Israel Past and Present
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STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Israel PAST AND PRESENT March 8 to 21, 2013 a program of the stanford alumni association STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY TEL AVIV One would be hard-pressed to find a country that elicits as much passion, as many opinions, and, for a destination that has been covered so doggedly by the media, as much confusion as Israel. However difficult it may be to understand this tiny, complex land, we are intrigued by the challenge! Join us in an exploration of both modern and ancient Israel as we examine incredible archaeological excavations; view dramatic landscapes; visit historical and cutting-edge cities, both Israeli and Palestinian; experience the most sacred sites of the world’s three great monotheistic faiths; and meet with a vastly diverse array of people that comprises this multifaceted and ever-evolving society. Brett S. Thompson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel/Study Highlights EXPLORE Jerusalem’s MEET with local scholars, VISIT the Palestinian Old City, home to the settlers, soldiers and city of Ramallah and the Western Wall, Church of businesspeople to better cutting-edge Palestinian the Holy Sepulchre and understand and appreciate development of Rawabi, Dome of the Rock—three Israel’s complex society. seldom visited by tourists. of the holiest sites in Juda- ism, Christianity and Islam. Cover: Jerusalem DOME OF THE ROCK, JERUSALEM GOLAN HEIGHTS Rosh Pinna a Safed Capernaum e SYRIA S Tzippori Sea of Nazareth n Galilee a Caesarea Bet She'an e n WEST a Jordan r BANK r Tel Aviv River e t Amman i Ramallah d Jerusalem e Bethlehem M GAZA Dead STRIP Sea Masada J ORDAN I SRAEL EGYPT Petra Hall, where Prime Minister was home to one of the Itinerary Ben Gurion declared Israel’s most impressive architectural independence in 1948. Stroll feats of the ancient world: Friday & Saturday, MARCH 8 & 9 through one of the Tel Aviv an artificial harbor built in the U.S. / TEL AVIV, ISRAEL neighborhoods best known for open sea. Continue to Tzippori Depart the U.S. on overnight World Heritage-listed Bauhaus National Park, known for its flights, arriving in Israel on buildings. Enjoy a welcome magnificent mosaic collection. Saturday. Transfer to our hotel reception this evening. DAVID In Nazareth visit the Church of in Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew INTERCONTINENTAL (B,L) the Annunciation, which has city in modern times. DAVID been venerated since Byzantine INTERCONTINENTAL Monday, MARCH 11 TEL AVIV / JAFFA times as the place where the Sunday, MARCH 10 After a guest lecture on Israeli Virgin Mary was visited by the TEL AVIV politics, visit the charming port Archangel Gabriel. Drive to After a welcome orientation and of Jaffa where, according to the charming town of Rosh introductory lecture, explore the tradition, Jonah emerged from Pinna, one of the oldest Zionist Yitzhak Rabin Center for Israel the whale and St. Peter was agricultural settlements. Studies, which was established born. Today Jaffa is home to MITZPE HAYAMIM (B,L,D) to perpetuate Prime Minister a thriving artists’ community. Rabin’s legacy by promoting Wednesday, MARCH 13 Visit the eclectic Ilana Goor tolerance across all sectors of THE GOLAN HEIGHTS / Museum, then enjoy a walking SAFED Israeli society. Visit the Rabin tour through Neve Tzedek, Travel into the Golan Heights for Memorial and Independence the first Jewish neighborhood a view of Quneitra, the largely built outside Jaffa. Wander destroyed and abandoned through the outdoor Carmel Syrian garrison town that now Market to Shenkin Street, Tel lies in the UN demilitarized Aviv’s trendiest thoroughfare. zone. Visit former Israeli After dinner at leisure, perhaps and Syrian fortifications to attend an optional music or understand the complexities dance performance. DAVID of the Golan Heights in the INTERCONTINENTAL (B,L) context of current-day Middle East geopolitics, then view Tuesday, MARCH 12 CAESAREA / TZIPPORI / the remains of the Second NAZARETH / ROSH PINNA Temple period community Drive along the coast to of Gamla, site of one of the Caesarea Maritima. Built by fiercest Roman-era battles. Herod the Great, Caesarea GOLAN HEIGHTS Rosh Pinna a Safed Capernaum e SYRIA S Tzippori Sea of Nazareth n Galilee a Caesarea Bet She'an e n WEST a Jordan r BANK r Tel Aviv River e t Amman i Ramallah d Jerusalem e Bethlehem M GAZA Dead STRIP Sea Masada J ORDAN I SRAEL EGYPT Petra CHRISTIAN QUARTER, JERUSALEM After lunch with soldiers of the Friday, MARCH 15 Christendom, which is widely JERUSALEM— Israeli Defense Force, drive to THE OLD CITY considered to be the place of picturesque Safed, a center of Explore the Jewish Quarter of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and Kabala (Jewish mysticism) for the Old City beginning with the resurrection. Travel to the West hundreds of years and today a Tower of David Museum, which Bank city of Bethlehem to visit contemporary artists’ colony. explains the city’s history from the Church of the Nativity, the Visit Safed’s 16th-century the time of Abraham to the end basilica constructed around the synagogues and participate of the British Mandate over cave traditionally considered in a dialogue with a local Palestine. View some of the the birthplace of Jesus. Meet artist inspired by Kabalistic sites excavated over the past 30 with a Palestinian journalist for messages. MITZPE HAYAMIM (B,L,D) years, including the 2,000-year a perspective on the prevailing old Herodian Mansions where views in Palestinian society. Thursday, MARCH 14 SEA OF GALILEE / the priestly class once lived. Return to Jerusalem and JORDAN VALLEY / Observe the faithful praying at observe how the city comes JERUSALEM Explore Christian sites along the Kotel (Western Wall) and alive as Shabbat ends. HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L,D) the shores of the Sea of Galilee. wind through the Western Wall Tunnel, which runs along the Enjoy a spectacular view from Sunday, MARCH 17 the Mount of Beatitudes, length of the Temple Mount. JERUSALEM— You may choose to experience THE NEW CITY traditional site of Jesus’ Attend a guest lecture by a the sights, sounds and tastes of “Sermon on the Mount,” and local scholar to learn how the colorful Machaneh Yehudah visit Tabgha, where Jesus is the Holocaust is viewed in open air market as shoppers said to have performed his contemporary Israeli society, and shopkeepers prepare for miracle of multiplying a few then explore Yad Vashem, Shabbat. Enjoy a traditional loaves and fishes to feed Israel’s national memorial to the multitudes of people. Explore Shabbat dinner this evening. HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L,D) six million Jewish victims of the the archaeological park at Holocaust. Visit the National Capernaum, which served as Saturday, MARCH 16 Military Cemetery on Mt. a base for Jesus during his BETHLEHEM / JERUSALEM Herzl and explore the recently Galilean Ministry, and visit Bet Return to the Old City, this renovated Israel Museum, She’an, one of Israel’s largest time to explore the Muslim home to extensive collections archaeological sites. Drive and Christian quarters. Walk of artifacts and Judaica as well along the Jordan Rift Valley to along the Via Dolorosa, past as the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea our hotel in Jerusalem, where the Stations of the Cross Scrolls. Enjoy dinner at leisure we stay for the next six nights. to the Church of the Holy this evening. HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L) HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L) Sepulchre, the holiest site in BET SHE’AN SEA OF GALILLEE And GOLAN HEIGHTS DEAD SEA MUSLIM QUARTER, JERUSALEM Monday, MARCH 18 Scrolls were hidden until their RAMALLAH discovery in 1947. Return to Embark on an early-morning Jerusalem, stopping en route excursion to the Temple Mount to view the setting sun over or Noble Sanctuary, arguably the Old City from the top of the most hotly contested piece the Mount of Olives. Dinner of real estate in the world. this evening is at leisure. Site of the First and Second HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L) Temples, this platform is home to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Wednesday, MARCH 20 PETRA, JOrdAN Dome of the Rock, Islam’s GUSH ETZION third-holiest site. Drive to the Enjoy a presentation at the Palestinian West Bank city of Shalom Hartman Institute, a research center that addresses Post-tour Extension Ramallah and visit the tomb to Petra, Jordan and mausoleum complex the major challenges facing March 21 to 24 of Palestinian leader Yasser the Jewish people today. Journey to Gush Etzion, the Arafat, located at the Mukata’a, Fly to Eilat, Israel’s Red Sea which serves as Palestinian block of West Bank settlements resort city, and cross the border Authority headquarters. originally established in the to Aqaba, Jordan. Travel to Continue to Rawabi, a new 1920s, and engage in a Wadi Rum to experience the magnificent landscape made Palestinian city in its early dialogue with a local settler. Return to Jerusalem to enjoy famous as the setting of the stages of development, to meet film, Lawrence of Arabia. Spend the rest of the day at leisure with one of the project’s chief an entire day exploring the ruins architects. HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L,D) before gathering for a festive of Petra, one-time capital of the farewell reception and dinner Nabataean Empire and home Tuesday, MARCH 19 this evening. HOTEL MAMILLA (B,L,D) to some of the most unique MASADA / DEAD SEA and best-preserved rock- Drive through the Judean Thursday, MARCH 21 hewn structures in the Middle Desert to Masada, Herod’s JERUSALEM /U.S. East. Drive to Jordan’s capital, mountain palace and site Check out of our hotel this Amman, stopping en route to of the Jewish Zealots’ last morning and transfer to the visit the small town of Madaba, whose small church contains stand against the Roman airport for flights home.