BELEN FAMILY – BAR MITZVAH TOUR JUNE 2020 Updated by LeeAnn Langer – August 20th, 2019 Guide-

Please note that the itinerary is tentative and is subject to change based on time, weather, security, and other considerations.

DAY ONE – TUESDAY, JUNE 9TH – ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO TEL AVIV • Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport on Flight ???. You will be met by a representative and escorted through passport control, baggage claim, and customs. • Transfer to your hotel, check in, rest, relax, and unpack. • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant. Overnight: Hilton, Tel Aviv

DAY TWO – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH – TEL AVIV (NO GUIDE & NO VAN) • Full Israeli at hotel • Day at leisure in Tel Aviv – options include: o Beach time o Enjoy the hotel facilities o Shopping time o Tel Aviv Museum of Art o Walk along the Herbert Samuel Promenade • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant. Overnight: Hilton, Tel Aviv

DAY THREE – THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH – TEL AVIV (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel • Take a tour of the Palmach Museum, which covers the history of the regular fighting force of the Haganah, the unofficial Jewish army during the British Mandate period. This interactive museum takes you through history via stories of young Palmach recruits from 1941 to 1948. • Lunch on your own in the Carmel Market • Explore the historic neighborhood of Old Jaffa with its alleyways, flea market, and trendy port area. • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant. Overnight: Hilton, Tel Aviv

DAY FOUR – FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH – COASTAL PLAIN (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel and check out • Explore Caesarea National Park, home to ancient palaces built for King Herod, a Roman amphitheater, historic port, and other Roman archaeological wonders, such as the Promontory Palace with the remains of its mosaic floor. • Visit Daliyat Al-Karmel and learn about Druze culture in . This is the largest Druze community in the country, welcoming visitors to sample the local cuisine or shop at the neighborhood bazaar. Enjoy a hands-on cooking workshop followed by lunch. • Visit the historic town of Old Akko: as one of the oldest ports in Israel, it boasts archaeological wonders spanning the entire length of the port’s history. Visit the famous Templars’ Tunnel along the coast, the expansive Knights’ Halls, and the charming open-air market. • Continue to your hotel in the north and check in. • Dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Hagoshrim, Upper Galilee

DAY FIVE – SATURDAY, JUNE 13TH – GOLAN HEIGHTS (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at hotel • See the biggest waterfall in Israel, ruins of ancient cities, and tons of natural beauty in the Banias Nature Reserve. This natural wonder contains several hiking trails, cliff climbing, and tours of many historical ruins from ancient eras. • Lunch en-route • Take in the panoramic views from the peak of Mount Bental and see the old military bunkers used during the battle for the Golan during the Yom Kippur War. • Enjoy an off-road Jeep tour on the slopes of the Golan Heights • Dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Hagoshrim, Upper Galilee

DAY SIX – SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH – GALILEE (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at hotel • Visit Tzfat, the city of Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah. With its walking trails, historical sites, and art galleries, this spiritual town is truly a unique site to visit. • Lunch en-route • Cool off with a rafting trip down the Jordan River, and take in the serene landscape of the Jordan Valley. • Return to the hotel. • Dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Hagoshrim, Upper Galilee

DAY SEVEN – MONDAY, JUNE 15TH – JORDAN VALLEY (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel and check out. • Visit a local army base and meet with some soldiers for an informal discussion of their military experience and the different positions they hold – pending permission. • Take a fun and informative tour of Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, a religious kibbutz in northern Israel that is dedicated to organic farming and natural, religious living. Here your guide will teach you about religious life on a kibbutz, the organic farming methods used in theirs fields, the use of bumble bees in pest control, and more! Lunch on the kibbutz is included. • Continue south through the beautiful Jordan Valley. • Jump on a camel and take a ride through the desert at Genesis Land. • Welcome to ! Enjoy the panoramic views of the city from atop Mount Scopus. • Check in to your hotel. • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem

DAY EIGHT – TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH – JERUSALEM (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel • Tour Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial site and the definitive source for Holocaust education, documentation, and research. Learn about and pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, Jews who fought their Nazi oppressors, and non-Jews who aided the victims of the Nazi Regime. • Hear the stories of Israel’s greatest heroes at Mount Herzl • Get ready for the Machane Yehuda Shuk Dash Scavenger Hunt! The competition may be fierce, as you’ll have to complete tasks like selling a piece of , posing with a fish, and more. • Return to hotel • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem

DAY NINE – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH – JERUSALEM ON OWN • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel • Day at leisure in Jerusalem – options include: o Israel Museum o Biblical Zoo o Walk along the rampart walls o Arab Market • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem

DAY TEN – THURSDAY, JUNE 18TH – BAR MITZVAH DAY!!! (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel • Bar Mitzvah at Robinson’s Arch – (egalitarian section of the Western Wall) • Learn the secrets of the Temple while walking through the Western Wall tunnels • Celebratory in honor of the Bar Mitzvah • Explore the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem and experience the rich history and culture of the Jewish people through its yeshivas, synagogues, and of course the Western Wall—home to the Jews almost continuously since 8 BCE. • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant • Enjoy the fabulous Sound and Light Show at the Tower of David. Utilizing the walls of the citadel, the show recreates the story of the historic city of Jerusalem using virtual reality images. Get ready for a fantastic and exciting experience that will create lasting memories for the entire family. Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem

DAY ELEVEN – FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH – JUDEAN DESERT (GUIDE & VAN) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel and check out • Ascend to the top of Masada via cable car and explore the fascinating remains of King Herod's palace, the roman-style bath house, and the ancient storerooms and watchtowers. Here you'll learn about the significance of the site and the mass suicide that occurred during the Roman siege on the fortress. • Lunch and swim at a resort hotel at the Dead Sea. Float in the hypersaline Dead Sea and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of weightlessness in this mineral-rich water at the lowest spot on earth. (Optional spa treatments available.) • Continue to Eilat and check into your hotel • Dinner on your own at the hotel or a local restaurant Overnight: Royal Beach, Eilat

DAY TWELVE – SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH – EILAT ON OWN • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel • Day at leisure in Eilat – options include: o Underwater observatory o Water sports • Dinner on own Overnight: Royal Beach, Eilat

DAY THIRTEEN – SUNDAY, JUNE 21ST – EILAT ON OWN (TRANSPORT ONLY) • Full Israeli breakfast at the hotel and check out • Morning at leisure in Eilat • Transfer to the airport • Fly to Tel Aviv • Transfer to the hotel and check in • Afternoon at leisure in Tel Aviv • Dinner on own at the hotel or a local restaurant Overnight: Hilton, Tel Aviv

DAY FOURTEEN – MONDAY, JUNE 22ND – DEPARTURE (TRANSFER ONLY) • Full Israeli breakfast at hotel and check out • Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport • Fly back to USA!!!

Hope you had a great time!!!!