contact@israelcelebrationtours.com

Day 1

Depart the U.S.

​

Day 2

Arrive in Israel.
We will be met by our service upon passing through passport control and directed to our driver (or
taxi). Get a cart for the luggage and you will be directed to the driver. We will drive up to
Jerusalem. We check in at the hotel, clean up and walk into town to have some dinner. We will
stay up as late as possible to adjust our internal clock.
Overnight: Jerusalem

​

Day 3

Tel Aviv
We begin this morning by driving to the Tayelet for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Just prior to the
ceremony, there will be an introduction to the centrality of Jerusalem to the Jewish people and the
significance of doing the Bar Mitzva overlooking the city. (Scheduled for 11:00AM- this will allow
for family to arrive for the ceremony). Following the ceremony, family and guests will go out for a
celebratory lunch. After lunch, we will go to the City of David and the Shiloah water tunnel (built
by a descendant of King David to save the city from conquest). Shorts, water shoes and a flashlight
are necessary. We will also visit the Southern Wall excavations and the Davidson virtual
center. Shopping time on Ben Yehuda combined with dinner.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Included: breakfast, lunch

​

Day 4

Old City
We begin our morning with a visit to the Old City where we will learn about the Jewish Quarter by
taking a Scavenger Hunt. We will also visit the Herodian Mansion, to see how the wealthy of

Jerusalem lived, 2000 years ago. We might want to have some lunch in the Arab Quarter after
which we can do some bargaining in the Arab Market. We will walk down to the Wall where we
will visit the Kotel Tunnels. From there, we drive to the Israel Museum where we will see the
Second Temple model and the Shrine of the Book.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Included: breakfast

​

Day 5

Beit Guvrin
We will leave Jerusalem and drive west to Beit Guvrin, where we will experience Dig for a Day.
An active archaeological site, at Beit Guvrin you will work as an archaeologist digging and sifting
through dirt to find artifacts; important finds go to a museum. Then you will have an opportunity to
crawl through some caves that have been opened to the public. Do not wear good clothing this
day. We will visit some other large caves in the area. On our way back to Jerusalem, we will stop at
Latrun where we will see a film and get to climb on the tanks—it is here that the revered Tank
Corps has its swearing in ceremony. We drive up to Jerusalem through the corridor and then tour
to see how the city has expanded over the last 20 years. After dinner, we will attend a light show
at David’s Citadel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Included: breakfast, dinner

​

Day 6

Massada
We leave Jerusalem (early) and drive to Massada. We ascend by cable car and learn about the
Zealots, the group of Jews who held out and resisted Roman influence and control. We visit
several of the ancient sites atop the mountain and learn about these very dedicated people and the
outcome of their struggle. Afterwards, we descend the mountain by cable car (or by foot for those
that wish to use the path). We then go to the Crowne Plaza hotel where we will have a chance to
mud up and float. We will then visit a Bedouin camp where we will ride camels and sit down to a
late lunch (hafla) and learn about the Bedouin culture. Back to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Included: breakfast, hafla (lunch)

​

Day 7

Efrat
We step out of time today. This morning, we drive to Efrat where we will experience the Caliber 3
training course. Here you will get to learn about self-defense and fire some of the Israeli-made
weapons at a range. We return to Jerusalem to visit Yad Vashem, the memorial to those that
perished in the Holocaust. We will visit several of the buildings and memorials. We then stop at
Machene Yehuda, the open air shopping market. Make sure you stop at Martzipan for the best
ruggaluch in Israel! Take some back to the hotel for snacking. We return to the hotel to clean up
and just before Shabbat, we go down to the Wall. After welcome the Shabbat with thousands of
others, we meet the family that will be hosting us for Shabbat dinner.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Included: breakfast, dinner with a family

Day 8

Beit Shean
We leave Jerusalem and drive north to Beit Shean, a Roman community of the 4th century. See
how the Romans lived and compare that with Beit Alpha, a Jewish community of the same time.
See the mosaic floor of the synagogue. We will stop for a swim in Sachne to cool off. Continuing
northward, we stop at Capernaum where an ancient synagogue and church were built side by
side. We will then do an off-road Jeep tour of the southern Golan Heights. We continue to the
kibbutz Ginosar where we can swim in the Sea of Galilee. Dinner is at the kibbutz.
Overnight: Kibbutz Guest house
Included: breakfast, dinner

​

Day 9

Sfat - Kfar Blum - Kiryat Shmoneh
We arrive in Sfat, the mystical town where Jews, kicked out of Spain, settled in the 1400’s and
1500’s. Driven by an all-embracing faith, they sought to understand the kabbala, the unseen
aspects of Judaism in hopes of hastening the coming of the Messiah to save the Jewish people.
Some wonderful arts and crafts shops have grown up among the synagogues from
more than 500 years ago. There are also some fine art galleries. We continue further north to
Kfar Blum where well will go rafting on the tributary of the Jordan River. We will then go to Kiryat
Shmoneh and take the Manara cable car up the mountain and rappel down. We visit Har Bental
where we get a grand view of Syria and have a chance to walk through Israeli army bunkers that
are open to visitors. We stop for a view of Kuneitra, a Syrian village, where we see just how close
the enemy is. We drive back to the kibbutz.
Overnight: Kibbutz Guest house
Included: breakfast, dinner

​

Day 10

Rosh Hanikra - Acco Prison - Haifa - Caesarea
We leave the kibbutz and head west. We will stop at Rosh Hanikra the grottoes carved out by the
sea. We’ll take the cable car down to the bottom. From here we drive the short distance to the
Acco Prison. This was created by the British and housed many Jews whose only ‘crime’ was
defending their lives. (The movie Exodus was filmed here). We will drive to the top of Haifa to see
the panoramic view. Our last stop of the day is a visit to Caesarea, where we visit the ruin of this
ancient city and amphitheatre. We continue on into Tel Aviv. Dinner on your own.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Included: breakfast

​

Day 11

Tel Aviv
We begin our day with a visit to the Ayalon Institute where we prepared for the War of
Independence under the noses of the British. We return to Tel Aviv to visit Independence Hall,
where in May of 1948, Ben Gurion read the Declaration of Independence. We then drive to Ramat
Aviv, and visit the Palmach Museum, the story of our pre-state army. We have a driving tour of
Tel Aviv. We head over to Jaffa to have an early dinner at Naalagat Restaurant (blind restaurant).

Overnight: Late Check out
Included: breakfast, dinner

​

Day 12

Departure

​