Jewish Travel Division of EMCO Travel, LLC Since 1993 Toll-free 877-466-2934.  Phone 727-254-4373 Fax: 203-653-5586 email:  info@JewishTravelAgency.com

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tour in Israel

15 days, 14 nights
Jerusalem,Dead Sea,Galilee,Tel Aviv

Tour Departs on: Sunday

Itinerary for Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tour (Jul 31 - Aug 14, 2005)

Day 1: En Route

Depart New York on EL AL Israel Airlines to Israel.

Day 2: Jerusalem

Welcome to Israel! Meet your Tour Host; then drive 3,000 feet high into the Judean hills to Golden Jerusalem. Relax, unwind and absorb the excitement of being in Israel! Early evening briefing on your special program, followed by a Welcome Dinner.

Day 3: Jerusalem

Enter the Old City. Walk to the Jewish Quarter and along the Cardo, the colonnaded main street of Byzantine Jerusalem. Inside the Davidson Center, you’ll see a fantastic computer imaging presentation of the Temple. Continue to the Southern Wall and the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. Visit the Burnt House and the Herodian Mansions, still intact after 2,000 years. Continue to the Rabbinical Tunnel under the Temple Mount, another monumental achievement of the ancient Israelites who inhabited Jerusalem thousands of years ago. Proceed to the Time Elevator, a multi-media attraction that takes you on a three-dimensional, simulated ride through the last 2000 years of Jerusalem’s history. Time permitting, visit the City of David. Tonight, Restaurant Dinner — Middle Eastern style.

Day 4: Jerusalem

Today, we tour the New City of Jerusalem. Begin at the Scale Model of Jerusalem, which depicts the city during the Herodian period (Second Temple). Continue to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust — a lecture is followed by a tour of the museum. Visit the Children’s Memorial and walk along the Avenue of the Righteous; continue to the Valley of the Lost Communities. After a private Memorial Service, proceed to Mount Herzl, the military cemetery where Theodor Herzl and most of Israel’s great statesmen are buried. In Ein Karem, visit Hadassah Hospital’s synagogue; view the magnificent Chagall Windows. Next, see the magnificent Supreme Court complex. Stop at the giant bronze Menorah outside the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), before your visit to the Israel Museum whose Shrine of the Book houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. Dinner together.

Day 5: Jerusalem

Begin the day with a tree planting ceremony, commemorating your trip to Israel. En route, stop at the magnificent Scrolls of Fire monument before continuing to the ancient cities of Beit Guvrin and Tel Maresha for a day of family experience and fun. Participate in a real archeological dig at Beit Guvrin – almost half a day of learning about the regional archaeology and history. Visit the new site of the refuge caves where Jewish warriors lived and hid and observe ancient olive oil manufacturing facilities. Tonight, meeting and rehearsal with the Rabbi for the families, and individually with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah children. Restaurant Dinner.

Day 6: Jerusalem

Drive west to Latrun to visit the Armed Forces Museum, the strategic site of many critical battles to control the main road to Jerusalem, including the War of Independence. Next, on to Mini-Israel to see the fantastic mini-replicas of all the major buildings and sites in Israel. Time permitting, proceed to Nebi Samuel, the traditional site of the Tomb of the prophet Shmuel. En route to your hotel, drive through some of Jerusalem neighborhoods to observe the preparation for Shabbat. Wander through picturesque, winding lanes; see beautifully restored 19th century homes.  Before sunset, visit the Western Wall to welcome Shabbat. Traditional Shabbat dinner.

Day 7: Jerusalem

Shabbat at leisure. Attend services, if you wish, discover Jerusalem on your own, or just relax.

Day 8: Jerusalem/Dead Sea

Depart Jerusalem. Begin another day of family excitement with our Desert Experience! Ride through the Southern part of the Judean Desert on special vehicles – camels! Meet the Bedouins (desert people), and see the breathtaking desert with its beautiful rock formations and endless shapes. At the “Hanokdim Farm”, we’ll experience Bedouin style hospitality, feasting on a “Hafla” lunch. Continue to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and to Ein Gedi where we can hike to the beautiful waterfalls. After checking in at our hotel, time to enjoy the great spa facilities. Dinner and overnight at the Dead Sea.

Day 9: Masada/Galilee

Early morning ascent by cable car to the top of Masada, the last stronghold of the Zealots who chose suicide over surrender to the Roman conquerors. Join our spiritual leader for the Bar-Bat Mitzvah service atop the mountain, overlooking the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moab. Following the services, learn about Herod the Great’s Palace, view the synagogue, bath house and newly excavated areas. After descending the summit, continue by motorcoach to the Galilee via the coastal road. Time permitting, stop at Caesarea to explore the astounding Roman Amphitheatre, aqueduct and Crusader ruins. Continue to our kibbutz for Dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Galilee

Explore the northernmost part of Israel. Take the cable car to the top of Kibbutz Manara, for a spectacular view of the northern Galilee (situation permitting). Tour the kibbutz with lunch and, if possible, visit an army base – climb on tanks and speak to the soldiers who defend the northern boarder of Israel, observing the life of  a real combat unit. Tonight, dinner at a seaside restaurant, followed by a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee — another evening of surprises and family fun!

Day 11: Galilee

Begin the day with a tour to the ancient Talmudic village of Katzrin once the capital city of the Golan. Visit a local winery and continue touring the Golan Heights. Visit the Syrian fortifications and see the magnificent view of the Hula Valley. Visit the Banias Waterfalls, one of the sources of the Jordan River; ascend Har Ben Tal at the Israel/Syrian border at Kuneitra, for a view beyond the border into Syria. Time permitting, visit Gamla, the Masada of the north and hike along the Nature Trail. The fun continues at the Jordan River – enjoy kayaking, rafting and canoeing downstream; test your skills on the Omega (another pleasant surprise). Dinner at the kibbutz.

Day 12: Galilee/Tel Aviv

Drive to ancient Safed, one of Judaism’s four holy cities. Wander its winding lanes to see ancient synagogues and artists’ studios. On to the timeless, Crusader port city of Acre (Akko), with its Middle Age fortress, subterranean city and bazaars. Stop in Atlit where the British incarcerated the Holocaust survivors. Continue to Haifa, draped on the slopes of biblical Mount Carmel; tour the beautiful Persian Gardens of the Bahai Shrine. Then, visit to a Druze village in the Carmel Mountains (time permitting). Continue along the coastal road to Tel Aviv, Israel’s bustling metropolis. Tonight is our festive Bar/Bat Mitzvah dinner – the Bar/Bat Mitvah children will be presented with a special certificate from the Government of Israel.

Day 13: Tel Aviv

Morning visit to the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora, where you can trace the roots of your family and observe many models of Jewish life, everywhere in the Diaspora. Continue to Independence Hall, where Ben Gurion proclaimed the new state in 1948. On to beautifully restored Jaffa, with its cobblestone streets lined with galleries and boutiques. Admire the Art Deco and Bauhaus architecture of Rothschild Boulevard and the revitalized neighborhood of Neve Zedek and its special Mediterranean atmosphere. End the day with a visit to Nachlat Benyamin with its Friday afternoon crafts stalls and lively throngs – the place to be! Traditional Shabbat Dinner.

Day 14: Tel Aviv/En Route

Shabbat at leisure – stroll the beautiful Tayelet (promenade) along the beach and enjoy the invigorating pace of the city. Tonight, our Farewell Dinner caps a memorable tour. Late evening transfer to the airport for the flight back to the U.S. (Each family will have a day room until the transfer to the airport).

Day 15: Route/New York

Morning arrival in the U.S.A.

Tour Includes:
•Roundtrip Flights from New York on El Al
•12 nights Deluxe Hotels/Kibbutz plus
•Comprehensive sightseeing and exciting activities!
      • Herodian Excavations • Rabbinical Tunnel
      • Time Elevator • Mini Israel Park • Tree planting
      • Absalom Caves • Archaeological Dig
      • Camel Ride in the Negev
      • Manara Observation Site
      • Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee
      • Kayaking on the Jordan River
      • Army Base Visit • Bedouin “Hafla” Lunch
•Services of Professional Tour Manager/Guide
•Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremony atop Masada
•Arrival and Departure Transfers
•Tips to Hotel and Restaurant Staff
•Deluxe Flight Bag & Document Case
•USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program
 

Tour Dates:  July 31 to Aug. 14, 2005

 
 

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Fax: 203-653-5586
email:  info@JewishTravelAgency.com
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