Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Jewish Yearning for the Land of Israel in the Medieval Period May 14 to 24, 2016 Introduction By visiting sites that kindled the imaginations of Diaspora Jews for centuries, by studying the poems and prayers of longing that they penned, and by examining the travel diaries of those who risked all to actually visit the Holy Land, this study-tour will seek to give each participant an unprecedented understanding of the relationship between the Jews of the Middle Ages and the Land of Israel, their once, and future home. Itinerary Saturday, May 14th – Day 1 – Departure Evening: We are scheduled to depart from Newark Liberty International Airport at 11:30 pm for our flight to Ben-Gurion International Airport. Sunday, May 15th – Day 2 – Arrival and Jerusalem Afternoon: Arrive to Ben-Gurion International Airport outside of Tel Aviv. Transfer to Jerusalem. We will take a City Tour by bus before checking into our hotel. There is no better way to “meet” Jerusalem than to stand on the surrounding mountain tops and to enjoy the vistas of the city, both ancient and modern. We will stand at Mount Scopus, Mount of Olives, and Talpiyyot, in order to view the city from three different directions (north, east, and south, respectively). Plus we will drive the outer perimeter of the current Old City walls, built 1537-1538 during the early Ottoman period, as a further way of orienting ourselves to this very special and historic city. We will arrive to the hotel, check-in and relax before our evening activities. Evening: After our Orientation Session with David Wachtel which will give us an opportunity to do introductions, review the itinerary and discuss the purpose of the study tour, we will break bread together at the Welcome Dinner. Meals: Welcome Dinner Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem 1 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Jewish Yearning for the Land of Israel in the Medieval Period May 14 to 24, 2016 Monday, May 16th – Day 3 – Jerusalem Morning: After breakfast and a brief overview of the day, we will head for the Old City. The tour will include visits to the Kotel, Church of the Holy Sephulcre, Temple Mount/Haram el Sharif to see mosques. Afternoon: After lunch on your own in the Old City, we will continue our walking tour through the winding street and alleyways that bring us back in time. After returning to the hotel, David Wachtel presents the first Learning Session on THE FORMER GLORY which traces the history of the Land of Israel from the Second Temple Period through the succession of foreign conquerors: Roman (pagan), Byzantine (Christian), Persian, (Zoroastrian), Caliphate (Muslim), Crusaders (Christian), and Ottoman (Muslim) Evening: We will enjoy dinner together at a fine restaurant followed by a cultural event. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem Tuesday, May 17th – Day 4 – Jerusalem / Bethlehem / Beit Guvrin Morning: After breakfast and our second Learning Session THE FOUR HOLY CITIES, we will depart for Bethlehem which is sacred to Jews and Christians--as the birthplace of David, the site of the Tomb of Rachel and the Church of the Nativity. We will then proceed to Hebron to visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs which is sacred to Jews as well as Moslems. Afternoon: We will explore Beit Guvrin and environs, where we will find burial sites, caves, and a subterranean “city,” all of which are testimony to Hellenistic culture. After the site visit, we will return to Jerusalem. Evening: You have free time to enjoy one of the city’s wonderful eateries for dinner. Remember that there is an early start the next day. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem 2 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Jewish Yearning for the Land of Israel in the Medieval Period May 14 to 24, 2016 Wednesday May 18th – Day 5 – Yavne / Sephorris / Beit Alfa / Bet She’an Morning: Today, we cover a lot of ground after our early breakfast. Our first stop is Yavne located south of Tel Aviv. In 70CE, after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans, Yavne was known as the center of Jewish learning. This was due to Emperor Vespasian giving Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai permission to establish a Jewish school, in which the foundations of the Mishnah were laid. In addition, Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai moved the Sanhedrin to Yavne. It was here that Rabbinical Judaism emerged. Along with Rabbi Yochanan, Rabbis Gamaliel II and Rabbi Akiva taught their students, the future Jewish leaders and Rabbis. In the late morning, we will travel north to Sephorris. Here we will walk the roads and explore both the public and private buildings of the city in which Rabbi Judah the Patriarch lived. We will see that this was a cosmopolitan city, one flowing with cultural currents from throughout the near east. In other words, the Mishnah, and Rabbinic Judaism with it, wasn’t born in cultural isolation. It was fully in conversation with the world around it. Afternoon: Our next stop is Beit Alfa. It was a small village during the Roman-Byzantine period, but it has yielded the best preserved mosaic floor from an ancient synagogue anywhere in Israel or beyond. Most significantly, the use of Helios and the zodiac as the focal point of synagogue art opens up all sorts of questions for the history of Judaism, the role of the rabbis, cultural influences, and more. Our third Learning Session will explore SEEING THE MOSAICS OF BET ALFA THROUGH MULTIPLE LENSES. The culmination of today’s touring is a visit to Bet She’an, the best preserved city from Roman times in the Land of Israel. The entire city lies before the visitor, including its central streets, theatre, bathhouse, amphitheater, and more, with architectural detail visible throughout. Afterwards, we will travel north to Tiberias for our overnight stay. Evening: After a long day of touring, time to relax at Nof Ginosar. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Kfar Blum Guest House 3 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Jewish Yearning for the Land of Israel in the Medieval Period May 14 to 24, 2016 Thursday, May 19th – Day 6 – Tiberias / Galilee Morning: After early breakfast, David presents our fourth Learning Session on MAIMONIDES VS. NAHMANIDES: IS IT A “MITZVA” TO LIVE IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL? in which he discusses this and other halakhic quandaries. We will then head for the crusader fortress of Belvoir. Afternoon: After lunch on your own, we will leave the city and discover sites around the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) including the grave of the Ramban, Moses Maimonides. We will return to our Guest House for our fifth Learning Session on THE DUKE OF NAXOS, the merging of Halakhic and political/economic realities in a pre-Zionist attempt to rebuild and repopulate the Land. Evening: We will have a fish dinner on the shores of the Kinneret at Ein Gev. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Overnight: Kfar Blum Guest House Friday, May 20th – Day 7 – Kala’at Nimrod / Banias Morning: After breakfast, we depart for the Nimrod Fortress Ka’alat Nimrod in Hebrew) and Banias. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit along with you. The Nimrod Fortress is a mountain-top Crusader stronghold dating back to the 13th century. With views of much of the Golan, the Nimrod Fortress is situated on a peak neighboring Israel’s highest and only snow-capped mountain, Mount Hermon. During our site visit, we will have our sixth Learning Session ON CRUSADE CHRONICLES: WHEN, WHY, HOW THE CHRISTIANS RETURNED TO THE HOLY LAND. Below the fortress are the lush Banias forests with the rivers and waterfalls. The ruins of Nimrod Fortress are beautiful and well-preserved, a truly visible snapshot of history. Afternoon: After lunch on your own en route, we will visit the Banias. The Banias Waterfall provides one of Israel’s most beautifully tranquil spots. Set within the Banias Nature Reserve in the Golan, the Banias is a spring which rises from the base of Mount Hermon, Israel’s tallest mountain, flowing for about 3.5km through a gorge, eventually coming to the impressive waterfall, the largest in Israel. 4 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Jewish Yearning for the Land of Israel in the Medieval Period May 14 to 24, 2016 While we wanted you to save some fun here, there is a story to tell than spans history: Water in an arid land. We then head to Safed, the enchanted City of the Mystics. We will arrive in time to check-in to our hotel, relax and prepare to welcome in the Shabbat. Evening: We will enjoy a Kabbalat Shabbat with a short talk on THE HISTORY OF LEKHA DODI. After our Shabbat Dinner, David will conduct our seventh Learning Session on LURIANIC KABBALAH. Meals: Breakfast and Shabbat Dinner Overnight: Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed Saturday, May 21st – Day 8 – Shabbat in Safed Morning: After breakfast, you can participate in morning prayers at a local synagogue. Afternoon: After Shabbat Lunch together and our eighth Learning Session on MYSTICISM AND KABBALAH. Afterwards, we will take a Walking Tour of Safed. Evening: At leisure. Meals: Breakfast and Lunch Overnight: Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed Sunday, May 22nd – Day 9 – Akko / Jerusalem Morning: After an early breakfast, we head west to Akko. It is a city in the northern coastal plain region of the country at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay.