YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE®

Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures 2021

Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13)

Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler,

At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Traditions itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these:

Wherever I go, it’s the locals I meet along the way that leave a lasting impression on me. You’ll see what I mean when you have the rare opportunity to spend two nights on the grounds of a kibbutz—a communal- living collective in Golan Heights. You’ll meet many of its members and gain an in-depth look into how they support themselves with a combination of agriculture and other business. What I truly loved about the kibbutz was the feeling of community. You’ll witness this when you sit down for a meal in their communal dining room—a center of community life on the kibbutz.

You’ll also learn about daily life just outside the ancient seaport of Haifa when you spend A Day in the Life on an olive grove. To me, immersing myself in their pastoral traditions and everyday life is the most rewarding part of exploring communities like these. Later, in East Jerusalem, you’ll delve a little deeper into current controversies when a Palestinian resident offers a glimpse into the daily lives of his people.

The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can.

To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests.

So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Traditions adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925.

Love and peace,

Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel

P.S. For more inspiration, you can watch videos and slideshows from travelers like you at www.oattravel. com/traveler-moments. You can also share some of your own favorite moments by uploading your travel videos and slideshows directly onto the trip-specific pages of our website.

USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler

2 CONTENTS

A Letter from Harriet Lewis ...... 2 The O.A.T. Difference...... 4 The Grand Circle Foundation...... 6 The Leader in Solo Travel ...... 7

ISRAEL: THE HOLY LAND & Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 58 TIMELESS CULTURES Your Luggage...... 59 Your Adventure at a Glance: Clothing Suggestions ...... 59 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Suggested Packing Lists ...... and What’s Included ...... 8 60 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ...... 9 Electricity Abroad ...... 62 64 Optional Tours ...... 30 Climate & Average Temperatures ...... Pre-Trip Extension ...... 31 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: Post-Trip Extension ...... 37 CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Dates & Prices ...... 43 Culture & Points to Know ...... 67 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Shipping & More ...... 72 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 44 Visas Required ...... 44 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Advance Information for Jordan ...... 45 Israel...... 74 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 47 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 74 Vaccines Required ...... 48 Historical Overview of Israel ...... 74 Money Matters: Local Currency & Jordan ...... 76 Tipping Guidelines...... 51 Top Three Tips ...... 51 RESOURCES How to Exchange Money ...... 51 Suggested Reading ...... 79 Tipping Guidelines...... 53 Suggested Film & Video ...... 81 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 55 Optional Tours ...... 55 Communications ...... 56

O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures...... 83 Notes...... 84 Map ...... 87

3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Israel

This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are hospitality. visiting, so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES stories, food, customs, hidden treasures With 36 regional offices around the world, and more. we are perfectly poised to leverage our local relationships to deliver an excellent experience AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported Engage with local people through visits to by our team in Tel Aviv. farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more.

Interact with members of a kibbutz in Golan Heights Explore the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY En riching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Israel adventure.

GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT $200 million in annual revenue across Africa; GCF was established in 1992 to help change and we’ll meet a local Tangier woman to people’s lives in the world where we live, work, discuss women’s roles and the challenges they and travel. To date, we have pledged or donated face in contemporary Moroccan society. $200 million worldwide. A DAY IN THE LIFE By investing in the places we explore— Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like including local schools, cooperatives, or arts to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s centers—we hope to give locals the skills and find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an confidence they need to become leaders of exclusive, immersive experience that places their generation and preserve their heritage for you in the heart of a community where you’ll many years to come. We’re proud to play a part meet various people where they live, work, in preserving precious locales like the Bryggen and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a waterfront district of Bergen, a living example hand with daily chores; and break bread with of the glory days of the Hanseatic League, and our hosts. supporting villages like Harmi in Estonia, Spend A Day in the Life of Haifa when you whose once-struggling school is now a center journey outside the city to an olive farm, where of community life. we’ll meet with local farmers and learn about CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS traditional agriculture in modern-day Israel. Every culture has its joys and achievements, HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES and we celebrate them all. But every place Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds also has its challenges, and to gloss over them engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the would not do justice to those whose stories things that can happen across a kitchen table, need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local deserves more than a sugar-coated version of family in their home for a snack or a meal. This things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will is a rare opportunity to witness family life, lead frank discussions on controversial issues, learn local customs, and taste some home- and introduce you to people whose stories will cooked fare. expand your understanding. On this adventure, sit down to a Home-Hosted For example, we’ll speak to an expert in Dinner with a local family living in an Ultra- Russia about free speech and the popularity Orthodox section of Jerusalem to experience a of President Vladimir Putin; in Zambia, we’ll traditional Jewish Shabbat meal. have a candid conversation with a park ranger in Kafue National Park on trophy hunting, a controversial sport which generates around

5 GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION Changing people’s lives, one village, one school, one person at a time

ON THIS ADVENTURE … Dear Traveler, Since our inception in 1992, the Grand Circle In 1992 we established Grand Circle Foundation has pledged or donated more Foundation, an entity of the Lewis Family than $200 million to projects around the Foundation, as a means to give back to world. Here are just a few of the ways we have the world that had already given us so partnered with the communities on this trip.. much. We’ve pledged or donated more than $200 million worldwide to support Cna’an & Tzahal Ethiopian Absorption Center the education of young people and the Total Donations: $12,000 preservation of international treasures This community center in Jerusalem provides and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the support needed for the Ethiopian families the conservation of natural resources for who walked from Ethiopia, through the desert, future generations. to Israel. With the help of GCF funding, the center was able to purchase equipment for an outdoor Of course, none of this would be possible playground, giving the children a place to spend without your help. A portion of the their free time. proceeds of every adventure is donated to Grand Circle Foundation—so just as your Lakia Bedouin Village life will be enriched by the discoveries Total Donations: $26,951 you’ll make on your journey, you’ll also The Desert Embroidery Project preserves and help to enrich the lives of the people develops traditional embroidery skills to em- you’ll meet along the way. Thank you power women to increase their earning power and develop self-confidence. GCF proudly funded for traveling with us, and for helping to prenatal classes and English classes, the purchase change people’s lives. of sewing machines, cutting machines and steam Love and peace, irons, and established a daycare center.

Z a h r e t A l M a d a e n Total Donations: $50,000 Harriet R. Lewis This organization works with children in the slums Chair, Grand Circle Foundation of Jerusalem, focusing on education, vocational training, health, counseling and support services. GCF provided funding for computers, educational field trips, teacher salaries, and more.

www.grandcirclefoundation.org

6 THE LEADER IN SOLO TRAVEL in Israel—and Around the World

ON THIS ADVENTURE …

FREE Single Supplements: We don’t charge The leader in solo-friendly a single supplement on this adventure and travel for Americans— optional trip extensions—a savings of $1200- by the numbers $1995 per person compared to other travel companies. But single spaces fill quickly, so 50,000 early reservations are advised. More than solo travelers joined us in 2018 and 2019—on their One of our most popular trips for solo own or with a friend or relative travelers. More than 1100 solo travelers joined us on this adventure in the past two years— 20,000 either independently or sharing a room with a single spaces with a mother, daughter, sister, or friend. FREE or low-cost Single Supplement in 2021—a 25% increase from 2019 High ratings: More than 78% of these solo travelers rated their adventure excellent. More than 90% of solo women On average, half of your group will also be travelers rated their adventure traveling independently, so it’s easy to forge excellent special bonds as you experience unforgettable moments together. 38 exclusive women’s departures featured on 23 of our most popular You’ll be in good hands, thanks to your adventures—8 of which are single- dedicated local Trip Experience Leader (a only departures resident of Israel), and the expertise of our regional office team in Tel Aviv.

Increased Single Space: In 2021, we have 60% more single spaces than in 2019, with up to 8 single spaces per departure. See available FREE single space at www.oattravel.com/isr2021.

Exclusive Women’s Departures: We are thrilled to offer 2 women-only departures of Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures: November 19, 2021 and December 17, 2021. Space is limited so don’t delay. Join our traveling sisterhood today!

Solo doesn’t mean “alone.” Three out of eight O.A.T. travelers join our small groups as solos, so you will be in good company.

7 Lower prices than last year—a value of $800 per couple

Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures Small Group Adventure

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Countries: 1 | Cities : 5

Small groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 13) • International airfare, airport transfers, • Explore in a small group of 8-16 $ government taxes, fees, and airline fuel travelers (average group size of 13) ː˕ùÖƘŭĕũŋĿ surcharges unless you choose to make 4095 Services of a local O.A.T. Trip your own air arrangements • RłóķŽùāŭĢłŶāũłÖŶĢŋłÖķÖĢũĕÖũā Experience Leader $256 All land transportation Travel from only a day • • Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and • Accommodations for 14 nights luggage porters $ ː˔ùÖƘŭĕũŋĿ 2895 • 30 meals—14 breakfasts, 9 lunches, • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit ÂĢŶĞŋŽŶĢłŶāũłÖŶĢŋłÖķÖĢũĕÖũā and 7 dinners (including 1 Home- toward your next O.A.T. trip—an Hosted Dinner) average of $337 D˜11œĢłėķāœŽťťķāĿāłŶ • 28 small group activities

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Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures

8 Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures

YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 5 nights in Jordan: The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra

Day 1 Fly from U.S. to Amman, Jordan Day 5 Transfer to Petra via the King’s Highway • Visit Mount Nebo & Madaba Day 2 Arrive Amman, Jordan Day 6 Full-day Petra walking tour Day 3 Amman • Visit the Citadel and Roman Theater Day 7 Petra • Transfer to Haifa • Begin main trip Day 4 Discover Jerash and Ajlun • Home-Hosted Dinner

Day 1 Depart U.S. bar. Rooms often include wireless Internet access, a satellite TV, coffee- and tea-making Fly overnight from the U.S. to Tel Aviv, Israel. facilities, and a private bath with a hair dryer.

Day 2 Arrive Tel Aviv, Israel • As we’ll experience during our time in Israel’s Overland to Haifa third-largest city, this ancient seaport on the slopes of Mount Carmel is invested with both • Destination: Haifa the historical weight of Jerusalem and the • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa modern ambiance and tempo of Tel Aviv. Haifa or similar is, in some senses, Israel’s model city, rich with Afternoon: Depending on your flight schedule, history, replete with a stew of cultures and you’ll arrive in Tel Aviv in the late afternoon. religions working side by side, and evolving An O.A.T. representative will greet you at the rapidly into the modern world. airport and drive you about 1.5 hours by bus After settling into our rooms, you have free to our hotel in Haifa. Here, you’ll meet your time to relax or discover the hotel’s many fellow travelers, including those who took our amenities. Around 5pm, your Trip Experience Jordan: The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra Leader will lead our small group on about pre-trip extension. a 45-minute orientation walk around the While it depends on exactly which hotel we area, pointing out ATMs, banks, restaurants, stay in, most of our Haifa hotels are centrally pharmacies, and other important locales. While located and feature an on-site restaurant and perusing the area, we’ll stop into a small bakery and taste a variety of baked goods. As we enjoy

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

9 the wafting smells of fresh ingredients and the • Catch a glimpse of religious and architectural chatter of locals, the owner of the shop will history at Stella Maris Monastery. Perched discuss his daily life in Haifa. on on the slopes of Mount Carmel, the mon- astery was founded by Christian pilgrims in Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you’ll try the twelfth century looking to pursue a pure, hummus from the family-run restaurant Abu hermetic life inspired by the prophet Elijah. Shakker. Typical dishes come with hummus Today, the monks of the Carmelite Order are and pita, your choice of filling, and a plate of located around the world. If you’re looking majadra (rice with lentils and fried onions). for a treat after exploring the grounds, the Or, maybe you’ll try some inexpensive street nearby Wiener Café is known for its authentic food from Falafel Hazkenim, a stall serving Austrian cuisine and for views of the majestic pita bread stuffed with falafel balls, fresh Mount Carmel and Haifa Bay. vegetables, hummus, tahini, and a special hot sauce. • How to get there: A 5-minute taxi ride from the hotel, approximately $12 USD one Evening: The rest of the evening is yours to way. spend as you wish. Perhaps you’d like to settle • Hours: 8am-2pm & 3pm-6pm, Thursday- into your room after a day of traveling, or get to Tuesday (closed Wednesdays). know your fellow travelers over a drink at the • Cost: Free. hotel bar. • Walk along the Bat Galim Promenade for a Freedom To Explore: During your three days glimpse of daily life in Haifa. Make your way in Haifa, you have the freedom to explore this down the boardwalk and take in the sights, lovely city on your own during your free time. sounds, and scents of nearby hostels, restau- Below are a few recommended options for rants, and nightlife. Perhaps you’ll sit down independent explorations: in a small coffee shop or bar and interact with the locals to better understand daily life • Witness art come to life in Haifa at the Ursula and how this area has grown over the years. Malbin Sculpture Garden. Considered the If you’d like, you can even take a panoramic very first sculpture garden in the world cable car ride up to the Stella Maris Monastery displaying the work of a single artist, the and Church from Bat Galim. 29 bronze sculptures were first unveiled in • How to get there: An 11-minute taxi ride 1978. Malbin is a German sculptor who, in from the hotel, approximately $15 USD one 1939, escaped the unforgiving reign of Nazi way. Germany to Geneva. From the 1960s on, she • Hours: All hours, daily (shops have stan- has lived in the artist community of Ein Hod, dard daytime hours). Israel, where she honed her craft. As you • Cost: Free. stroll among the greenery, you’ll see Malbin’s depictions of humanity are striking in their simplicity and grace. • How to get there: A 7-minute taxi ride from the hotel, approximately $15 USD one way. • Hours: 9am-6pm, daily. • Cost: Free.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

10 Day 3 Haifa • Explore Caesarea Lunch: We’ll enjoy a quick lunch upon arrival National Park • Wadi Nisnas • Explore around 12:45pm at one of Wadi Nisnas’ most Baha’i Gardens popular falafel eateries. You might encounter locals having their lunch break at the • Destination: Haifa restaurant. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa Afternoon: Following lunch at approximately or similar 2pm, we’ll get the chance to speak to a number of locals and learn about everyday life in Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning Wadi Nisnas—from a local woman making a at 6:30am, featuring international and traditional dish out of zucchini, rice, and meat, Israeli options. to the owner of a sweets shop where we’ll Morning: Enjoy a Welcome Briefing in one of sample candy and coffee. the hotel conference rooms with your fellow Around 2:30pm, we will board our bus and drive travelers and Trip Experience Leader. During the very short distance to the Baha’i Gardens. this meeting, your Trip Experience Leader will These pristine gardens extend down 19 terraces outline expectations, safety precautions, and flowing along the slope of Mount Carmel and schedules, as well as answer any questions you converge at a golden-domed shrine to the Báb, may have. a central figure of the Baha’i faith. While here, Then, at around 10am, we’ll travel by bus on we’ll meet with the temple keeper to gain a the approximate hour-long drive to the Jewish deeper understanding of the Baha’i faith and and Arab neighborhood of Wadi Nisnas. On the see how Haifa serves as the focal point of this way, about 30 minutes into the drive, we’ll stop world religion. at Caesarea National Park. Here we’ll explore We’ll return to our hotel by around 3:30pm for Roman ruins, many of which were transformed the remainder of the day on your own. Ask your into a walled Crusader’s city in later times. Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. The ruins of this archaeological site include a hippodrome, a sporting venue mainly used for Dinner: We’ll enjoy a Welcome Dinner of chariot racing, and a recently restored Roman Israeli fare at a local restaurant in Haifa amphitheater. Just outside the walls of the old around 6:45pm. Here, you’ll toast to the many city lies a white sand beach trimmed by the discoveries you’ll make in Israel. ruins of an old aqueduct system. Evening: We’ll return to our hotel around Once we arrive, you’ll have the option to 8:15pm. The rest of the night is yours to rest, discover the archaeological site and its colorful relax, or write in your travel journal. beach on your own, or participate in a guided tour led by your Trip Experience Leader.

We’ll wrap up our discoveries around 12:15pm. Then, we’ll drive for another 35 minutes to Wadi Nisnas, where we’ll enjoy a brief walking tour of its narrow lanes, stone homes, and a colorful central market.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

11 Day 4 Haifa • Explore Akko & Rosh or take in the views before we depart around HaNikra Cave 3pm for the 45-minute drive back to our hotel where you’ll have some free time to relax or • Destination: Haifa freshen up. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa Then, the rest of your afternoon is at leisure. or similar You might engage in one of the Freedom to Explore activities or ask your Trip Experience Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning Leader for suggestions. at 6:30am, featuring international and Israeli options. Dinner: On your own—perhaps you’ll choose the surprise of Bracha’s Sandwiches where you Morning: At around 8:15am, we’ll gather at do not choose the sandwich, the owner does. the hotel and drive about 30 minutes to the Typical sandwiches include a toasted roll with ancient walled city of Akko (also known as meat, cheese, and Bracha’s secret sauce. the Crusader city of Acre), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival around 8:45am, Evening: Your final night in Haifa is on your we’ll start our visit at the Al-Jazzar Mosque, the own. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a nightcap with your largest mosque in Israel outside of Jerusalem. fellow travelers at one of Haifa’s many bars or Originally built in the 18th century, the mosque choose to retire to your room. is adorned with blue-green domes and features intricate Turkish architectural designs. Day 5 Explore Nazareth • Controversial Topic: After spending about 45 minutes at the mosque, The disappearance of the we’ll begin our approximate 90-minute traditional kibbutz in modern Israel walking tour of Akko. Along the way, we’ll visit with Sharon Yavzori • Overland to the Knights’ Halls, a series of vaulted halls Golan Heights below street level, and the spice market, the • Destination: Golan Heights Old City’s main marketplace. People still live • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner in parts of the ancient walled city, and we’ll • Accommodations: Peace Vista Lodge interact with some of the local fishermen or similar during our visit. Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today’s discoveries Lunch: At a restaurant on the walls of Akko feature the Controversial Topic of the fading overlooking the Mediterranean around 11:15am, relevance of the traditional kibbutz in modern featuring grilled fish (chicken or vegetarian Israel with Sharon Yavzori, a community options also available) leader who has lived on his commune since it was founded in 1974, and another local Afternoon: Following lunch, take some free female kibbutz member. This conversation is time to discover Akko and the bustling market likely to be an eye-opening experience on this on your own. adventure, as it enables our small group to dig At around 12:45pm, we’ll take a half-hour drive deeper into an uncomfortable truth and learn further up the coast to Rosh HaNikra, home about an aspect of Israeli society that most to a network of limestone grottoes created by travel companies ignore. Read more about this the constant bombardment of waves against informative conversation below. the rocks. We’ll have time to explore the caves

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

12 Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning kibbutz Kfar Haruv. For more than a century, at 6:30am, featuring international and kibbutzim (residents of a kibbutz) have played Israeli options. a very important part in the development of modern Israel. The communal-living Morning: We’ll leave our hotel around collectives, originally established on farms, 8:30am for drive of a little more than an hour support themselves with a mixture of to Nazareth. Upon arrival, we’ll head to a agriculture and other business. Kfar Haruv was traditional spice mill, where you’ll meet with founded in 1974 and reflects that blend, with the owners of the family-run business and its operating dairy farm and hydraulics plant. learn about the makeup of well-known spice Today, about 400 residents live here, including mixes like zaatar, which is made up largely of some of the founding generation of settlers and wild thyme and oregano. their children. Then, we’ll walk in the footsteps of Jesus—as Following check-in, you will have about 1.5 well as Elijah, Deborah, Solomon, and many hours of free time to explore more of the kibbutz other biblical figures—to the Church of the or relax in your room. Annunciation, built on the site where Mary is said to have received word from the angel Around 5:30pm, we’ll walk to a youth center Gabriel that she would bear the son of God. located inside one of Kfar Haruv’s bomb After our visit, we’ll walk over to Nazareth’s shelters (although the kibbutz is peaceful, its main street where you can enjoy lunch on residents are always prepared for emergencies your own. due to its proximity to the Syrian border) to meet two of its residents, Sharon Yavzori Lunch: On your own in Nazareth around noon. and a local female kibbutz member, for a You’ll have plenty of options, as Nazareth conversation about a Controversial Topic: the is renowned for its culinary treasures and is fading relevance of the traditional kibbutz in home to the best street food in Israel. Your Trip modern-day Israel. Experience Leader will be happy to provide suggestions, but you can just stop at any The kibbutzim were originally designed as number of food vendors and shawarma stands. agrarian communes—frontier settlements where residents would band together to pool Afternoon: If you’re looking for a sweet treat their resources and work to transform the arid after lunch, you’re in luck. At around 1pm, desert terrain of their ancestral lands into a we’ll reconvene to visit a local pastry shop and fertile paradise. In recent years, however, as meet the owner, who will share his experiences agriculture has become less important to the as a business owner in Nazareth. You’ll get to modern way of life, many of Israel’s kibbutzim sample traditional Middle Eastern pastries like are finding it difficult to entice their youth kunafe, a pastry stuffed with goat cheese and to remain with the commune. After their topped with sweet syrup. mandatory term of military service at the age Around 1:30pm, we’ll be back on the road to of 18, many of Israel’s younger generation are our lodge in Golan Heights. We’ll arrive shortly choosing to leave the kibbutz behind to seek before 3pm and check in. Though it depends on their own fortune in the country’s urban areas. where we stay, rooms at our lodge may include As someone who has lived on Kfar Haruv since a satellite TV, a balcony, and a private bath. 1986, Sharon has a strong attachment to his Additionally, our lodge rests on the grounds of kibbutz, and a unique perspective of how the

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13 settlement and the attitudes of its 400-plus of the time to ask questions of our own to members have shifted over the decades. examine the uncertain future of the kibbutz in Both community members will share stories Israeli society. about life on the kibbutz—including gender Dinner: At our lodge’s kibbutz dining room dynamics—and about the reforms intended around 6:45pm, featuring a selection of local modernize the commune and to try and fare. The communal dining room serves as the convince the younger generation to stay. center of community life in the kibbutz. While In most kibbutzim, youth need to make a here, we’ll gain a deeper understanding into choice at the age of 20 after they finish their this communal dining tradition. mandatory tour of duty with the Israel Defense Evening: Tonight, you’ll have free time to settle Forces: return to the kibbutz, where all of their into your lodge in Golan Heights. You may also resources and income will be shared with its choose to grab a glass of wine with your fellow members, or leave permanently to seek their travelers. As you’re sure to learn during your own individual opportunities. In Kfar Haruv, time in Golan Heights, the area became a hot however, community leaders are offering spot for Israeli wine when the massive Golan members more flexibility—residents are free Heights Winery opened its doors in 1983. Today, to temporarily leave the kibbutz after their this is one of the biggest wineries in Israel, and military service to travel around Israel and has paved the way for other smaller wineries abroad to pursue their own opportunities in the to take advantage of the area’s high elevations world outside the commune. At the age of 30, and volcanic soil for making wine. after an opportunity to enjoy a broader range of life experiences and career options, they can Freedom To Explore: During your two days in then make an informed choice—return home Golan Heights, you have the freedom to explore to join the kibbutz as a permanent member, or this quiet town on your own during your free continue to live their lives outside of it. time. Below are a few recommended options for independent explorations: Kfar Haruv is also joining the growing number of kibbutzim that are modernizing • Hike the Mitzpe HaShalom Trail: Enjoy a and diversifying their activities to remain stroll along a favorite hiking trail among prosperous and to entice their youth to stay—in locals. Depending upon your preference, you addition to traditional farming, the kibbutz can choose between a shorter or longer trail, operates a hydraulic plant and modernized and take in the surrounding beauty of the dairy farm. Other kibbutzim in Israel have area. At the observation point, you can take branched into manufacturing, defense in expansive views of three counties: Israel, contracting, and tech industries to keep their Jordan, and Syria. competitive edge in a changing world. • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. Despite all this, Kfar Haruv and other kibbutzim • Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. are finding it increasingly challenging to keep • Cost: Free. their children close to home. We’ll spend about an hour talking to the kibbutz members about this contemporary problem. Both kibbutz members will share their experience for about 15 minutes, and we’ll then have the remainder

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14 • Relax at the Peace Vista Holistic Center: stopping along the way to meet the people and Rejuvenate your mind and body right on the learn the history of the area. We’ll visit the grounds of our kibbutz. You can choose from a Valley of Tears Memorial, which overlooks the variety of treatments to help you relax during site of a major battle in the 1973 Yom Kippur your stay. War. In this four-day long battle, Syrian forces • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. launched a surprise attack on Israel during • Hours: The Holistic Center is open by re- one of the holiest days on the Jewish religious quest only. Please let your Trip Experience calendar: the Day of Atonement. Leader know before arrival if you would At around 10:45am, we’ll learn get a personal like to reserve a time, and they will make perspective about this conflict when we the arrangements for you. meet Ilan Shulman, a retired captain of • Cost: Reservations need to be booked in the Israel Defense Forces (“IDF”). With his advance. military access, we’ll travel into the Valley of Tears’ demilitarized zone for our first of two Day 6 Off-road jeep excursion in conversations about a Controversial Topic: Golan Heights & the Valley of Tears • the ongoing dispute between Israel and Syria Controversial Topic: Ethnic tension in about the ownership of Golan Heights, and the Golan Heights with former Israeli soldier cultural status of the Arab Druze ethnic group Ilan Shulman and a Druze woman that lives in these lands. • Destination: Golan Heights Ever since Golan Heights was occupied by • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Israeli military forces after the Six-Day War of • Accommodations: Peace Vista Lodge 1967 (and defended from Syrian counterattack or similar during the Yom Kippur War of 1973), the legal Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll learn status of this territory has been a subject of about a Controversial Topic when we meet hot dispute. Israel considers the territory to a former Israeli soldier, followed by an Arab be justly occupied as the result of a defensive Druze woman living in Golan Heights to discuss war, and a vital strategic buffer to keep the the difficult question of Israel’s legal authority peace with its hostile neighbors in the region; to rule this territory. It’s a complicated issue although the government formally applied with no easy answers, and our conversations Israeli law to Golan Heights in 1981, the with local people on both sides of the subject UN rejected its authority to do so, and has are sure to be a memorable experience of your considered it an illegal annexation. In 2019, adventure. Read more about this informative U.S. president Donald Trump recognized conversation below. Israeli sovereignty over the region, making the U.S. the only member of the international Breakfast: A boxed breakfast will be delivered community to do so. Today, the legal status of to your room around 7am, featuring the Golan Heights, and the citizenship of its international and Israeli options. 40,000 residents (split roughly evenly between Israeli settlers and Syrians—mostly members Morning: We’ll leave our lodge around 9am of the Druze religious community) is one of the and drive by private motorcoach to Ein Zivan, thorniest questions of the day. a kibbutz located in Golan Heights. Here, we’ll leave our coach behind and board off-road Jeeps for an excursion through Golan Heights,

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15 We’ll examine the Israeli point of view during Afternoon: At around 1:30pm, we’ll meet a our 45-minute conversation with Ilan. Ilan lives Druze woman at the restaurant to resume our in Merom Golan, one of the first kibbutzim to be conversation about the Controversial Topic of built in Golan Heights after the Six-Day War. the legal status of Golan Heights and the people Like all Israeli citizens, Ilan was drafted into the who live in the region. IDF at the age of 18 and served until 2000, when Majdal Shams, a village of about 11,000 people, he was wounded during the Second Intifada. is a fitting location to learn about the division As a retired soldier who once patrolled the between Israel and Syria in Golan Heights—the disputed lands of the Golan Heights, Ilan now town is located just a few miles away from the gladly shares his expertise of this controversial border drawn between the two nations after subject with travelers, and speaks at events the ceasefire that ended the Six-Day War, and hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs members of the Druze community on opposite Committee (“AIPAC”). sides of the border have been cut off from each Here in the Valley of the Tears, where some other ever since. of the fiercest fighting of the Yom Kippur War During our conversation with our Druze host, took place, Ilan will share his perspective for we’ll get a deeply personal perspective of what about 15 minutes, and then we’ll have around a life is like for this religious community in the half hour to ask questions of our own to deepen divided lands of Golan Heights. She’ll share her our understanding of this difficult subject. Later opinions of Israel’s treatment of her and her today, we’ll get an opposite point of view when fellow residents, and how she and other Druze we meet a Druze woman in an occupied village, feel about Israel in return. so we urge you to keep an open mind and make note of any subjects that you might want to get The people of Madjal Shams, as well as the another point of view about later today. other 20,000 members of the Druze community in Golan Heights, are afforded a unique legal At around 11:45am, we’ll bid Ilan farewell and status by the Israeli government. Although drive back to our private motorcoach, which Israel has claimed the region to be legally part will take us to the Druze Village of Majdal of its territory since 1981, the Druze within it Shams, where lunch and the second half of our are not automatically considered to be Israeli conversation awaits. citizens. Instead, the Druze are classified as Lunch: Included at around 12:45pm at permanent residents of the Golan Heights, Al-Yasmin, a family-run restaurant owned by with some autonomy to maintain their own a Druze woman, featuring regional specialties. code of laws with regard to marriage, divorce, Given our small group size, we have the adoption, and other civil affairs. The Druze intimate chance to get to know the family and of Golan Heights are permitted to apply for ask questions about their unique culture and full Israeli citizenship whenever they choose; traditions. The Druze are an Arab religious however, since most feel more strongly tied to community that opted out of mainstream Arab Syria than Israel, only a minority have taken nationalism; in the past, the Druze have seemed them up on the offer. radical for their belief in equality between Our host will share her perspective for about men and women, the abolition of slavery, and 15 minutes, and then we’ll have about a half separation of church and state. hour to ask questions of our own. The status of Golan Heights and its residents is by no means

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16 an easy one to discuss, and strong opinions earlier in Madjal Shams. Weather-permitting, abound on each side—by meeting with people we’ll dine outdoors to fully appreciate the on both sides of this complicated issue, you’ll scenery of this beautiful region. have the unique opportunity to gain a deep and Evening: The rest of the evening is free. nuanced understanding of a controversial topic Perhaps you’ll write in your travel journal, or with no easy answers. O.A.T.’s small group size simply enjoy the views from your lodge balcony and connections with local people in the region with a glass of local wine in hand. allows you to get an unfiltered view of everyday locals truly feel. Day 7 Overland to Jerusalem • The Sea of After our conversation, our host will join us on Galilee • Visit churches at Capernaum & a short 30-minute walking tour of the village, Mount of the Beatitudes which will conclude at a local landmark known as the Shouting Hill, located right on the border • Destination: Jerusalem between Israel and Syria. After the Six-Day • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch War, this new border was drawn, and travel • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel across it was forbidden. Druze on opposite sides Activity Note: Travelers wishing to participate would stay in touch by visiting the hill to shout in the baptism ceremony on the Jordan River to each other across the border, usually with this afternoon must bring a swimsuit, which the aid of a megaphone. While the proliferation will be worn under the mandatory white of mobile phones has given the people an baptismal tunic. Tunics are available for sale easier way to communicate, the hill still holds on site, or for rent for very reasonable prices. a special place in the hearts of the people Travelers should also bring a change of clothes that live near it—a stark reminder of how the to wear after their ceremony. While we strive conflict between two countries has torn their to have a priest available for our baptism community apart. ceremonies, this is not guaranteed.

At around 2:45pm, we’ll say goodbye to our Breakfast: Served at our lodge beginning at host and drive by private motorcoach to a 6:30am, featuring typical Israeli fare. grocery store in Madjal Shams. Here, we’ll enjoy more opportunities to connect with the Morning: We’ll leave our lodge in Golan locals who work and shop here as we select Heights around 9:30am, making our way to ingredients that we’ll enjoy together during our Jerusalem by bus with several stops along the dinner later tonight. way. Our first stop, around 10:15am, will be at Capernaum (formerly Kfar Nahum). In this We’ll shop for about 30 minutes, then drive ancient Roman fishing village, we’ll visit a back to our lodge, arriving around 4:15pm. The church said to be founded on the traditional site remainder of the afternoon is free for your own of St. Peter’s home. We’ll also visit the modern discoveries. Perhaps you’ll decide to relax at the Church of the Beatitudes—which was built near Holistic Center and swimming pool located on the site of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. the grounds of our lodge. Afterwards, we will have some time to walk Dinner: At around 6:30pm, we’ll enjoy an along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. included picnic dinner with our Trip Experience Then, we board our bus around 11am and drive Leader, made from the purchases we made to the Yigal Allon Center, a museum which houses the remains of the famous “Jesus

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17 Boat,” also called the Sea of Galilee Boat. The Evening: Your evening is free in Jerusalem. restored skeletal remains of this fishing vessel Perhaps you’d like to simply rest after a long were discovered on the muddy shores of Lake day of discoveries, or you might indulge Kinneret in 1986, and date back to the first your sweet tooth at one of Jerusalem’s many century CE—the time of Jesus’ ministry. bakeries and ice cream parlors. Be sure to sample halva, a dense confection made In addition to its historical importance, Lake from tahini (ground sesame butter), sugar, Kinneret is the only freshwater lake in Israel, and honey. and it is considered by many to be a national asset. Visitors take the history and religious Freedom To Explore: During your six days in importance to heart, but to modern Israelis, the Jerusalem, you have the freedom to explore lake’s ability to store and supply scarce water this vibrant city on your own during your free for drinking, for agriculture, and for industry is time. Below are a few recommended options for nearly as important. We’ll depart the museum a independent explorations: little before noon, driving 15 minutes to a local • Interact with locals and learn about inter- restaurant. generational dynamics at Yad Lakashish. Lunch: Around noon at a local restaurant by the This nonprofit empowers low-income elderly sea, featuring fish caught in the Sea of Galilee residents of Jerusalem with skills training and and other regional specialties. an artistic community. A gift shop is located in the center where you can buy yourself a Afternoon: Around 1:15pm, we’ll make the handmade craft made by one of the members. approximate 15-minute drive to Yardenit, also known as the Yardenit Baptismal Site, on the • How to get there: A 20-minute walk or Jordan River, where some travelers may wish 6-minute taxi ride, approximately $15 USD to renew their baptism vows by immersing one way. themselves in the same waters where it is said • Hours: 9am-4pm, Sunday-Thursday; that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Each year, 9am-2pm, Friday. more than half a million tourists and Christian • Cost: Free. pilgrims visit this tranquil site, where pastoral • Immerse yourself in Israeli arts and culture landscapes surround the river banks, just as it at the Ticho House Museum. Originally built was described in the Bible. in the nineteenth century, the majestic stone building first belonged to aristocrat Aga Around 2:15pm, we’ll depart the river, making Rashid Nashishibi. In 1924, it was purchased a 2-hour drive to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, we’ll by ophthalmologist Avraham Albert Ticho check into our hotel, which typically includes and his wife, renowned artist Anna Ticho. an on-site bar and restaurant, along with a Today, the house serves as a time capsule for fitness center and sun deck. Rooms often have a art and culture, featuring Anna Ticho’s work, satellite TV, coffee- and tea-making facilities, her husband’s traditional Judaica collection, and a private bath with a hair dryer.

Dinner: On your own. Tonight, you might wish to try moussaka, a layered eggplant and meat dish that’s popular across the Levant, Middle East, and Balkans.

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18 a library, and rotating exhibitions. You may Breakfast: Served at our hotel starting want to enjoy a meal at the restaurant next at 6:30am, featuring international and door, as well. Israeli options.

• How to get there: A 10-minute taxi ride Morning: Around 8am, we’ll depart the hotel from the hotel, approximately $15 USD one and drive 30 minutes to the maze of chambers way. and cisterns underneath the Western Wall, • Hours: 10am-5pm, Sunday-Monday; part of the ancient city wall that is of great 10am-9pm, Tuesday-Thursday; 10am- spiritual significance in the Jewish and Islamic 2pm, Friday. traditions, revered by Jews as the last standing • Cost: Free. remnant of ancient Jerusalem’s Second Temple. • Witness the fusion of arts, history, and Although the wall is nearly 1,600 feet in length, culture on Mamilla Boulevard. Located only about 230 feet are visible above ground. near the Jaffa Gate and the Western Wall, The remainder was hidden when King Herod this open-air mall lined with street vendors raised the landscape surrounding the Temple attracts flocks of locals and tourists alike. Mount in the year 19 BCE. We’ll see portions Step back in time as you walk the stone-paved of the wall that have been perfectly preserved, roads, spot the area’s impressive array of and head underground to explore the parts historical structures dating back hundreds of that were sealed off until excavations began in years, and perhaps catch a street performance 1967, and had been hidden for almost 2,000 or stop for coffee at a bustling café. years. A local guide will lead us on our 1.5 hour • How to get there: About a 20-minute walk exploration of this site. from the hotel or a 5-minute taxi ride, Then, around 10am, we’ll spend about 2.5 about $12 USD one way. hours getting to know Jerusalem on a walking • Hours: 9:30am-11pm, Sunday-Thursday; tour in the Old City led by your Trip Experience 9am-3pm, Friday; 9pm-11pm, Saturday. Leader. Though it occupies an area of less • Cost: Free. than one square mile, this ancient enclave’s history and spiritual significance to Christians, Day 8 Western Wall tunnels • Old Jews, and Muslims is immense. We begin our Jerusalem walking tour • Mount Zion and comprehensive walking tour in the area around Mount of Olives the Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter, which is • Destination: Jerusalem adjacent to the site of Solomon’s First Temple • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and the Second Temple. From here, we have • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel an admirable view of the Islamic Dome of the or similar Rock, perched on the Temple Mount, and a different perspective on the Western Wall. Our Activity Note: This is the itinerary we strive to walk then takes us to the Church of the Holy follow, but due to local circumstances (such Sepulchre, built around what is believed to be as moveable holidays, museum/site closing the site of Christ’s burial and resurrection, and days, and weather conditions) it is important to along the Via Dolorosa—the ancient “Way of understand that we may not always be able to the Sorrows,” where it is traditionally held follow this plan in exact order. The exact date that Christ walked to his crucifixion. Then, and/or time of our visit to the Western Wall is we’ll stroll the winding streets of Jerusalem’s subject to change. Muslim quarter. While here, we’ll stop at a local

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19 favorite for fresh baked goods. We’ll have a Day 9 Jerusalem • A Day in the Life of the chance to see locals interacting with each other Abu Ghosh community • Grand Circle during their daily errands and listen to the Foundation visit: Pantry Packers liveliness of this local hotspot. Perhaps you’ll • Destination: Jerusalem try the Jerusalemite bagel called cae`ek marked by its distinct elongated shape and sweet taste. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel Lunch: Around 12:45pm, we’ll make our way or similar 25 minutes on foot to a local restaurant in the Exclusive O.A.T. Activities: Today’s discoveries Old City, featuring typical Israeli dishes like include two memorable opportunities to grilled kebab. connect closely with Israeli culture. First, we’ll Afternoon: Around 2pm, we’ll depart the spend A Day in the Life of the Arab-Israeli restaurant and walk about 15 minutes to our village of Abu Ghosh, where a community bus for about a 15-minute drive to Mount leader will introduce us to his village, share a Zion, the traditional Christian site of the Last meal, and show us what daily life is like. Later, Supper. We’ll then continue on to the Mount of we’ll enjoy a NEW Grand Circle Foundation Olives, site of Christ’s betrayal in the Garden visit at Pantry Packers, an ultra-Orthodox of Gethsemane. At the summit we’ll enjoy a Jewish charity which provides food and panoramic view of the Dome of the Rock and material aid to families in need throughout the Old City. Afterwards, we’ll board our bus Israel—regardless of ethnic background or and return to our hotel, arriving around 3:15pm. religious affiliation. Read more about these activities below. The remainder of the afternoon is free for your own discoveries. Perhaps you’ll visit the nine Breakfast: Served at our hotel starting galleries filled with works ranging from pottery at 6:30am, featuring international and and textiles to jewelry and rugs at the Museum Israeli options. for Islamic Art. Or, check out the twelve ornate Morning: Around 8am, we’ll board the bus Chagall Windows, decorated to represent the for the approximate 30-minute drive to our twelve tribes of Israel. A Day in the Life excursion at the Arab-Israeli Dinner: Around 6:30pm, at a local restaurant community of Abu Ghosh. featuring regional cuisine. One of the earliest inhabited villages in Evening: Your evening is free to continue Jerusalem, archaeologists have determined exploring Jerusalem. You might choose to visit humans began settling in this Arab Christian the neighborhood of Nahalat Shiv’a, which is community as far back as the Neolithic period. filled with lively pubs. Or, you might try to visit Today, Abu Ghosh has about 7,000 Christian, the Tower of David for a sound and light show, Arab, and Jewish residents made up of four which is offered most nights at 7pm or 8pm. clans whose ancestry dates back to the tribes of the Caucasus Mountains. Perched on the Judean hills outside Jerusalem, Abu Ghosh offers impressive panoramic views of the Holy Land.

During the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, Abu Ghosh was one of the few Arab communities to remain neutral during the fighting—at times it even

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20 lent support to its Israeli neighbors. As a result, 10:30am, you’ll have the choice of helping Amal the village enjoys a friendly relationship with in the kitchen as she prepares the lunch that the Israeli government, which encourages we’ll soon share together, or to sit with Issa on Abu Ghosh’s prosperity, and holds it up as the porch to sip homemade lemonade and chat an example of how Arabs and Israelis might some more about daily life in Abu Ghosh. peacefully coexist. Lunch: We’ll sit down with Issa and Amal We’ll learn more about life in Abu Ghosh when at around 11:15am to share a traditional we meet our host, Issa Jaber, at around 8:30am. home-cooked meal together and learn more Issa is a retired high school principal who was about each other over an afternoon of friendly once the mayor of the village. Because of his conversation. Issa and Amal have five grown strong ties to his community, and his long children, some of whom have children of their public service career, he is well-connected to own—if we’re lucky, they may also stop by to and well-regarded by just about everyone in join us for lunch, although they keep their own Abu Ghosh, and will be eager to introduce us to busy schedules and there are no guarantees. the homeland that he loves. As we dine on a hearty meal of local specialties that might include stuffed zucchini, homemade Our discoveries begin at the Great Mosque of hummus, rice, and chicken, we’ll get a Abu Ghosh. We’ll spend about a half hour here, personal view of life in an Arab community in taking in its unique architecture and hearing Israel—an opportunity made possible only by about its history from Issa, who helped raise O.A.T.’s small group size and people-to-people funds to construct it in 2014 as the community connections. grew too large for its former mosque. The people of Abu Ghosh wanted their new religious Afternoon: We’ll bid our hosts farewell at center to be a point of pride for the village, and around 12:45pm, at which point we’ll board indeed, the mosque is second largest in Israel, our bus and take the approximate 20-minute surpassed in size only by Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa drive to Pantry Packers—a NEW Grand Circle (or Aksa) Mosque. Foundation visit.

Around 9:15am, we’ll depart the mosque Grand Circle Foundation for Abu Ghosh’s lively food market, where Pantry Packers we’ll purchase some fresh fruit as a token of Partner Since: 2021 appreciation for our gracious hosts for the day. At around 9:30am, we’ll stop by a sweets shop Pantry Packers is charged with providing food run by Abu Daoud, Issa’s cousin, where we can and material aid to Israel’s senior citizens and also select some handmade local specialties like impoverished families—regardless of gender, ma’amul (an Arab cookie stuffed with dates, ethnic background, or religious affiliation—and nuts, figs, or other fillings) or halvah (a dense, Grand Circle Foundation recently partnered flaky baked treat made with tahini) to bring with them to assist them with their with us as a gift. charitable mission.

At around 10am, we’ll ride for about ten At around 1:30pm, we’ll be greeted at the Pantry minutes by private motorcoach to Issa’s home, Packers site by the facility director, Rabbi where we’ll meet his wife, Amal. The couple will Menachem Traxler, and a few of its volunteers, lead us on a short tour through the premises, who will tell us more about the organization’s including the orchard and garden. Around history and vision, and about how your travel

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21 dollars are helping to support the communities Day 10 Yad Vashem Holocaust that they serve. Pantry Packers is part of Colel Memorial • Machane Yehuda market • Chabad, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish charity Home-Hosted Dinner founded in 1788, making it one of Israel’s • Destination: Jerusalem oldest continuously-operating social service networks. The organization works with • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner municipal governments throughout the country • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel to arrange monthly shipments of food and or similar household necessities to families who are in Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll split into need and cannot support themselves. smaller groups of no more than 7 and enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner with an ultra-Orthodox We’ll spend about an hour and a half at the Jewish family in the heart of Jerusalem. Our Pantry Packers facility, where the volunteers small group size allows us to intimately connect will lead us on a tour and show us every step with our host family, for an up-close and of the packing and shipping process. We’ll personal view of daily life in Israel over a shared also see the improvements that your travel meal of traditional home-cooked cuisine. Read dollars have helped to make—including a more about this activity below. newly-refurbished floor in one of the facility’s packing rooms—and have a hands-on Activity Note: The visit to the Yad Vashem opportunity to join in alongside the workers Holocaust memorial includes many graphic and help prepare a shipment for a needy family, images and may be disturbing to some which you’ll have the chance to personally travelers. The exact date and/or time of our visit sign and leave O.A.T.’s mark on—a symbol of to Yad Vashem is subject to change. our fruitful cooperation with this charitable organization. Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning at 6:30am, featuring international and We’ll return to the bus around 3pm for the Israeli options. approximate half-hour drive to our hotel. From about 3:30pm on, feel free to make your own Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll board our discoveries in Jerusalem. bus and drive 30 minutes to Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem, the stirring “everlasting memorial” Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience to the more than 6 million Jewish victims of Leader would be happy to offer suggestions for the Holocaust. Yad Vashem, founded in 1953, the best local fare. started as an organization aimed at preserving and documenting the memory and history Evening: At leisure. Perhaps you’ll take a of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. nighttime stroll or enjoy a night cap at the bar. The museum’s doors opened in 2005 and is now home to the world’s largest archives of material relating to the Holocaust—more than 50 million documents and artifacts. This museum and memorial complex, while built on the Mount of Remembrance, aims not only to remember, but to educate. Its nine chilling galleries feature interactive and historical displays ranging from photographs, films,

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22 documents, letters, works of art, and personal family—an opportunity for intimate items found in the camps and ghettos. While people-to-people connection made possible here, you’ll have some time to explore this only by our small group size. solemn site on your own to learn more about Our host families are middle-class the horrors of Hitler’s “Final Solution.” professionals in Jerusalem with devout Then, at about 12pm, we’ll take a 15-minute religious beliefs and deep ties to their drive to Machane Yehuda, one of Jerusalem’s community, and will be eager to share their oldest Jewish neighborhoods. As we peruse the views about family dynamics, cultural norms, stalls filled with items like traditional herbs professions, and daily life in Israel. We’ll dine and spices and local foods, our Trip Experience with the family’s matriarch and her husband, Leader will introduce us to vendors so we can and might also be joined by the family’s adult gain a deeper understanding of their daily life. children, for a multi-generational cultural exchange. Lunch: Around 12:30pm we can satisfy our appetite with some of tasty offerings on display We’ll finish our meal at around 8pm, then during our tour the Machane Yehuda. return to our hotel via private motorcoach.

Afternoon: After our lunch, travelers can Evening: The remainder of your evening is free. remain in the market area if they wish, or You might choose to grab some rugelach for return to the hotel by bus for the remainder dessert. While these chocolatey bites of rolled of the afternoon on your own. Perhaps you’ll pastry dough are found throughout Israel, some choose to visit one of Jerusalem’s many people say the best rugelach is from Jerusalem. museums, including the U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art, whose collection Day 11 Jerusalem • Controversial Topic: includes doors of a Torah Ark, a 15th-century Palestinian life in Israeli Jerusalem with stone tablet, and brass and silver menorahs Reem Salame • Optional Herodion & Ein (Hanukkah lamps). You may also choose to visit Karem tour the Bible Lands Museum, which tells the story of some of the great civilizations of the region, • Destination: Jerusalem including those of Egypt, Babylon, Canaan, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Persia, and Assyria. • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel or similar Dinner: We’ll all regroup at our hotel around 6pm, when we’ll split into smaller groups Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll learn of no more than 7 and depart by private about a Controversial Topic when we meet motorcoach for a Home-Hosted Dinner in an a Palestinian woman in East Jerusalem. ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in the heart of Here, we’ll get her point of view about how Jerusalem. We’ll arrive at our hosts’ house at Palestinians are treated by Israeli authorities around 6:30pm, and introduce ourselves. in modern-day Jerusalem. While this can be a difficult subject to discuss, receiving a personal As we share a traditional Jewish Shabbat meal, perspective from a person directly impacted by which might consist of home-cooked local it is sure to be a memorable experience of your specialties such as challah bread, garden salad, adventure. Read more about this informative salmon, chicken, rice, or vegetables, we’ll get conversation below. a personal look at the life of an ultra-Orthodox

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23 Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning curtailed. Palestinian residents of Jerusalem at 6:30am, featuring international and are not given the same rights as Israeli Israeli options. citizens—only 16% of Palestinians in Israel have the right to vote—and of the few who Morning: Our day will begin around 8:30am, choose to apply for citizenship, many are when we drive by private motorcoach to the rejected by municipal authorities, citing home of Reem Salame, a Palestinian Christian security concerns. woman living in the Palestinian neighborhood of East Jerusalem, just outside the Damascus She’ll also share her perspective as an Gate on the border with the western part of the unmarried woman in her 50s living in a city. We’ll arrive at around 9am and sit down patriarchal society. In addition to scrutiny from for a conversation about a Controversial Topic: her Israeli neighbors, Reem also lives outside The treatment of the Palestinian residents of of the traditional norms of her own culture, in Jerusalem. which women are typically expected to marry and raise families of their own. Reem’s house The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is is located in a complex where her brothers and perhaps the most divisive subject affecting the her sister also live, and they might stop by to region today, a conflict which is starkly present join us during our conversation, for a broader in the city of Jerusalem. Once divided between view of what life is like in this Palestinian Israel in the west and Jordan in the east, the neighborhood. city has been under full Israeli authority since the end of the Six-Day War of 1967. Both Israel Reem will spend about 15 minutes sharing and the Palestinian Authority claim the city her perspective of daily life for Palestinians as their capital—a diplomatic status which is in Jerusalem, and we’ll then have about an hotly disputed by the international community. hour to ask questions of our own to deepen our Although they make up approximately 38% of understanding. The Israel-Palestine conflict the city’s population, Jerusalem’s Palestinian is a hard subject with no easy answers—as residents claim that they are regularly you’ll likely have discovered throughout your discriminated against, struggling to attain adventure thus far, it’s an issue that hangs home-building permits and other rights and heavy over just about everyone in the region, privileges that are more easily afforded to their with deep grudges and strong opinions on Israeli counterparts. each side. By taking you to a neighborhood of East Jerusalem that few Americans travel to, We’ll get a deeply personal perspective we hope to offer a unique and well-rounded of this controversial issue during our perspective of this conflict from people directly conversation with Reem, which will last affected by it. for about an hour and fifteen minutes for a unique point of view of what life is like in the At around 10:15am we will say our farewells to predominantly-Palestinian section of East Reem, and board our private motorcoach for Jerusalem. our 30-minute drive back to our hotel. Then, you may enjoy a free day in Jerusalem. You Reem will share her stories of how life has might choose to take a leisurely stroll through changed for her and her fellow Palestinians the Garden of Gethsemane, located just outside over the years. As Israel’s authority in the city walls. This walkable garden is filled Jerusalem has grown, the rights of its Palestinian population have been increasingly

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24 with lush olive trees, and is believed to be a Then, at around 2:15pm, we’ll get back on the place where Jesus once enjoyed quiet prayer bus for the approximate 30-minute drive to and contemplation. Herodion (also spelled as Herodium), a fortified palace built on a hilltop by Herod the Great and Or, join us on an Optional Tour to Ein Karem also thought to be Herod’s mausoleum. We’ll and Herodion. We will depart the hotel by bus enjoy a guided tour of this palace for a little around 11am for a fifteen-minute drive to Mar over an hour. Elias Monastery, a Greek Orthodox monastery originally built in the sixth century CE, then At about 4:15pm, we’ll drive about 30 minutes rebuilt in the twelfth century. Upon arrival back to our hotel. You’ll have the remainder of around 1pm, we’ll enjoy a 30-minute visit to the day free to explore on your own. the monastery. Typically, there are views of Dinner: Travelers who joined the Optional both Jerusalem and Bethlehem from the hilltop. Tour will reconvene with the rest of our fellow Lunch: Travelers who do not take our Optional travelers for dinner at a local restaurant at Tour will enjoy lunch on their own in Jerusalem. around 7pm. For travelers who take our Optional Tour, lunch Evening: Upon return to the hotel around is included around 11:45am at the monastery’s 8:15pm, the rest of your evening is at leisure. restaurant featuring Middle Eastern cuisine like fresh vegetables, salads, tahini, hummus, and kebab. Day 12 Jerusalem • Masada National Park • Dead Sea Afternoon: Travelers who choose not to take • Destination: Jerusalem the Optional Tour can continue making their own discoveries in Jerusalem. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel Travelers on our Optional Tour will depart or similar the monastery at about 12:45pm, arriving at Activity Note: We will have the opportunity to Ein Karem around 1pm. Nestled in the hills float in the Dead Sea today, so you may wish to southwest of Jerusalem, Ein Karem is notable pack a swimsuit. as the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Our visit takes us to two churches connected to the Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning life of the biblical figure: the Church of St. John at 6:30am, featuring international and the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. Israeli options. Although both structures are relatively new, they are constructed over the remains of much Morning: Around 8am, we’ll depart our hotel older buildings that marked two important for the approximate 90-minute drive to Masada sites for early Christians: the site of St. John’s National Park to explore the ancient fortress birth and the site of the visit from St. Mary to St. of Masada, located on a massive plateau in the John’s mother, St. Elizabeth. Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. When we arrive, we’ll walk to a cable car to ascend to Following our visit, enjoy free time to explore an isolated plateau and walk among the 20-acre the narrow streets of Ein Karem and interact ruins of this secluded fortress. While here, we’ll with local artists. You may venture into learn how from 70-73 CE Jewish defenders their galleries and workshops to gain an made the last stand of the Judean revolt against understanding of their daily life.

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25 Rome. Around noon, we’ll depart Masada for a produces a total of more than 10 million bottles drive of about 15 minutes to Ein Bokek, a resort per year. Its most popular varieties include area along the shores of the Dead Sea. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz.

Lunch: At a local café around 12:15pm, featuring typical Mediterranean selections. Day 13 Israel Museum • Overland to Tel Aviv Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll have a couple • Destination: Tel Aviv of hours to enjoy at the Dead Sea. At one of • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch the many resorts located here, your Trip • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar Experience Leader will give a brief orientation of the facilities we’ll have access to, such Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning as shower facilities. Then, you can relax or at 6:30am, featuring international and visit the shores of the Dead Sea to test your Israeli options. buoyancy. The sheer sense of weightlessness Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll depart the has to be experienced to be understood. At more hotel for a 15-minute drive to Israel’s largest than 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea cultural institution, the Israel Museum. is considered to be the lowest point on Earth, Sprawling over 20-acres, the museum houses and because it contains an unusually high some of the most comprehensive collections concentration of salt, it is surprisingly easy to of art and Holy Land artifacts in the world, float within its mineral-rich waters. including nearly 500,000 objects. Upon arrival We’ll depart the area around 4pm and drive around 9am, we’ll begin our tour with a viewing back to our hotel in Jerusalem, arriving at round of the Second Temple Jerusalem Model, which 5:45pm for the remainder of the day to spend as recreates the city during its heyday around you wish. 66 CE—prior to the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans. Then, we’ll view the Dead Dinner: On your own in Jerusalem. Perhaps Sea Scrolls, ancient texts found in the Qumran you’ll seek out Machneyuda, a rustic restaurant Caves, including the oldest known copy of the pulling fresh ingredients from the nearby Old Testament. Afterwards, we’ll explore more Machane Yehuda Market. This open-style modern exhibitions in the museum. We’ll end restaurant allows you to see traditional Israeli our visit around 11:45am in time for lunch. dishes being prepared right in front of you. Or, try jahnun, a traditional Yemenite pastry Lunch: At a local restaurant around 12pm, made by rolling up thin pastry dough brushed featuring regional cuisine. with butter and baking it in a closed oven all Afternoon: At around 1pm, we’ll depart the night. Typically, this dish comes with a side restaurant for about a 1.5-hour transfer to Tel of grated tomatoes, a hard-boiled egg, and Aviv. Israel’s cultural and commercial hub, Tel schug—Yemenite hot sauce. Aviv was founded in 1909 near the ancient port Evening: Tonight is on your own. Perhaps you’ll city of Jaffa (with which it later merged) as a enjoy a nightcap of some of Israel’s famous planned “garden city” on the Mediterranean wines with your fellow travelers. Israel has coast, and blossomed into the largest collection been making wine since biblical times, and now of Modernist buildings in the world. Today, Tel Aviv is home to about one-third of Israel’s population, and is a thoroughly modern city

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26 in every sense of the phrase—whatever it may • Explore one of the colorful hidden gems of lack in ancient history, it more than makes up Jaffa, the Mosaic House. Over the course of for in vibrancy and contemporary culture. 40 years, artist Joseph Logassi created and displayed intricate mosaic portraits in his We’ll arrive to our centrally located hotel in home reflecting the history and culture of Tel Aviv around 2:30pm. Our hotels in this Israel. Though he passed away in 2019, his city often feature an on-site restaurant, bar, wife Yaffa welcomes guests into her home coffee shop, spa, fitness center, and seasonal to allow them a glimpse into Logassi’s life swimming pool. Rooms generally include and work. a satellite TV, wireless Internet, a minibar, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and a private • How to get there: A 10-minute taxi ride, bath with a hair dryer. Following check-in, approximately $22 USD one way. you’ll have time to relax or begin exploring on • Hours: 9am-7pm, Sunday-Thursday; your own. 9am-2pm, Friday (advance reservation required). Dinner: On your own in Tel Aviv. Your • Cost: About $15 USD per person. Trip Experience Leader will happily offer • Gain a different perspective on life in Israel at suggestions, but you might wish to sample Kuchinate, a collective of African women who bourekas—savory pastries filled with cheese, have sought asylum in Tel Aviv. The name of spinach, or potato. Oftentimes, they’re served the cooperative translates to “crochet” in the with a hardboiled egg and tangy, grated tomato. Triginya language of Ethiopia, and you’ll see Evening: The evening is yours to rest, relax, how the women’s array of crafts for home or write in your travel journal. You might also decor help it live up to its name. Nearly 300 consider getting a nightcap with your fellow women produce blankets, rugs, and much travelers at the hotel bar. more, as well as host crochet lessons and traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean coffee Freedom To Explore: During your three days in ceremonies. the Tel Aviv, you have the freedom to explore • How to get there: A 20-minute taxi ride, this vibrant city on your own during your free approximately $22 USD one way. time. Below are a few recommended options for • Hours: 10am-2pm, Monday, Thursday & independent explorations: Friday; 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Wednesday. • Engage your senses at Tavlinsky, a boutique • Cost: Free. herb shop. Meet the owner, Iris, a Persian cook whose passion is to share her love of Day 14 Explore Old Jaffa & Tel Aviv spices and herbal remedies with locals and • Destination: Tel Aviv visitors alike. Here, you’ll find everything • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch from all-natural dried fruit, to high-qual- • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar ity coffee, to fresh, aromatic spices, and much more. Activity Note: The Jaffa Flea Market is closed on Saturdays. If Day 14 of your itinerary falls How to get there: A 20-minute taxi ride, • on a Saturday, your Trip Experience Leader will approximately $22 USD one way. work to arrange a visit on an alternate day. • Hours: 9am-7pm, Sunday-Thursday; 9am-4pm, Friday. Breakfast: A light breakfast will be served this • Cost: Free. morning at our hotel beginning at 6:30am.

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27 Morning: We’ll leave our hotel around 9am clothing and housewares. It’s an authentic by bus for a 20-minute drive to Jaffa, thought and invigorating whirl of activity that reveals to be the world’s oldest seaport. When we Israel’s incredible diversity. arrive, we’ll stop in Abu Hassan, one of the Dinner: On your own. Ask your Trip Experience most famous hummus spots in Tel Aviv. Begun Leader for suggestions. as a small street stand in 1959, the restaurant has been passed down to three generations of Evening: The evening is yours to rest, relax, family members, and we’ll enjoy some samples or write in your travel journal. You might also before our Trip Experience Leader takes us on a consider getting a nightcap with your fellow walk through Old Jaffa. travelers at the hotel bar.

We’ll also visit the Ilana Goor Museum, housed in the private home of this renowned Israeli Day 15 Explore Tel Aviv • Carmel Market artist, designer, and sculptor, around 10:30am. • Destination: Tel Aviv Tucked into a Jaffa side street, the museum is • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner in an 18th-century building that was at various • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar times an inn for Jewish pilgrims, a soap factory, and a synagogue. It features Goor’s own work Activity Note: Carmel Market is closed on along with an eclectic collection of art that Saturdays. If Day 15 of your itinerary falls on spans from Roman times to the present day. a Saturday, your Trip Experience Leader will work to arrange a visit on an alternate day. Then, we’ll venture to the colorful Jaffa Flea Market (closed on Saturdays), where we’ll have Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning the chance to browse the vendors’ extensive at 6:30am, featuring international and selection of antiques. While here, you’ll have Israeli options. the opportunity to discover the daily routines Morning: Around 9am, we’ll take a ride into of locals. Your Trip Experience Leader will Tel Aviv for a walking tour, where we’ll begin give you a brief introduction to the Hebrew at bustling Carmel Market. Commonly referred language, so perhaps you can try your hand at to as a shuk (Hebrew for an open-air market), speaking with the vendors. this bustling bazaar is the oldest model for Lunch: At a local restaurant around 12:30pm, food shopping in the Holy Land, where you featuring regional cuisine. can discover a cornucopia of fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, spices, nuts, and even Afternoon: We’ll head back to our hotel in Tel clothing and housewares. It’s an authentic Aviv and get there by about 2pm. Then, you’ll and invigorating whirl of activity that reveals have some free time to relax or explore more of Israel’s incredible diversity. the area Consider visiting the Carmel Market (closed on Saturdays); commonly referred to Then, we’ll see several of Tel Aviv’s popular as a shuk (Hebrew for an open-air market), sites, including the UNESCO designated this bustling bazaar is the oldest model for “White City.” This is one of the world’s largest food shopping in the Holy Land, where you collection of Bauhaus style buildings. This area can discover a cornucopia of fresh fruits and has grown into an area with boutiques, art vegetables, cheeses, spices, nuts, and even galleries, cafés, restaurants, and bars—all of which have helped shape this complex into one of Tel Aviv’s most lively areas. During our tour,

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28 we’ll also stop at Neve Tzedek, one of Tel Aviv’s Dinner: At a local restaurant around 6:30pm, oldest districts. The narrow lanes are still lined featuring a Farewell Dinner of local cuisine and with original buildings—strongly accented with a drink to toast to the many adventures we’ve features from the Art Nouveau and Bauhaus art had in Israel. movements. While here, we’ll explore a more Evening: Tonight, you may wish to retire contemporary art movement: graffiti. We’ll early, as we’ll have a very early wake-up call have the opportunity to enter the gallery of a tomorrow. Or, you might wish to visit one of the young graffiti artist and discuss his work and many oceanside bars along the promenade for daily life. one last nightcap in Israel. Lunch: On your own near the Carmel Market area around noon. Ask your Trip Day 16 Depart Tel Aviv • Fly to U.S. or join Experience Leader for suggestions for the best post-trip extension regional cuisine. • Included Meals: Breakfast Afternoon: Around 1pm, we’ll make the 1-hour Breakfast: A boxed breakfast will be provided drive back to our hotel in Tel Aviv, and you’ll before leaving the hotel, which can be enjoyed have the remainder of the afternoon free. Your when you wish. Trip Experience Leader will provide you with some options, such as renting a bike to take Early Morning: We’ll depart our hotel a scenic ride along the shore; visiting one of very early this morning (usually between the nearby museums, like the Itzhak Rabin 2:30am-3:30am, depending on flight times) for Museum; or stopping by a café popular with the a 1-hour drive to the airport. Here, we’ll board locals for a snack. our return flights to the U.S.

Around 6:15pm, we’ll regroup and drive down Travelers taking our optional Palestinian to the nearby Tel Aviv Promenade, which Discovery: Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah & features views of the Mediterranean seashore, Jericho post-trip will begin their extension by for our Farewell Dinner. departing the hotel around 8:30am.

END YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION 5 nights in Palestinian Discovery: Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah & Jericho

Day 1 Tel Aviv • Overland to Bethlehem • Day 3 Visit Ramallah • Home-Hosted Discover Church of the Nativity • Visit Mar Lunch • Transfer to Jericho • Discover Saba monastery Hisham’s Palace Day 2 Bethlehem • Hebron • Experience Day 4 Jericho • Optional Mount Judean Desert life Temptation & Bethany tour Day 5 Jericho • Nablus • Sabastia Day 6 Jericho • Return to U.S.

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29 OPTIONAL TOURS

During your trip you will be able to book optional tours directly with your Trip Experience Leader. He or she will ask you to confirm the payment for these tours by filling out a payment form. Optional tours can only be purchased with a credit or debit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. We also accept Visa and MasterCard debit cards, but it must be a debit card that allows you to sign for purchases.

In order to correctly process these charges, there can be a delay of 2-3 months from the date of your return for the charges to be posted to your account. Therefore we ask that you use a card that will not expire in the 2-3 months following your return.

Please note: Optional tour prices are listed in U.S. dollar estimates determined at the time of publication and are subject to change. Optional tours may vary.

Herodion & Ein Karem (Day 11 $95 per person)

We begin our tour in Herodion, a hilltop fortified palace built by Herod the Great in the desert south of Bethlehem that is also thought to be Herod’s mausoleum. Then we continue to Mar Elias Monastery, a Greek Orthodox monastery originally built in the sixth century CE, and rebuilt in the twelfth century. We’ll have lunch in the monastery’s restaurant before a stop to visit Ein Karem.

Nestled in the hills to the southwest of Jerusalem, Ein Karem is notable as the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Our visit takes us to two churches connected to the life of the biblical figure: the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. Although both structures are relatively new, both have been constructed on top of the remains of much older buildings that marked two important sites for early Christians—the site of St. John’s birth and the site of the visit from St. Mary to St. John’s mother, St. Elizabeth.

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30 PRE-TRIP Jordan: The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations: 3 nights in Amman at » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip The House Boutique Suites or similar and Experience Leader 2 nights in Petra at the Petra Moon Hotel » All transfers or similar » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and » 15 meals—5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 luggage porters dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner) » 10 small group activities

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Experience another facet of the Middle East’s centuries-old culture in Jordan. You’ll explore Roman ruins in Amman and stroll ancient city streets in Jerash. And discover the Nabataen “Lost City” of Petra, described in poetry as a “rose-red city half as old as time.”

Day 1 Fly from U.S. to Amman, Jordan Dinner: At our hotel around 7pm, featuring Jordanian cuisine. You fly overnight from the U.S. to Amman, Jordan. Evening: You’ll have free time to settle into your room and relax before a full day of Day 2 Arrive Amman, Jordan discoveries in Amman tomorrow. • Destination: Amman Freedom To Explore: During your three days • Included Meals: Dinner in Amman, you have the freedom to explore • Accommodations: The House Boutique this vibrant city on your own during your free Suites or similar time. Below are a few recommended options for independent explorations: Afternoon: Depending on your flight, you’ll arrive in Amman in the late afternoon. An O.A.T. • Explore the Royal Automobile Museum: Visit representative will meet you at the airport and one of Amman’s most popular attractions, drive you about an hour by bus to your hotel. which was established in 2003 under the guidance of King Abdullah II in honor of his Typically, our hotels are centrally located in late father King Hussein bin Ali, who ruled Amman, and feature amenities like an on-site from 1956 until his death in 1999. Here, you’ll restaurant and swimming pool. Rooms often find a rare collection of more than 70 vehi- include a minibar, satellite TV, wireless cles, including cars owned by King Hussein Internet access, and private bath. bin Ali, modern sports cars, and a rover used in the 2015 film The Martian. After using the

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31 UNESCO World Heritage Site Wadi Rum for where you may find a local bar teeming with filming, the cast and crew gifted the rover to residents chatting and the aroma of local Jordan in return for their hospitality. specialties. • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute taxi • How to get there: A 25- to 30-minute taxi ride, about $10 USD. ride, about $29 USD. • Hours: 10am-7pm, Wednesday-Thursday • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. and Saturday-Monday; 11am-7pm, Friday. • Cost: Free. • Cost: About $4 USD. Day 3 Amman • Visit the Citadel and • Visit the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative Society: Meet the remarkable women who Roman Theater run and manage this cooperative, which was • Destination: Amman established to combat the high unemploy- • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ment rate for women in Jordan. Here, local • Accommodations: The House Boutique women of all ages can learn a variety of crafts, Suites or similar particularly making fabrics used for clothing, Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel bedsheets, curtains, and more. These crafts starting at 6:30am, featuring international and are then sold in the cooperative’s gift shop, local options. with the proceeds going directly back to the women who made them. So far, the cooper- Morning: Around 9am, our Trip Experience ative has provided training to more than 150 Leader will give us an introduction to Jordan women from surrounding villages. with about a 45-minute Welcome Briefing at • How to get there: A 20- to 30-minute taxi our hotel. Then, around 10:15am, we’ll board ride, about $20 USD. our bus and dive into our discoveries of the • Hours: 9:30am-5pm, daily. ancient city of Amman with a 2.5-hour guided • Cost: Free. tour led by your Trip Experience Leader. This ancient city was once besieged and captured • Stroll Rainbow Street: From souvenir shops by King David and the Egyptian King Ptolemy, and small cafés to art galleries and local and occupied by the Byzantine Empire and restaurants, delve into the young side of Christian Crusaders. Today, it is a thriving the city during one of your free afternoons modern metropolis that has taken great care or evenings. This pedestrian promenade is to preserve its historical heritage. First, we’ll known locally for the colorful graffiti that visit Amman’s citadel, with its blend of ancient paints the street’s walls. Perhaps you’ll grab a Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic ruins. cup coffee at a café and watch as the locals go We’ll also have free time to explore the small about their daily routines, or grab a drink at archaeological museum, with its treasure trove a rooftop terrace along the street and take in of ancient coins, glassware, and statuary. the expansive views of the city as the sun sets. The area gets very lively during the evening, After enjoying the views of the Old City, with its 5,000-seat Roman amphitheater and Abu Darwish Mosque, we’ll continue to the older section of downtown Amman on foot. We’ll walk through the “gold souk,” named for its concentration of gold jewelry shops selling unique local items. While here, our Trip

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32 Experience Leader will lead us through the Day 4 Discover Jerash and Ajlun • stalls of vendors selling a variety of local goods. Home-Hosted Dinner We’ll stop at the oldest stall in the market • Destination: Amman famous for their traditional Jordanian desserts. As you sample these fresh ingredients, you’ll • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner be able to gain a deeper understanding of how • Accommodations: The House Boutique locals go through their daily routines and Suites or similar errands. Following our souk visit, we’ll board Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel our bus and drive about 10 minutes to a local from 6:30am-8am, featuring international and restaurant. local options.

Lunch: Around 1pm at a local restaurant, Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll depart for featuring typical Jordanian cuisine. our hour-long drive to ancient Jerash, the world’s best-preserved and most complete Afternoon: Around 2:30pm, we’ll continue our Greco-Roman city. First established as a discoveries with a walk in the neighborhood town in 70 CE, it’s now a sprawling open-air of Jabal Amman, located near the downtown museum of monumental temples, baths, area. This area is celebrated for its historic theaters, and Byzantine churches. When we buildings and distinctive 20th-century arrive, we’ll be greeted by the triple-arched architecture, including many homes built by gateway built to honor the arrival of the local entrepreneurs and politicians. Then, we’ll Emperor Hadrian in 129 CE. Next to Hadrian’s board our bus and return to our hotel around Arch stands the massive hippodrome, partially 4:30pm, and you’ll have some time to freshen reconstructed. We’ll wander through this site up before dinner. We’ll regroup around 6:15pm and view the Zeus Temple, Oval Plaza, and and set out for Amman’s downtown area via winding avenues and plazas lined with graceful bus, where we’ll experience a taste of the city’s colonnades. vibrant nightlife with a stroll down Rainbow Street, packed with lively pubs and rooftop Around 11:15am, you’ll have about 45 minutes restaurants. to explore the sights of Jerash on your own. Perhaps you’ll watch one of the city’s daily Dinner: At a local restaurant in Amman around Roman army and chariot shows, held in the 6:30pm, featuring a Welcome Dinner of hippodrome. In a three-part performance, Jordanian fare. you’ll watch as fully equipped legionaries Evening: We’ll return to our hotel around showcase their battle tactics and formations, 8:45pm. The rest of the evening is yours to rest, gladiators perform their legendary fights, write in your travel journal, or grab a nightcap and two horse-drawn chariots compete in at the hotel bar. a grueling race to the finish. At noon, we’ll depart Jerash for a 15-minute drive to a local restaurant.

Lunch: Around 12:15pm at a local restaurant, featuring regional Jordanian specialties.

Afternoon: We’ll depart the restaurant around 1:30pm, heading through fertile green hills lined with olive groves to Ajlun—famous for

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33 its imposing Saracen castle. Built in the late Morning: We’ll depart our hotel around twelfth century by the nephew of Saladin, it is 9am this morning, setting off on our drive to known as Qalat ar-Rabad and dominates the Petra along the King’s Highway, which has skyline for miles. We’ll arrive around 2:15pm been an international trade route for the last and spend an hour exploring some of these 5,000 years. The route is scenic and dotted famous sights of Ajlun. We’ll leave Ajlun around with picturesque villages and historic sites 3:30pm, arriving back at our hotel around mentioned in the Bible. 4:45pm. Here, you’ll have some free time to Around 10am, we’ll stop for about a 45-minute relax, grab a cup of coffee at a nearby café, or visit to Mount Nebo, the place where Moses is perhaps freshen up with a dip in the hotel’s purported to have gazed upon the Holy Land swimming pool. Around 6pm, we’ll depart our that he was not meant to reach. In fact, it is hotel and head to the home of a local family said that his tomb lies here. As we explore for dinner. this historic land around Mount Nebo, we’ll Dinner: We’ll enjoy a special Home-Hosted enjoy sweeping views across the Jordan Valley Dinner at the home of a local family in Amman, and Dead Sea. We continue on to Madaba by enjoying a unique glimpse into Jordanian life, bus, arriving around 11am. Madaba is known along with a selection of homemade Jordanian for its striking Byzantine mosaics, the most cuisine. While here, we’ll have a conversation famous of which we’ll see for ourselves in with these family members about everyday life St. George’s Church. The mosaic floor of this in Amman, including health care and education, modest 19th-century Greek Orthodox church and also delve into how they have kept their depicts the Holy Land, and is still hailed as the traditions alive in modern-day Jordanian oldest map of Palestine in existence, as well as society. a beloved treasure of early Christianity. We’ll spend about an hour here before we walk about Evening: We’ll return to our hotel around 10 minutes to our lunch spot. 8:30pm. The rest of the evening is free. Perhaps you’ll grab some of Jordan’s sticky, sweet ice Lunch: Around noon at a local restaurant cream, known as boozeh, at a local shop. in Madaba, featuring regional Jordanian specialties.

Day 5 Transfer to Petra via the King’s Afternoon: Around 1:30pm, we’ll once Highway • Visit Mount Nebo & Madaba again resume our journey by bus to Petra, • Destination: Petra witnessing scenic views of the Mujib Valley. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Around 2:45pm, we’ll make a quick stop for • Accommodations: Petra Moon Hotel a panoramic view over Wadi Mujib, Jordan’s or similar most famous river canyon. We’ll arrive at our hotel in Petra around 5:30pm, with about an Activity Note: Today, our transfer from Amman hour to freshen up before dinner. Though it to Petra will involve a 6- to 7-hour bus ride varies, our hotel is often located near ancient (with stops along the way) over roads that may Petra. Hotel amenities may include an on-site be bumpy or uneven at times. restaurant, outdoor pool, and garden area. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel Rooms typically include wireless Internet starting at 6:30am, featuring international and access, air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, and en local options. suite bathroom.

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34 Dinner: At our hotel in Petra around 7pm, galleries showcasing the antiquities of this featuring a selection of Jordanian fare. lost Nabatean city, including statues, tools, and interactive displays. Evening: This evening is yours to spend as you wish. Perhaps you’ll cool off with a swim in the • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. hotel’s pool, or grab a nightcap with your fellow • Hours: 10am-11:30pm, daily. travelers. • Cost: Included in entrance fee to Petra. • Stroll the main street of Wadi Musa: From Freedom To Explore: During your two days small shops to local restaurants, discover the in Petra, you have the freedom to explore hustle and bustle of local life in this rose- this historic city on your own during your hued desert town. Selling various handicrafts, free time. Below is a recommended option for from clothing and jewelry to souvenirs and independent exploration: textiles, you can peruse the colorful shops • Take a cooking class at Petra Kitchen: Learn lining this street. how to make traditional specialties during a • How to get there: A 5-minute walk. cooking lesson. In a casual environment, an • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. experienced chef will guide you step by step • Cost: Free. to create authentic Jordanian meals using fresh ingredients. Typical dishes include ma- Day 6 Full-day Petra walking tour qluba, meaning upside down—which includes • Destination: Petra cooked chicken, rice, and vegetables—as • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner well as tabbouleh salad and hummus. You’ll • Accommodations: Petra Moon Hotel also discover the history and culture of the or similar region as this local chef walks you through the recipes and flavors found in typical homes Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel in the area. starting at 6:30am-8:30am, featuring international and local options. • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. • Hours: Classes begin at 6pm and 6:30pm, Morning: Around 9:30am, we’ll set off on nightly. foot for a full-day walking excursion through • Cost: About $50 USD. the ancient ruins of the fabled red city of • Discover ancient relics at the Petra Museum: Petra. Reached through a towering narrow Opening its doors in 2019, this museum is canyon, the city is carved into the solid red a huge milestone for the UNESCO World sandstone cliffs, and features soaring temples, Heritage Site of Petra. Prior to the museum, a 3,000-seat amphitheater, houses, banquet archaeological finds were displayed in the halls, churches, and tombs. It is said that site itself, making preservation efforts and Petra’s massive Treasury, with its portico and accessibility difficult. Now, there are over pillars, was the storeroom for the Queen of 300 objects on display in climate-controlled Sheba’s gifts to Solomon. You might recognize galleries. Explore the museums’s five several of these views of Petra from the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

For more than 2,000 years, the name Petra was just a mysterious sound, a name in dusty documents. Only the local Bedouin people knew

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35 of its existence because they lived in its caves. Lunch: Around 11:30am, enjoy a boxed lunch Converted to Islam and disguised as an Arab, during the border crossing into Israel. Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt found Afternoon: Around 3:30pm, we’ll arrive at our the lost city in 1812. hotel in Haifa, where we’ll check in, meet our Lunch: Around 1pm at a local restaurant in the fellow travelers, and begin Day 2 of our The Holy Petra archaeological site. Land and Timeless Cultures adventure.

Afternoon: After lunch around 2:30pm, you will have about an hour of free time to explore more of the site. Around 3:30pm, we’ll depart the archaeological site and walk to our hotel, where we’ll have about 3 hours of free time to freshen up or explore Petra before dinner. We’ll regroup in the hotel a little before 7pm and walk about 10 minutes to a local restaurant.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Petra around 7pm, featuring a selection of Jordanian fare.

Evening: We’ll return to the hotel around 8:30pm, where you’ll have free time to rest or begin packing for our transfer to Haifa tomorrow.

Day 7 Petra • Transfer to Haifa • Begin main trip • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Activity Note: Due to security regulations, O.A.T. travelers will pass through customs unassisted and without your Trip Experience Leader when entering Israel.

Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel starting at 6:30am, featuring international and local options.

Morning: Around 7:30am, we’ll depart our hotel in Petra and travel by bus to the border of Jordan and Israel. Just before 11am, we’ll stop at the Allenby Bridge (also called the King Hussein Bridge). We’ll then cross the border into Israel, passing through customs. This process should take about an hour. At about 12:30pm, we’ll meet the Israeli Trip Experience Leader who will accompany us on the main trip.

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36 POST-TRIP Palestinian Discovery: Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah & Jericho

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations: 2 nights in Bethlehem » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip at the Ambassador City Hotel or similar Experience Leader and 3 nights in Jericho at the Jericho Resort » All transfers Village Hotel or similar » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and » 13 meals—5 breakfasts, 3 lunches, luggage porters and 5 dinners » 9 small group activities

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

The Palestinian Territories encompass some of the world’s most revered religious sites and archaeological treasures—from Bethlehem to ancient Jericho, the oldest walled city in the world. Journey beyond the headlines and witness this disputed region’s great natural beauty, ancient cities, and proud and resilient people.

Day 1 Tel Aviv • Overland to Bethlehem • of Mar Saba—one of the world’s oldest Discover Church of the Nativity • Visit Mar monasteries. Founded in 478 CE by Saint Sabas Saba monastery of Cappadocia, this Greek Orthodox monastery remains active today, with about 20 monks • Destination: Bethlehem in residence. Upon arrival around 10:30am, • Included Meals: Dinner we’ll spend about an hour hiking around the • Accommodations: Ambassador City Hotel monastery. We’ll depart around 11:30am for or similar about a 45-minute drive to Bethlehem. Activity Note: Many ancient traditions Like Jerusalem, which lies just six miles to are still observed at Mar Saba, including a the north, Bethlehem holds a special place in restriction against women entering the main the hearts of Jews, Christians, and Muslims compound. From the neighboring Women’s alike. An important Palestinian stronghold and Tower, however, all travelers can enjoy views cultural center, it is also believed by Christians of the complex, especially overlooking the to have been the birthplace of Jesus, and the Kidron Valley. Jewish faith holds that it was David’s childhood Morning: This morning, following our Israel: home and site of his coronation as King The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures adventure, of Israel. we’ll check out of our hotel around 8:30am and drive about 2 hours to one of the region’s most impressive sites: the desert monastery

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37 We’ll arrive in Bethlehem around 12:15pm and Evening: The rest of the evening is free. begin our discoveries with a 30-minute visit to Perhaps you’ll grab a nightcap with your fellow a local market. travelers at the hotel bar, or simply rest up for another day of discoveries tomorrow. Lunch: On your own in Bethlehem around 12:30pm. While your Trip Experience Leader Freedom To Explore: During your two days in will be happy to offer suggestions, you might Bethlehem, you have the freedom to explore wish to try kubbeh—deep fried balls of ground this lovely town on your own during your free beef or lamb, similar to falafel. time. Below are a few recommended options for independent explorations: Afternoon: We’ll regroup around 2pm for a visit to Bethlehem’s renowned Church of the • Visit the Palestinian Heritage Center: Nativity, first built by Constantine and his Established to promote, revive, and preserve mother St. Helena in 339 CE over the cave where Palestinian culture, the center provides Christ was believed to have been born. Though lectures, workshops, and shows. It is also that church was destroyed, a larger church was known for its selection of handicrafts, built at the site in 530 CE and remains there made by women from villages and refugee to this day. We’ll view the Door of Humility, camps around Bethlehem. Here, you can built to force all visitors to dismount from their find handmade embroidery, as well as horses before entering; floor and wall mosaics; posters and postcards celebrating the a silver star said to mark the spot where Jesus Palestinian heritage. was born; and the Chapel of the Manger. Then, • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute taxi we’ll continue our discoveries of Bethlehem ride, about $10 USD. with a visit to Shepherds’ Field, where an Angel • Hours: 10am-8pm, Monday-Saturday. of the Lord is said to have informed a group of • Cost: About $4 USD. shepherds of Jesus’ birth. We’ll also visit an • Discover Palestinian pride at the Noor olive-wood-carving shop and meet one of the Women’s Empowerment Group: Help four brothers who run this local business. Our support the members of this grassroots host will delve into his centuries old family organization begun by and for Palestinian tradition, and we’ll learn how this ancient local refugee women who have children with craft has endured from the fourth century to disabilities. They will share their experiences modern times. during a walking tour of their refugee camp Around 4:30pm, we’ll make the 30-minute near Bethlehen, and then lead a cooking class drive to our hotel to check in. Though it to show you how to prepare some traditional depends on which hotel we stay in, our hotels Palestinian dishes. are generally centrally located in Bethlehem, • How to get there: A 20- to 30-minute taxi featuring in-room amenities like coffee- and ride, about $25 USD. tea-making facilities, a mini-bar, and a private • Hours: 10am and 2pm, daily. bath with a hair dryer. On-site, most of our • Cost: About $17 USD. hotels also have a bar and restaurant. Once we • Visit Solomon’s Pools: Once part of an check in, you’ll have some time to freshen up or ancient aqueduct system, these pools used grab a cup of coffee before dinner. to supply water to Jerusalem and Herodium. Dinner: At our hotel in Bethlehem around 7pm, Although the pools are typically associated featuring a selection of local fare. with King Solomon from around 950 BCE,

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38 scholars today believe the pools to be much Around 12:15am, we’ll drive about 45 minutes younger—the youngest section dating back to Ma’ale Amos, an ultra-Orthodox settlement to the second century BCE. The springs were in the Judean Desert (sometimes referred used into the 20th century for irrigating crops to as the Judean Wilderness for its untamed in the surrounding valley. Nowadays, given terrain). Here, we’ll meet with a group of the fresh pine forest surrounding the pools, Bedouins for about 45 minutes, enjoying the locals use the area to take respite and picnic. unique opportunity to ask them questions and • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute taxi gain insights into their lives. As we’re sure to ride, about $18 USD. learn, the Bedouin (or Bedu) are a traditionally • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. nomadic group who have historically occupied • Cost: Free. the deserts of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and the Levant. In fact, even Day 2 Bethlehem • Hebron • Experience the name bedouin comes from the Arabic word Judean Desert life badawi, meaning “desert dweller.” While many of the world’s Bedouins have given up • Destination: Bethlehem their nomadic lifestyle, we’ll learn why this • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner particular group in the Judean Desert has • Accommodations: Ambassador City Hotel chosen to maintain this ancient tradition and or similar how it impacts their lives. Following our visit, Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel we’ll board our bus and drive 15 minutes to a beginning at 6:30am, featuring international local restaurant. and local options. Lunch: Around 1pm at a local restaurant in Morning: Around 8:45am, we’ll board a bus Ma’ale Amos, featuring regional specialties. and drive about one hour to the divided West Afternoon: We’ll depart Ma’ale Amos around Bank town of Hebron. Hebron is referred to in 2:30pm by bus, making about a 30-minute Judaism as the City of the Patriarchs because drive to a Jewish settlement on the West it is here that Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Rebecca, Bank. While here, we’ll explore possible new and Leah are buried. Hebron is also one of the perspectives on Israeli-Palestinian relations Four Holy Cities of the Jewish faith (along with with a Jewish settler and use our learnings from Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Safed). Today, it is the the main trip to ask informative questions. most populous city on the West Bank. Then, around 4:30pm, we’ll drive about 30 When we arrive around 10am, we’ll first visit minutes back to our hotel in Bethlehem. Here, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a shrine complex you’ll have about two hours to rest, relax, or that is Judaism’s second-most sacred site, continue exploring the area before dinner. after the Western Wall of Jerusalem. Muslims and Christians also revere this holy pilgrimage Dinner: At our hotel in Bethlehem around 7pm, destination, built over a cave where Abraham featuring a selection of local fare. and his descendants Isaac and Jacob are buried. Evening: The rest of the evening is yours to First built under Herod in the first century spend as you wish. Perhaps you’ll visit one of BCE, the complex was later added to by the Bethlehem’s lively bars and cafés, which serve Crusaders in the twelfth century. We’ll also dive everything from steaming cappuccinos to into daily, modern life in Hebron with a visit to ice-cold beer. a local market.

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39 Day 3 Visit Ramallah • Home-Hosted Afternoon: After lunch around 3:45pm, we’ll Lunch • Transfer to Jericho • Discover begin our discoveries of Jericho, visiting the Hisham’s Palace ruins of the ancient city of Tel Jericho before traveling just north of the city to visit Hisham’s • Destination: Jericho Palace. In the eighth century, Umayyad Caliph • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Hisham bin Abdul Malek ruled a vast empire • Accommodations: Jericho Resort Village stretching from the Pyrenees mountain range Hotel or similar to India. Hisham’s Palace, a former winter Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel palace and hunting lodge that bears his name, beginning at 6:30am, featuring international is now believed to have been built by his and local options. successor, Al-Walid bin Yazid. Although the palace was destroyed by an earthquake in 747 Morning: Around 9am, we’ll make about a CE, its ruins still yield treasures of Islamic 1-hour drive by bus to Ramallah, literally art and architecture. We’ll explore the old “God’s Hill.” A vibrant West Bank cultural synagogue and other remains of the complex center, as well as administrative headquarters and admire its exquisite mosaics. Around 4pm, of the Palestinian Authority, Ramallah is a we’ll also stroll around Jericho’s city center to harmonious city set on a major crossroads of get a taste of day-to-day life in this thriving the West Bank. When we arrive around 10am, city. Then, at about 5pm, we’ll take a 15-minute your Trip Experience Leader will lead about a drive to our hotel. 2-hour walking tour of the city that includes the old section of Ramallah, its colorful food Around 5:15pm, we’ll arrive at our hotel market, and a stop at Yasser Arafat’s memorial, to check in. Typically, our hotels in Jericho commemorating the life of the leader of the include on-site restaurants, a swimming pool, Palestinian National Movement. and tennis courts. Rooms generally feature a satellite TV, minibar, and private bath. Once Around 12:30pm, we’ll board our bus again for we check in, you’ll have some time to relax or about a 45-minute drive to Jericho. The oldest freshen up before dinner. known continuously inhabited city in the world and—at 853 feet below sea level—the lowest Dinner: At our hotel around 7:30pm, featuring town on Earth, Jericho was a military fortress a selection of local fare. built on the route to Canaan in biblical times. Evening: The rest of the evening is free. According to legend, Joshua, an apprentice of Perhaps you’ll enjoy an evening swim in the Moses and leader of the Israelites, conquered hotel pool, or simply write in your travel journal the city around 1400 BCE in his quest to lead his as you reflect on our day. people into the Promised Land. Now dominated by its Arab population, Jericho is a quiet and verdant city, with refreshing natural springs and an abundance of outdoor cafés and garden restaurants.

Lunch: Around 2:30pm, we’ll break into even smaller groups and enjoy a Home-Hosted Lunch.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

40 Day 4 Jericho • Optional Mount Travelers on our Optional Tour will continue Temptation & Bethany tour their exploration in Bethany, arriving around 1:45pm. In this small first-century village on • Destination: Jericho the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner we’ll visit a 2,000-year-old dwelling thought to • Accommodations: Jericho Resort Village be the house of Lazarus, whom Jesus is said to Hotel or similar have raised from the dead. After spending some Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel time exploring this historic site, we’ll depart for beginning at 6:30am, featuring international our hotel at 3:30pm. On our way back, we’ll stop and local options. to admire panoramic views of the St. George Monastery in the Judean Desert. We should Morning: Today you’re free to explore Jericho arrive back at our hotel around 5pm. on your own. Perhaps you’ll see the sights of Jericho on a hantour, Arabic for “horse-drawn Dinner: At our hotel around 7:30pm, featuring carriage.” You may also choose to visit the a selection of local fare. Mosaic Centre Laboratory, which is striving Evening: The evening is free in Jericho. Perhaps to revive this ancient tradition. Here, you can you’ll indulge your sweet tooth by sampling watch talented artists create replicas of ancient kunafeh, a local dessert made from pastry and Palestinian mosaics, as well as their own mild cheese topped with syrup and pistachios. modern masterpieces.

Or, join our Optional Tour to Mount Temptation Day 5 Jericho • Nablus • Sabastia and Bethany. Depart the hotel around 9am • Destination: Jericho for a 30-minute drive to Mount Temptation, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner so-named because it is believed to be the site • Accommodations: Jericho Resort Village where the devil tempted Jesus. Here, we’ll enjoy Hotel or similar a cable car ride. Around 11am, our Optional Tour continues with a visit to the nearby Muslim Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our hotel pilgrimage site of Nabi Musa, where popular beginning at 6:30am, featuring international Palestinian folklore has it that the prophet and local options. Moses is buried. We’ll spend an hour here Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll depart our before departing for the village of Bethany. hotel in Jericho as we make our 1.5-hour drive Lunch: For those not going on our Optional to Nablus, one of the largest Palestinian cities. Tour, lunch is on your own in Jericho. Your Trip Ruled by many empires over its 2,000-year Experience Leader will be happy to provide history, Nablus is also known as the biblical suggestions. Travelers who take our Optional city of Shechem, where Abraham traveled on Tour will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant his way to Canaan. Then we stop to visit the around 12:30pm featuring regional dishes. ruins of a Samaritan temple and citadel on Mount Gerizim, where each year Samaritans Afternoon: Travelers who are not taking our come to make an annual Passover sacrifice. Optional Tour can continue making their own Around noon, we’ll make a 45-minute drive to discoveries in Jericho. Sabastia, an ancient royal city in the Samarian hills, which contains the ruins of six successive cultures stretching back 10,000 years.

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41 Lunch: Around 1pm at a local restaurant in Evening: Your last night in Jericho is free. Sabastia, featuring musakhan, a traditional Perhaps you’ll grab a drink with your fellow Palestinian dish of chicken and onions. travelers, toasting to the adventures you had in the Palestinian Territories. Afternoon: Around 2:30pm, we’ll learn more about Sabastia with a visit to its archaeological site, where we’ll explore the ruins of a Roman Day 6 Jericho • Return to U.S. theater where Salome is said to have performed • Included Meals: Breakfast her notorious “Dance of the Seven Veils,” Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our immortalized in a one-act play by Oscar Wilde hotel beginning around 6:30am, featuring and an opera by Richard Strauss. We’ll begin international and local options. If you have an our drive back to Jericho around 4:30pm, early-morning flight, then a light breakfast will returning to our hotel around 5:30pm. Here, be provided to you. you’ll have time to rest, relax, or freshen up before dinner. Morning: Depending on your flight time, you’ll transfer about 1.5 hours to Israel’s Ben Gurion Dinner: At our hotel in Jericho around 7:30pm, Airport sometime this morning to catch your featuring a selection of local fare. return flight to the U.S.

OPTIONAL TOUR

Mount Temptation & Bethany (Day 4 $75 per person) Begin your tour with a cable-car ride to Mount Temptation, so-named because it is believed to be the site where the devil tempted Jesus. Then we continue to the important Muslim pilgrimage site of Nabi Musa, where popular Palestinian folklore has it that the prophet Moses is buried. Then on to Bethany, a small first-century village on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives to visit a 2,000-year-old dwelling thought to be the house of Lazarus, whom Jesus is said to have raised from the dead. After lunch in a local restaurant, we drive back to Jericho, passing panoramic views of the St. George Monastery in the Judean Desert.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

42 Israel: The Holy Land & RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH Timeless Cultures CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. 2021 Dates & Prices See details at www.oattravel.com/riskfree-booking.

APRIL; MAY 2-17; NOV 11-30; SEP 1-23; SEP 24-30; DEPART FROM DEC 11-23 NOV 3-8 MAY 20-31 JUNE OCT 1-12 OCT 13-31 DEC 4

New York $ 4395 $4595 $4695 $4995 $4895 $4795 $4095

Boston, Los Angeles, Newark $ 4495 $ 4695 $ 4795 $ 5095 $ 4995 $ 4895 $ 4195

Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Orlando, $ 4595 $4795 $4895 $5195 $5095 $4995 $4295 Washington, DC

Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, $ 4695 $4895 $4995 $5295 $5195 $5095 $4395 San Francisco, Seattle

Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, $ 4795 $4995 $5095 $5395 $5295 $5195 $4495 Tampa

Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details.

M A Y ; S E P T E M B E R ; APRIL; NOV 11-30 NOV 3-8 JUNE OCTOBER DECEMBER Without international airfare $ 3195 $ 3395 $ 3495 $ 3595 $ 2895

ISR2021

Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. All prices and availability are effective as of the date of this publication, and are subject to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors. A visa is required for entry into Jordan on the pre-trip extension. You will receive application information after you reserve.

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/isr2021pricing

SAVE UP TO 10% WITH FREE SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS SHARE YOUR LOVE OF TRAVEL OUR GOOD BUY PLAN We offer FREE Single Supplements on all New travelers you refer will instantly save The earlier you reserve your departure of our adventures and pre- and post-trip $100, and you’ll earn increasing rewards— and pay in full, the more you’ll save—up extensions. up to a FREE trip! to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price. Each departure has limited solo space For details, visit www.oattravel.com/va For details, visit www.oattravel.com/gbd available—call today to reserve.

Publication Date 12/10/20

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/isr2021

43 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Passport • Must be in good condition

• Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S.

• Must have the required number of blank pages (details below)

• The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable

Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport

Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this vacation.

• Main trip only: If you are taking only the main trip, you will require 2 blank passport pages.

• Optional Stopover in Paris: You will need 1 additional page for a total of 3.

• Pre-trip extension to Jordan: You will need 1 more page for a total of 3.

• Post-trip extension in Palestine: No additional pages are needed for this extension.

• Both the pre- and the post-trip extensions: You will need 3 blank passport pages total.

Visas Required We’ll be sending you a detailed Visa Packet with instructions, application forms, and fees about 90 days prior to your departure. In the meantime, we’re providing the information below as a guideline on what to expect. This info is for U.S. citizens only. All visas and fees are subject to change.

• Israel and Palestine—visa not required: U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter Israel or the areas visited on the extension in Palestine.

• Jordan (optional extension only)—visa required. We recommend that you wait and get your visa in Jordan because you may qualify for a free visa. (And if you don’t, you can buy one on arrival.) To do this, we will need information from you no later than 30 days prior to your departure. Please refer to the “Advance Information for Jordan” section of this chapter.

44 • In order to qualify for the free visa, you must arrive in Jordan on the standard arrival day for your trip—either by booking air with O.A.T. or by buying an airport transfer with us. Travelers who fly to Jordan early will not be eligible for the free visa and will have to buy one on arrival. The fee for U.S. citizens is 40 Jordanian dinars (approximately U.S. $57) and it must be paid in local currency. There are 24-hour currency exchange services in the airport before you reach the visa counters.

• Keep in mind that all visas are subject to change by the government of Jordan without prior notice. So even if you qualify for the free visa, you should still come prepared to buy one as a Plan B.

• France (Stopover only): U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter France.

Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org.

Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate.

Advance Information for Jordan In order for our local office to prepare for your entry into Jordan they will need the following information at least 30 days prior to your departure:

• Full name

• Nationality

• Passport number

• Date of expiration of passport

• Date and place of birth.

If you have not already provided this information to us, you may do so by mail, online via your My Account, or by calling Traveler Support. If you have already provided this information, then you need not call. Even if you have already provided this information, you may receive an automated mailing requesting a confirmation.

45 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals.

If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip.

Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents.

46 RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH

Is This Adventure Right for You? Please review the information below prior to departing on this adventure. We reserve the right for our Trip Experience Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their condition would adversely affect the health, safety, or enjoyment of themselves or of other travelers.

PACING • 4 locations in 15 days

• There are several overland 3-hour drives

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids

• There are a large number of steps to negotiate at the Western Wall tunnels and at other archaeological sites; expect 6-8 hours of physical activities and sightseeing on some days

• You will need to access vehicles by stairs without aid

• We reserve the right for Trip Experience Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience

CLIMATE • The weather in Israel is often compared to the temperate climate of Florida or southern California, with warm summers and mild, balmy winters

TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • We’ll travel over several city streets, hike along rugged paths and trails, and walk up and down many stairs at various sites in Israel. There are also walks along sandy beaches and desert terrain

• We travel via air-conditioned 30-passenger bus (no toilet onboard), and cable car to reach Masada

ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES • Hotel rooms are smaller than those in the U.S. and offer simple amenities

• All accommodations feature private baths

• Due to Shabbat regulations, all hotel check ins on Saturdays are after sunset

47 OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO PALESTINE • During this extension our route crosses over several times between Israeli and Palestinian territories, which means we will pass through multiple checkpoints. Although O.A.T. is constantly in touch with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities, there is a possibility that a checkpoint may close without prior notice. If this occurs during your trip, this may entail a rerouting to another checkpoint or the reversal of certain activities. Your Trip Experience Leader will keep you apprised of the changes, if any, and will handle all the details.

Steps to Take Before Your Trip Before you leave on this adventure, we recommend the following:

• Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting. You can contact them online at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or by phone at 1-800-232-4636.

• Have a medical checkup with your doctor at least 6 weeks before your trip.

• Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

• Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less urgent)

Vaccines Required

COVID-19 Overseas Adventure Travel requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to the nature of the pandemic.

Medication Suggestions • An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness

• Pain medication in the unlikely event of an injury in a remote location (Applies more to the extensions than the main trip.)

Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.

• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.

• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.

48 We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can presume major U.S. brands should be OK).

Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips

• Start your trip well-rested.

• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane.

• Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.

• Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– your flight.

• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying

• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.

• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.

• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.

• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.

Allergies

If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814, and we will communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.

Water • In Israel the tap water safe to drink. We recommend that you bring a reusable water bottle from home and fill it up at the hotel before setting out for the day.

• In Jordan, it is better to stick to filtered, treated, or bottled water. However we still recommend bringing a reusable water bottle from home so you can take advantage of any safe water sources.

• Or if you prefer bottled water, it is readily available and inexpensive in both countries. (Bottled water is not included in the price of your tour.)

• Other bottled drinks and juices are safe to drink, as are hot drinks that have been boiled.

49 Food • We’ve carefully chosen the restaurants for your group meals. Your Trip Experience Leader can suggest restaurants for the meals you take on your own.

• Carry a handkerchief to dry any wet utensils or plates.

• Eat only food that has been cooked and is still hot.

• Be very careful with food sold from vendors on the street, and with uncooked fruit and other foods. Fruit that you peel yourself is usually safe—avoid lettuce and other unpeeled produce.

50 MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES

Top Three Tips • Carry a mix of different types of payments, such as local currency, an ATM card, and a credit card

• Traveler’s checks are not recommended as they can be difficult to exchange and are rarely accepted for payment.

• Some tourist-related businesses will accept U.S. dollars, but local currency is preferred. Local shops and restaurants that do not cater to tourists will not accept U.S. dollars, so it is best to obtain local currency upon arrival.

Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter, your bank, or the financial section of your newspaper.

Israel The official currency of Israel is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS), which is divided into 100 agorot. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 20, 50, 100 and 200 shekels

• Coins: 10 and 50 agorot, and ½ (one half), 1, 2, 5, and 10 shekels

Local currency is strongly preferred, although some hotels will accept US dollars (usually at a poor rate of exchange).

Jordan The Jordanian dinar (JD) is a decimal currency, divided into 10 dirham, 100 qirsh (sometimes translated as piastres in English) or 1,000 fils. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: JD 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 dinar

• Coins: 1/2, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 qirsh; 1/4, 1/2, and 1 dinar

U.S dollars are not widely used in Jordan; the local currency is generally preferred. Dollars might do in a pinch, especially if the person receiving them is in a travel- or tourist-related business.

How to Exchange Money Your bank may not carry local currency for Israel and Jordan, but there is no need to obtain local currency before your trip. The easiest way to obtain local currency is to withdraw funds from an ATM upon arrival. The ATM will dispense local currency and your bank will convert that amount into U.S. dollars.

51 You can also change U.S. dollars upon arrival at the airport, or at banks, most hotels, and money exchange offices.

Most banks in Israel are open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursdays; also from 4 to 6 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays and on the eve of major Jewish holidays some banks may be open in the morning, but the exact hours will vary from bank to bank. Bank branches in major hotels usually offer convenient additional banking hours. All major hotels have exchange facilities, which are usually open 24 hours a day.

ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$10 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

Israel: Generally ATMs are common in cities and towns throughout Israel. Only in rural villages or in places far off the beaten track will ATMs be hard to find.

Jordan: Generally ATMs are common in cities and towns throughout Jordan, but may be hard to find in rural villages or in places far off the beaten track.

Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

Israel: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Israel, but you may still need cash for small businesses or in rural areas of Israel.

Jordan: Though major American credit cards are widely accepted in Jordan, smaller businesses or places in rural areas may not accept cards.

Chip Cards Many countries have adopted a new type of credit card that has an embedded computer chip. These cards are inserted into the reader instead of swiped. The card owner then authorizes the purchase using a PIN instead of signing.

52 This new technology is only now gaining traction in the U.S., so occasionally there are machines in other countries that can’t read U.S. cards. Or the machine can read the card, but asks for a PIN. This doesn’t happen often, and is nothing to worry about. You can usually resolve the situation by asking the cashier to let you sign. (If you don’t speak the language, just mime signing on your hand.) If you are not able to sign for a purchase, such as at an automated ticket booth, you can use another form of payment, such as a debit card that has a PIN.

Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.

You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!

Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines.

• O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Trip Experience Leader at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $8-$12 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Trip Experience Leader is with them. Please note that these tips can only be in cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions, your Trip Experience Leader during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.

• Housekeeping staff at hotels: $1-2 per room, per night

• Public restrooms: Most public restrooms in this region are manned by a local staff that takes care of cleaning and supplying toilet paper and paper towels. It is customary to leave a small tip for the staff—about 30 to 50 cents per person.

• Waiters: Tipping is expected at restaurants in Israel, where the average tip is 10%-15% of the bill, depending on how pleased you are with the service. Tips in cash are preferred. In Jordan many establishments will charge a 10% service fee, in which case there is no need to tip. Otherwise leave 5%-10%. Your Trip Experience Leader will tip waiters for included meals.

• Taxis: Tipping is not expected, but if you want to give something you can round up the fare and let the driver keep the change.

• Included in Your Trip Price: Gratuities are included for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters on your main trip, extensions, and all optional tours.

53 Please note: Tips are quoted in U.S. dollars for budgeting purposes; tips can be converted and paid in local currency (this is usually preferred) or in U.S. dollars. Please do not use personal or traveler’s checks for tips.

54 AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH

Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air Quick Definitions

• Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are not included.

• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).

• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”.

Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:

• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as O.A.T. travelers who purchased included airfare.

• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.

Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814.

If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.

Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your adventure by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.

What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability.

55 • Optional tours that are reserved with your Trip Experience Leader can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.)

• To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.

• Your Trip Experience Leader will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day-to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount).

Communicating with Home from Abroad

Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone can accept one.

Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store.

Calling Cards and 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.).

One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental United States. This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country.

Internet WiFi is readily available in restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Israel; there are also some government-sponsored hotspots as well. Some businesses will offer free WiFi, and some will charge for the service; charges vary. Cafes and chain restaurants such as Arcaffe, Aroma, and

56 Yellow are good places to look for free WiFi, although it is expected that you’ll buy a drink while you’re in the café. Many hotels will also have a computer in the lobby or in the business center that travelers can use; there may or may not be a fee.

How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone.

Israel: +972 Jordan: +962

57 PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS

Luggage Limits

MAIN TRIP LIMITS

Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on per person.

Weight restrictions Varies by airline. The current standard is 50 lbs for checked bags and 15 lbs for carry-ons.

Size Restrictions Varies by airline. Measured in linear inches (length+width+depth). Generally, 62 linear inches is the checked bag limit; carry-on limit is 45 linear inches.

Luggage Type Duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Please do not bring a hard-sided (clamshell) suitcase.

TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS

Same as main trip.

REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS

Luggage rules: Luggage rules and limits are set by governmental and airline policy. Enforcement of the rules may include spot checks or may be inconsistent. However one thing is the same across the board: If you are found to have oversized or overweight luggage, you will be subject to additional fees, to be assessed by—and paid to—the airline in question.

Don’t Forget: • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet.

• It’s a good idea to reconfirm baggage restrictions and fees directly with the airline a week or so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section.

• Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines.

58 Your Luggage • Checked Luggage: One duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Look for one with heavy nylon fabric, wrap-around handles, built-in wheels, and a heavy duty lockable zipper. Please do not bring a rigid (plastic shell) suitcase.

• Carry-on Bag: You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be used as both a carry-on bag for your flight and to carry your daily necessities—water bottle, camera, etc—during your daily activities.

• Locks: For flights that originate in the U.S., you can either use a TSA-approved lock or leave your luggage unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure.

Clothing Suggestions: Functional Tips • Dress in layers: As you will experience a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions, our list suggests several layers of clothing. Plan to dress in layers to keep warm at night, and adjust to changing conditions during the day. A few of our hotels are not heated, so indoor temperatures are about the same.

• Quick-dry fabrics: If you like to hand-wash your clothes, look for fabrics that will dry out overnight. You can buy clothing designed especially for travel, with features like wrinkle- resistant fabric or built-in sun protection.

• Footwear: You’ll be on your feet and walking a lot, so choose your footwear carefully. You can find especially supportive shoes designed for walking.

Style Hints & Dress Codes • Dress on our trip is functional and casual; there are no formalwear evenings.

• It is perfectly acceptable for women to wear slacks; you are not required to wear a skirt or a dress.

• Shorts are fine for touring except in religious sites, where men and women are expected to have legs and arms covered.

• Men must also cover their heads in synagogues. Religious sites will usually lend you a scarf, cloth or other covering if you don’t have one.

In Jordan (optional extension) • Dress conservatively and modestly. “Modest” means locals of both genders will cover legs and arms, wear higher necklines, and local women may cover their hair with a scarf. Therefore shorts and sleeveless tops are more for tourists. It is O.K. for you to wear them, as long as you don’t mind that everyone knows you’re a visitor.

59 • Wear longer shorts and try to avoid sleeveless tops and low necklines. You might want to refrain from wearing shorts and sleeveless tops at the same time. Generally in places of worship or in someone’s home it is better to cover up your shoulders and legs.

• Women will not be required or expected to cover their hair, except perhaps in a mosque, where it is considered a sign of respect.

• When visiting a mosque you may be handed a wrap and asked to drape it over you so that you are properly covered; this is common throughout the Islamic world. If the mosque requires something specific for women, there will be a private “women only” entrance where you can rent the appropriate dress, so it is not necessary to bring a scarf.

Suggested Packing Lists We have included suggestions from Trip Experience Leaders and former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook.

And don’t forget a reusable water bottle—you’ll need it to take advantage of any refills we offer as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips.

Recommended Clothing ‰Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts in a breathable fabric, like cotton or cotton-blend. Polo shirts are more versatile than T-shirts.

‰Trousers and/or jeans: Comfortable and loose fitting is best. Avoid tight fits. ‰Walking shorts: Cut long for modesty. See the “Style Hints” section on the previous page for more details.

‰Optional: Travel skirt. ‰Shoes and socks: We recommend you wear sturdy walking shoes or supportive sports shoes for our daytime shore excursions. If you plan to float in the Dead Sea, we suggest bringing “water shoes” because the salt crystals on shore can be rough.

‰Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood ‰Wide-brim sun hat or visor for sun protection ‰Light sweater, sweatshirt, or jacket (air conditioning can be cold in museums, motor coaches, etc).

‰Underwear and sleepwear ‰Swimsuit for the Dead Sea or hotel pools.

60 Seasonal Clothing Recommendations For late spring or summer departures, add these items to your list: ‰Light cotton garment, which are more comfortable than synthetic fabrics. ‰A light windbreaker or sweater is still a good idea; Jerusalem can be cool at night even in the summer.

For fall and winter departures, add these items to your list: ‰A light coat and sweaters or sweatshirts to layer.

Essential Items ‰Daily essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush or comb, shaving items, deodorant, etc. Our hotels will provide the basics like soap and shampoo, but most hotels do not provide a washcloth, so you may wish to pack one.

‰Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses; sunglasses ‰Sunscreen, SPF 15 or stronger ‰Insect repellent ‰Light folding umbrella ‰Pocket-size tissues ‰Moist towelettes and/or anti-bacterial “water-free” hand cleanser ‰Electrical transformer & plug adapters ‰Camera gear with extra batteries or battery charger

Medicines & First Aid Gear ‰Your own prescription medicines ‰Travel first aid kit: Band-Aids, headache and pain relief, laxatives and anti-diarrhea tablets, something for upset stomach. Maybe a cold remedy, moleskin foot pads, antibiotic cream, or allergy medication.

‰An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness ‰Optional: A pain medication for rare emergency purposes. (Applies more to the extensions than the main trip.)

61 Optional Gear ‰Lightweight binoculars (essential if birding) ‰Hand-wash laundry soap and maybe plastic hang-up clothespins ‰Reading materials ‰Travel journal/notepad and pens ‰Addresses to send postcards ‰Photos or postcards from home, small gift for Home-Hosted Visit ‰Phrase book ‰Folding walking staff, sold in most camping stores ‰Pocket-size calculator for exchange rates

Electricity Abroad When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape.

Voltage Electricity in Israel and Jordan is 220 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should check the item or the owner’s guide first to confirm this before you plug it in. If you have something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.)

Plugs The shape of plugs will vary from country to country, and sometimes even within a country depending on when that building was built. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket you’ll need an adapter that fits between the plug and the socket. Because there are many different types of plugs in this region, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/ converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or Walmart. If you forget to bring an adapter, you might also find them for sale at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

62 Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B. Here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip:

Israel: C and H

Jordan: C, D, F, and G

Type C Type H Type D Type G

Availability Barring the occasional and unpredictable power outage, electricity is as readily available on this adventure as it is in the U.S.

63 CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Israel: The weather in Israel is often compared to the temperate climate of Florida, southern California and the French and Italian Riviera. Generally, there are sun-drenched summers and mild, balmy winters. However, as in most countries, there can be sharp contrasts in weather that depend on the season. Rain falls only during the winter, and even then it’s more often sunny than not. In early spring, there can be hot dry desert winds that Israelis refer to by the Arabic name hamseen, which means “fifty,” ostensibly because its potential season totals 50 days, though in fact it usually doesn’t last more than three or four at a time. Autumn is typically glorious, with extended stints of sunny, dry weather. Swimming is excellent in Israel from April to October along the Mediterranean coast and the Sea of Galilee. Throughout the year, swimming is popular at the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.

Jordan: About 90 % of the country is desert with an annual rainfall below 8 inches and falling as low as 1-2 inches in places. Although Jordan is thought of as having a hot climate, the country’s climate is as diverse as its scenery. It has four well-defined seasons. In early fall and spring, the weather is ideal, with plenty of warm sun and comfortably cool evenings. During winter, it can be quite chilly with some rain in Amman and the surrounding area. On occasion, nights can dip below the freezing point. Dry, bitter winds often accompany the colder temperatures. Snow is not unheard of, so if you are traveling in winter, keep that in mind.

Paris, France: The City of Light has about the same weather as our Middle Atlantic States, though it’s usually not warmer than 75° F, or colder than 30° F. The main characteristic of the city’s weather is its changeability. Bright skies can abruptly turn cloudy and a chilly drizzle ensue; then just as quickly as the rain begins it will end.

Another volatile aspect of Parisian weather is the blasts of rapidly moving air—probably the result of a wind tunnel effect caused by the city’s long boulevards being bordered by buildings of uniform height. But other than the occasional winds and rain (which add an undeniable drama to many of the city’s panoramas), Paris offers among the most pleasant weather conditions of any capital in Europe, with a highly tolerable average temperature of 53°.

The early spring can still be on the cool side, but later on in the season, temperatures are usually comfortable, often reaching into the low 60s. Summers are rarely overly warm—the upper 70s is the norm—though a spell of hot weather in the 90s can settle in for a few days, or even a week or two in July and August. Early autumn is slightly cooler, with temperatures edging toward the 50s. By November, it may dip into the 40s. Rain is a common occurrence year-round.

Climate Averages & Online Forecast The following charts reflect the average climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.oattravel.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast.

64 Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall

MONTH HAIFA, ISRAEL JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 63 to 48 71 to 54 11 53 to 44 72 to 61 5.2 FEB 64 to 48 69 to 53 9 55 to 44 69 to 59 4.7 MAR 68 to 51 68 to 55 6 60 to 47 63 to 52 3.6 APR 75 to 57 59 to 54 3 71 to 55 48 to 39 1.0 MAY 79 to 63 61 to 58 1 78 to 60 41 to 35 0.1 JUN 85 to 69 62 to 56 1 82 to 64 44 to 37 -- JUL 88 to 73 64 to 56 1 84 to 67 52 to 40 -- AUG 89 to 75 66 to 58 1 85 to 67 57 to 40 -- SEP 86 to 71 65 to 57 1 83 to 66 58 to 40 -- OCT 82 to 65 63 to 55 3 77 to 62 56 to 42 0.6 NOV 75 to 57 61 to 49 6 66 to 54 61 to 48 2.4 DEC 67 to 52 68 to 53 9 57 to 47 69 to 56 4.2

MONTH TEL AVIV, ISRAEL AMMAN, JORDAN

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 62 to 46 82 to 66 5.0 52 to 39 84 to 64 2.5 FEB 64 to 46 84 to 62 3.5 55 to 40 82 to 58 2.5 MAR 69 to 49 84 to 58 2.4 61 to 44 79 to 52 1.7 APR 77 to 54 80 to 51 0.7 71 to 51 68 to 40 0.7 MAY 81 to 59 81 to 51 0.1 80 to 57 60 to 34 0.1 JUN 85 to 65 83 to 53 -- 85 to 63 58 to 34 -- JUL 87 to 69 84 to 58 -- 88 to 67 59 to 36 -- AUG 88 to 71 83 to 59 -- 88 to 67 66 to 38 -- SEP 86 to 68 82 to 59 -- 85 to 64 71 to 39 -- OCT 83 to 63 80 to 59 1.0 79 to 58 72 to 41 0.2 NOV 75 to 55 78 to 60 3.1 66 to 49 76 to 50 1.1 DEC 66 to 48 83 to 68 5.0 56 to 42 85 to 65 1.9

65 MONTH JERICHO, WEST BANK PARIS, FRANCE

Temp. (high-low) % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 66 to 53 -- 6.0 45 to 37 89 to 79 20 FEB 68 to 53 -- 5.1 47 to 37 87 to 71 16 MAR 73 to 56 -- 3.5 54 to 42 87 to 65 18 APR 82 to 62 -- 1.3 60 to 45 86 to 58 17 MAY 90 to 68 -- 0.2 67 to 52 86 to 57 16 JUN 94 to 73 -- -- 73 to 57 86 to 58 17 JUL 97 to 77 -- -- 77 to 60 85 to 54 13 AUG 97 to 77 -- -- 77 to 60 87 to 51 12 SEP 95 to 75 -- -- 70 to 55 91 to 59 14 OCT 89 to 71 -- 0.5 61 to 49 92 to 69 17 NOV 79 to 63 -- 2.4 51 to 42 91 to 76 17 DEC 70 to 56 -- 5.0 46 to 38 89 to 81 19

66 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE

O.A.T. Trip Experience Leaders: A World of Difference During your adventure you’ll be accompanied by one of our local, expert Trip Experience Leaders. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure. As locals of the regions you’ll explore with them, our Trip Experience Leaders provide the kind of firsthand knowledge and insight that make local history, culture, and wildlife come alive. Coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm, caring personalities, and ability to bring diverse groups of travelers together, our Trip Experience Leaders ensure that your experience with O.A.T. is one you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Israeli Culture Israel is the first Jewish state to exist in approximately two thousand years. For many Jews, it represents a return to their historical homeland and a reuniting of the Jewish people after centuries of being scattered across several lands (the diaspora). But while it may be tempting to think of Israel as a homogenous society, it is quite a diverse country, shaped by immigration from all over the world and the Arab peoples who also live there.

As expected, one of the biggest waves of immigration was European Jews who came after—and because of—the Holocaust. But there was also significant migration from North Africa, Russia, the Middle East, and even Ethiopia, where a Jewish community has existed for 1,500 years. Each group brought with them the language, food, and culture of their native land, and since Judaism has different branches or denominations, they also brought different interpretations of the religion. Add to this mix the various Arab identities—Palestinian, Bedouin, Druze, and Arabic Christian to name a few—and the result is a highly ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse population.

That said, there are some cultural norms that are distinctly Israeli across the board. A great example is dugri or straight talk. Israelis “tell it like it is” and will be open and direct a way that can come off as blunt to other cultures. But there’s no malice intended; the assumption is that you’d rather hear the truth. Being adaptable, resilient, and innovative are also prized. These core values have a long history in Israel—from the nomadic tribes who had to make do in a desert land, to all the people who started over in a new place—so it’s no wonder why Israelis admire someone who can overcome setbacks.

This toughness is embodied in the word sabra, which literally means “prickly pear” (a type of cactus fruit) but is also used as a label to describe how native-born Israelis see themselves— sharp on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside.

Another important aspect of Israeli culture is the concept of doing one’s duty. This can be reflected in personal relations (i.e. visiting the parents regularly like a good son or daughter), fulfilling religious obligations (even if you are more secular in everyday life), or civic duty. A big part of civic duty is completing the 24-32 months of military service that is compulsory for Jewish men and women, as well as Druze and Circassian men.

67 Arabs who identify as Christian or Muslim may volunteer with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), but their service is restricted to certain areas, which raises one of the big challenges in modern Israeli society—the legacy of mutual distrust between the Jewish majority and Arab minority. It is a complicated and thorny question which tends to evoke passionate responses. You’ll hear many perspectives on this subject during your trip and our advice is to keep in mind that people’s thoughts on this topic are often deeply personal and linked to their identity.

Religion Religion plays an important part of daily life in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, so an understanding of the two most prominent religions (Judaism and Islam) will assist you in your discoveries. In Israel, itinerary changes are particularly dependent on religious observances. For example, during even minor Jewish holidays many sites will be closed or operating on reduced hours, forcing us to adjust our daily itinerary. Should any such adjustments be needed on your trip, they will be communicated by your Trip Experience Leader. Please keep an open mind and allow for some flexibility—after all, this is part of traveling in Israel.

Judaism Considered the oldest of the monotheistic religions, Judaism has its roots in ancient times, with more than 3,000 years of history. Although there are three main branches (Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform) the fundamentals remain the same. A practicing Jew is expected to follow the holy commandments as revealed to Moses, follow Jewish law, attend synagogue, fast during specific holidays, and keep Shabbat (Sabbath) from sundown Friday to sundown on Saturday. While the most holy of writings in the Jewish tradition are collectively known as the Tanakh, you may also hear references to the Torah, which is the first five books within the Tanakh, or to commentaries by learned rabbinical scholars such as the Talmud or Midrash.

While in Israel, you’ll find that many shops and restaurants are closed on Saturday in observance of the Sabbath. And during Jewish holidays, many sites will be closed or operating on reduced hours—but on the plus side, there may be special services or festivities you can join! (If you’re interested in checking what holidays might fall during your trip, an online holiday calendar like www.timeanddate.com/holidays is a great resource.) Also, some establishments keep kosher, so you may not find pork or shellfish on the menu.

Lastly, a few words about the Western Wall in Jerusalem: As the last remains of the Second Temple, many see this as one of the most sacred places in Judaism, and as a result, its popularity cannot be underestimated. Be prepared for crowds.

Islam Although you could date the founding of Islam to the 5th century, its roots can be traced back further. Indeed, many believers see Islam’s founder, Muhammad, as a continuation of a line of prophets that goes back to Moses and Abraham. Like other regions, the Islamic tradition has both a holy book (the Koran) and a collection of teachings and judgments passed down by scholars over the years (Sharia and Fiqh).

68 There are two main branches, the Sunni and the Shia, although all Muslims are expected to follow the same basic principles, known as the Five Pillars: to testify to God’s greatness, to practice charity, to fast during specific times (such as Ramadan), to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, and to pray daily.

Of these five tenets, the one you may notice the most while in Jordan or Palestine is the daily prayers. Practicing Muslims are expected to pray five times daily: at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. The exact time is listed in the local newspaper each day. The call to prayer, called the adhan, is sung or broadcast from minaret towers to remind the faithful that it’s time to come to the mosque.

Friday is the Muslim holy day, so businesses are usually closed. Many companies also close on Thursday, making the weekend Thursday and Friday. Local businesses may also close for religious holidays or festivals. (Again, we suggest checking an online holiday calendar for exact dates.) During Ramadan, many locals will be fasting, limiting the number of restaurants that are open to the public. Technically, Islam also forbids alcohol at all times of year, although this rule is not universally followed and usually does not apply to foreign visitors. However, it may mean that some establishments are “dry” and will not serve it.

Modest Dress • When visiting a synagogue: Male travelers should cover their head to show respect. (Usually the synagogue will have yamakas—a type of skullcap—on hand for you to borrow.) Depending on the synagogue, female travelers may also be asked to cover their hair, which you can do with a scarf or a hat. Generally speaking, an Orthodox synagogue will have the strictest dress codes: shorts may not be allowed; skirts should be to the knee or longer; shoulders should be covered; and necklines should be modest. As in any place of worship, it is best to turn off your cell phone or put it on silent.

• When visiting a mosque: It is polite to be modestly dressed (no bare shoulders, no skirts or shorts above the knee). You may be asked to remove your shoes. In some mosques, female visitors are not required to cover their hair, in others you may be asked to do so. Typically a mosque that requires special dress for female visitors will have pieces to lend or rent.

• When visiting a church: Many churches in this region require modest dress, meaning covered shoulders and skirts or shorts that fall below the knee.

Kibbutz Visits During your Day in the Life experience, you will visit a Kibbutz. The kibbutzim are rural egalitarian communities, based on democratic principles of government and socialist ideals about shared work. Through hard work, determination, and novel agricultural techniques they have turned barren desert into arable land, opened their doors to refugees and new immigrants, and revived Jewish traditions and holidays lost during the Diaspora.

69 During your trip, you’ll have a chance to stop and see the kibbutz for a visit or for a meal. Please keep in mind that as active communities in a deeply religious country, these visits depend on the permission of the kibbutzniks (settlers) and the religious calendar. On certain departures it may be necessary to reschedule a visit. Your Trip Experience Leader will keep you apprised of any such changes.

Language Barrier You can have some great “conversations” with local people who do not speak English, even if you don’t speak a word of the local language. Indeed, this non-verbal communication can be a highly rewarding part of travel. To break the ice, bring along some family photographs, or a few postcards of your hometown. Your Trip Experience Leader can help get the ball rolling. Keep in mind, however, that it is always good form to know at least a few words in the local language.

Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in the countries on your itinerary is about the same as it would be on the streets of your hometown. You need permission to take a close-up, but not for a crowd scene. Be especially polite if you want to photograph children or older women. If you want to shoot a great portrait, show interest in your subject, try to have a bit of social interaction first. Then use sign language to inquire if a picture is OK. Your Trip Experience Leader can help.

Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people.

Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them.

Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers.

Israeli Cuisine Israeli cuisine is a mix of Middle Eastern flavors and dishes from elsewhere that were brought back as a remnant of the diaspora. So you’ll find influences from the Mizrahi (North African), Sephardic (Spanish/Portuguese), and Ashkenazi (Northern European) communities alongside old favorites like hummus and falafel. And of course, many establishments keep kosher, meaning they follow the Jewish dietary laws. This includes no pork, no shellfish, no mixing of meat and dairy, and regulations about how food can be prepared and by whom.

70 • Common ingredients: No matter the dish, you’ll likely find at least one of these in it—olives or olive oil, chickpeas, couscous, garlic, preserved lemons, dates, or pita bread. Also common is tahini, which is a seasoning made from nigella seeds.

• Challah: A light and doughy kosher bread that uses eggs instead of milk or butter. This gives it a distinctive pale yellow color and rich flavor. For breakfast, try the toasted version with a fried egg in it.

• Shakshuka: Eggs pan-fried in tomato sauce, served as a breakfast dish.

• Israeli salads: Large bowls of local produce (cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, etc.) are served throughout the day—sometimes even at breakfast.

• Shawarma: Technically a Turkish dish, but very popular here as a street snack or meal on the go. Rotisserie-style meat (usually lamb or beef) is thinly sliced then served warm in a pocket of bread with veggies and sauce.

• Masabacha: This staple is a bowl of warm chickpeas—some remain whole, some smashed— in tahini with olive oil, chopped herbs, and spices.

• Cheese dishes: The two most popular cheeses are bulgarit (a soft white cheese like feta, but less crumbly) and cottage cheese. But cheese is also a main ingredient in many snacks like khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread), haloumi (fried sticks of cheese), and kanafeh (a layered dessert of shredded pastry over soft cheese and soaked with sweet syrup).

• Mutabuk: Hand-tossed filo dough filled with soft white cheese or nuts and fruit, baked in an oven and served with powdered sugar on top.

• Drinks: Hot day? Try a cool glass of tart pomegranate juice, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, or an ice café, which is basically a coffee slushy. Or if you want something with a kick, look for local liquors such as Tubi 60 (a lemon-and-herb flavor) or arak (anise-flavored).

Jordanian Cuisine Despite the fact that the country is landlocked, you’ll find a lot of Mediterranean flavors here, with herbs, garlic, onion, tomato sauce and lemon all being common. But you’ll also see traditional Middle Eastern ingredients like za’atar spice and mint. Plus Jordan is one of the largest producers of olives in the world, and as result both olives and olive oil are ubiquitous in Jordanian cooking. Dishes to try include:

• Mansaf: Tender lamb cooked served on a platter with flatbreads and rice. You’ll find variations of this dish throughout the region, but Jordan’s version is unique because they use a type of dried yogurt (jameed) to make a sauce for the meat.

• Maqluba: Slow-cooked rice, chicken, potatoes, and vegetables served with a dramatic flair—the pot is flipped upside down over your plate or bowl.

71 • Zaarb: This combination of marinated meat (usually lamb or goat) and veggies cooked over hot coals in the sand comes from the nomadic Bedouin people.

• Jordanian hummus (fattet hummus): Like regular hummus but with torn-up pita bread and pine nuts mixed in and then topped with olive oil.

• Snacks: Roasted nuts coated in spices, sugar, or salt are popular, as are Middle Eastern staples like roasted chickpeas and falafel (ground chickpeas shaped into balls or patties and deep fried).

• Kunafa: This dessert is made of syrup-soaked pastry on top of cheese or cream.

• Drinks: Sweet mint tea, thick Turkish-style coffee, and fresh juices (pomegranate, sugar cane, or lemonade) are on offer.

Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & More There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

Crafts & Souvenirs

Israel Among the best buys in Israel are ceramics, copperware, religious articles, jewelry, diamonds, furs, handicrafts, beauty products with Dead Sea minerals, and original works of art. If you like to bargain, comb the colorful local markets and bazaars in Jerusalem for interesting handmade arts and crafts.

Many shops have been approved for tourists by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. These shops display a sign stating “listed by the Ministry” and carry the Ministry’s emblem (two scouts carrying a bunch of grapes on a pole between them). This is the symbol of quality merchandise and courteous service.

Jordan Common buys in Jordan include Byzantine-style mosaics (still hand-made in Madaba) and bright, multi-colored weavings. Bottled sand art—where colored sand is layered inside a bottle to create a picture—is also popular, especially in Petra.

72 U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511.

The top three points to know are:

• At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees.

• Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties.

• It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins.

73 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY

Israel

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 8,019 square miles

• Capital: Jerusalem

• Languages: Hebrew is the official language; Arabic and English are also spoken.

• Ethnicity: Jewish 75% (of which Israel-born 74.4%, Europe/America-born 17.4%, Africa- born 5.1%, Asia-born 3.1%), non-Jewish 25% (mostly Arab)

• Location: Israel is bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Geography: Israel is home to a variety of geographic features, from the Negev desert in the south to the mountain ranges and lush plains of the Galilee, Carmel, and the Golan in the north to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea.

• Population: 8,049,314

• Religions: Jewish 75%, Muslim 17.5%, Christian 2%, Druze 1.6%, other 3.9%

• Time Zone: Israel is on Israel Standard Time, seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C. it is 1pm in Jerusalem.

National Holidays: Israel

Israel celebrates a number of national among others. To find out if you will be holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as traveling during these holidays, please visit Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Passover, www.timeanddate.com/holidays.

Israel: A Brief History The state of Israel occupies most of what was Palestine until the early 20th century. One of the world’s most ancient civilizations thrived in nearby Jordan—objects from archaeological digs on the Jordan River date to 9000 B.C. Canaanites and Amorites moved in around 3000 B.C, followed by the armies of Sargon, king of Sumer and Akkad. Later, Abraham came in from Mesopotamia—a group of nomads in tow—and created settlements in Canaan, in a mountainous region near today’s Israel. Saul formed a kingdom here around 1023 B.C.; his predecessor, David, moved in on Jerusalem and claimed it as his capital. The Roman Empire descended on Israel in 63 B.C., giving the likes of Herod the Great and Pontius Pilate control of it. Jesus is believed to have preached in and around Jerusalem around this time. The Empire soon grew unsteady under Caligula, which triggered a series of Jewish uprisings over many years. But the Jewish people were defeated with the razing of their city. The province of Palestine was decreed. And the great Diaspora, the scattering of the Jewish people, began.

74 In A.D. 331, Christianity became legal after Emperor Constantine converted to the religion. With his conversion, and that of countless others, the Holy Land became the object of intense curiosity and dedication. Elaborate structures, like the churches of the Holy Sepulchre and the Nativity, rose from Palestine’s desert sands.

But there was a dramatic shift only 300 years later, when Jerusalem fell to Caliph Omar in 638. The caliph claimed that the Prophet Mohammed had risen to heaven from the Temple Mount, and he declared Jerusalem a Holy City of Islam. Christians near and far were outraged, organized an army by 1099, and moved in on Jerusalem with a vengeance, killing countless Muslims and settling in for 100 years of rule. By 1187 the Muslims regained their footing, though it took another 100 years for them to overtake the last Crusader stronghold in 1291.

Over the next 500 years, power changed hands regularly, though not always with the same scale of violence. Eventually, it landed in the Ottoman hands of Suleyman the Magnificent, who rebuilt Jerusalem’s city walls.

By the mid-19th century Ottoman control of Israel was waning. Britain opened a consulate in Jerusalem, and in 1839 as a means of dealing with the persecution of Jews in Europe, Sir Moses Montefiore, a British Jew, began promoting the idea of a Jewish state. In 1878 the first Jewish colony was founded, and before long the first wave of immigrants was flowing in. At the same time, the Arab population of Palestine was becoming strongly nationalistic and anti-European, setting the stage for conflict.

During World War I, Britain promised to recognize an Arab state, and to support a Jewish homeland in Palestine. At war’s end, Britain gained control of the country, and as atrocities leading up to World War II escalated, it halted all migration to Israel. But illegal immigrants flocked there still, only to be met with violence from the Arab population. In 1947 the situation reached an impasse: Britain relinquished its control, the U.N. passed a resolution to divide the country between Arabs and Jews, and Israel officially came into being on May 14, 1948. Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon invaded immediately thereafter—but all were defeated. By the time a ceasefire was declared in May 1949, Israel had extended its territory into Palestine. Many Jewish people immigrated soon after.

In 1956, Egyptian forces moved in to take control of Suez. Israeli, British and French armies responded quickly, descending on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. The international community pressured Israel to return the Sinai to Egypt, and British and French troops withdrew. But hostilities continued: On June 5, 1967 Israel attacked Arab troops that had uncomfortably gathered along its borders with Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. In the “Six-Day War” that followed, Israel extended its territory into the Golan Heights, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. But it was not to be an easy acquisition for Israel; Yasser Arafat and his Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), claiming to solely represent all Palestinians, vowed to get their land back and annihilate the Israeli state.

75 In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Egypt attempted to regain the Sinai from Israel. In the end, the two countries signed a mutual recognition pact that returned the land to Egypt. Ties with Lebanon and Syria were also eroding. In 1981, Israel invaded Lebanon and formally annexed the Golan Heights from Syria; this border area is still a disputed territory decades later. But relations with other nations have improved. For example, a peace deal with Jordan was signed in 1994.

A popular 1987 Palestinian uprising, the intifada, intended to end the advance of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza via guerrilla warfare against Israeli forces. The 1993 Oslo Peace Accord set their sights on mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO, along with limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza. When the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995, bets were off for success, especially since his successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, took a hard line in negotiations. Under his watch, Israeli settlements spread in the West Bank and Gaza, leading to increased terrorist activity.

1999 saw the election of Ehud Barak. At Camp David, he sought guarantees of safety and security from Yasser Arafat and proposed a plan for a Palestinian state. His offer was rejected and the pair reached an impasse in regard to Jerusalem’s status, the return of Palestinian refugees, and a final settlement. The situation deteriorated with fighting in the West Bank between Palestinian Authority police and Israeli soldiers.

Occasional fighting erupted during the early 21st century, which in turn prompted the election of Ariel Sharon as prime minister of Israel in 2001. He committed to a complete withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip, which was completed by September 2005. Sharon also mandated the erection of a controversial wall that isolates the West Bank (Palestine), and added to a similar barrier around the Gaza Strip. Since Sharon’s premiership, Israel has seen the Second Lebanon War in 2006, a blockade of the Gaza Strip, corruption scandals, and social demonstrations in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

Jordan

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 34,495 square miles

• Capital: Amman

• Languages: Arabic is the official language of Jordan; English is also spoken.

• Ethnicity: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

• Location: Jordan bordered by Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria.

• Geography: To the east, Jordan is arid desert plateau; to the west, highlands. The Jordan River flows through the Great Rift Valley and separates Jordan and Israel. The highest elevation is Jabal Ram (5,689 feet) and the lowest is the Dead Sea (-1,594 feet).

• Population: 8,117,564

76 • Religion: Muslim 97.2% (predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.2% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, other 0.1%

• Time Zone: Jordan is on Eastern European Time, seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in Amman.

National Holidays: Jordan

In addition to the national holidays listed 01/01 New Year’s Day below, Jordan celebrates a number of national 05/01 Labor Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Eid al-Adha and Eid-al-Fitr. To find out if you 05/25 Independence Day will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/25 Christmas Day

Jordan: A Brief History Today’s Jordan was part of Palestine—most of which is now the state of Israel—until the early 20th century. For more information, see the pre-20th-century history section under Israel. So the country’s history as a separate nation didn’t really begin until World War I, when the Turks (who ruled the region) allied themselves with the Germans. As a countermeasure the British send T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia) to join the Great Arab Revolt against the Turks. This movement was led by Sharif Hussein of Mecca, and his sons Abdullah, Faisal and Ali; together with Lawrence they developed brilliant guerrilla warfare tactics that defeated the large the Turkish armies with a much smaller force only a few thousand Arabs.

But in the end Lawrence had made a promise to the Arabs that he couldn’t keep—independence once the war was over. With the Allied victory came bitter disappointment when Arab hopes for independence were betrayed, and Britain took Palestine. They renamed it Transjordan and confirmed the Sharif’s eldest son, Abdullah, as its ruler.

In 1948 Israeli Arabs and Jews went to war, and became far too preoccupied to notice when Transjordan claimed the West Bank and part of Jerusalem as its own, and renamed itself Jordan. In 1953 King Hussein took the throne and Jordan’s economy soared, thanks to tourism and generous aid from the U.S. Israel retook the West Bank and Jerusalem during The Six Day War of 1967—Jordan’s tourist trade and much of its agriculture disappeared. Palestinian refugees poured in from the Occupied Territories. Before long, the PLO was threatening King Hussein’s power. An especially violent war ended only when many of the radicals moved to Lebanon.

The 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel dropped economic barriers and increased cooperation on security and water. But Palestinians worried that the treaty did not account for their presence in the region and many felt threatened. Jordan increased ties with Yasser Arafat’s Palestine National Authority and worked toward agreements with them. As King Hussein moved his country toward democracy, he has also mended relations—cut during the 1991 Gulf War— with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Hussein’s death in February 1999 left the future uncertain. He had

77 named his eldest son, King Abdullah II, to succeed him just weeks before he died, but the move was controversial because the Constitution requires that both the king’s parents be Arab and Muslim by birth (Abdullah’s mother was a British citizen).

Despite the controversy over his succession, King Abdullah II enjoys support from the international community and most Jordanians, including the influential Palestinian community. Part of the credit for his “approval ratings” goes his widely popular consort, Queen Rania, whose parents were Palestinian refugees in Kuwait. In the years since his succession, the King has moved his country towards closer relations with Israel, called for democratic changes in the wake of the Arab Spring, and dealt with the war in neighboring Syria by taking in refugees and strengthening the border.

78 RESOURCES

Suggested Reading

General Middle East Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses by Bruce Feiler (2014, Travelogue) This New York Times bestseller follows author Bruce Feiler and archeologist Avner Goren as they travel to locations mentioned in the first five books of the Bible, including retracing the exodus route. There was a companion TV series on PBS that is worth seeking out.

Israel The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan (2020, Memoir) The Palestinian-Israeli conflict takes on a new meaning in this hopeful true story about an unlikely friendship. Previous travelers have recommended it as good way to get background information on the conflict in a format that is more like a novel than a history book. Note: There’s also another book called The Lemon Tree (2017) that may be of interest. Written by Ilil Arbel and Ida Rosenfeld, it details a Siberian family’s travels to Israel to honor their deceased son.

Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis (2016, History) At 500-plus pages, this book may not be as concise at the title suggests. But it has been widely praised for its balanced view on Israeli history and the author’s willingness to discuss both the good and the bad.

Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua (2011, Fiction) A successful layer finds a book in a secondhand shop with a note in his wife’s handwriting to another man. What is their connection? Written by an Israeli-Arab author, the novel deals with how those of Arab descent can and cannot assimilate in Israeli society.

To the End of the Land by David Grossman (2008, Fiction) Superstitious Israeli mother Ora believes that if she stays home while her son is in the army, he could come to harm. So to prevent this she leaves home and starts a two-week hike across Israel with her dog and an ex.

Once Upon a Country, A Palestinian Life by Sari Nusseibeh (2007, History/Memoir) A leading Palestinian scholar and leader offers a close-up look at the troubling recent history of his country and the Middle East from a Palestinian perspective, sharing his rationale for promoting a two- state solution to the problems affecting the region.

Exile by Richard North Patterson (2007, Mystery) The fast-paced story of a trial lawyer who must defend the woman he loves against a charge of assassinating the Israeli Prime Minister. Historically questionable, but great for those looking for a page-turner.

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa (2006, Fiction) A controversial novel that follows the story of a fictional Palestinian family through four generations, the loss of their home, and life in the Jenin refugee camp.

79 A Tale of Love & Darkness by Amos Oz (2002, Memoir) A family saga set in the Jerusalem between the 1930s and 1950s that centers around the author’s mother, a tragic figure who took her own life when he was only 12 years old. Although sometimes sad, many readers felt it captured an important time in Israeli history through the lens of a single family.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (1997, Fiction) Based on the Old Testament story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and other Biblical women, Red Tent offers a striking portrait of what life in Biblical times might have been like.

To Jerusalem and Back: A Personal Account by Saul Bellow (1976, Travelogue). A collection of Bellow’s observations and reflections, written after a trip to Israel, some of which appeared earlier in the New Yorker magazine.

The Source by James Michener (1965, Fiction) Michener traces the history of Judaism through artifacts found in an archeological dig of the fictional city Tel Makor. The author deftly blends fact and fiction by using an imaginary site to represent real human history.

Exodus by Leon Uris (1958, Fiction) A big blockbuster novel that tells the big sweeping story of the creation of Israel.

Jordan The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon (2017, Fiction) Two American military wives follow their husbands to Jordan—Cassie experienced and rule-following, and Margaret, the novice who want to explore. As the begin to form a friendship for sorts, Margaret suddenly disappears.

The Cry of the Dove by Fadia Faqir (2007, Fiction) Salma has committed the ultimate sin against her Bedouin tribe—she had a child outside of wedlock. Forced to flee to England and leave her child behind, she forges a new life, but soon the longing to see her daughter overwhelms her and she risks it all to go back.

Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite Van Geldermalsen (2006, Memoir) The true story of how a New Zealand-born nurse became the wife of a Bedouin souvenir-seller of the Manaja tribe, and lived with him and their children in a community of 100 families in the ancient caves of Petra in Jordan.

Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor (2005, Biography) The absorbing, personal story of Jordan’s American-born Queen Noor touches upon her husband’s efforts at peacemaking, his death, and contemporary Arab-Israeli relations

The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber (2005, Food) A foodie memoir about growing up as a Jordanian immigrant in upstate New York, and all the delicious shish kabobs, goat stew, and yes – baklava that the author’s father cooked for the family.

Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (1938, Mystery) Detective Hercule Poirot is forced to step in when an American wife is found murdered in Petra.

80 Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence (1922, Memoir) Written by the real-life lead character in the movie Lawrence of Arabia, these are his vivid descriptions of the battles fought and the territory explored during the Arab Revolt of 1916-18.

Suggested Film & Video

Israel Fill the Void (2013, Drama) After her sister Ester dies in childbirth, 18-year-old Sharia is asked to cancel her upcoming wedding and marry her widowed brother-in-law instead. A rare look into the Hasidic community in Israel by a female filmmaker.

The Other Son (2012, Drama) Two children—one Israeli and one Palestinian—discover they were switched at birth in this French film set in Israel. In French and Hebrew with subtitles; also released as Le fils de l’autre.

The Band’s Visit (2007, Comedy) A witty and hopeful comedy about what happens when an Egyptian police brass band is stranded in a small Israeli town. Some dialogue is in Hebrew with subtitles, but much is in English—the only language the Egyptians and the Israelis have in common. The film was so well-liked that the story been made into a Tony award- winning musical.

Six Days in June (2007, Documentary) A serious and thoughtful documentary describing the events, aftermath, and ramifications of the Six Day War from both the Arab and Israeli viewpoints. Travelers interested in documentaries may also want to look for Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs, also by PBS (2005, Documentary). The PBS crew were given unprecedented access, and managed to arrange interviews with President Clinton, Yasser Arafat, and Israeli Prime Ministers Sharon and Barak.

Operation Grandma (2000, Comedy) A short satirical film about three brothers trying to get around the various obstacles giving grandma a proper burial. Considered a cult classic in Israel where catchphrases like “I can’t talk about it, the enemy is listening,” have entered everyday speech.

The Ten Commandments (1956, Classic) A classic Bible epic about the life of Moses, as directed by the king of Bible epics, Cecile B. DeMille.

Jordan Jordan: The Royal Tour (2002, Documentary) King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein hosts this well- produced tour of Jordan.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989, Adventure) The third film in the Indiana Jones series as archeologist/adventurer Indy looking for his kidnapped father, the Holy Grail, and a way to outsmart the Nazis on his trail. Not a serious movie in any way, but a lot of fun, and key scenes were filmed at Petra in Jordan.

81 Lawrence of Arabia (1962, Adventure) A sweeping epic about the famous, yet enigmatic, T. E. Lawrence—a British soldier who fought with the Arabs against the Turks in WWI. The score and beautiful cinematography earned this movie a spot on the AFI’s (American Film Institute) Top 100 Films list.

Useful Websites

Overseas Adventure Travel World Weather www.oattravel.com www.intellicast.com www.weather.com Overseas Adventure Travel Store www.wunderground.com www.oatshop.com Basic Travel Phrases (80 languages) Overseas Adventure Travel Frequently www.travlang.com/languages Asked Questions www.oattravel.com/faq Packing Tips www.travelite.org International Health Information/CDC (Centers for Disease Control) U.S. Customs & Border Protection http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel www.cbp.gov/travel

Electricity & Plugs Transportation Security www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/ Administration (TSA) plugs-and-sockets www.tsa.gov

Foreign Exchange Rates National Passport Information Center www.xe.com/currencyconverter www.travel.state.gov www.oanda.com/converter/classic Holidays Worldwide ATM Locators www.timeanddate.com/holidays www.mastercard.com/atm www.visa.com/atmlocator

82 VACCINATIONS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL TRAVELERS, SHIP CREW, TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS, AND COACH DRIVERS Plus, updated Health & Safety Protocols for our Land Tours

The health and safety of our travelers is always our #1 priority, and we understand travelers are concerned about exploring the world in light of the unprecedented crisis we are currently facing. To ensure your safety and give you peace of mind, we have worked with our regional team and listened to government guidance and feedback from our travelers to create these health and safety protocols for our trips. As we continue to make changes, we will keep our website updated with the latest information.

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS • All travelers, ship crew, and Trip Experience AND UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY Leaders will have their temperature checked PROTOCOLS FOR SMALL SHIP every time they return to the ship using a non- ADVENTURES contact infrared temperature scanner. • All travelers must be fully vaccinated against • All meals are served by the dining staff— COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure buffets are no longer available. and provide proof of vaccination upon VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND boarding the ship. If you are unable to UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS provide proof of vaccination upon arrival at FOR SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES ON LAND your destination, you will have to return • All travelers must be fully vaccinated against home at your own expense. COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure. If To meet this requirement, please bring your you are unable to provide proof of vaccination original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card upon arrival at your destination, you will with you on your trip. The white card must have to return home at your own expense. display your name, type of vaccine, and the To meet this requirement, please bring your date(s) the vaccine was administered. We also original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card with suggest taking a picture of this card to keep for you on your trip. The white card must display your records as a backup. your name, type of vaccine, and the date(s) • All local Trip Experience Leaders, the vaccine was administered. We also suggest ship staff, and crew will be fully taking a picture of this card to keep for your vaccinated against COVID-19. records as a backup. • All coach drivers will be fully • All local Trip Experience Leaders will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. vaccinated against COVID-19. • All public areas will be sanitized nightly and • All coach drivers will be fully vaccinated all ships are equipped with High Efficiency against COVID-19. Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

Help us ensure travelers’ safety and health while on our trips. Please follow best health and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness—wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Together, we can create a safer travel experience for everyone.

Learn more at www.oattravel.com/covid-update

83 Notes

84 Notes

85 Notes

86 87 YOUR TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADER

Your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader is an insider who lives in the destinations you are exploring. They are not just knowledgeable, but personable and personal—eager to understand your own interests, and happy to share their own. This makes all the diff erence between just visiting a place, and experiencing its true spirit.

For your Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures adventure, your Trip Experience Leaders have earned an overall “Excellence” rating of 82% in post-trip surveys completed by our travelers.

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