Comprehending the Holy Land
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STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY COMPREHENDING THE HOLY LAND August 31 to September 13, 2012 a program of the stanford alumni association STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Perhaps nowhere else in the world does the confluence of history, religion and politics hold more significance than in Israel, a country whose geographic position has placed it at the intersection of Eastern and Western civilizations and at the crux of the debate on the future of the Middle East. It is home to some of the most sacred sites of three of the world’s great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Join Jewish studies professor Steven Weitzman on a special journey to this holy land, where we seek to understand Israel through the ages, exploring its magnificent landscape and stunning archaeological sites and getting to know its people from all walks of life. I hope you can join us. Brett S. THOMpson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel/Study TOWER OF DAVID, JERUSALEM cover: western wall, jerusalem Highlights DISCOVER STAY in a converted ENGAGE in discussions cosmopolitan Tel Aviv’s kibbutz, now a charm- on current events and excellent museums and ing hotel, while visiting issues with local journalists, the sacred sites of ancient locations throughout the professors and students. Jerusalem, the most holy Galilee and the Golan city in Israel. Heights. DEAD SEA Kfar Blum GOLAN a HEIGHTS e Zippori Capernaum SYRIA S Haifa Sea of n Nazareth Galilee a e Caesarea n r e a v I SRAEL i r R r e Tel Aviv WEST n t a i BANK d r JORDAN d o e J M Jerusalem Bethlehem GAZA Dead STRIP Sea Masada EGYPT institute whose mandate is to examine Israeli society in the Itinerary context of equality and social justice. Visit Independence Friday & Saturday, Hall where David Ben-Gurion AUGUST 31 & SEPTEMBER 1 declared the establishment U.S. / TEL AVIV, ISRAEL of the State of Israel on May Depart the U.S. on a regularly 14, 1948. Enjoy lunch along scheduled overnight flight to Tel Rothschild Boulevard where the Aviv. Upon arrival on Saturday, largest collection of Bauhaus transfer to our hotel and enjoy architecture in the world has an early dinner and welcome earned Tel Aviv the moniker, briefing at our hotel. HILTON HOTEL (D) “The White City.” HILTON HOTEL (B,L) Sunday, SEPTEMBER 2 TEL AVIV / JAFFA Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 4 Our tour of Tel Aviv begins CAESAREA / HAIFA / with a visit to the recently KFAR BLUM Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 5 Head north to Caesarea, an UPPER GALILEE / opened Israeli Museum at the important city in ancient times GOLAN HEIGHTS / KFAR Yitzhak Rabin Center, which BLUM with wonderfully restored presents the parallel stories Travel to the important biblical Roman, Byzantine and of the history of the State of region of Upper Galilee and to Crusader-era sites. Explore the Israel and the biography of the Golan Heights. Begin the Roman theater, the cathedral former Prime Minister Rabin morning at Banias, a biblical and the nearby Ralli Museum. who was assassinated in 1995. city located at the foot of Mt. Continue to Haifa, Israel’s Continue to Jaffa, one of the Hermon, followed by lunch atop largest port, and ascend to the world’s oldest port cities, and Mount Ben Tal, with its views of summit of Mount Carmel. Visit visit the beautifully preserved Israel’s northern borders. Drive the studio and home of the Al Mahmoudiya Mosque. This to Katzrin, the administrative expressionist painter, Emmanuel evening, enjoy a welcome center of the Golan Heights, and Mane-Katz, which is now a reception and dinner. HILTON tour the Golan Archaeological museum. Then tour the gardens HOTEL (B,L,D) Museum. of the Shrine of the Bab, with its KFAR BLUM KIBBUTZ (B,L,D) Monday, SEPTEMBER 3 gilded dome that marks it as the TEL AVIV world center for the Baha’i faith. THursday, SEPTEMBER 6 Attend a morning briefing at the Continue to our kibbutz, now a SAFED / CAPERNAUM / Adva Center and learn about charming hotel, where we enjoy TABGHA / KFAR BLUM the organization’s work as a dinner tonight. Begin the day at Safed, a center non-partisan policy analysis KFAR BLUM KIBBUTZ (B,L,D) of Jewish mysticism and home Kfar Blum GOLAN a HEIGHTS e Zippori Capernaum SYRIA S Haifa Sea of n Nazareth Galilee a e Caesarea n r e a v I SRAEL i r R r e Tel Aviv WEST n t a i BANK d r JORDAN d o e J M Jerusalem Bethlehem GAZA Dead STRIP Sea Masada EGYPT DOME OF THE ROCK, JERUSALEM to ancient synagogues and Saturday, SEPTEMBER 8 dip in the Dead Sea, the saltiest an artists’ colony. After lunch, JERUSALEM and lowest body of water on visit the Mount of Beatitudes, Early this morning, explore earth. Return to Jerusalem. known as the site of the Sermon Jerusalem’s Old City, stopping INBAL HOTEL (B,L) on the Mount. Then travel to first at the Temple Mount. Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 11 Capernaum, the center of Admire the brilliantly golden Dome of the Rock and see the BETHLEHEM / Jesus’ ministry, where a modern JERUSALEM church has been built over the Western Wall. After lunch at At the nearby city of Bethlehem, remains of what is believed to be a local restaurant walk along visit Manger Square, the house of Saint Peter. Explore the Via Dolorosa—the Way of Bethlehem’s central plaza and Tabgha where, according to the Cross—past the walls of the entrance to the Church the Bible, Jesus miraculously tiny chapels that mark the 14 of the Nativity, built over the multiplied two fish and five stations of the journey Jesus grotto thought to be the site loaves of bread to feed the purportedly made from the of Jesus’ birth. After lunch crowds. Enjoy a leisurely boat place of his trial to the scene of return to Jerusalem and visit ride on the Sea of Galilee. his crucifixion and the site of his the Hassadah Medical Center KFAR BLUM KIBBUTZ (B,L,D) burial, on which was built the with its colorful stained-glass Church of the Holy Sepulcher. windows by Marc Chagall. INBAL HOTEL (B,L,D) Friday, SEPTEMBER 7 INBAL HOTEL (B,L) ZIPPORI / NAZARETH / Sunday, SEPTEMBER 9 JERUSALEM Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 12 JERUSALEM Drive south toward Jerusalem, JERUSALEM passing olive groves, This morning, visit Yad Vashem, This morning visit the newly pomegranate shrubs, grape the national Holocaust Memorial renovated Israel Museum to vines and fig trees. Stop in and Museum, which possesses admire its splendid display of Cana, supposed site of the the largest Holocaust archive archaeology and Judaica. See biblical story of Jesus’ turning in the world. After a traditional the Shrine of the Book, home water into wine. Continue falafel lunch, drive to the East to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The to Nazareth for a visit to the Jerusalem campus of Al Quds balance of the day is at leisure. Basilica of the Annunciation, University for a briefing and This evening enjoy a farewell and the archaeological site orientation. INBAL HOTEL (B,L) reception and dinner at the of Zippori best known for its Monday, SEPTEMBER 10 American Colony Hotel. stunning Roman and Byzantine- MASADA / JERUSALEM INBAL HOTEL (B,D) era mosaics. Upon reaching Take a full-day excursion south Jerusalem, check into our hotel to Masada and the Dead Sea. THursday, SEPTEMBER 13 JERUSALEM / U.S. and enjoy dinner independently. Ascend by cable car to the After breakfast transfer to the INBAL HOTEL (B,L) massive palace/fortress built airport for flights back to the by Herod the Great in the 1st U.S. (B) century BCE. After lunch, take a JAFFA CAESARIA OLD CITY, JERUSALEM OLIVE GROVE IN GALILEE NOT INCLUDED International and U.S. domestic airfare Passport Information and visa fees Immunization costs Meals and beverages other than those specified as included DATES Independent and private transfers Trip-cancel- August 31 to September 13, 2012 (14 days) lation/interruption and baggage insurance Excess- baggage charges Personal items such as email, SIZE telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for Limited to 39 participants nongroup services COST* AIR ARRANGEMENTS $7,995 per person, double occupancy International and U.S. domestic airfare is not included $9,995 per person, single occupancy in the program cost. Round-trip, economy-class *Association nonmembers add $200 per person airfare on Air Canada from San Francisco to Tel Aviv and return from Jerusalem is approximately $1,800 INCLUDED as of January 2012 and is subject to change without 12 nights of hotel accommodations 12 breakfasts, notice. Information on recommended flight itineraries 10 lunches and 7 dinners Welcome and farewell will be sent by our designated agent. cocktail receptions Bottled water on all excur- sions Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers WHAT TO EXPECT for all group activities All tours and excursions as We consider this program to be moderately described in the itinerary Transfers and baggage strenuous and at times physically demanding and handling on program arrival and departure days busy. We will have a full schedule of excursions, Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance lectures and special events, and some days will Educational program with lecture series and pre- require early-morning starts. Daily excursions involve departure materials, including recommended reading one to three miles of walking with tours lasting as list, a selected book, map and travel information long as two or three hours. Much of the walking takes Services of our profes- place at ancient sites, where paths can be rocky sional tour manager and uneven, as well as on city streets, which can be to assist you through- uneven or cobblestone.