The Tour for Baby Boomers: Equally meaningful, less stressful
We designed the Baby Boomer Tour specifically for those looking for a less strenuous, but equally meaningful Israel tour program. This tour will allow you, your friends or family members to enjoy Israel in a more leisurely manner at a pace that is suitable for the group. Yet the power and impact of a special experiential program in Israel is maintained…
Storyteller
The country of Israel is like a great storybook telling the history of the land and its people. But like any storybook, it is the storyteller that adds excitement, drama, pathos, emotion, feeling, and pride in the presentation of the story. It is his/her sharing and explanation of that story that gives meaning and allows for your trip to resonate in your soul for the rest of your life. Israel Celebration Tours employs only the best, the brightest, the most entertaining of Israel’s licensed guides: these are your storytellers.
Celebrations
Celebration. It is in our name. So many who take this journey want to add something special, something celebratory in this land of our ancestors. Add in a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, at a special site in Jerusalem overlooking the Old City. Renew your wedding vows under a setting sun or in the mystical city of Safed (Tzfat).
Tell us what you desire. We handle the details. You enjoy the tour. And celebrate!
Sample Israel Senior Group Tour of Israel for Baby Boomers
We are excited to show you our Israel! We can create a custom tour for you, your family, a small group of close friends, or a traditional group.
For those of you that are interested, we offer, at no additional charge, the possibility of having a first or second Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Israel at a special site in Jerusalem overlooking the Old City. Or, if you are interested in renewing your wedding vows, we can arrange this. Again, there is no additional cost. Just let us know if this is your desire.
Note: Actual locations, sites, times and details may change according to requirements.
“Israel Baby Boomer” Tour: Sample Program
Day 1, Travel
Depart the U.S.
Day 2, Israel
Jerusalem
Arrival at the Ben Gurion Airport, transfer to the hotel in Jerusalem. Drive to Mt. Scopus for a view of Jerusalem and the Old City along with the traditional “shehecheyanu” with wine and bread.
Arrive in your hotel in Jerusalem and check-in. Before diner, we will meet for a ‘get-together’ cocktail in one of the hotel’s conference rooms. You will get to know your travel mates and your guide who will give you all relevant information for the coming tour.
Following, our first Israeli dinner will be ready for us at the hotel’s main dining room.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Dinner
Day 3, “Digging up our roots”
Jerusalem / Archaeology / Beit Guvrin / Sorek Caves / David’s Tower
We begin our introduction to Israel with a visit to ‘Dig for a Day’, an active archeological dig. Here we will learn how the archeologist works and then we will participate in several aspects of the dig. Then we will visit Beit Guvrin to see some of the caves that have been opened up in previous explorations. From here, we will drive back to Jerusalem stopping at the Sorek caves to see this wonder of nature – stalactites and stalagmites abound. We return to Jerusalem and to our hotel for dinner and then we will go out for a Sound and Light show at David’s Tower.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 4, “The Holiness of Beauty”
Jerusalem – The Old City / The Temple / The Kotel
Our first stop is the Haas Promenade for a panoramic view of the Old City. After learning about King David by viewing the City of David, who made Jerusalem the eternal city of the Jewish people, we enter the Jewish Quarter, and visit the Davidson Center where using a computer simulation, we will ‘experience’ walking into the Temple built by Herod. Our next stop will be the famous Kotel Tunnel, which traverses the western side of the Temple wall. Time permitting, we will leave time to shop a bit on the famous Ben Yehuda Mall.; We will then go out for a group dinner in one of Jerusalem’s nice restaurants.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 5, “The Dead Sea and Zealot option”
Masada / Dead Sea / Bedouin Hospitality
We leave Jerusalem and drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to visit the palaces of Herod the Great, the Roman baths and pools, the excavations and the synagogue. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Proceed to the Crowne Plaza hotel at the Dead Sea to enjoy of a Lunch & Swim – You can use the Spa facilities (treatments are not included) and hotel’s private beach. (If you wish to have a spa treatment, advise your guide the day or two in advance). We will drive along the shores of the Dead Sea for a short visit at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We then travel to a Bedouin tent to enjoy of Bedouin Hospitality at Abraham’s Tent to learn about this culture. (We can go for a short camel ride, as well). Today enjoy dinner in our hotel and after dinner get together for a Hebrew lesson in one of the conference rooms of the hotel.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6, “The Holocaust and Today’s struggles”
Yad Vashem / Machene Yehuda / Shabbat of a Lifetime
We visit Yad Vashem, the memorial to the 6 million Jews who perished in the Shoah. Our next stop is the Menorah at the Knesset, symbol of a people seeking justice in ancient times to this very day. We make a stop at Machene Yehuda, the open-air market. Make certain you pick up some rugelach!! We return to our hotel to clean up as Shabbat comes in. Tonight we will enjoy a special traditional Shabbat Dinner– we call it “Shabbat of Lifetime”. First we will visit The Wall to greet the Shabbat Queen with the thousands of others. Afterwards, we continue to our host families’ homes for Kiddush, special home-cooked dinner, and an unforgettable time with our local hosts. We return to the hotel.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 7, “The Beauty of Holiness”
Free day in Jerusalem for Shabbat
The morning is free for those who wish to attend synagogue services or just relax at the hotel. Around noon, we will depart for the Israel Museum– Shrine of the Book home to the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. Also on the grounds of the museum is the Miniature model of Jerusalem, a model of Second Temple Jerusalem of 2000 years ago. We will also have time to explore this great Museum to view the Archaeological display, Israeli art Galleries or the best Judaica items collection. We return to the hotel. (This is a good time to meet with family/friends at the hotel). Dinner on your own at a recommended restaurant in the hotel’s vicinity.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Meals- Breakfast
Day 8, “Reaching Higher”
Galilee / Beit Alfa / Tiberias / Safed-Tzfat / Kibbutz
We drive north to the Sea of Galilee, and stop at Beit Alfa to see the remains of an ancient synagogue built during the period of the Roman rule. Continuing north, we pass though the city of Tiberias. We have time to stop in Rosh Pina, founded in the late 1800’s. We now drive up the mountains of the Galil to the mystical city of Safed (Tzfat) — refuge for many of the Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. We then drive the short distance to the Dalton Winery. On to our beautiful Kibbutz hotel in the upper Galilee. Dinner at our Kibbutz hotel.
After dinner we will enjoy of a lecture about Kibbutz life from one of the seniors kibbutz members.
Overnight: Kibbutz hotel Hagoshrim
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 9, “Defense of the State”
The North / Kfar Giladi / Golan / Talmudic Village /Tel Dan
After breakfast, drive north and visit Kfar Giladi and the ‘Roaring Lion’, located near the Lebanese border. We then drive to Metula and the “ Dado” viewpoint for an explanation of the Geopolitical situation in this region. Visit the Golan Heights and hear the stories and see the strategic importance of the region from Mt. Ben Tal. Enter the bunkers and view the contemporary borders with an overview of Syrian town of Kuneitra. Visit Katzrin, the capital of the Golan; at the Talmudic village we will see the ancient synagogue that shows our connection to this land. At the end of the day, we will take a light hike in Tel Dan. Special fish dinner at a nice restaurant (Dag al HaDan) on the banks of the Dan River.
In the evening we will have a Hebrew lesson.
Overnight: Kibbutz hotel Hagoshrim
Meals-Breakfast, dinner
Day 10, “The Road to Statehood”
To the Coast / Druze Village / Rosh HaNikra / Acco / Israel Navy Museum / Haifa
After breakfast travel west to a Druze village, where we will learn about this group of people that have remained loyal to Israel and even serve in the army. We take the cable car at Rosh Hanikra on the Lebanese border, down to the grottos. We continue southward along the coast and stop We will visit the Acco Prison, where the British jailed and hanged Jews for the ‘crime’ of defending themselves. Now we will visit the Israel Navy Museum located aboard one of the ships that attempted to break the British blockade of Palestine after World War II. On to our hotel in Haifa. Dinner at our hotel.
Tonight we will have a speaker from the Army to talk about life in the army.
Overnight: Dan Panorama hotel in Haifa
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 11, “The Road to Statehood Part 2”
Haifa / Bahai Gardens / Atlit / Ceasarea /
We start the morning with a visit to the beautiful Bahai Gardens. We then drive south to the Atlit Illegal Immigration camp, (established in the 1940‘s by the British for Jews) and meet a former crew member (if available) of one of the ships that brought Jews to Israel during the British mandate. We will make a stop at Caesarea, the ancient seaport where we will see the ruins, museum and the amphitheater. We continue south along the Mediterranean Coast to Tel Aviv. A special dairy dinner and evening activity tonight at the “Na Laga’at”cultural center. We will discover the blind language at this special place located at the old port of Jaffa.
Overnight: Dan Panorama hotel Tel Aviv
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
Day 12, “Our Home after 2000 years”
Tel Aviv / Ayalon Institute / Independence Hall / Palmach Museum / Rabin Square
After breakfast in the hotel, we visit the Ayalon Institute, where we manufactured ammunition before we were a state, under the noses of the British. We then visit Independence Hall where Ben Gurion, 65 years ago, declared the State of Israel on the 14th of May,1948. We then visit the “Beit HaPalmach Museum, which commemorates the contribution of the Palmach to the creation of the State of Israel. To end our day, we drive to Rabin Square, the site of his assassination. We return to the hotel to pack up. We go out for a farewell dinner at a local Yemenite restaurant.
Meals- Breakfast, dinner
From here, we go directly to the airport for the return trip home. Depart for U.S.
Day 13, Travel
Home
Arrive in the US in the A.M.
Meals
At times, the dinners will be at the hotel; other times, they will be in a nice restaurant. Because the food in Israel is so appetizing and varied, we provide you with a few evenings where you can select your own restaurant. Your guide will make suggestions if you wish some guidance.
HOTELS – We stay in highly rated 4-star hotels throughout the country.
Jerusalem: Dan Panorama Hotel
North: Kibbutz Hagoshrim
Haifa: Dan Panorama Hotel
Tel Aviv: Dan Panorama Hotel