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 Thursday
Depart the United States on El Al, Israel Airlines, to Tel Aviv.
Friday
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, where you are met and assisted by
your guide. Drive to Jerusalem and stop at Mount Scopus for a spectacular
panoramic view of the city and a traditional "L' Chaim." Drive through
Mea Shearim, the Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood that is evocative of
the destroyed shtetls of Eastern Europe, as it prepares for Shabbat.
Arrive at the historic King David. Cocktail party at the hotel.
Drive around the walls of the 3,000-year old "Old City" and visit
the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, to welcome the Shabbat.
Friday night dinner and overnight at the King David Hotel.
Saturday
SHABBAT SHALOM! A WALKING TOUR OF THE OLD CITY Walk through the
picturesque bazaars and narrow alleyways of the Old City. Visit
the Temple Mount (Mt. Moriah) with its Mosque of El Aksa and the
Dome of the Rock, site of the First and Second Temples. Walk along
the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and through
the colorful "shuk" (Arab Market) to Jaffa Gate. Enter the ancient
citadel to visit the Tower of David Museum, which traces the history
of Jerusalem. Walk on the ramparts of the Old City. Afternoon at
leisure. In the evening, on your own, visit the Ben Yehuda or Yoel
Solomon pedestrian malls where Jerusalemites shop and dine.
Overnight at the King David Hotel.
 Sunday
TOUR OF JERUSALEM
Drive to Mt. Zion to visit King David's Tomb and the room of the
Last Supper. Return to the Old City through Zion's Gate and walk
through the reconstructed Jewish Quarter with its four restored
Sephardic synagogues. Browse the boutique-lined Cardo, once an ancient
Byzantine market, and visit the 2,000-year old Herodian Mansions.
Tour the Second Temple excavations. Walk through the Western Wall
Tunnels. Then visit the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book
where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. View the exhibits and
stroll through the lovely outdoor Billy Rose Art Garden. Drive to
the Knesset, Israel's House of Parliament, to see the bronze Menorah
sculpture, symbol of the State of Israel. Evening meeting with the
Rabbi for Bar/Bat Mitzvah rehearsal.
Overnight at the King David Hotel.
Monday
TOUR OF THE DEAD SEA - BAR/BAT MITZVAH ON MASADA
Drive through the wilderness of the Judean Desert to the lowest
spot on earth, the Dead Sea. Continue along the sea, past the Qumran
Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Arrive at Masada,
the mountain fortress where the Jewish Zealots fought against mighty
Rome, and ascend by cable car to celebrate your Bar/Bat Mitzvah
on the mountaintop. After the service, tour Herod's palace, synagogue
and bathhouses. Hike through the Nature Reserve of Ein Gedi to see
the waterfalls, wildlife and lush foliage in this oasis. Stop at
the Dead Sea for an unforgettable "float" before returning to Jerusalem.
Evening celebration and banquet dinner at the King David Hotel.
Overnight at the King David Hotel.
 Tuesday
TOUR OF JERUSALEM
Take part in a special service at Yad Vashem, the memorial to the
victims of the Holocaust, and visit the Museum and Children's Memorial.
Optional: Plant your own tree in a Jewish National Fund forest.
Drive to Mt. Herzl, burial place of Israel's founding fathers and
leaders, and the site of the city's military cemetery. Enjoy lunch
in a Middle East restaurant. Participate in an innovative hands-on
tour adventure in a historic Jerusalem neighborhood. That evening,
don togas and dine at the Cardo Culinaria, a Roman-style restaurant
in the Jewish Quarter.
Overnight at the King David Hotel.
Wednesday
TOUR OF THE JORDAN VALLEY, TIBERIAS AND THE GOLAN
Depart Jerusalem via Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Drive
along the Jordan Valley to the biblical city of Beit She'an to visit
its ancient Roman ruins. On to Tiberias, one of the four Holy Cities,
with its seaside promenade and hot springs. Visit the Synagogue
of Hamat with its 4th century zodiac mosaic. Have St. Peter's fish
for lunch at one of the restaurants on the lake. Enjoy a refreshing
boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Take an exciting jeep ride through
the rugged hills of the Golan Heights. Stop at a former Syrian fortification
to view the Hula Valley below. Arrive at the kibbutz to learn first-hand
about this unique lifestyle.
Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Guest House.
 Thursday
TOUR OF THE GALILEE
Conditions permitting, go kayaking on the Jordan River. Continue
to Safed, 16th century birthplace of the mystical "Cabbala" movement.
Walk the cobbled streets, visiting the ancient synagogues and galleries
in the quaint Artists' Colony. Then on to Rosh Hanikra. Descend
by cable car to the sea grottoes below. Drive past the picturesque
Bay of Akko, with its medieval port. Continue along Haifa Bay, ascend
Mt. Carmel, and drive along Rehov Panorama, with its breathtaking
views of Haifa Harbor.
Dinner and overnight at the Dan Carmel Hotel.
Friday
TOUR OF MOUNT CARMEL AND CAESAREA
Drive past Haifa University to the unique Druze villages atop Mt.
Carmel for a home hospitality visit. Continue along the Mediterranean
seashore to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the country, to
visit King Herod's ancient port, the Roman Theater, the aqueduct
and the fortifications of the Crusaders. Drive along the coastal
road to Tel Aviv, Israel's center of culture and commerce, with
its outdoor cafes and beautiful Mediterranean beaches. Walk through
lively Nachalat Binyamin, where Israeli artisans sell their crafts
on Friday afternoons, and stop at the colorful Carmel fruit and
vegetable market for a "taste" of Israel.
Friday night dinner and overnight at the Dan Hotel.
Saturday
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Day of leisure. Enjoy the beach, swim in the Mediterranean and walk
along the seaside promenade. In the evening, visit the biblical
seaport of Old Jaffa, and meander through the galleries in the Artist's
Quarter.
Overnight at the Dan Hotel.
 Sunday
BEIT GUVRIN AND TEL AVIV
Drive south to explore the unusual Bell Caves and excavations of
Beit Guvrin. Participate in a live archaeological dig where visitors
young and old can "Dig Israel." Return to Tel Aviv, passing Rishon
Le Zion, home of the Carmel winery. Drive to the University of Tel
Aviv to visit the exciting Museum of the Diaspora, which houses
the most complete record of Jewish life in the "diaspora" ever assembled.
Return to the hotel. Last minute shopping. Farewell cocktail party
at the hotel. Evening transfer to Ben Gurion Airport.
Monday
DEPARTURE
Flight back home.
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