A Day in the Life of Israel
Our carefully planned itinerary stretched from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to the Golan to Haifa to Rosh Hanikra. We were thrilled to experience the full gamut of Israel's history, beauty, and accomplishments. Walking through tunnels, eating Druze food, praying at the Western Wall, rejoicing at the desert turned green, visiting the Hall of Independence, and so much more made our trip a once in a lifetime experience. We are grateful to Israel Celebration Tours for making our visit to Israel a great success. - Susan
Israel has so much to offer visitors, far more than the average tour can offer. Israel Celebration Tours, however, can provide you with truly memorable experiences with its customized tours. Just look at how you can spend a day in the life of Israel. Click on the links to get more information about these distinctive days:
Dig for a Day at Tel Maresha in the area of Bet Guvrin
A rare opportunity which allows you to touch your roots. Dig-for-a-Day is a unique program designed for visitors of all ages.
The Dig-for-a-Day program runs three hours. The activity includes: digging, sifting, pottery examination and touring the National Park of Beit Guvrin with an exciting crawl through unexcavated cave systems.
This is followed by a special tour of Tel Gezer led by Rabbi Lee Diamond.
Israel Defence Forces for a Day
The IDF is Israel’s army. On this day we will volunteer on an IDF base and have an opportunity to learn about the life of Israel’s Defense Force. Our volunteering will also give us an opportunity to meet young Israeli soldiers and get an insight into their lives.
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Safed and Kabbala for a Day
Safed is Israel’s mystical city of Kabala. It was here in the 16th century that great Kabbalists lived, wrote and attempted to reach a higher plane. On this day in Safed we will join in the study of mystical texts from the Kabala and enjoy special stories of the Ari Ha Kadosh (Issac Luria). We will meet as well with young Jews who have chosen to deepen their lives through mystical thought.
Kibbutz for a Day
The Kibbutz was known for years as the ideal society for the pioneering (chalutzim) population of Israel. They attempted to build a better society based on the principles of equality for all. Times have changed; needs have changed; the concept of a better society has changed and so has the Kibbutz. However the Kibbutz of today remains unique in Israel’s life. We will visit a Kibbutz that maintains the classic life style and which remains socialist today and we will visit a Kibbutz that has gone through change and privatization. In each Kibbutz we will meet with founders and their sons and daughters and grandchildren to learn of their lives, their dreams and their contribution to Israel today.
The New Israel Secular Judaism
Some are of the impression that Israelis are either secular or orthodox. This is far from the truth and the words “secular” and “religious” are misleading. Our goal on this day is to meet various Israelis in very different kinds of endeavors who are creating new patterns of Judaism for their generation and for Israeli society. This day will usually take place on Erev Shabbat when we can visit and meet and participate in prayer and study experiences. One of the features of this day will be participation in a service at Tel Aviv’s Northern Port in the prayer service of Bet Tefilah Yisraelit.
Wine Tour for a Day
When the 12 spies entered Israel for the first time they sought to discover the land. Two of them returned carrying a fully ripe grape vine. This image has become the symbol of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism.
Israel’s wine industry in modern times was established in the first Aliyah at the end of the 19th century.
Today, Israel wineries export all over the world and produce fine wines that are highly sought after. We visit wineries in various parts of the country, depending on your location and taste, learn and enjoy the wonders of Israel.
Israel Trail for a Day
The National Trail runs from Israel’s northern border to Eilat in the south. There are 11 sections of the trail. We will select according to the season, according to your desire and your “energy level” the path of choice, for a day, two or more!
- Naftali Ridge and Ramim Cliffs (Upper Galilee)
- Kadesh Naftali stream and Yesha fortress (Upper Galilee)
- Meron stream's parking lot to Ein Zeved and Shema ruins (Upper Galilee)
- Mount Tabor (Lower Galilee)
- Tzippori stream (Lower Galilee)
- Ma'apilim / Nakhash stream (Mount Carmel)
- Shayarot Range (Judean Mountains)
- Yatir ruins to Dragot Quarry
- Mitzpe Ramon and Ramon Crater (Negev)
- Kisuy stream and Ovda Valley (Negev)
- Shkhoret stream (Eilat Mountains)
Jewish/Israeli Meditation, Yoga and Music for a Day
In the mountains of the Galilee or in the Judean Wilderness and even in Jerusalem, there are wonderful locations for meditation. Such meditation has long been a part of Israel’s ancient and modern history. We will select a location and share in mediation with a Jewish meditation guide and Yoga specialist in a location appropriate for your schedule.
We will also visit sites of meditation in Jewish history such as Qumran, the site of the Essene community as well as monasteries where meditation is practiced today. Our own meditation will be accompanied by appropriate instrumental music.
King David for a Day
King David established Jerusalem as his capital city 3,000 years ago. In addition, by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to his capital in a grand parade, he defined Jerusalem for all time to be the spiritual capital of the Jewish people. We direct our prayers towards Jerusalem until this day; we break a glass at a wedding in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem; our last words on Yom Kippur and at the Pesach Seder are Next Year in Jerusalem.
On this day we learn about King David in the City of David. Here we read texts and stories from his life; here we discover how he captured Jerusalem; here we discover what the city looked like in his day; here we walk through an ancient water tunnel from the period. Here we discover our 3,000 year link with the City of Peace.
King Herod for a Day
While King Solomon built the first Temple and expanded Jerusalem, Herod rebuilt and expanded Jerusalem and the second Temple to its greatest glory. We visit the Davidson Center dedicated to the teaching of Herod’s second Temple. But we also visit the Holyland Model of Jerusalem and the Burnt House from the time of Herod. Our goal is to understand the world of the second Temple and discover patterns that are relevant until our day.
Olive Picking for a Day
This experience is designed together with Rabbis for Human Rights. This inter-denominational organization of Israeli Rabbis attempts to support human rights in Israel and in the territories. We join together with West Bank Palestinians in helping them harvest their olive crop and support the concept of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We meet the village families and break bread with them and make our small contribution and statement for shalom.
Tzadaka for a Day
Tzadaka is a basic Jewish value. Tzadaka comes from the root Tz D and K which means justice. We join in bringing justice to Israel and its people by contributing our time to those in need—We will spend our day learning about and volunteering in special needs facilities, in hospitals, in senior citizen homes and work places, and in distribution centers of food to the needy. These are just a few of the many possible opportunities that we offer on this day or two or more as we join in trying to make a better world.
Human Rights Experience for a Day
Bi Tzelem (man created in the image of God) and Rabbis for Human Rights are just two examples of many organizations which are rarely known outside of Israel.
There are: doctors who dedicate their time to help others; teachers who volunteer their time; the Women of the Wall; those struggling for Peace between nations in such organizations such as One Voice; there are meetings occurring between “enemies” all the time and in all frameworks. There is an organization of relatives of those who have been killed on both sides of the “green line” who try to console each other.
Our goal on this day will be to choose select experiences so that we can see and know first hand the many attempts that exist in Israel to make Israel all that we dreamed it can be. You will come to understand that Israelis are concerned deeply about the others in the world and how this small nation contributes to any nation in crisis.
Israel Politics from Left to Right in a Day (or two or more)
Politics in Israel is often complicated for the visitor. But Israel is continuously alive with political struggle 24/6. There are those who are on the political left regarding Israel’s foreign policies and peace efforts. There are those who are concerned with the religious character of the Jewish state; there are the secular and the religious; there is the political right, which strives for security and settlement. There are Arab political parties and there are those who support freedom of the use of marijuana. There are Sepharic and Ashkenazic religious parties; there is a growing movement by Israel’s youth to provide reasonable rental housing in the cities. You name it and there is a political party for the cause.
On this day we will visit the Independence Hall where Israel was declared and read as well as study Israel’s Declaration of Independence. We then visit the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and meet members of the Knesset who will share their views. We will meet with West Bank settlers as well as leaders of peace movements. We will also hear the voice of the silent majority (on both sides of the conflict) who simply want to live a life of peace.
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Education in Israel for a Day
Education has been the primary tool of Jewish survival throughout our history. Education in Israel is perhaps the key issue after war and peace that occupies the mind and reality of most Israelis. On this day we learn about the Israeli education system from kindergarten through university and visit appropriate sites. We will have the opportunity as well to meet teachers, professors of education, parents and students of all ages in various settings.
Real Estate for a Day (or two or …)
Despite the depression of real estate in the economies of the west, Israel seems thus far to have avoided this crisis. Property values keep climbing in Israel today to the point that starting young couples are unable to enter the market. Small apartments of 700 square feet are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rents in the big cities are sky high and out of reach for many. Our goal on this day is to visit neighborhoods and homes in Jerusalem and/or Tel Aviv to understand this market and meet residents and politicians who are living and dealing with this matter.
High Tech in Israel for a Day (or two or …)
Israel is known as a “start-up nation.” There is as much happening in the world of High Tech in Israel as anywhere else in the world (to be modest). It is noted that there is more entrepreneurship per capita in Israel than anywhere else in the world. Israel, despite being the 100th smallest country in the world, has the highest number of companies listed on the NASDAQ after America. It also has highest number of high-tech start-ups outside of the US, estimated to be 3,500 and ranging from Internet companies to companies offering software solutions.
This day will enable us to experience the unique nature of Israeli society that allows for such amazing development. As the book, Israel: A Start-Up Nation indicates, this quality of creativity affects all aspects of Israeli society. We will visit some of the high tech companies; we will visit a desalination plant in Israel; we will visit a new battery-driven car company in Israel and have a test drive; we will meet with the authors of the book Israel: A Start-Up Nation and meet some of our “wiz kids” and see them in action.
Diving in the Red Sea for a Day (or two or ...)
We fly from Tel Aviv to Eilat. Picked up at the airport, we are driven to the dive site or our boat allowing us to enter the hidden undersea world of God’s fifth day of creation. We see the coral reefs and fish of the Red Sea that are hidden from our eyes. The vision of this world can be a spiritual experience for all. Dinner in a fine fish restaurant in Eilat concludes our day and we return on a late flight to Tel Aviv. Or if we wish we can extend our stay by another day and enter the Sinai where the diving is outstanding.
Petra for a Day
We are picked up early from our hotel or airport (Eilat), and enter Jordan through the Arava border crossing. Drive in an air-conditioned coach to Petra. Continue on foot into the narrow canyon that leads to the Siq and the rose-red ancient Nabatean city of Petra. Enjoy the comprehensive tour during which we will visit the Treasury, the Roman Theater and the caves in the rocks among dozens of impressive monuments. On the way out of Petra, we will have lunch in a hotel restaurant. We return via Aqaba, for a short panoramic tour, and drive back to the Arava border crossing, and your hotel or the airport.
(This tour can also be done from Tel Aviv with an early morning flight to Eilat with transportation to the border crossing. On the return, you are taken from the border crossing to the Eilat airport for your flight back to Tel Aviv.)
Tel Aviv Architecture for a Day
Tel Aviv is known for its architecture and has been awarded the status of a “World Heritage City” by UNESCO. Its Bauhaus style of architecture is unique. We will join with one of Israel’s young and leading architects who will share the development of this art form in Tel Aviv. He will help us discover what at first appears as a haphazard and disorderly city, which in fact has had an urban plan since the mid 1920’s. Scottish biologist and architect Patrick Geddes was hired to plan the city’s future. The principles of Geddes’ initial plan, primarily his adaptation of the ‘Garden City’ concept to a wholly urban context still exists and can be seen in modern Tel Aviv.
We visit some of the unique Tel Aviv neighborhoods on this day as well. Perhaps most interesting will be the Yemenite Quarter tour by Yona Wiseman who lives in this wonderful neighborhood. This tour includes meaningful stories of Yemenite Jews, a taste of the foods of the quarter and a visit to Yona’s home and rooftop to end our day.
Jewish National Fund for a Day
The Jewish National Fund may take credit for the creation of and maintenance of Israel since its inception. All of us remember the little blue box in which we dropped our coins to help make Israel grow. So many of us contributed to the tree planting in Israel.
On this day dedicated to JNF projects in Israel, we will visit the Negev desert to view and experience the projects of this vital organization. We will visit a new settlement of young Israeli students who have chosen to revitalize the dream of Ben Gurion who wished to make the desert bloom. We will visit a water purification center; we will visit Sederot which suffered and continues to suffer from missile attacks from the Gaza strip. Here we will visit some of the projects of the JNF which provide for safety and activities for children of this Negev town.
And if we wish, we too, can plant trees with our own hands to make the desert bloom.
If we are in the north on this day, we will visit the forests of the Carmel which were tragically destroyed in an uncontrolled forest fire this past year and meet some of the residents whose homes and communities were severely damaged.
Forester for a Day
Travelers to Israel can now participate in a new reforestation project, “Forester for a Day”, every Sunday through Friday in northern Israel's Carmel Forest region.
“The Carmel Forest restoration program is a great initiative that combines voluntourism and eco-travel”, says Haim Gutin, “Israel Commissioner for Tourism, North and South America, and will add some additional excitement for travelers arriving in Israel this year”.
Initiated by the KKL-JNF, the project allows participants to assist park rangers in clearing underbrush, pruning trees and preparing fire breaks and forest paths in the Carmel Region. The three-hour program is suitable for groups of up to 150
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