Taamu URu Winter Break Program December 21, 2015 – January 3, 2016

Monday, December 21- Welcome to Israel!

3:00pm – Arrival and check-in Lev Yerushalayim (Lisa and Phil) 4:30pm – 5:30pm – Meet & Greet at CY  Tour of the campus  Rules and Expectations 5:30pm- Chavrutah Activity with Dr. Joshua Kulp (Rosh Yeshiva) 6:15pm- Maariv 6:30pm- Dinner (at Guest House) 7:30pm- Opening program or ice breaker led by Phil (Madrich) 8:30pm- Free time

Tuesday, December 22- Getting to know Jerusalem and the Conservative Yeshiva

7:45am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am – “Introduction to the Conservative Yeshiva” - Rabbi Joel Levy 12:30pm – Lunch on your own 1:45pm – Depart for Neot Kedumim Park 2:30pm-Neot Kedumim Park- Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel shows a unique recreation of the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail allows visitors to see life as it was lived by our ancestors 3,000 years ago. 6:00pm- Depart for BBQ at Dr. Joshua Kulp’s House in Modin 6:15pm- Opening BBQ 8:00pm- Leave for CY

Wednesday, December 23- Where it All Began

7:15 am – Meet at at CY to get bus to the kotel to daven Shacharit (Morning Services) at the Egalitarian Kotel 7:30 am – Shaharit at Kotel 8:30am – Breakfast at the Kotel - provided by CY 9:00- 12:30pm – Tour of the City of David and the Davidson Center - archaeological site of ancient Jerusalem of the pre-Babylonian exile era. It is located beneath the southern city walls of old Jerusalem. 12:30pm-2:30pm –Lunch (on your own) and free time in the Old City- explore the streets and alleyways as they tell the stories of Jewish history. 2:30pm – Walk back to CY 3:00pm- Mincha and announcements at the CY 3:15pm-5:00pm –Special guest lecturer- Rabbi Aubrey Glazer- A musician, artist and filmmaker, Glazer holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew hermeneutics (contemporary Hebrew poetry written in Israel) and a master’s degree in Jewish philosophy from the University of Toronto. For nine years, he was the rabbi at the Jewish Community Center in Harrison, N.Y. 5:00pm- Free night Thursday, December 24- CY, Your Community in Jerusalem

7:45am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am – Talmud Class – beginning our exploration of the Mishnah and the Gemara Controversy over the Religious“ .שחיטה 12:45pm- Special Guest Speaker- Joe Mac Regenstein to speak about Slaughter of Animals in Europe and Australasia.”- Communal lunch (Lunch provided by CY). 1:45pm – Mincha at CY 2:00pm- Tour of Machneh Yehuda Market – Food tasting activity- The color and bustle of the marketplace is accentuated by over 250 vendors who sell fresh fruits and vegetables; baked goods; fish, meat and cheeses; nuts, seeds, and spices; wines and liquors; clothing and shoes; and housewares, textiles, and Judaica. 4:30pm- Free evening

Friday, December 25-Shabbat with Yeshiva and Nativ Students

Free Time 4:06pm – Candle lighting at Lev Yerushalayim  Kabbalat Shabbat with Nativ Program at the Youth Hostel 6:15pm – Shabbat dinner at Guest House with Nativ Program, followed by an Oneg Shabbat

Shabbat, December 26-Visiting different Communities and Synagogues in Jerusalem

8:00am – Shacharit (Morning Prayers) at Local Synagogues with students from the Conservative Yeshiva 11:30am- Havrutah- Learning at CY with your host students 12:00pm – Shabbat Lunch - Home cooked meal with some of the student’s from the Conservative Yeshiva 2:00pm – Menucha (Rest and Relaxation) 3:00pm- Board Games/activities/snacks at the CY 4:00pm- Mincah and Suda Shlishit at Moreshet Synagogue  5:22 Shabbat ends 5:30pm – Maariv & Celebrate Havdalah (end of Shabbat ceremony) at Moreshet Synagogue 6:00pm- Melave Malka at CY- Pizza provided by CY 8:00pm- Hamshushalayim- Winter Festival in Jerusalem

Sunday, December 27- Dive Into the Yeshiva Learning Program

7:45 am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am – Talmud Class 12:30pm- Lunch Break 1:45pm- Special Class just for Ta’amu U’R’u participants- “What really happened at Sinai? On Historical & Personal Revelation”- Shoshana Cohen 3:00pm- Mincha and announcements at the CY 3:15 pm- Chumash Class- the Five Books of Moses – Shaiya Rothberg 8:00pm- Special Program- ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BEER! The history of brewing in the Middle East (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan), including the flowering of Israeli craft brewers in the past decade. Tasting included. Doug Greener, beer mavin!

Monday – December 28th-Dive into the Yeshiva Learning Program Day 2

7:45am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am – Talmud Class 12:00pm- “Sicha” with Rabbi Joel Levy 12:45pm- Lunch Break 1:15pm- Goodbye party for Nativ Participants 1:45pm- Special Class just for Ta’amu U’R’u participants- "Defining who is a Jew: is matrilineality a Jewish practice?"- Yarden Raber 3:00 pm- Mincha and announcements at the CY 3:15pm- Midrash Class- Delve into the Midrash – from the text of the Torah to the big questions about life, the universe….. with Shoshana Cohen. 6:15- Free night

Tuesday- December 29th-Hidden layers of Judaism and Ancient Jerusalem

7:45 am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am – Tanach- Appreciating the beauty and challenges of the biblical text- Esther Israel 12:30pm- Lunch and Learn with Special Guest Speaker- Rabbi Arik Ascherman - President and Senior Rabbi of Rabbis for Human Rights"- Pizza Lunch Provided by Rabbi Ascherman 1:45pm- Special Class just for Ta’amu U’R’u participants- “Will the real tikkun olam please stand up”-Rabbi Joel Levy 3:00pm- Mincha and announcements at the CY 3:15pm- Afternoon Practical Halacha Class with Rabbi Joel Levy and Shaiya Rothberg 8:00pm- Walk to the Kotel Tunnels 8:30pm -Kotel Tunnel Tours- walk through underground tunnels of the Old City of Jerusalem exposing the full length of the Western Wall!

Wednesday- December 30th- Judaism’s holiest site in the world and the Magic of Judaism

7:15 am – Meet at at CY to walk to Shacharit (Morning Services) at the Egalitarian Kotel 7:30 am – Shaharit at Kotel 9:00am – Talmud Class 12:30pm- Lunch Break-Special Guest Lecturer- Dr. Jonathan Rynhold- Director, Argov Center for the Study of Israel and the Jewish People at Bar Ilan University. Dr. Rynhold will speaking about - American attitudes towards Israel - the best of times or the worst of times? Pizza Lunch provided by CY 1:45pm- Special Class just for Ta’amu U’R’u participants- “Towards the creation of a positive religious identity”- Esther Israel 3:00pm- Mincha and announcements at the CY 3:15pm- Mishna- Discovering the foundational text of Rabbinic Judaism with Dr. Joshua Kulp. 6:30pm-Depart for Bible Lands Museum 7:00pm-Bible lands Museum- an archaeological museum in Jerusalem, Israel, that explores the culture of the peoples mentioned in the Bible, among them the ancient Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Arameans, Hittites, Elamites, Phoenicians and Persians.

Thursday, December 31- Tel Aviv the First Hebrew City

7:30am – Shaharit at CY 9:00am- Depart for Tel Aviv- All Day Tour of Tel Aviv and the different Communities “White City/Black City” – Tel Aviv is the second most populous city in Israel - in recent years Tel Aviv-Yafo has witnessed a wonderful revival of Jewish culture and activism. On this tour, we’ll walk along the seam line between north and south, from Bialik Square to Neve Tzedek, and ask how Tel Aviv became known as the White City, and what this story tells us about how the city and its residents understand themselves. 10:30am- First part of tour: Bialik Square, Yemenite Quarter. 11:30am- Free time for lunch and to explore the Carmel Market and Shuk Hapishpishim- unique cultural experience, little alleys offering antiques, jewelry, clothes and all sorts of yummy food 12:30pm- Second part of tour: Hassan Bek Mosque, Dolphinarium, Old Railway Station, Neve Tzedek. 3:30pm- Finish tour in Neve Tzedek. Free time 5:30pm- Optional bus back to Jerusalem Hit the clubs and experience Tel Aviv’s exciting night life for New Year’s Eve!!!!!

Friday, January 1-Group Shabbat

Free Time 4:11pm – Candle lighting at Lev Yerushalayim  Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel 6:15pm-Shabbat Dinner at the Guest House 7:30pm-Oneg Shabbat at (mini party-socializing and eating) CY Beit Midrash

Shabbat, January 2- Masorti Movement

8:00am- Meet in Hotel Lobby to walk to Mayanot Synagogue for Shabbat Morning Prayers 9:00am – Shaharit at Maayanot 11:00am-Special Class on Masorti Communities in Israel 12:00pm-Lunch at the home of Rabbi Joel Levy (Director of the Program) 2:00pm- Walk back to CY along the Tayelet - Breathtaking over view of the Old City of Jerusalem 3:00pm – Mincha at CY 3:15pm- Menucha (Rest and Relaxation)  5:22 Shabbat ends 5:30pm- Celebrate Havdalah (end of Shabbat ceremony) 8:00pm- Night out on Ben Yehuda Street-the "Midrachov" is a major street in downtown Jerusalem. The street is lined with souvenir and Judaica shops and sidewalk cafes, and street musicians.

Sunday, January 3-Reflecting and Goodbye

7:30am – Shaharit at CY 9:00pm- Closing Program – “Reflecting…What am I Taking Home?” 12:30pm- Closing Program Lunch – with participants from Ta’amu U’R’u Winter Break program and CY year students 12:30pm- Departure- L’hitraot!

*subject to change