Israel & Palestine: History & Culture
Program includes
- Roundtrip Airfare
- 15 Nights of Accommodation
- All Ground Transportation
- Daily Continental Breakfast
- Welcome & Farewell Dinners
- Historical & Cultural Walking Tours
- Full Time Local Guide
- 24/7 On-Ground Emergency Support
- Travelers Health Insurance & Liability Insurance
- Tips & Gratuities
Program Highlights
- Israel Museum
- Garden Tomb
- Temple Mount
- US Consulate Visit
- Yad Vashem Museum
- Church of the Nativity
- Mahmoud Darwish Museum
- Jaffa Port
- Evening Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee
- Dead Sea
- Meet with Pastor or Priest
- Meet with an Imam
- Meet Akiva Tor from MFA
- Meet with university students
Itinerary
DAY 1 – DEPARTURE
- Depart Home for Tel Aviv, Israel
DAY 2 – JERUSALEM
- Arrive in Tel Aviv, Israel
- Airport Transfer to Jerusalem (approx. 1 hour)
Orientation Walking Tour – The group will become oriented with their neighborhood, the public transportation systems, nearby pharmacies, markets, ATMs, etc. Additionally, an in-depth safety briefing will be provided for what to do incase of an emergency. - Welcome Dinner – The group will be taken for an authentic Israeli dinner with a wide variety of menu options to cater all diets.
DAY 3 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Historical & Cultural Tour of Jerusalem – Witness the modern and ancient city of Jerusalem. Join us on this fascinating tour through the Kotel Tunnels. This is not just a journey through time, but a lesson in Jewish history and in the archeology and topography of Jerusalem.
- Lunch Break
- US Consulate Visit
- Meet Akiva Tor from MFA
- Ben Yehuda Street – Ben Yehuda Street is more open pedestrian mall than street. It connects to Jaffa and King George Street forming a triangle in central Jerusalem.
DAY 4 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Temple Mount – See the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.
Meet with an Imam for a discussion on Islam and the politics - Explore Muslim Quarter – Western Mall, Via Dolorosa, visit Church of Holy Sepulcher to learn about its history and challenging sectarian conflicts.
- Lunch Break
- Meet with Pastor or Priest
- Mount of Olives and Meet with Rabbi
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
DAY 5 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Meet with university students group Whachad al Echad
- Walking tour of Ein Kerem – Learn different narratives about Zionism and Israel’s 1948 War of Independence.
- Lunch Break at Mahane Yehuda Market
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
- Sunset at Kotel – Watch the Shabbat prayers and festivities begin
- Shabbat Dinner with Local Families
DAY 6 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Israel Museum – The Israel Museum, Jerusalem is one of the world’s leading museums.
- Garden Tomb – A quiet place reserved for worship and reflection. The Garden Tomb is considered a possible site of the resurrection of Jesus.
- Lunch Break at Arab Market
- Stations of the Cross Walk – The 14 Stations of the Cross are stops along the Via Dolorosa that pay homage to the events during the torture, sentencing, carrying of the cross, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Mass in the Franciscan Chapel of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (6 PM) or at the Austrian Hospice (5.15 PM)
DAY 7 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- 9 AM – Testimony at Yad Vashem
- Yad Vashem Museum – Yad Vashem, Israel’s largest Holocaust memorial, sits on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance on the edge of Jerusalem.
- 1 PM – Lunch Break at Ein Karem
- 2 PM – Meeting with B’tselem representative David Kretzmer
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
- 4 PM – Parents Circle-Families Forum and Dinner – Get an overview of the geopolitical scene with your expert guides. Close the day with a traditional, home-cooked meal and live music. Wast Al Tarik (Middle of the Way) Joint Music Band, hosted at the home of a Palestinian family in Bethany.
DAY 8 – BETHLEHEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- 9 AM – Transfer to Bethlehem (approx. 2 hours)
- Church of the Nativity – Journey south and cross the checkpoint into Bethlehem, for a tour of the Church of the Nativity.
- Shepherd’s Field – Savor fresh local cuisine at a Bedouin tent.
- 1 PM – Lunch Break at Tent Restaurant
- 2-4 PM – Meet with Catholic Relief Services – Enjoy artisans workshops and shop at Fair Trade handicrafts at Beit Sahour.
- 4.30 PM – Meet Local Host Families
- Dinner with Host Family
DAY 9 – BETHLEHEM
- Breakfast with Host Families
- Aida Refugee Camp Visit – Meet members of the community
- Alrowwad Center – Alrowwad Center partner with kindergartens, schools and the local community to create harmony by employing “non-violent” expression through education, as well as performing and visual arts which preserve Palestinian oral history.
- Volunteering at the Tent of Nations – Spend part of the day volunteering at the Tent of Nations, an environmental and educational farm in the West Bank that seeks to connect people to one another and to the land.
- Dinner with Host Families
DAY 10 – RAMALLAH
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Transfer to Ramallah Area (approx. 2 hours)
- 10 AM – Yesha Council – Sit with members of the Yesha Council (council of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria), to hear about their ideology and goals. Meet locals from the settlement and learn about life there.
- Lunch Break
- Mahmoud Darwish Museum – Paying homage to one of the most significant figures of contemporary humanitarian culture, national and international icon, late poet Mahmoud Darwish.
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
DAY 11 – DEAD SEA/JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Transfer to Auja (approx. 2 hours)
- Friends of the Earth Middle East – Meet in Al Ouja and take a hike with the Friends of the Earth Middle East. Hear about their joint Arab-Jewish environmental initiatives.
- Lunch Break
- Dead Sea – Take a quick trip up to the top of Masada and enjoy the beautiful views of Jordan over the Dead Sea. Follow your adventures with a dip in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea.
- Return to Jerusalem (approx. 1 hour)
DAY 12 – JERUSALEM
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Jaffa Port – Visit the historic port city of Jaffa.
- Historical & Cultural Walking Tour of Jaffa
- Lunch Break
- Visit Rabin Square – Discuss Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination and his memory today.
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
DAY 13 – NAZARETH
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Transfer to Nazareth
- White Mosque and Church of the Annunciation Tour – The Annunciation Church-located in the small town of Nazareth, Israel, is one of the most important churches in the Christian world today. The walls of the church are inlaid with statues of the Virgin donated by churches from all over the world.
- Lunch Break
- Mt. of the Beatitudes – The Mount of Beatitudes is a hill in northern Israel, in the Korazim Plateau. It is where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
- Transfer to Tiberias
- Evening Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee
- Watch the video: “The Syrian Bride” in preparation for tomorrow’s visit to Majdal Shams.
DAY 14 – NAZARETH
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Golan Heights – The Golan Heights, a rocky plateau in south-western Syria, has a political and strategic significance which belies its size.
- Lunch Break
- Mount Bental – The Mount Bental overlook is beautiful and provides stunning views of Mount Hermon and the Golan.
- Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion
DAY 15 – ACRE
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan – Visit Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan, established at the end of 1931, to learn about the history and nature of kibbutz life in Israel.
- Historical & Cultural Tour of Acre Ancient Port City – A UNESCO World Heritage site and a vital link to Europe during the Crusades.
- Lunch Break
- Continue the tour of Acre
DAY 16 – HAIFA
- Breakfast & Day Briefing
- Free Morning – Enjoy a relaxing morning at the beach or take in some final shopping in Haifa.
- Lunch Break
- Baha’i Gardens in Haifa – Find time for quiet contemplation as you wander through the graveled paths, hedges and flowerbeds groomed and nurtured by dedicated gardeners.
- Farewell Dinner & Program Closing
- Airport Transfer for Evening Flight
- Depart Tel Aviv, Israel for Home
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