, and so much more… Evening Option (Seasonal) – a lantern tour in either the valley of the lost river or Nimrod fortress

Wednesday: Travel to Jerusalem

Check out from the hotel and depart for our touring day. Our first stop will be the Tel Hai Museum. This memorial is dedicated to a dramatic battle in 1920 lead by Joseph Trumpeldor, a hero known for his loyalty to the nation. Then, we will visit the “Naharayim Experience at Gesher.” Nicknamed the “start-up” of last century, this unusual light and sound show is filled with models demonstrating the dam system, running water and a combination of sounds and colors. The demonstration shows how the desert transformed into a symbol of - and a vision for - Jewish immigration and industrial development in Israel. Our day will continue with a drive to Jerusalem through the Jordan Valley’s stunning landscape. We will stop at Mt. Scopus upon arrival in Jerusalem for a magnificent view of the city and a brief explanation about the capitol’s past and future.

Thursday: Old City of Jerusalem

After breakfast, we will start our tour through the Old City of Jerusalem (Thursday is the day many Bar Mitzvah celebrations take place at the Western Wall. During our walk we will meet some of them and get to wish them a MAZAL TOV!). We’ll walk through one of this ancient walled city’s many gates to see the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall (Ha Kotel), the colorful bazaars and the Cardo. Then, we will walk to the City of David for a virtual reality movie about King David’s historical city, and a “wet” walking tour of the ancient water system connecting Warren’s Shaft to the Shiloah tunnels (Hezekiah’s Tunnel). We will continue to the Archaeological Garden and the new Southern Wall excavations (Davidson Center) - the same steps once used by pilgrims entering the Holy Temple.

Friday: Jerusalem's New City

Visit the graves of Israel’s former prime ministers and soldiers who died in battle at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery. We will then continue to the new Museum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, including Valley of the Communities. We will pass by the Knesset - Israel’s Parliament building, as well as the famous Menorah and the new home of Israel’s Supreme Court. We will visit the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book with a display of Dead Sea Scrolls, and visit the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.

Past to the Future – Highlights of the Jewish State

Thursday: Arrival