Comprehending the Holy Land

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

a v I SRAEL i 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

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 excursions 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. In some instances, such as out the program museums, guided tours require standing in one place for 20 to 30 minutes at a time and climbing up and down several flights of stairs, which may not have handrails; elevators are limited or unavailable. Some sites and museums do not allow buses to pull up in front, thus requiring a several minutes’ walk to reach the entrance. Our journey at times requires several hours of travel by motorcoach, the longest drives being up to 6 hours in length. Participants must be physically fit, active and in good health. We welcome travelers 15 years of age and older on this program. Jerusalem

Terms & Conditions Deposit & Final Payment product offered in this brochure losses or additional expenses due A $1,000 deposit is required to hold includes a special Waiver of Pre- to delay or changes in air or other space for this program. Complete Existing Conditions and cover- services, sickness, weather, strike, and return the attached reservation age for Financial Insolvency and war, quarantine, force majeure or form or place your deposit online. Terrorist Acts if you postmark your other causes beyond our control. Final payment is due 120 days insurance payment within 15 days All such losses or expenses will prior to departure. As a condition of the date listed on the confirma- have to be borne by the passenger of participation, all confirmed tion letter. as tour rates provide arrangements participants are required to sign only for the time stated. We reserve a Release of Liability. Eligibility the right to make such alterations We encourage membership in the to this published itinerary as may Cancellations & Refunds Alumni Association as the program be deemed necessary. The right Deposits and any payments are fully cost for nonmembers is $200 more is reserved to cancel any program refundable, less a $500-per-person than the members’ price. Parents prior to departure in which case cancellation fee, until 120 days prior and their children under 21 may the entire payment will be refunded to departure. After that date, refunds travel on one membership. For more without further obligation on our can be made only if the program is information or to purchase a mem- part. The right is also reserved sold out and your place(s) can be bership, visit alumni.stanford.edu/ to decline to accept or retain any resold, in which case a $1,000-per- goto/membership or call (650) person as a member of the pro- person cancellation fee will apply. 725-0692. gram. No refund will be made for an We recommend trip-cancellation Responsibility unused portion of any tour unless insurance; applications will be sent arrangements are made in sufficient to you. The Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University and our time to avoid penalties. Baggage is Insurance operators act only as agents carried at the owner’s risk entirely. Stanford Travel/Study provides all for the passenger with respect The airlines concerned are not to be travelers who are U.S. or Canadian to transportation and exercise held responsible for any act, omis- citizens with minimal medical, every care possible in doing so. sion or event during the time pas- accident and evacuation coverage However, we can assume no sengers are not onboard their plane under our group-travel insurance liability for injury, damage, loss, or conveyance. Neither the Alumni policy. Our group policy is intended accident, delay or irregularity in Association, Stanford University to provide minimal levels of protec- connection with the service of any nor our operators accept liability for tion while you are traveling on this automobile, motorcoach, launch any carrier’s cancellation penalty program. We strongly recommend or any other conveyance used in incurred by the purchase of a non- that you subscribe to optional carrying out this program or for the refundable ticket in connection with baggage and trip-cancellation acts or defaults of any company or the tour. Program price is based on insurance. A brochure offering person engaged in conveying the rates in effect in February 2012 and such insurance will be mailed with passenger or in carrying out the is subject to change without notice your confirmation about one week arrangements of the program. We to reflect fluctuations in exchange after we receive your deposit. The cannot accept any responsibility for rates, tariffs or fuel charges.

California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50

Faculty Leader Steven Weitzman joined the department of religious studies in 2009 and is now director of Stanford’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies and the Daniel E. Koshland Professor of Jewish Culture and Religion. Trained in ancient Near Eastern studies and Jewish studies, his research seeks to develop new approaches to the Bible and early Jewish texts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has recently published a biography of King Solomon and is planning a new history of the biblical miracle. “We covered a lot of history and a “One of the aspects of the Bible that I find most fascinating is lot of territory in a the interconnection among religion, story and place,” explains Professor Weitzman. “Why is the God of the Bible associated relatively short time, with mountains? What role did the desert play in the imagination but I feel I came of ancient Israelites? How was religious life in Jerusalem away with a good different from that of the Galilee or from the coast? How does perspective. The geography shape the story-telling to be found in scriptural very complex history texts—and how, for that matter, have those stories reshaped the of Israel and the geography of the Holy Land?” During our program, Professor region as a whole Weitzman will explore the origins of Israel, Judaism and the relationship between space and time in the Bible. were wonderfully presented.” Please note that additional guest speakers and special events Babs Brownyard, ’59 focusing on current events and the political situation in Israel are Israel Suitcase Seminar, 2010 being planned and will be confirmed shortly before departure.

STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY

Reservation Form Israel In-Depth UP MR. / MRS. / MS. SIGN ! MISS / DR. / PROF. ONLINE NAME

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If this is a reservation for one person, please indicate: Mail completed form to address on mail panel I wish to have single accommodations. or fax to (650) 725-8675 or place your deposit online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?israel2012. OR I plan to share accommodations with: Please submit your reservation only once to ______avoid multiple charges to your account. OR I’d like to know about possible roommates. 7538 P A I D Association U.S. Postage U.S. Nonproﬁt Org. Stanford Alumni CA 94305-6105 CA Stanford Travel/Study Stanford Frances Arrillaga C. Alumni Center Galvez326 Street Stanford, (650) 725-1093 COMPREHENDING COMPREHENDING LAND THE HOLY 2012 September 13, to August 31

“The Stanford Travel/Study program is the very best way to go on a trip—I rate it A+++.” Gail Mathisen, Israel Suitcase Seminar, 2010

STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY

Masada fortress