BAR/ BAT MITZVAH FAMILY TOUR (2)

12 Days Bar/ Bat Mitzvah Family Tour Program

Day 1 - Departure

Flight from the U.S to Israel

Day 2 - Arrival in Israel - Bruchim Haba'aim - Welcome to Israel

Arrive at new Ben-Gurion Airport Terminal to be met and assisted by our representative. Meet you tour guide and bus driver and drive to Jerusalem. We will enter the city, head for the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site to make the traditional shecheyanu blessing. Check into our hotel and get ready for Shabbat . Shabbat dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 3 - Shabbat in Jerusalem

After Shabbat breakfast at the hotel, an optional Shabbat morning service at one of the city’s synagogues. After lunch, enjoy an optional walking tour of Jerusalem. It will include Nachlat Shiva, the Russian Compound, Safra Square and City Hall. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 4  - Jerusalem New City 

Yad Vashem / Mt . Herzl / Herzel museum / Ammunition Hill 

After breakfast at hotel, we will drive around the New City of Jerusalem. Our first stop will be at the Israeli Knesset , from theKnesset we will drive to  Yad Vashem,  the Memorial for the Holocaust. We will also visit the Valley of the Communities andthe Children’s Pavillion. We continue to Mt . Herzl, where  we  will pay tribute to the fallen at the national military cemetery , we will visit the grave of Herzl and the new Herzel museum  .We continue on to Ammunition Hill, sight of one of the fiercest battles for Jerusalem, which took place during the Six Day War. We will return to our hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 5 - Jerusalem Old City

Southern Wall Excavations / Davidson Center / Jewish quarter Western Wall Tunnels

After breakfast at hotel, we will enter the Old City and go to the Southern Wall Excavations. Here we will also visit the Davidson Center, one of the most significant ecological sites in the country. Continue through the Cardo, a wide Roman thoroughfare flanked by columns that have been restored to its former glory and now house elite boutiques along the Jewish quarter. We will have sometime to shop at the many colors of the Bazaar of the Old City. We begin at the passageways descending through the many layers of Jerusalem’s past at the time of the Temple through the Western Wall Tunnels. Return to our hotel. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 6 - Beit Guvrin / Latrun / Mini Israel / JNF forest.

After breakfast, we will have a morning dig at Beit Guvrin. We continue to Latrun, the open air museum of more than 200 tanks. The museum is also a memorial site of the Israeli Armored Corps. This will be an opportunity to take pictures of the kids climbing the tanks. Nearby, we will visit Mini Israel, Israel’s miniature park in Latrun. Mini Israel features over 350 exact replica models of the land of Israel. Mini Israel is also a fun attraction for the younger kids. We end our day with a Tree Planting Ceremony in the JNF forest. Feel your connection with the land of Israel by planting a tree with your own hands. Return to our hotel Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 7 - Coast line to the Galilee

Tel Aviv / Old Jaffa / Caesarea / Bahai Temple / Safed / Galilee

After breakfast, we will drive north along the Plain of Sharon, the Mediterranean and the old coastal road-the Via Maris which linked Egypt and Babylon to Caesarea and the ancient Roman theatre built by Herod. We will drive to Haifa and ascend Mt. Carmel for a panoramic view of Haifa Bay and the Bahai Temple. We will continue our drive along the Galilee area towards the southern tip of the Golan Heights, where we will visit the mystical city of Safed. We will stroll along the narrow tangle of cobblestone streets, home to Cabbalists and thriving artist colony. We conclude our day and meet new friends at our Kibbutz hotel with dinner, a memory to take home. Overnight: Galilee

Day 8  - Upper Galilee and Golan Heights

Golan Height / Har Bental, / Katzrin Talmudic Village / Golan Winery / Hula Valley

After breakfast we start the day with a tour of the Kibbutz to learn about agricultural & communal life in Israel. We drive up through the Golan Height to the peak of Har Bental, where you can enter army bunkers and take in a panoramic view at the crossroads of three countries. From this point we can see across the Golan Plateau bordering with Syria and observe the abandoned Syrian city of Kuneitra and the U.N. outpost located nearby. Than on to the modern city of Katzrin, where we can travel back in time as we visit the excavated Talmudic Village of Katzrin. Taste some of the great wines cultivated on the Golan  at the Golan Winery. While driving down the Golan we will view Israel’s security situation from on-high while overlooking the Hula Valley from former Syrian fortifications. Return to the kibbutz for Dinner and overnight. Overnight: Galilee

Day 9  -  from the Galilee to the Dead Sea

Galilee / Jordan Valley / Dead Sea / Ein Gedi / Massada / Kfar Hanokdim

After an early breakfast, we will leave the Galilee area and drive south through the Jordan Valley to the region of Judea. As we arrive to the shores of the Dead Sea area, as we descend to the lowest point on the surface of the earth at 1305 feet (398m) below sea level. Arrive at beautiful Ein Gedi and study the biblical stories of King David Saul that took place there , hike the nature reserve and enjoy the waterfalls .  We will continue south for a visit of ancient Massada. We will ascend by cable car to the ancient synagogue, where we will enjoy our Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. We will tour the plateau of Massada, which represent the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their struggle against the Romans.  Descend Massada on foot via the Roman ramp , drive to Kfar Hanokdim Bedouin village , here we will ride Camels and enjoy a special B’nei Mitzvah party with traditional Bedouin  dinner called “Hafla “. Continue to our Dead Sea hotel. Overnight: Dead sea

Day 10 -  Dead Sea to Tel Aviv

After breakfast, we will have time to enjoy the Dead Sea & the Spa facilities. After lunch we drive towards Tel Aviv for a free evening. Overnight: Tel-Aviv 

Day 11   - Tel Aviv City Tour

Palmach Museum / Independence Hall / Carmel open market / Nachalat Binyamin's / Old Jaffa

After breakfast we start our tour by visiting the Palmach Museum (*Visit is based on availability. Substitute to the Palmach Museum will be the Diaspora Museum) for a multi-media presentation on defense in the pre-state era, 1920-48. Visit of the Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel was signed in 1948. Visit the Carmel open market and the nearby Nachalat Binyamin's pedestrian mall, with its restored buildings, sidewalk artists and arts and crafts fair. Continue onto Shenkin, one of Israel's most avant-garde streets. After a short Falafel lunch drive through HaBimah Theater, Rothschild Blvd, Rabin Square, Opera House & Tel Aviv Museum to Old Jaffa. At night time we will discover the romantic streets and passages of the old city of Jaffa and its artist colony and enjoy a festive farewell dinner. Overnight: Tel-Aviv 

Day 12 - Departure from Israel - arrival in the U.S.A

After breakfast transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your transatlantic flight back to the U.S.A

Take home your fond memories of Israel that will last a lifetime & start planning your next trip to Israel.....