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

Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures 2022

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 further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.oattravel.com/risk-free-booking.

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 Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ...... 6 Grand Circle Foundation...... 8 The Leader in Solo Travel ...... 9

ISRAEL: THE HOLY LAND & ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: TIMELESS CULTURES CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Your Adventure at a Glance: Israeli Culture ...... 84 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Religion ...... 85 and What’s Included ...... 10 Kibbutz Visits ...... 86 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ...... 12 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Optional Tours ...... 34 Shipping & More ...... 90 Pre-Trip Extensions ...... 35 Post-Trip Extensions ...... 48 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Dates & Prices ...... 59 Israel...... 92 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 92 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Israel: A Brief History ...... 92 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 60 Jordan ...... 94 Visas Required ...... 60 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 94 Advance Information for Jordan ...... 62 Jordan: A Brief History ...... 95 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 63 Ethiopia ...... 96 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 96 Vaccines Required ...... 64 Yellow Fever—Documentation Required . . . 64 Ethiopia: A Brief History ...... 97 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines...... 68 RESOURCES Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 72 Suggested Reading ...... 99 Optional Tours ...... 72 Suggested Film & Video ...... 101 Communicating with Home from Abroad . . 73 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 75 Suggested Packing Lists ...... 77 Electricity Abroad ...... 79 Climate & Average Temperatures ...... 81

O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures...... 104 Notes...... 105 Map ...... 107

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 A DAY IN THE LIFE GCF was established in 1992 to help change Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like people’s lives in the world where we live, work, to live here?” when you visit new lands? and travel. To date, we have pledged or donated Let’s find out during your O.A.T. A Day in $200 million worldwide. the Life, an exclusive, immersive experience that places you in the heart of a community You’ll see GCF’s work in action when we where you’ll meet various people where they visit a NEW Grand Circle Foundation site, live, work, and play; visit the neighborhood Pantry Packers, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school; lend a hand with daily chores; and charity which provides food and material aid to break bread with our hosts. families in need throughout Israel—regardless of ethnic background or religious affiliation. This adventure includes A Day in the Life of the Arab-Israeli village of Abu Ghosh, where CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS a community leader will introduce us to his Every culture has its joys and achievements, village, share a meal, and show us what daily and we celebrate them all. But every place life is like. also has its challenges, and to gloss over them would not do justice to those whose stories HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds deserves more than a sugar-coated version of engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will things that can happen across a kitchen table, lead frank discussions on controversial issues, so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local and introduce you to people whose stories will family in their home for a snack or a meal. This expand your understanding. is a rare opportunity to witness family life, learn local customs, and taste some home- For example, we’ll learn about the ethnic cooked fare. tension in Golan Heights when we meet a former Israeli soldier, followed by an Arab On this adventure, sit down to a Home-Hosted Druze woman living in Golan Heights. We’ll Dinner with a local family living in an Ultra- discuss the difficult question of Israel’s Orthodox section of Jerusalem to experience a legal authority to rule this territory. It’s a traditional Jewish Shabbat meal. complicated issue with no easy answers, and our conversations with local people on both sides of the subject are sure to be a memorable experience of your adventure.

5 You're in control with THE FREEDOM TO PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE Exclusively with O.A.T. Your Choice. Your Adventure. Your Way.

It’s your adventure, so why not make it exactly what you want it to be? We offer an exclusive variety of options that let you tailor your adventure so it’s completely your own. In fact, O.A.T. is the only travel company to offer this level of flexibility and choice for a truly personalized experience.

PRE- OR POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS 2. Great value: All extensions include Every O.A.T. adventure offers at least one accommodations, daily breakfast, and optional pre-trip and one post-trip extension. airport transfers. Here’s why more than 55% of O.A.T. travelers 3. Continuity and camaraderie: You’ll usually choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension: travel with the same Trip Experience Leader who leads your main trip, enjoying 1. You’ll maximize your discoveries—often more of his or her insider expertise—and in an even smaller group than your main more time to bond with the group. adventure (on average, 6 travelers with a dedicated Trip Experience Leader)—and take advantage of your included airfare.

Optional Extensions offered with your Israel adventure

Jordan: The King's Highway from Amman NEW! Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, Lalibela's to Petra Rock-Hewn Churches & the Royal Castles 5 nights pre-trip from $1895 of Gondar 8 nights pre-trip from $3395

Petra, Jordan Church of St. George, Lalibela, Ethiopia

Palestinian Discovery: Bethlehem, NEW! Israel’s Rugged South: Red Sea’s Hebron, Ramallah & Jericho Eilat, National Parks of the Negev Desert 5 nights post-trip from $1695 & the Gaza Envelope 5 nights post-trip from $2495

Mar Saba monastery, Palestinian Territories Timna Park, Israel

6 ARRIVE EARLY, STAY LATER Your price includes 3 nights accommodations, Extending your time abroad—with us or daily breakfasts, and roundtrip private airport on your own—is the best way to broaden transfers. Here are a few popular destinations: your experience. It’s also a practical way • Rome: $895 per person to maximize the value of the international • Paris or Amsterdam: $945 per person airfare covered in your main itinerary. • London: $995 per person Expand Your Discoveries Before Other O.A.T. Stopovers are available. If the or After Your Adventure city you’re interested in is not offered, our Arrive early in the first destination on your Adventure Specialists can arrange your airfare. pre-trip extension or main adventure, or stay later in the last city on your main adventure or COMBINE ADVENTURES post-trip extension. By coming early, you can You’re already overseas. Why not see more rest after your flight and adjust—with time to and maximize your value by avoiding the explore. By staying later, you have extra time cost and length of another international to relax, pack, or continue exploring. flight? Here’s why 2,250 O.A.T. travelers combined two or more adventures in 2019: This option lets you take advantage of our lower group rates, with prices from $50 per • Save a total of $600-$3000 per person when person per night—including accommodations, you combine two adventures compared to private airport transfer, and daily breakfast. the cost of taking each trip separately. • Apply the 5% or 6% Frequent Traveler • Arrive early on your main trip Credit you earn on your first trip to your in Haifa for $100 per person, per night second trip. • Arrive early in Amman on your Jordan pre- • Sir Edmund Hillary Club members save an trip extension for $50 per person, per night extra $250-$350 per person when booking • Arrive early in Addis Ababa on your multiple trips in a calendar year. Ethiopia pre-trip extension for $100 per • Our Adventure Specialists make all the person, per night arrangements for a seamless experience. • Conclude your main trip with more time Combine this trip with our Turkey’s Magical in Tel Aviv for $150 per person, per night Hideaways adventure—for a total cost of • Remain in Jericho after your Palestinian $6290-$8690 per person—and save $1200- Discovery post-trip extension for $75 per $1600 per person versus taking each trip person, per night separately. • Conclude your Israel’s Rugged South post- AIR PREFERENCES trip extension with more time in the Negev 54% of our travelers customize their air Desert for $100 per person, per night itineraries: Accommodations are at the same hotels where you begin or end the main trip and optional • Choose your departure city and airline extensions, so transitions will be seamless. • Depart from one city and return to another NEW! Stopover in any major international city • Upgrade to Premium Economy or Business Class Travelers with O.A.T. airfare have the opportunity to Stopover in popular cities.

7 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 the education of young people and the Lakia Bedouin Village preservation of international treasures Total Donations: $26,951 and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and The Desert Embroidery Project preserves the conservation of natural resources for and develops traditional embroidery skills to empower women to increase their earning future generations. power and develop self-confidence. GCF proudly Of course, none of this would be possible funded prenatal classes and English classes, without your help. A portion of the proceeds the purchase of sewing machines, cutting of every adventure is donated to Grand machines and steam irons, and established a Circle Foundation—so just as your life will daycare center. be enriched by the discoveries you’ll make Z a h r e t A l M a d a e n on your journey, you’ll also help to enrich Total Donations: $50,000 the lives of the people you’ll meet along the This organization works with children in the way. Thank you for traveling with us, and slums of Jerusalem, focusing on education, for helping to change people’s lives. vocational training, health, counseling and Love and peace, support services. GCF provided funding for computers, educational field trips, teacher salaries, and more.

Harriet R. Lewis Chair, Grand Circle Foundation

SCAN ME See how Grand Circle Foundation is giving back in this video Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will take you directly to the video.

www.grandcirclefoundation.org

8 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 travel for Americans— and optional trip extensions—a savings by the numbers of $1200-$1995 per person compared to other travel companies. But single spaces fill quickly, so early reservations are advised. More than 50% of all O.A.T. travelers are women who travel solo One of our most popular trips for solo travelers. More than 1125 solo travelers joined us on this adventure in the past two In 2022, we’re offering 30,000 years—either independently or sharing singles spaces across all O.A.T. a room with a mother, daughter, sister, adventures. That’s 86% more than or friend. offered in 2019

High ratings: More than 78% of these solo of our 30,000 single spaces travelers rated their adventure excellent. 92% have FREE Single Supplements. The On average, half of your group will also remaining 8% have the lowest single be traveling independently, so it’s easy supplements in the industry. to forge special bonds as you experience unforgettable moments together. In 2022, we’re offering 25 exclusive women’s departures on some of our You’ll be in good hands, thanks to your most popular itineraries dedicated local Trip Experience Leader (a resident of Israel), and the expertise of our regional office team in Tel Aviv. SCAN ME Increased Single Space: In 2022, we have NEW! 101+ 61% more single spaces than in 2019, Tips for Solo with up to 8 single spaces per departure. Women Travelers See available FREE single space at This complimentary, 96-page www.oattravel.com/isr2022. booklet is a comprehensive collection of savvy tips specifically for seasoned women travelers going solo. Learn about safety for solos, packing like a pro, the best travel apps, self-care on the road, and more. Scan this code to view an online copy or to request one by mail.

9 Our best value in 5 years—a value of up to $400 per person— plus save a FULL 10% with our Good Buy Plan I s r a e l : The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures Small Group Adventure

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Countries: 1 | Cities : 4

Small groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 13)

Explore in a small group of 8-16 travelers 31 meals—14 breakfasts, 10 lunches, FROM PER DAY DAYS • • (average group size of 13) and 7 dinners (including 1 Home- $ $ Hosted Dinner) 3795 238 16 • International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel • 28 small group activities RłóķŽùĢłėĢłŶāũłÖŶĢŋłÖķÖĢũĕÖũā surcharges unless you choose to make Services of a local O.A.T. Trip your own air arrangements • D˜11œĢłėķāœŽťťķāĿāłŶ Experience Leader All land transportation • • Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and • Accommodations for 14 nights luggage porters mÖƗĢĿĢơāÈŋŽũ • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your 'ĢŭóŋƑāũĢāŭͽÁÖķŽā next O.A.T. trip—an average of $325

zťŶĢŋłÖķāƗŶāłŭĢŋłŭ̆ SCAN ME `ŋũùÖł̆¦ĞābĢłė̪ŭNĢėЃÖƘĕũŋĿ Watch our #1 most popular video Amman to Petra for this adventure 5 nights pre-trip from $1895 Travel from only $379 per night Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will New! 1ŶĞĢŋťĢÖ̆ùùĢŭðÖðÖ̇ take you directly to the video. dÖķĢðāķÖ̪ŭ˜ŋóĴ̟Nāƒł!ĞŽũóĞāŭͽ ŶĞā˜ŋƘÖķ!ÖŭŶķāŭŋĕFŋłùÖũ 8 nights pre-trip from $3395 Travel from only $425 per night ”ÖķāŭŶĢłĢÖł'ĢŭóŋƑāũƘ̆āŶĞķāĞāĿ̇ Nāðũŋł̇˜ÖĿÖķķÖĞͽ`āũĢóĞŋ 5 nights post-trip from $1695 Travel from only $339 per night New! RŭũÖāķ̪ŭ˜ŽėėāùœŋŽŶĞ̆˜āù œāÖ̪ŭ1ĢķÖŶ̇pÖŶĢŋłÖķ”ÖũĴŭŋĕŶĞā pāėāƑ'āŭāũŶͽŶĞāFÖơÖ1łƑāķŋťā 5 nights post-trip from $2495 Travel from only $499 per night PLUS, see Dates & Prices for Stopover city options

Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures

10 Itinerary Summary To/From U.S. PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS LEBANON Majdal Shams Haifa Internal flight n SYRIA Druze Village a n Land route e Ajlou n 030Miles a Jerash Rosh Valley of Tears Pre-trip extensions: 5 nights in Jordan: r a r King Hussein/ Hanikra e e GOLAN t S Allenby Bridge SYRIA i Amman N HEIGHTS The King’s Highway from Amman to d e Mt. Nebo Akko Madaba A M Sea of Galilee Dead Sea POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS Petra OR New! 8 nights in Ethiopia: Addis D Haifa Kin neret Sebastia n Nazareth Nablus N E ISRAEL R Kfar Haruv a Ababa, Lalibela’s Rock-Hewn Churches & e A G n

O a Y WEST D r Tel Aviv the Royal Castles of Gondar P L r J a T e R Petra t e BANK Caesarea i S

d O e Ramallah

To Tel Aviv J Wolleka M

N Gondar Jericho DAYS DESTINATION . A Lalibela N Lake E R Bethlehem D Mar Saba Tana n a Monastery U WEST d ISRAEL A Tel Aviv r Dead S BANK o Hebron 1 Fly to Tel Aviv, Israel ETHIOPIA Jaffa J Sea

A le D e Ni Tel Aviv Blu Mediterranean Sea Erez N Jerusalem R 2-4 Haifa Addis Ababa

GAZA STRIP A R ISRAEL O Mediterranean Dead Sde Boker Ramon D Sea Mitzpe Ramon Crater 5-6 Nazareth • Golan Heights GAZA J R Sea EGYPT STRIP S Masada N.P. Naot Smadar O Timna Park Ein Bokek J Eilat 7-12 Jerusalem EGYPT I

13-15 Tel Aviv What to Expect 16 Return to U.S.

Post-trip extensions: 5 nights in Palestinian Discovery: Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah & Pacing: 4 locations in 15 days Jericho OR New! 5 nights in Israel’s Rugged Physical requirements: There are a large number of steps to negotiate at the South: Red Sea’s Eilat, National Parks of the Western Wall tunnels and at other archaeological sites; expect 6-8 hours of Negev Desert & the Gaza Envelope physical activities and sightseeing on some days; you will need to access vehicles by stairs without aid Flight Time: Travel time will be 11-20 hours and will most likely have one to two connections Arrive Early, Stay Later

View all physical requirements at www.oattravel.com/isr2022 Prices below include accommodations, daily breakfast, and private airport transfer. • Arrive early on your main trip in Haifa for $100 per person, per night Israel : The O.A.T. Difference • Arrive early in Amman on your Jordan pre-trip extension for $50 per person, Our Best Value in Over 5 Years: Save up to 400 per person, and travel at the per night lowest price and per diems in the industry. • Arrive early in Addis Ababa on your Ethiopia pre-trip extension for $100 A Day in the Life People-to-People Experiences: Spend of the historic village of per person, per night Abu Gosh when a local couple brings you into their home to share a traditional • Conclude your main trip with more time meal and conversation. in Tel Aviv for $150 per person, per night

O.A.T. Exclusives: We’ll delve into several Controversial Topics on this • Remain in Jericho after your Palestinian Discovery post-trip extension for $75 per adventure, including the fading relevance of the traditional kibbutz in modern person, per night Israel with a community leader and the difficult question of Israel’s legal • Conclude your Israel's Rugged South post- authority to rule Golan Heights when we meet a former Israeli soldier, followed trip extension with more time in the Negev by speaking with an Arab Druze woman living in this territory. Desert for $100 per person, per night

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/isr2022

11 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

OR 8 nights in Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, Lalibela’s Rock- Hewn Churches & the Royal Castles of Gondar

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 7 Mule trek to Asheton Village • Discover Saint George’s Church • Cooking Day 2 Arrive Addis Ababa, Ethiopia demonstration & Home-Hosted Dinner Day 3 Visit Signum Vitae rehabilitation Day 8 Controversial Topic: Water rights in center • Discover the National Museum of Ethiopia • Fly to Gondar Ethiopia & fossils of “Lucy” Day 9 Explore Wolleka Ethiopian Day 4 Discover Sabahar fabric workshop Jewish village • Visit Fasil Ghebbi & • Explore Ethnological Museum • Coffee Fasilides’ Bath shop visit Day 10 Fly to Addis Ababa • Fly to Day 5 Fly to Lalibela • Visit Tel Aviv, Israel • Overland to Haifa • rock-hewn churches Begin main trip Day 6 Visit Yemrehanna Kristos • Explore second group of rock-hewn churches

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

12 Day 1 Depart U.S. perusing the area, we’ll stop into a small bakery and taste a variety of baked goods. As we enjoy Fly overnight from the U.S. to Tel Aviv, Israel. the wafting smells of fresh ingredients and the chatter of locals, the owner of the shop will Day 2 Arrive Tel Aviv, Israel • discuss his daily life in Haifa. Overland to Haifa Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you’ll try • Destination: Haifa hummus from the family-run restaurant Abu • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa Shakker. Typical dishes come with hummus or similar and pita, your choice of filling, and a plate of majadra (rice with lentils and fried onions). Afternoon: Depending on your flight schedule, Or, maybe you’ll try some inexpensive street you’ll arrive in Tel Aviv in the late afternoon. food from Falafel Hazkenim, a stall serving An O.A.T. representative will greet you at the pita bread stuffed with falafel balls, fresh airport and drive you about 1.5 hours by bus to vegetables, hummus, tahini, and a special our hotel in Haifa. Here, you’ll meet your fellow hot sauce. travelers, including those who took our New! Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, Lalibela’s Rock-Hewn Evening: The rest of the evening is yours to Churches & the Royal Castles of Gondar or Jordan: spend as you wish. Perhaps you’d like to settle The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra into your room after a day of traveling, or get to pre-trip extension. know your fellow travelers over a drink at the hotel bar. While it depends on exactly which hotel we stay in, most of our Haifa hotels are centrally Freedom To Explore: During your three days located and feature an on-site restaurant and in Haifa, you have the freedom to explore this bar. Rooms often include wireless Internet lovely city on your own during your free time. access, a satellite TV, coffee- and tea-making Below are a few recommended options for facilities, and a private bath with a hair dryer. independent explorations:

As we’ll experience during our time in Israel’s • Visit the MadaTech Museum: Explore the third-largest city, this ancient seaport on the popular Israel National Museum of Science, slopes of Mount Carmel is invested with both Technology, and Space, commonly known as the historical weight of Jerusalem and the MadaTech. Located in what was once home of modern ambiance and tempo of Tel Aviv. Haifa the Israel Institute of Technology, the muse- is, in some senses, Israel’s model city, rich with um features more than 20 interactive science history, replete with a stew of cultures and and technology exhibits that will get you up religions working side by side, and evolving close to a variety of science concepts, includ- rapidly into the modern world. ing mechanics, magnetism, optics, robotics, acoustics, aeronautics, and electricity. Plan to After settling into our rooms, you have free spend up to 3 hours here. time to relax or discover the hotel’s many amenities. Around 5pm, your Trip Experience • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute walk. Leader will lead our small group on about • Hours: 10am-3pm, Sunday-Wednesday; a 45-minute orientation walk around the 10am-2pm, Friday; 10am-5pm, Thursday area, pointing out ATMs, banks, restaurants, & Saturday. pharmacies, and other important locales. While • Cost: About $24 USD.

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

13 • Walk through Haifa’s Downtown & Port Area: Day 3 Haifa • Explore Caesarea Built during the late Ottoman Empire and National Park • Wadi Nisnas • Explore growing into a major commercial hub during Baha’i Gardens the British Mandate, this area is experiencing • Destination: Haifa a revitalization with hostels, restaurants, and nightlife taking over the rundown shops • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and former warehouses. Artists and young • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa students from the University of Haifa have or similar started to move into the area. Perhaps you’ll Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning sit down in a small coffee shop or bar and at 6:30am, featuring international and interact with the locals to better understand Israeli options. daily life and how this area has grown over the years. Morning: Enjoy a Welcome Briefing in one of the hotel conference rooms with your fellow • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute walk. travelers and Trip Experience Leader. During • Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. this meeting, your Trip Experience Leader will • Cost: Free. outline expectations, safety precautions, and • Visit the Israel Institute of Technology, or schedules, as well as answer any questions you Technoion: Built in 1912 during the Ottoman may have. Empire, the Technion is the oldest university in the country. It has consistently been ranked Then, at around 10am, we’ll travel by bus on among the best science and technology the approximate hour-long drive to the Jewish research universities in Israel and the Middle and Arab neighborhood of Wadi Nisnas. On the East. Explore the campus perched on the way, about 30 minutes into the drive, we’ll stop slopes of Mount Carmel, and view over 300 at Caesarea National Park. Here we’ll explore buildings that have housed some of Israel’s Roman ruins, many of which were transformed top engineers, architects, and scientists. into a walled Crusader’s city in later times. Films and live performances by leading Israeli The ruins of this archaeological site include a artists have been know to take place here on hippodrome, a sporting venue mainly used for a regular basis. Recreational activities can be chariot racing, and a recently restored Roman found in their expansive sports facilities and amphitheater. Just outside the walls of the old Olympic-sized swimming pool. city lies a white sand beach trimmed by the ruins of an old aqueduct system. • How to get there: A 15- to 20-minute taxi ride, about $18 USD one way. Once we arrive, you’ll have the option to • Hours: Open 24 hours, Sunday-Thursday. discover the archaeological site and its colorful • Cost: Free. 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

14 Lunch: We’ll enjoy a quick lunch upon arrival Day 4 Haifa • Explore Akko & Rosh around 12:45pm at one of Wadi Nisnas’ most HaNikra Cave popular falafel eateries. You might encounter • Destination: Haifa locals having their lunch break at the restaurant. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: Golden Crown Haifa Afternoon: Following lunch at approximately or similar 2pm, we’ll get the chance to speak to a number Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning of locals and learn about everyday life in at 6:30am, featuring international and Wadi Nisnas—from a local woman making a Israeli options. traditional dish out of zucchini, rice, and meat, to the owner of a sweets shop where we’ll Morning: At around 8:15am, we’ll gather at sample candy and coffee. the hotel and drive about 30 minutes to the ancient walled city of Akko (also known as Around 2:30pm, we will board our bus and drive the Crusader city of Acre), a UNESCO World the very short distance to the Baha’i Gardens. Heritage Site. Upon arrival around 8:45am, These pristine gardens extend down 19 terraces we’ll start our visit at the Al-Jazzar Mosque, the flowing along the slope of Mount Carmel and largest mosque in Israel outside of Jerusalem. converge at a golden-domed shrine to the Báb, Originally built in the 18th century, the mosque a central figure of the Baha’i faith. While here, is adorned with blue-green domes and features we’ll meet with the temple keeper to gain a intricate Turkish architectural designs. deeper understanding of the Baha’i faith and see how Haifa serves as the focal point of this After spending about 45 minutes at the mosque, world religion. we’ll begin our approximate 90-minute walking tour of Akko. Along the way, we’ll visit We’ll return to our hotel by around 3:30pm for the Knights’ Halls, a series of vaulted halls the remainder of the day on your own. Ask your below street level, and the spice market, the Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. Old City’s main marketplace. People still live Dinner: We’ll enjoy a Welcome Dinner of in parts of the ancient walled city, and we’ll Israeli fare at a local restaurant in Haifa interact with some of the local fishermen around 6:45pm. Here, you’ll toast to the many during our visit. discoveries you’ll make in Israel. Lunch: At a restaurant on the walls of Akko Evening: We’ll return to our hotel around overlooking the Mediterranean around 11:15am, 8:15pm. The rest of the night is yours to rest, featuring grilled fish (chicken or vegetarian relax, or write in your travel journal. options also available)

Afternoon: Following lunch, take some free time to discover Akko and the bustling market on your own.

At around 12:45pm, we’ll take a half-hour drive further up the coast to Rosh HaNikra, home to a network of limestone grottoes created by the constant bombardment of waves against the rocks. We’ll have time to explore the caves

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15 or take in the views before we depart around Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning 3pm for the 45-minute drive back to our hotel at 6:30am, featuring international and where you’ll have some free time to relax or Israeli options. freshen up. Morning: We’ll leave our hotel around Then, the rest of your afternoon is at leisure. 8:30am for drive of a little more than an hour You might engage in one of the Freedom to to Nazareth. Upon arrival, we’ll head to a Explore activities or ask your Trip Experience traditional spice mill, where you’ll meet with Leader for suggestions. the owners of the family-run business and learn about the makeup of well-known spice Dinner: On your own—perhaps you’ll choose mixes like zaatar, which is made up largely of the surprise of Bracha’s Sandwiches where you wild thyme and oregano. do not choose the sandwich, the owner does. Typical sandwiches include a toasted roll with Then, we’ll walk in the footsteps of Jesus—as meat, cheese, and Bracha’s secret sauce. well as Elijah, Deborah, Solomon, and many other biblical figures—to the Church of the Evening: Your final night in Haifa is on your Annunciation, built on the site where Mary own. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a nightcap with your is said to have received word from the angel fellow travelers at one of Haifa’s many bars or Gabriel that she would bear the son of God. choose to retire to your room. After our visit, we’ll walk over to Nazareth’s main street where you can enjoy lunch on Day 5 Explore Nazareth • Controversial your own. Topic: The disappearance of the traditional kibbutz in modern Israel Lunch: On your own in Nazareth around noon. with Sharon Yavzori • Overland to You’ll have plenty of options, as Nazareth is renowned for its culinary treasures and is Golan Heights home to the best street food in Israel. Your Trip • Destination: Golan Heights Experience Leader will be happy to provide • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner suggestions, but you can just stop at any • Accommodations: Peace Vista Lodge number of food vendors and shawarma stands. or similar Afternoon: If you’re looking for a sweet treat Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today’s discoveries after lunch, you’re in luck. At around 1pm, feature the Controversial Topic of the fading we’ll reconvene to visit a local pastry shop and relevance of the traditional kibbutz in modern meet the owner, who will share his experiences Israel with Sharon Yavzori, a community as a business owner in Nazareth. You’ll get to leader who has lived on his commune since sample traditional Middle Eastern pastries like it was founded in 1974, and another local kunafe, a pastry stuffed with goat cheese and female kibbutz member. This conversation is topped with sweet syrup. likely to be an eye-opening experience on this adventure, as it enables our small group to dig Around 1:30pm, we’ll be back on the road to deeper into an uncomfortable truth and learn our lodge in Golan Heights. We’ll arrive shortly about an aspect of Israeli society that most before 3pm and check in. Though it depends on travel companies ignore. Read more about this where we stay, rooms at our lodge may include informative conversation below. a satellite TV, a balcony, and a private bath. Additionally, our lodge rests on the grounds of

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16 kibbutz Kfar Haruv. For more than a century, settlement and the attitudes of its 400-plus kibbutzim (residents of a kibbutz) have played members have shifted over the decades. a very important part in the development Both community members will share stories of modern Israel. The communal-living about life on the kibbutz—including gender collectives, originally established on farms, dynamics—and about the reforms intended support themselves with a mixture of modernize the commune and to try and agriculture and other business. Kfar Haruv was convince the younger generation to stay. founded in 1974 and reflects that blend, with In most kibbutzim, youth need to make a its operating dairy farm and hydraulics plant. choice at the age of 20 after they finish their Today, about 400 residents live here, including mandatory tour of duty with the Israel Defense some of the founding generation of settlers and Forces: return to the kibbutz, where all of their their children. resources and income will be shared with its Following check-in, you will have about 1.5 members, or leave permanently to seek their hours of free time to explore more of the kibbutz own individual opportunities. In Kfar Haruv, or relax in your room. however, community leaders are offering members more flexibility—residents are free Around 5:30pm, we’ll walk to a youth center to temporarily leave the kibbutz after their located inside one of Kfar Haruv’s bomb military service to travel around Israel and shelters (although the kibbutz is peaceful, its abroad to pursue their own opportunities in the residents are always prepared for emergencies world outside the commune. At the age of 30, due to its proximity to the Syrian border) to after an opportunity to enjoy a broader range meet two of its residents, Sharon Yavzori of life experiences and career options, they can and a local female kibbutz member, for a then make an informed choice—return home conversation about a Controversial Topic: the to join the kibbutz as a permanent member, or fading relevance of the traditional kibbutz in continue to live their lives outside of it. modern-day Israel. Kfar Haruv is also joining the growing The kibbutzim were originally designed as number of kibbutzim that are modernizing agrarian communes—frontier settlements and diversifying their activities to remain where residents would band together to pool prosperous and to entice their youth to stay—in their resources and work to transform the arid addition to traditional farming, the kibbutz desert terrain of their ancestral lands into a operates a hydraulic plant and modernized fertile paradise. In recent years, however, as dairy farm. Other kibbutzim in Israel have agriculture has become less important to the branched into manufacturing, defense modern way of life, many of Israel’s kibbutzim contracting, and tech industries to keep their are finding it difficult to entice their youth competitive edge in a changing world. to remain with the commune. After their mandatory term of military service at the age Despite all this, Kfar Haruv and other kibbutzim of 18, many of Israel’s younger generation are are finding it increasingly challenging to keep choosing to leave the kibbutz behind to seek their children close to home. We’ll spend about their own fortune in the country’s urban areas. an hour talking to the kibbutz members about this contemporary problem. Both kibbutz As someone who has lived on Kfar Haruv since members will share their experience for about 1986, Sharon has a strong attachment to his 15 minutes, and we’ll then have the remainder kibbutz, and a unique perspective of how the

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17 of the time to ask questions of our own to • Relax at the Peace Vista Holistic Center: examine the uncertain future of the kibbutz in Rejuvenate your mind and body right on the Israeli society. grounds of our kibbutz. You can choose from a variety of treatments to help you relax during Dinner: At our lodge’s kibbutz dining room your stay. around 6:45pm, featuring a selection of local fare. The communal dining room serves as the • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. center of community life in the kibbutz. While • Hours: The Holistic Center is open by re- here, we’ll gain a deeper understanding into quest only. Please let your Trip Experience this communal dining tradition. Leader know before arrival if you would like to reserve a time, and they will make Evening: Tonight, you’ll have free time to settle the arrangements for you. into your lodge in Golan Heights. You may also • Cost: Reservations need to be booked in choose to grab a glass of wine with your fellow advance. travelers. As you’re sure to learn during your time in Golan Heights, the area became a hot Day 6 Off-road jeep excursion in spot for Israeli wine when the massive Golan Golan Heights & the Valley of Tears • Heights Winery opened its doors in 1983. Today, Controversial Topic: Ethnic tension in this is one of the biggest wineries in Israel, and Golan Heights with former Israeli soldier has paved the way for other smaller wineries Ilan Shulman and a Druze woman to take advantage of the area’s high elevations • Destination: Golan Heights and volcanic soil for making wine. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Freedom To Explore: During your two days in • Accommodations: Peace Vista Lodge Golan Heights, you have the freedom to explore or similar this quiet town on your own during your free Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll learn time. Below are a few recommended options for about a Controversial Topic when we meet independent explorations: a former Israeli soldier, followed by an Arab • Hike the Mitzpe HaShalom Trail: Enjoy a Druze woman living in Golan Heights to discuss stroll along a favorite hiking trail among the difficult question of Israel’s legal authority locals. Depending upon your preference, you to rule this territory. It’s a complicated issue can choose between a shorter or longer trail, with no easy answers, and our conversations and take in the surrounding beauty of the with local people on both sides of the subject area. At the observation point, you can take are sure to be a memorable experience of your in expansive views of three counties: Israel, adventure. Read more about this informative Jordan, and Syria. conversation below.

• How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. Breakfast: A boxed breakfast will be delivered • Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. to your room around 7am, featuring • Cost: Free. international and Israeli options.

Morning: We’ll leave our lodge around 9am and drive by private motorcoach to Ein Zivan, 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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18 stopping along the way to meet the people and We’ll examine the Israeli point of view during learn the history of the area. We’ll visit the our 45-minute conversation with Ilan. Ilan lives Valley of Tears Memorial, which overlooks the in Merom Golan, one of the first kibbutzim to be site of a major battle in the 1973 Yom Kippur built in Golan Heights after the Six-Day War. War. In this four-day long battle, Syrian forces Like all Israeli citizens, Ilan was drafted into the launched a surprise attack on Israel during IDF at the age of 18 and served until 2000, when one of the holiest days on the Jewish religious he was wounded during the Second Intifada. calendar: the Day of Atonement. As a retired soldier who once patrolled the disputed lands of the Golan Heights, Ilan now At around 10:45am, we’ll learn get a personal gladly shares his expertise of this controversial perspective about this conflict when we subject with travelers, and speaks at events meet Ilan Shulman, a retired captain of hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs the Israel Defense Forces (“IDF”). With his Committee (“AIPAC”). military access, we’ll travel into the Valley of Tears’ demilitarized zone for our first of two Here in the Valley of the Tears, where some conversations about a Controversial Topic: of the fiercest fighting of the Yom Kippur War the ongoing dispute between Israel and Syria took place, Ilan will share his perspective for about the ownership of Golan Heights, and the about 15 minutes, and then we’ll have around a cultural status of the Arab Druze ethnic group half hour to ask questions of our own to deepen that lives in these lands. our understanding of this difficult subject. Later today, we’ll get an opposite point of view when Ever since Golan Heights was occupied by we meet a Druze woman in an occupied village, Israeli military forces after the Six-Day War of so we urge you to keep an open mind and make 1967 (and defended from Syrian counterattack note of any subjects that you might want to get during the Yom Kippur War of 1973), the legal another point of view about later today. status of this territory has been a subject of hot dispute. Israel considers the territory to At around 11:45am, we’ll bid Ilan farewell and be justly occupied as the result of a defensive drive back to our private motorcoach, which war, and a vital strategic buffer to keep the will take us to the Druze Village of Majdal peace with its hostile neighbors in the region; Shams, where lunch and the second half of our although the government formally applied conversation awaits. Israeli law to Golan Heights in 1981, the Lunch: Included at around 12:45pm at UN rejected its authority to do so, and has Al-Yasmin, a family-run restaurant owned by considered it an illegal annexation. In 2019, a Druze woman, featuring regional specialties. U.S. president Donald Trump recognized Given our small group size, we have the Israeli sovereignty over the region, making intimate chance to get to know the family and the U.S. the only member of the international ask questions about their unique culture and community to do so. Today, the legal status of traditions. The Druze are an Arab religious the Golan Heights, and the citizenship of its community that opted out of mainstream Arab 40,000 residents (split roughly evenly between nationalism; in the past, the Druze have seemed Israeli settlers and Syrians—mostly members radical for their belief in equality between of the Druze religious community) is one of the men and women, the abolition of slavery, and thorniest questions of the day. separation of church and state.

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19 Afternoon: At around 1:30pm, we’ll meet a an easy one to discuss, and strong opinions Druze woman at the restaurant to resume our abound on each side—by meeting with people conversation about the Controversial Topic of on both sides of this complicated issue, you’ll the legal status of Golan Heights and the people have the unique opportunity to gain a deep and who live in the region. nuanced understanding of a controversial topic with no easy answers. O.A.T.’s small group size Majdal Shams, a village of about 11,000 people, and connections with local people in the region is a fitting location to learn about the division allows you to get an unfiltered view of everyday between Israel and Syria in Golan Heights—the locals truly feel. town is located just a few miles away from the border drawn between the two nations after After our conversation, our host will join us on the ceasefire that ended the Six-Day War, and a short 30-minute walking tour of the village, members of the Druze community on opposite which will conclude at a local landmark known sides of the border have been cut off from each as the Shouting Hill, located right on the border other ever since. between Israel and Syria. After the Six-Day War, this new border was drawn, and travel During our conversation with our Druze host, across it was forbidden. Druze on opposite sides we’ll get a deeply personal perspective of what would stay in touch by visiting the hill to shout life is like for this religious community in the to each other across the border, usually with divided lands of Golan Heights. She’ll share her the aid of a megaphone. While the proliferation opinions of Israel’s treatment of her and her of mobile phones has given the people an fellow residents, and how she and other Druze easier way to communicate, the hill still holds feel about Israel in return. a special place in the hearts of the people The people of Madjal Shams, as well as the that live near it—a stark reminder of how the other 20,000 members of the Druze community conflict between two countries has torn their in Golan Heights, are afforded a unique legal community apart. status by the Israeli government. Although At around 2:45pm, we’ll say goodbye to our Israel has claimed the region to be legally part host and drive by private motorcoach to a of its territory since 1981, the Druze within it grocery store in Madjal Shams. Here, we’ll are not automatically considered to be Israeli enjoy more opportunities to connect with the citizens. Instead, the Druze are classified as locals who work and shop here as we select permanent residents of the Golan Heights, ingredients that we’ll enjoy together during our with some autonomy to maintain their own dinner later tonight. code of laws with regard to marriage, divorce, adoption, and other civil affairs. The Druze We’ll shop for about 30 minutes, then drive of Golan Heights are permitted to apply for back to our lodge, arriving around 4:15pm. The full Israeli citizenship whenever they choose; remainder of the afternoon is free for your own however, since most feel more strongly tied to discoveries. Perhaps you’ll decide to relax at the Syria than Israel, only a minority have taken Holistic Center and swimming pool located on them up on the offer. the grounds of our lodge.

Our host will share her perspective for about Dinner: At around 6:30pm, we’ll enjoy an 15 minutes, and then we’ll have about a half included picnic dinner with our Trip Experience hour to ask questions of our own. The status of Leader, made from the purchases we made Golan Heights and its residents is by no means

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20 earlier in Madjal Shams. Weather-permitting, Then, we board our bus around 11am and drive we’ll dine outdoors to fully appreciate the to the Yigal Allon Center, a museum which scenery of this beautiful region. houses the remains of the famous “Jesus Boat,” also called the Sea of Galilee Boat. The Evening: The rest of the evening is free. restored skeletal remains of this fishing vessel Perhaps you’ll write in your travel journal, or were discovered on the muddy shores of Lake simply enjoy the views from your lodge balcony Kinneret in 1986, and date back to the first with a glass of local wine in hand. century CE—the time of Jesus’ ministry.

Day 7 Overland to Jerusalem • The Sea of In addition to its historical importance, Lake Galilee • Visit churches at Capernaum & Kinneret is the only freshwater lake in Israel, Mount of the Beatitudes and it is considered by many to be a national asset. Visitors take the history and religious • Destination: Jerusalem importance to heart, but to modern Israelis, the • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch lake’s ability to store and supply scarce water • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel for drinking, for agriculture, and for industry is or similar nearly as important. We’ll depart the museum a Activity Note: Travelers wishing to participate little before noon, driving 15 minutes to a local in the baptism ceremony on the Jordan River restaurant. this afternoon must bring a swimsuit, which Lunch: Around noon at a local restaurant by the will be worn under the mandatory white sea, featuring fish caught in the Sea of Galilee baptismal tunic. Tunics are available for sale and other regional specialties. on site, or for rent for very reasonable prices. Travelers should also bring a change of clothes Afternoon: Around 1:15pm, we’ll make the to wear after their ceremony. While we strive approximate 15-minute drive to Yardenit, also to have a priest available for our baptism known as the Yardenit Baptismal Site, on the ceremonies, this is not guaranteed. Jordan River, where some travelers may wish to renew their baptism vows by immersing Breakfast: Served at our lodge beginning at themselves in the same waters where it is said 6:30am, featuring typical Israeli fare. that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Each year, Morning: We’ll leave our lodge in Golan more than half a million tourists and Christian Heights around 9:30am, making our way to pilgrims visit this tranquil site, where pastoral Jerusalem by bus with several stops along the landscapes surround the river banks, just as it way. Our first stop, around 10:15am, will be was described in the Bible. at Capernaum (formerly Kfar Nahum). In this Around 2:15pm, we’ll depart the river, making ancient Roman fishing village, we’ll visit a a 2-hour drive to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, we’ll church said to be founded on the traditional site check into our hotel, which typically includes of St. Peter’s home. We’ll also visit the modern an on-site bar and restaurant, along with a Church of the Beatitudes—which was built near fitness center and sun deck. Rooms often have a the site of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. satellite TV, coffee- and tea-making facilities, Afterwards, we will have some time to walk and a private bath with a hair dryer. along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

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21 Dinner: On your own. Tonight, you might wish and West Jerusalem—that many consider an to try moussaka, a layered eggplant and meat invisible rift within the city—this museum dish that’s popular across the Levant, Middle hopes to encourage peace and understanding East, and Balkans. between differing cultures. The museum’s façade is a reminder of the conflict between Evening: Your evening is free in Jerusalem. East and West Jerusalem with its bullet strikes Perhaps you’d like to simply rest after a long and crumbling balcony. Here, you’ll find day of discoveries, or you might indulge contemporary art from local and internation- your sweet tooth at one of Jerusalem’s many al artists, all dealing with different aspects of bakeries and ice cream parlors. Be sure to the socio-political reality around the world. sample halva, a dense confection made In this way, the museum is designed to spark from tahini (ground sesame butter), sugar, discussion around how our social environ- and honey. ment influences our perceptions in daily life. Freedom To Explore: During your six days in • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute taxi Jerusalem, you have the freedom to explore ride, about $25 USD. this vibrant city on your own during your free • Hours: 10am-5pm, Monday, Wednesday, time. Below are a few recommended options for and Thursday; 2pm-8pm, Tuesday; 10am- independent explorations: 2pm, Friday. • Cost: About $8 USD. • Visit the Museum for Islamic Art: Opened in 1974 by Vera Bryce Salomons, this museum • Witness the Chagall Windows: View the 12 was created in memory of her professor, Leo decorated windows that Russian artist Marc Aryeh Mayer, who was a scholar of Islamic Chagall installed in the Abbell Synagogue of art and rector of the Hebrew University of the Hadassah Medical Center in 1962. Taking Jerusalem. You can learn more about the about two years to make, the stained-glass Islamic civilization and Arab culture by windows represent the 12 tribes of Israel exploring nine extensive galleries filled referenced in Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy with Islamic pottery, textiles, jewelry, and 33. Each window is infused with colorful, vivid ceremonial objects from countries ranging images that were inspired from the Bible, from India to Spain. There are also temporary particularly Jacob’s blessings to his twelve exhibitions that can be found throughout sons and Moses’ words to the twelve tribes. the museum’s three floors. A highlight of the Plan to spend about an hour here admiring museum is its diverse collection of Islamic this intricate work. carpets, which was added to the muse- • How to get there: A 25- to 30-minute taxi um in 1999. ride, about $35 USD. • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute taxi • Hours: 8:30am-3:30pm, ride, about $25 USD. Sunday-Thursday. • Hours: 10am-3pm, Monday-Wednesday; • Cost: About $4 USD (cash only). 10am-7pm, Thursday. • Cost: About $11 USD. • Explore the Museum of the Seam: Visit a mu- seum praised by The New York Times as “one of the 29 leading art venues in the world.” Resting on the border, or seam, between East

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22 Day 8 Western Wall tunnels • Old history and spiritual significance to Christians, Jerusalem walking tour • Mount Zion and Jews, and Muslims is immense. We begin our Mount of Olives comprehensive walking tour in the area around 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 Activity Note: This is the itinerary we strive to different perspective on the Western Wall. Our follow, but due to local circumstances (such walk then takes us to the Church of the Holy as moveable holidays, museum/site closing Sepulchre, built around what is believed to be days, and weather conditions) it is important to the site of Christ’s burial and resurrection, and understand that we may not always be able to along the Via Dolorosa—the ancient “Way of follow this plan in exact order. The exact date the Sorrows,” where it is traditionally held and/or time of our visit to the Western Wall is that Christ walked to his crucifixion. Then, subject to change. we’ll stroll the winding streets of Jerusalem’s Muslim quarter. While here, we’ll stop at a local Breakfast: Served at our hotel starting favorite for fresh baked goods. We’ll have a at 6:30am, featuring international and chance to see locals interacting with each other Israeli options. during their daily errands and listen to the liveliness of this local hotspot. Perhaps you’ll Morning: Around 8am, we’ll depart the hotel try the Jerusalemite bagel called cae`ek marked and drive 30 minutes to the maze of chambers by its distinct elongated shape and sweet taste. and cisterns underneath the Western Wall, part of the ancient city wall that is of great Lunch: Around 12:45pm, we’ll make our way spiritual significance in the Jewish and Islamic 25 minutes on foot to a local restaurant in the traditions, revered by Jews as the last standing Old City, featuring typical Israeli dishes like remnant of ancient Jerusalem’s Second Temple. grilled kebab. Although the wall is nearly 1,600 feet in length, only about 230 feet are visible above ground. Afternoon: Around 2pm, we’ll depart the The remainder was hidden when King Herod restaurant and walk about 15 minutes to our raised the landscape surrounding the Temple bus for about a 15-minute drive to Mount Mount in the year 19 BCE. We’ll see portions Zion, the traditional Christian site of the Last of the wall that have been perfectly preserved, Supper. We’ll then continue on to the Mount of and head underground to explore the parts Olives, site of Christ’s betrayal in the Garden that were sealed off until excavations began in of Gethsemane. At the summit we’ll enjoy a 1967, and had been hidden for almost 2,000 panoramic view of the Dome of the Rock and years. A local guide will lead us on our 1.5 hour the Old City. Afterwards, we’ll board our bus exploration of this site. and return to our hotel, arriving around 3:15pm.

Then, around 10am, we’ll spend about 2.5 The remainder of the afternoon is free for your hours getting to know Jerusalem on a walking own discoveries. Perhaps you’ll visit the nine tour in the Old City led by your Trip Experience galleries filled with works ranging from pottery Leader. Though it occupies an area of less and textiles to jewelry and rugs at the Museum than one square mile, this ancient enclave’s

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23 for Islamic Art. Or, check out the twelve ornate One of the earliest inhabited villages in Chagall Windows, decorated to represent the Jerusalem, archaeologists have determined twelve tribes of Israel. humans began settling in this Arab Christian community as far back as the Neolithic period. Dinner: Around 6:30pm, at a local restaurant Today, Abu Ghosh has about 7,000 Christian, featuring regional cuisine. Arab, and Jewish residents made up of four Evening: Your evening is free to continue clans whose ancestry dates back to the tribes of exploring Jerusalem. You might choose to visit the Caucasus Mountains. Perched on the Judean the neighborhood of Nahalat Shiv’a, which is hills outside Jerusalem, Abu Ghosh offers filled with lively pubs. Or, you might try to visit impressive panoramic views of the Holy Land. the Tower of David for a sound and light show, During the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, Abu Ghosh which is offered most nights at 7pm or 8pm. was one of the few Arab communities to remain neutral during the fighting—at times it even Day 9 Jerusalem • A Day in the Life of the lent support to its Israeli neighbors. As a result, Abu Ghosh community • Grand Circle the village enjoys a friendly relationship with Foundation visit: Pantry Packers the Israeli government, which encourages • Destination: Jerusalem Abu Ghosh’s prosperity, and holds it up as an example of how Arabs and Israelis might • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch peacefully coexist. • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel or similar We’ll learn more about life in Abu Ghosh when Exclusive O.A.T. Activities: Today’s discoveries we meet our host, Issa Jaber, at around 8:30am. include two memorable opportunities to Issa is a retired high school principal who was connect closely with Israeli culture. First, we’ll once the mayor of the village. Because of his spend A Day in the Life of the Arab-Israeli strong ties to his community, and his long village of Abu Ghosh, where a community public service career, he is well-connected to leader will introduce us to his village, share a and well-regarded by just about everyone in meal, and show us what daily life is like. Later, Abu Ghosh, and will be eager to introduce us to we’ll enjoy a NEW Grand Circle Foundation the homeland that he loves. visit at Pantry Packers, an ultra-Orthodox Our discoveries begin at the Great Mosque of Jewish charity which provides food and Abu Ghosh. We’ll spend about a half hour here, material aid to families in need throughout taking in its unique architecture and hearing Israel—regardless of ethnic background or about its history from Issa, who helped raise religious affiliation. Read more about these funds to construct it in 2014 as the community activities below. grew too large for its former mosque. The Breakfast: Served at our hotel starting people of Abu Ghosh wanted their new religious at 6:30am, featuring international and center to be a point of pride for the village, and Israeli options. indeed, the mosque is second largest in Israel, surpassed in size only by Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Morning: Around 8am, we’ll board the bus (or Aksa) Mosque. for the approximate 30-minute drive to our A Day in the Life excursion at the Arab-Israeli Around 9:15am, we’ll depart the mosque community of Abu Ghosh. for Abu Ghosh’s lively food market, where we’ll purchase some fresh fruit as a token of

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24 appreciation for our gracious hosts for the day. Pantry Packers At around 9:30am, we’ll stop by a sweets shop Partner Since: 2021 run by Abu Daoud, Issa’s cousin, where we can Pantry Packers is charged with providing food also select some handmade local specialties like and material aid to Israel’s senior citizens and ma’amul (an Arab cookie stuffed with dates, impoverished families—regardless of gender, nuts, figs, or other fillings) or halvah (a dense, ethnic background, or religious affiliation—and flaky baked treat made with tahini) to bring Grand Circle Foundation recently partnered with us as a gift. with them to assist them with their At around 10am, we’ll ride for about ten charitable mission. minutes by private motorcoach to Issa’s home, At around 1:30pm, we’ll be greeted at the Pantry where we’ll meet his wife, Amal. The couple will Packers site by the facility director, Rabbi lead us on a short tour through the premises, Menachem Traxler, and a few of its volunteers, including the orchard and garden. Around who will tell us more about the organization’s 10:30am, you’ll have the choice of helping Amal history and vision, and about how your travel in the kitchen as she prepares the lunch that dollars are helping to support the communities we’ll soon share together, or to sit with Issa on that they serve. Pantry Packers is part of Colel the porch to sip homemade lemonade and chat Chabad, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish charity some more about daily life in Abu Ghosh. founded in 1788, making it one of Israel’s Lunch: We’ll sit down with Issa and Amal oldest continuously-operating social service at around 11:15am to share a traditional networks. The organization works with home-cooked meal together and learn more municipal governments throughout the country about each other over an afternoon of friendly to arrange monthly shipments of food and conversation. Issa and Amal have five grown household necessities to families who are in children, some of whom have children of their need and cannot support themselves. own—if we’re lucky, they may also stop by to We’ll spend about an hour and a half at the join us for lunch, although they keep their own Pantry Packers facility, where the volunteers busy schedules and there are no guarantees. will lead us on a tour and show us every step As we dine on a hearty meal of local specialties of the packing and shipping process. We’ll that might include stuffed zucchini, homemade also see the improvements that your travel hummus, rice, and chicken, we’ll get a dollars have helped to make—including a personal view of life in an Arab community in newly-refurbished floor in one of the facility’s Israel—an opportunity made possible only by packing rooms—and have a hands-on O.A.T.’s small group size and people-to-people opportunity to join in alongside the workers connections. and help prepare a shipment for a needy family, Afternoon: We’ll bid our hosts farewell at which you’ll have the chance to personally around 12:45pm, at which point we’ll board sign and leave O.A.T.’s mark on—a symbol of our bus and take the approximate 20-minute our fruitful cooperation with this charitable drive to Pantry Packers—a NEW Grand Circle organization. Foundation visit. We’ll return to the bus around 3pm for the Grand Circle Foundation approximate half-hour drive to our hotel. From about 3:30pm on, feel free to make your own discoveries in Jerusalem.

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25 Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience than 50 million documents and artifacts. This Leader would be happy to offer suggestions for museum and memorial complex, while built the best local fare. on the Mount of Remembrance, aims not only to remember, but to educate. Its nine chilling Evening: At leisure. Perhaps you’ll take a galleries feature interactive and historical nighttime stroll or enjoy a night cap at the bar. displays ranging from photographs, films, documents, letters, works of art, and personal Day 10 Yad Vashem Holocaust items found in the camps and ghettos. While Memorial • Machane Yehuda market • here, you’ll have some time to explore this Home-Hosted Dinner solemn site on your own to learn more about • Destination: Jerusalem the horrors of Hitler’s “Final Solution.” • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Then, at about 12pm, we’ll take a 15-minute • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel drive to Machane Yehuda, one of Jerusalem’s or similar oldest Jewish neighborhoods. As we peruse the Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll split into stalls filled with items like traditional herbs smaller groups of no more than 7 and enjoy a and spices and local foods, our Trip Experience Home-Hosted Dinner with an ultra-Orthodox Leader will introduce us to vendors so we can Jewish family in the heart of Jerusalem. Our gain a deeper understanding of their daily life. small group size allows us to intimately connect Lunch: Around 12:30pm we can satisfy our with our host family, for an up-close and appetite with some of tasty offerings on display personal view of daily life in Israel over a shared during our tour the Machane Yehuda. meal of traditional home-cooked cuisine. Read more about this activity below. Afternoon: After our lunch, travelers can remain in the market area if they wish, or Activity Note: The visit to the Yad Vashem return to the hotel by bus for the remainder Holocaust memorial includes many graphic of the afternoon on your own. Perhaps you’ll images and may be disturbing to some choose to visit one of Jerusalem’s many travelers. The exact date and/or time of our visit museums, including the U. Nahon Museum to Yad Vashem is subject to change. of Italian Jewish Art, whose collection Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning includes doors of a Torah Ark, a 15th-century at 6:30am, featuring international and stone tablet, and brass and silver menorahs Israeli options. (Hanukkah lamps). You may also choose to visit the Bible Lands Museum, which tells the story Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll board our of some of the great civilizations of the region, bus and drive 30 minutes to Jerusalem’s Yad including those of Egypt, Babylon, Canaan, Vashem, the stirring “everlasting memorial” Persia, and Assyria. to the more than 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem, founded in 1953, Dinner: We’ll all regroup at our hotel around started as an organization aimed at preserving 6pm, when we’ll split into smaller groups and documenting the memory and history of no more than 7 and depart by private of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. motorcoach for a Home-Hosted Dinner in an The museum’s doors opened in 2005 and is ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in the heart of now home to the world’s largest archives of Jerusalem. We’ll arrive at our hosts’ house at material relating to the Holocaust—more around 6:30pm, and introduce ourselves.

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26 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 Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning family—an opportunity for intimate at 6:30am, featuring international and people-to-people connection made possible Israeli options. only by our small group size. Morning: Our day will begin around 8:30am, Our host families are middle-class when we drive by private motorcoach to the professionals in Jerusalem with devout home of Reem Salame, a Palestinian Christian religious beliefs and deep ties to their woman living in the Palestinian neighborhood community, and will be eager to share their of East Jerusalem, just outside the Damascus views about family dynamics, cultural norms, Gate on the border with the western part of the professions, and daily life in Israel. We’ll dine city. We’ll arrive at around 9am and sit down with the family’s matriarch and her husband, for a conversation about a Controversial Topic: and might also be joined by the family’s adult The treatment of the Palestinian residents of children, for a multi-generational cultural Jerusalem. exchange. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is We’ll finish our meal at around 8pm, then perhaps the most divisive subject affecting the return to our hotel via private motorcoach. region today, a conflict which is starkly present Evening: The remainder of your evening is free. in the city of Jerusalem. Once divided between You might choose to grab some rugelach for Israel in the west and Jordan in the east, the dessert. While these chocolatey bites of rolled city has been under full Israeli authority since pastry dough are found throughout Israel, some the end of the Six-Day War of 1967. Both Israel people say the best rugelach is from Jerusalem. and the Palestinian Authority claim the city as their capital—a diplomatic status which is Day 11 Jerusalem • Controversial Topic: hotly disputed by the international community. Palestinian life in Israeli Jerusalem with Although they make up approximately 38% of Reem Salame • Optional Herodion & Ein the city’s population, Jerusalem’s Palestinian Karem tour residents claim that they are regularly discriminated against, struggling to attain • Destination: Jerusalem home-building permits and other rights and • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner privileges that are more easily afforded to their • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel Israeli counterparts. or similar We’ll get a deeply personal perspective Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we’ll learn of this controversial issue during our about a Controversial Topic when we meet conversation with Reem, which will last a Palestinian woman in East Jerusalem. for about an hour and fifteen minutes for a Here, we’ll get her point of view about how unique point of view of what life is like in the Palestinians are treated by Israeli authorities predominantly-Palestinian section of East in modern-day Jerusalem. While this can be a Jerusalem. difficult subject to discuss, receiving a personal

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27 Reem will share her stories of how life has you may enjoy a free day in Jerusalem. You changed for her and her fellow Palestinians might choose to take a leisurely stroll through over the years. As Israel’s authority in the Garden of Gethsemane, located just outside Jerusalem has grown, the rights of its the city walls. This walkable garden is filled Palestinian population have been increasingly with lush olive trees, and is believed to be a curtailed. Palestinian residents of Jerusalem place where Jesus once enjoyed quiet prayer are not given the same rights as Israeli and contemplation. citizens—only 16% of Palestinians in Israel Or, join us on an Optional Tour to Ein Karem have the right to vote—and of the few who and Herodion. We will depart the hotel by bus choose to apply for citizenship, many are around 11am for a fifteen-minute drive to Mar rejected by municipal authorities, citing Elias Monastery, a Greek Orthodox monastery security concerns. originally built in the sixth century CE, then She’ll also share her perspective as an rebuilt in the twelfth century. Upon arrival unmarried woman in her 50s living in a around 1pm, we’ll enjoy a 30-minute visit to patriarchal society. In addition to scrutiny from the monastery. Typically, there are views of her Israeli neighbors, Reem also lives outside both Jerusalem and Bethlehem from the hilltop. of the traditional norms of her own culture, in Lunch: Travelers who do not take our Optional which women are typically expected to marry Tour will enjoy lunch on their own in Jerusalem. and raise families of their own. Reem’s house For travelers who take our Optional Tour, lunch is located in a complex where her brothers and is included around 11:45am at the monastery’s her sister also live, and they might stop by to restaurant featuring Middle Eastern cuisine join us during our conversation, for a broader like fresh vegetables, salads, tahini, hummus, view of what life is like in this Palestinian and kebab. neighborhood. Afternoon: Travelers who choose not to take Reem will spend about 15 minutes sharing the Optional Tour can continue making their her perspective of daily life for Palestinians own discoveries in Jerusalem. in Jerusalem, and we’ll then have about an hour to ask questions of our own to deepen our Travelers on our Optional Tour will depart understanding. The Israel-Palestine conflict the monastery at about 12:45pm, arriving at is a hard subject with no easy answers—as Ein Karem around 1pm. Nestled in the hills you’ll likely have discovered throughout your southwest of Jerusalem, Ein Karem is notable adventure thus far, it’s an issue that hangs as the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Our heavy over just about everyone in the region, visit takes us to two churches connected to the with deep grudges and strong opinions on life of the biblical figure: the Church of St. John each side. By taking you to a neighborhood of the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. East Jerusalem that few Americans travel to, Although both structures are relatively new, we hope to offer a unique and well-rounded they are constructed over the remains of much perspective of this conflict from people directly older buildings that marked two important affected by it. sites for early Christians: the site of St. John’s birth and the site of the visit from St. Mary to St. At around 10:15am we will say our farewells to John’s mother, St. Elizabeth. Reem, and board our private motorcoach for our 30-minute drive back to our hotel. Then,

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28 Following our visit, enjoy free time to explore we arrive, we’ll walk to a cable car to ascend to the narrow streets of Ein Karem and interact an isolated plateau and walk among the 20-acre with local artists. You may venture into ruins of this secluded fortress. While here, we’ll their galleries and workshops to gain an learn how from 70-73 CE Jewish defenders understanding of their daily life. made the last stand of the Judean revolt against Rome. Around noon, we’ll depart Masada for a Then, at around 2:15pm, we’ll get back on the drive of about 15 minutes to Ein Bokek, a resort bus for the approximate 30-minute drive to area along the shores of the Dead Sea. Herodion (also spelled as Herodium), a fortified palace built on a hilltop by Herod the Great and Lunch: At a local café around 12:15pm, also thought to be Herod’s mausoleum. We’ll featuring typical Mediterranean selections. enjoy a guided tour of this palace for a little Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll have a couple over an hour. of hours to enjoy at the Dead Sea. At one of At about 4:15pm, we’ll drive about 30 minutes the many resorts located here, your Trip back to our hotel. You’ll have the remainder of Experience Leader will give a brief orientation the day free to explore on your own. of the facilities we’ll have access to, such as shower facilities. Then, you can relax or Dinner: Travelers who joined the Optional visit the shores of the Dead Sea to test your Tour will reconvene with the rest of our fellow buoyancy. The sheer sense of weightlessness travelers for dinner at a local restaurant at has to be experienced to be understood. At more around 7pm. than 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea Evening: Upon return to the hotel around is considered to be the lowest point on Earth, 8:15pm, the rest of your evening is at leisure. and because it contains an unusually high concentration of salt, it is surprisingly easy to Day 12 Jerusalem • Masada National Park float within its mineral-rich waters. • Dead Sea We’ll depart the area around 4pm and drive • Destination: Jerusalem back to our hotel in Jerusalem, arriving at round • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 5:45pm for the remainder of the day to spend as you wish. • Accommodations: Dan Boutique Hotel or similar Dinner: On your own in Jerusalem. Perhaps Activity Note: We will have the opportunity to you’ll seek out Machneyuda, a rustic restaurant float in the Dead Sea today, so you may wish to pulling fresh ingredients from the nearby pack a swimsuit. Machane Yehuda Market. This open-style restaurant allows you to see traditional Israeli Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning dishes being prepared right in front of you. at 6:30am, featuring international and Or, try jahnun, a traditional Yemenite pastry Israeli options. made by rolling up thin pastry dough brushed with butter and baking it in a closed oven all Morning: Around 8am, we’ll depart our hotel night. Typically, this dish comes with a side for the approximate 90-minute drive to Masada of grated tomatoes, a hard-boiled egg, and National Park to explore the ancient fortress schug—Yemenite hot sauce. of Masada, located on a massive plateau in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. When

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29 Evening: Tonight is on your own. Perhaps you’ll coast, and blossomed into the largest collection enjoy a nightcap of some of Israel’s famous of Modernist buildings in the world. Today, wines with your fellow travelers. Israel has Tel Aviv is home to about one-third of Israel’s been making wine since biblical times, and now population, and is a thoroughly modern city produces a total of more than 10 million bottles in every sense of the phrase—whatever it may per year. Its most popular varieties include lack in ancient history, it more than makes up Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz. for in vibrancy and contemporary culture.

We’ll arrive to our centrally located hotel in Day 13 Israel Museum • Overland Tel Aviv around 2:30pm. Our hotels in this to Tel Aviv city often feature an on-site restaurant, bar, • Destination: Tel Aviv coffee shop, spa, fitness center, and seasonal • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch swimming pool. Rooms generally include • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar a satellite TV, wireless Internet, a minibar, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and a private Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning bath with a hair dryer. Following check-in, at 6:30am, featuring international and you’ll have time to relax or begin exploring on Israeli options. your own. Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll depart the Dinner: On your own in Tel Aviv. Your hotel for a 15-minute drive to Israel’s largest Trip Experience Leader will happily offer cultural institution, the Israel Museum. suggestions, but you might wish to sample Sprawling over 20-acres, the museum houses bourekas—savory pastries filled with cheese, some of the most comprehensive collections spinach, or potato. Oftentimes, they’re served of art and Holy Land artifacts in the world, with a hardboiled egg and tangy, grated tomato. including nearly 500,000 objects. Upon arrival around 9am, we’ll begin our tour with a viewing Evening: The evening is yours to rest, relax, of the Second Temple Jerusalem Model, which or write in your travel journal. You might also recreates the city during its heyday around consider getting a nightcap with your fellow 66 CE—prior to the Great Revolt of the Jews travelers at the hotel bar. against the Romans. Then, we’ll view the Dead Freedom To Explore: During your three days in Sea Scrolls, ancient texts found in the Qumran the Tel Aviv, you have the freedom to explore Caves, including the oldest known copy of the this vibrant city on your own during your free Old Testament. Afterwards, we’ll explore more time. Below are a few recommended options for modern exhibitions in the museum. We’ll end independent explorations: our visit around 11:45am in time for lunch. • Explore the Izhak Rabin Museum: Lunch: At a local restaurant around 12pm, Established in 1997, this museum aims to featuring regional cuisine. promote democratic values and address social Afternoon: At around 1pm, we’ll depart the divisiveness by showcasing over 150 films restaurant for about a 1.5-hour transfer to Tel and 1500 photographs depicting modern Aviv. Israel’s cultural and commercial hub, Tel Israel’s struggle for peace. The displays Aviv was founded in 1909 near the ancient port are interwoven with the life and death of city of Jaffa (with which it later merged) as a late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, planned “garden city” on the Mediterranean a visionary leader who was assassinated in

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30 1995. By remembering Rabin’s influential Day 14 Explore Old Jaffa & Tel Aviv life and untimely death, the museum aims to • Destination: Tel Aviv spark discussion around democracy and social • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch cohesion in Israel. • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar • How to get there: A 15- to 20-minute taxi ride, about $20 USD. Activity Note: The Jaffa Flea Market is closed • Hours: 9am-5pm, Sunday-Thursday; on Saturdays. If Day 14 of your itinerary falls 9am-2pm, Friday. on a Saturday, your Trip Experience Leader will • Cost: About $13 USD. work to arrange a visit on an alternate day. • Enjoy a meal at the Na Laga’at Center: Visit Breakfast: A light breakfast will be served this the BlackOut Restaurant in the Na Laga’at morning at our hotel beginning at 6:30am. Center, which aims to help blind and deaf individuals integrate into society. In this Morning: We’ll leave our hotel around 9am unique restaurant, you’ll get a sense of what by bus for a 20-minute drive to Jaffa, thought life would be like blind, as you’ll dine in total to be the world’s oldest seaport. When we darkness and will be served by blind waiters. arrive, we’ll stop in Abu Hassan, one of the Some say that when you do not engage your most famous hummus spots in Tel Aviv. Begun sense of sight, you have a stronger sense as a small street stand in 1959, the restaurant of taste and smell, giving you a heightened has been passed down to three generations of ability to enjoy your meal. family members, and we’ll enjoy some samples before our Trip Experience Leader takes us on a How to get there: A 20- to 25-minute taxi • walk through Old Jaffa. ride, about $25 USD. • Hours: 6:30pm and 9:30pm, Sunday, We’ll also visit the Ilana Goor Museum, housed Tuesday, and Thursday. in the private home of this renowned Israeli • Cost: About $35 USD. artist, designer, and sculptor, around 10:30am. • Take a street art and graffiti tour in Nachalat Tucked into a Jaffa side street, the museum is Binyamin: Enjoy a 1.5-hour guided tour in an 18th-century building that was at various through the pedestrian mall-style neighbor- times an inn for Jewish pilgrims, a soap factory, hood of Nachalat Binyamin, the only neigh- and a synagogue. It features Goor’s own work borhood in Israel that supports graffiti artists along with an eclectic collection of art that by providing them with tools, paint, and spans from Roman times to the present day. designated wall space. In particular, you’ll Then, we’ll venture to the colorful Jaffa Flea see many examples of street poetry, which Market (closed on Saturdays), where we’ll have has grown incredibly popular in this region the chance to browse the vendors’ extensive of Israel. Your local guide will delve into the selection of antiques. While here, you’ll have history of graffiti in the area and discuss the the opportunity to discover the daily routines philosophical, psychological, and economic of locals. Your Trip Experience Leader will elements of urban art. give you a brief introduction to the Hebrew • How to get there: A 15- to 20-minute walk. language, so perhaps you can try your hand at • Hours: 5pm, Monday and Thursday; 3pm, speaking with the vendors. Tuesday. Lunch: At a local restaurant around 12:30pm, • Cost: About $35 USD. featuring regional cuisine.

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31 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 Then, we’ll see several of Tel Aviv’s popular (closed on Saturdays); commonly referred to sites, including the UNESCO designated as a shuk (Hebrew for an open-air market), “White City.” This is one of the world’s largest this bustling bazaar is the oldest model for collection of Bauhaus style buildings. This area food shopping in the Holy Land, where you has grown into an area with boutiques, art can discover a cornucopia of fresh fruits and galleries, cafés, restaurants, and bars—all of vegetables, cheeses, spices, nuts, and even which have helped shape this complex into one clothing and housewares. It’s an authentic of Tel Aviv’s most lively areas. During our tour, and invigorating whirl of activity that reveals we’ll also stop at Neve Tzedek, one of Tel Aviv’s Israel’s incredible diversity. oldest districts. The narrow lanes are still lined Dinner: On your own. Ask your Trip Experience with original buildings—strongly accented with Leader for suggestions. features from the Art Nouveau and Bauhaus art movements. While here, we’ll explore a more Evening: The evening is yours to rest, relax, contemporary art movement: graffiti. We’ll or write in your travel journal. You might also have the opportunity to enter the gallery of a consider getting a nightcap with your fellow young graffiti artist and discuss his work and travelers at the hotel bar. daily life.

Day 15 Explore Tel Aviv • Carmel Market Lunch: On your own near the Carmel Market area around noon. Ask your Trip • Destination: Tel Aviv Experience Leader for suggestions for the best • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner regional cuisine. • Accommodations: Herods Hotel or similar Afternoon: Around 1pm, we’ll make the 1-hour Activity Note: Carmel Market is closed on drive back to our hotel in Tel Aviv, and you’ll Saturdays. If Day 15 of your itinerary falls on have the remainder of the afternoon free. Your a Saturday, your Trip Experience Leader will Trip Experience Leader will provide you with work to arrange a visit on an alternate day. some options, such as renting a bike to take Breakfast: Served at our hotel beginning a scenic ride along the shore; visiting one of at 6:30am, featuring international and the nearby museums, like the Itzhak Rabin Israeli options. Museum; or stopping by a café popular with the locals for a snack. Morning: Around 9am, we’ll take a ride into Tel Aviv for a walking tour, where we’ll begin Around 6:15pm, we’ll regroup and drive down at bustling Carmel Market. Commonly referred to the nearby Tel Aviv Promenade, which to as a shuk (Hebrew for an open-air market), features views of the Mediterranean seashore, this bustling bazaar is the oldest model for for our Farewell Dinner. food shopping in the Holy Land, where you Dinner: At a local restaurant around 6:30pm, can discover a cornucopia of fresh fruits and featuring a Farewell Dinner of local cuisine and vegetables, cheeses, spices, nuts, and even a drink to toast to the many adventures we’ve had in Israel.

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32 Evening: Tonight, you may wish to retire Early Morning: We’ll depart our hotel early, as we’ll have a very early wake-up call very early this morning (usually between tomorrow. Or, you might wish to visit one of the 2:30am-3:30am, depending on flight times) for many oceanside bars along the promenade for a 1-hour drive to the airport. Here, we’ll board one last nightcap in Israel. our return flights to the U.S., or our flight to Eilat to begin our New! Israel’s Rugged South: Day 16 Depart Tel Aviv • Fly to U.S. or join Red Sea’s Eilat, National Parks of the Negev Desert post-trip extension & the Gaza Envelope post-trip extension. • Included Meals: Breakfast Travelers taking our optional Palestinian Discovery: Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah & Breakfast: A boxed breakfast will be provided Jericho post-trip will begin their extension by before leaving the hotel, which can be enjoyed departing the hotel around 8:30am. when you wish.

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.

OR 5 nights in Israel’s Rugged South: Red Sea’s Eilat, National Parks of the Negev Desert & the Gaza Envelope

Day 1 Fly to Eilat, Israel • Explore Eilat & Day 3 Explore Sde Boker & Ben Gurion Coral Beach Nature Reserve • Overland to Tomb National Park • Winery visit • Neot Semadar Overland to Mitzpe Ramon Day 2 Visit Timna Park • Explore Day 4 Discover Ramon Crater Neot Semadar Day 5 Discover Kibbutz Erez & the Gaza Envelope • Visit Path to Peace border wall Day 6 Return to U.S.

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33 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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34 PRE-TRIP Jordan: The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

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

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: Thousand Nights Hotel this vibrant city on your own during your free 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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35 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: Thousand Nights Hotel women of all ages can learn a variety of crafts, 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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36 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: Thousand Nights Hotel locals go through their daily routines and 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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37 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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38 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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39 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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40 PRE-TRIP Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, Lalibela’s Rock-Hewn Churches & the Royal Castles of Gondar

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 3 nights in Addis » 14 small group activities Ababa at Jupiter International Hotel or » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip similar, 3 nights in Lalibela at Mezena Experience Leader Resort & Spa or similar, and 2 nights in » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and Gondar at Gondar Hills Resort or similar luggage porters » 20 meals—8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 6 » All transfers dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner)

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Journey to the Horn of Africa and discover the enchanting landscapes and timeless ruins of Ethiopia—home to early Christianity and a powerful kingdom that once rivaled ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. Meet “Lucy,” mankind’s earliest ancestor, in Addis Ababa, the sprawling Ethiopian capital perched high up on the Abyssinian plateau. Witness the living history of Lalibela, where white-robed pilgrims still come to worship in sunken churches carved from solid rock centuries ago. Explore the ancient stone castles of Gondar, Ethiopia’s former royal capital; and get to know the people of this ancient land in schools, farms, village markets, and private homes.

Day 1 Depart U.S. Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience Leader can recommend a restaurant. Fly overnight from the U.S. to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for Day 2 Arrive Addis Ababa, Ethiopia recommendations. • Destination: Addis Ababa Day 3 Visit Signum Vitae rehabilitation • Accommodations: Jupiter International center • Discover the National Museum of Hotel or similar Ethiopia & fossils of “Lucy” Afternoon: Land in Addis Ababa today, where • Destination: Addis Ababa an O.A.T. representative will greet you at the airport and assist you with your transfer to your • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner hotel. Your Trip Experience Leader will meet • Accommodations: Jupiter International you at the hotel and help you check in. Hotel or similar Breakfast: At the hotel.

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41 Morning: Today begins our first full day in the 3.25-million-year-old hominid skeleton Addis Ababa, whose name translates to “New discovered in northwestern Ethiopia in 1974. Flower” in the Amharic language. While Lucy—who changed our understanding of Ethiopia is the cradle of mankind, Addis humanity forever—acquired her name from Ababa is quite modern. Founded by Ethiopian the Beatles’ song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Emperor Menelik in 1892, it quickly grew into which was played loudly and repeatedly in the a sprawling city of about five million people, camp after the excavation team’s first day of serving as the bustling capital of a country work on the recovery site. whose culture, history, and linguistic identity We’ll drive back to our hotel by private is quite distinct from the rest of Africa. Because motorcoach after our museum visit, where we’ll Addis Ababa (usually shortened to Addis by the have a few hours of free time before dinner. locals) is perched on the Abyssinian plateau at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet, the climate of Dinner: Included at our hotel. the world’s third highest capital city is usually pleasantly cool. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for We’ll begin the day with a Welcome Briefing recommendations. at our hotel, during which our Trip Experience Leader will give us a preview of the discoveries Day 4 Discover Sabahar fabric workshop that await over the coming days. We then board • Explore Ethnological Museum • Coffee our private motorcoach to visit Signum Vitae, shop visit a non-governmental organization dedicated to rehabilitating and improving the lives of • Destination: Addis Ababa disabled people. Latin for “sign of life,” Signum • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Vitae employs local Addis Ababa residents with • Accommodations: Jupiter International a wide range of physical disabilities, training Hotel or similar them in the arts of woodworking, eyeglass lens Breakfast: At the hotel. grinding, and other skills to help transform their lives. We’ll spend about 2 hours here, Morning: We’ll board our private motorcoach talking with the workers to learn about what this morning and drive to Sabahar fabric life is like for disabled people in Ethiopia’s workshop, where we’ll enjoy an included capital, before returning to our private tour. Sabahar is a fair-trade textile workshop motorcoach and driving toward the National founded in 2004 with a vision of preserving Museum, our next destination. Ethiopia’s ancient hand-weaving traditions, and providing job opportunities to the Lunch: On your own. Your Trip Experience country’s marginalized population. We’ll Leader can recommend a café or restaurant. tour the workshop for about an hour, and see Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll walk with firsthand how the colorful silk and cotton our Trip Experience Leader to the National scarves, blankets, and other handspun textiles Museum of Ethopia. Along with fascinating are made by its skilled artisans. And, because items such as the throne of Emperor Haile 80% of the shop’s workers are female, we’ll Selassie and a wealth of Ethiopia’s historical have a valuable opportunity to connect and and artistic treasures, the museum houses the learn what daily life is like for working-class remains of early hominids, including “Lucy,” women in Addis Ababa.

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42 After our workshop visit, we’ll drive to our Day 5 Fly to Lalibela • Visit next stop, the Ethnological Museum. One rock-hewn churches of the finest museums in all of Africa, the • Destination: Lalibela Ethnological Museum covers the full sweep of Ethiopia’s cultural and social history. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Intricately arranged exhibits narrate the story • Accommodations: Mezena Resort & Spa of the country and its peoples, all spanning two or similar floors of the palatial residence of Haile Selassie. Breakfast: At the hotel. The former Ethiopian emperor’s rooms are preserved near to their original state and may Morning: We’ll drive to the airport this also be visited. morning for our flight to Lalibela. We’ll arrive later this morning, and depart from the airport Lunch: We’ll walk to a local restaurant after our to a local restaurant for lunch. museum visit, where lunch is included. Lunch: Included at a local restaurant. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll walk to a local coffee shop, where we’ll learn about the special Afternoon: We’ll drive to our hotel after lunch place that this brew holds in Ethiopian culture. and check in. We’ll then have about an hour free While coffee-obsessed Ethiopia proudly clings to relax and refresh before departing by private to its traditions, it’s not immune from modern motorcoach to begin our discoveries in Lalibela, influences. Whether it’s from traditional a UNESCO World Heritage Site that many clay pots or modern macchiato machines consider one of the most important religious (introduced after the Italian occupation), sites in the Christian world. Lalibela is home to Ethiopia is considered to have some of the 11 magnificent Ethiopian Orthodox churches world’s best coffee—which should come as carved from the top down out of a single no surprise since this is coffee’s ancestral volcanic rock some 900 years ago. Legend has it homeland. Coffee plants grew wild here before that the churches came to the twelfth-century cultivation started more than 1,000 years ago. King Lalibela in a dream that urged him to Coffee was also once an integral part of spiritual create a new Jerusalem out of the solid rock worship, complete with elaborate rituals—so where the town sat. Intertwined and connected much so, that a ceremonial method of making by a warren of tunnels, some churches were coffee in Ethiopian homes continues to this day. chiseled into the face of the rock; others stand as isolated blocks, including the iconic church We’ll then return to our hotel by private of Saint George (Ethiopia’s patron saint), which motorcoach, where the rest of the day is free to resembles a monolithic walk-in Greek cross. explore independently. The complex is divided into two groups of Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience churches—with each cluster representing Leader can recommend a restaurant. the earthly and heavenly forms of Jerusalem. Today, we’ll visit the first church grouping. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as While we explore, we may feel as if we are you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for transported far back in time, as Lalibela is a recommendations. place of pilgrimage and devotion to this very day. Seven times a day, seven days a week, white-robed followers gather at these medieval

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43 rock-hewn churches to chant prayers in 10,000 pilgrims who came here to die over the unison. It is difficult not to be humbled by their centuries. We’ll hike back down to our vehicle unwavering devotion to their faith. and then drive back to Lalibela.

After our tour, we’ll return to our hotel, where Lunch: On your own in Lalibela. Your we’ll have about an hour and a half to relax or Trip Experience Leader can offer their explore independently before dinner. recommendations.

Dinner: Included at the hotel. Afternoon: You’ll have about two hours after lunch to relax or explore independently, then Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as we’ll gather together and drive to the second you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for group of rock-hewn churches in Lalibela. While recommendations. located very near the others, the churches in this second grouping differ greatly in Day 6 Visit Yemrehanna Kristos • Explore architecture and style—and feature more second group of rock-hewn churches intricate exteriors along with interconnecting • Destination: Lalibela trenches and tunnels. Unlike other ancient • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner monuments such as Petra, what really sets these 900-year-old churches apart is that they • Accommodations: Mezena Resort & Spa are still active and fully functioning places or similar of worship. Activity Note: Reaching the entrance to Yemrehanna Kristos requires a brief hike of We’ll tour the site for about an hour and a half, approximately 15 minutes up steep terrain at an and then return to our hotel. altitude of about 9,000 feet. Dinner: Included at the hotel. Breakfast: At the hotel. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as Morning: We’ll depart our hotel early this you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for morning and drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, an recommendations. ancient cave church that is one of the lesser known treasures of the region. Along the way, Day 7 Mule trek to Asheton Village • we’ll observe many pastoral scenes of rural Discover Saint George’s Church • Cooking Ethiopia, passing by shepherds with their flocks demonstration & Home-Hosted Dinner and fields of teff gently swaying in the cool • Destination: Lalibela highland breeze. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Upon arrival, we’ll take a short hike up a steep • Accommodations: Mezena Resort & Spa hill to reach the entrance of the cave and or similar church. The beautifully preserved Yemrehanna Breakfast: At the hotel. Kristos, built of stone and wood, predates the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela by almost a Morning: Our day begins as we drive by century. As we explore the church, you may motorcoach to a local market. Here, with the notice the large pile of bones at the back of help of a few key Amharic phrases (the official the cavern—they are the remains of some language of Ethiopia) taught to us by our Trip Experience Leader, we’ll act like the locals do

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44 and go shopping for produce and ingredients instantly recognizable due to its perfect cross to bring with us to the village we’ll be visiting shape. In fact, this stand-alone church (not later this morning. connected to the other ten in the area) looks like a monolithic walk-in Greek cross. Of all the After we finish our purchases, we’ll trade our churches at Lalibela, Beta Giyorgis is the best private motorcoach for a team of sturdy mules, preserved—perhaps due to the protection of its which we’ll saddle and ride toward Asheton 6.5-foot-thick rock ceiling. Dating back to the Village. During our trek, which will last about late 12th or early 13th century, it is also one of an hour, we’ll pass by other villages in the the youngest churches at the site. countryside, where we’ll see locals going about their daily routines. With the aid of our Trip We’ll conclude our visit to this iconic church Experience Leader, we’ll have the opportunity dedicated to Ethiopia’s patron saint shortly to stop and chat with the people that we meet, before 5pm and head to a local home where for an unfiltered view of everyday life in the we’ll learn the secrets of making Ethiopian Ethiopian countryside. injera (spongy flatbread) during a hands-on cooking demonstration before sitting down to Upon arrival at Asheton Village, we’ll greet our dine on the fruits of our labor. hosts and hand over the groceries we selected at the local market earlier this morning. We’ll Dinner: We’ll share a meal with a local family spend about two hours in the village, getting during a Home-Hosted Dinner, enjoying to know its people, and enjoying an intimate traditional cuisine which we helped prepare conversation about the history and traditions of ourselves, and friendly conversation about daily the Amhara people, the cultural group that lives life in Ethiopia. in this region of Ethiopia. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as As we walk around the grounds of the village, you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for we’ll observe how the people of the village recommendations. spend their days, tending to the livestock and farming staple crops such as teff, barley, and Day 8 Controversial Topic: Water rights beans. Because of our small group size, we’ll in Ethiopia • Fly to Gondar have the opportunity to truly connect with the • Destination: Gondar people that we meet, and maybe even learn what it’s like to be in their shoes as we help out • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with chores around the village. • Accommodations: Gondar Hills Resort or similar We’ll then bid our new friends farewell, and Breakfast: At the hotel. board our private motorcoach to return to our hotel in Lalibela. Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel this morning and drive to meet a local activist for Lunch: Included at a local restaurant near a conversation about a Controversial Topic: our hotel. The lack of clean drinking water and access to Afternoon: After some free time to relax, we’ll sanitation services in Ethiopia. meet up again later in the afternoon for a Water is a precious resource in this private motorcoach ride to Bete Giyorgis—the drought-prone region of Africa, and frequent Church of Saint George. Lauded as the most political disputes between Ethiopia and Egypt beautiful church of Lalibela, Saint George’s is

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45 over access to the Blue Nile River exacerbate Morning: We’ll board our private motorcoach the problem. Due to these shortages, only 42% this morning and drive to the village of Wolleka. of Ethiopia’s population has access to a supply For several generations, a community of of potable water, and only 11% are serviced by Ethiopian Jews lived in this village, thriving as adequate sanitation infrastructure—in the rural skilled craft workers despite persecution from regions of the country, the statistics are even their predominantly Christian neighbors, until more grim, creating chronic health issues for their exodus to Israel in the 1980s and 90s. the locals and their livestock. We’ll delve into While the Ethiopian Jewish community—also this controversial issue during an hour-long known as Beta Israel—no longer lives in conversation with a local activist who is Wolleka, the village’s current residents working to improve Ethiopia’s access to water celebrate the old traditions, maintaining the and sanitation, with time to ask questions of village’s small synagogue, and carrying on the our own to deepen our understanding. pottery, blacksmithing, weaving, and other skilled craftsmanship for which the village was After our conversation, we’ll have about an once so well known. hour free to make last-minute discoveries in Lalibela before regrouping to drive to a local After an included tour, we’ll have about an hour restaurant for lunch. to spend on our own in the village. Its residents are famously friendly and welcoming, offering Lunch: Included at a local restaurant. excellent opportunities for people-to-people Afternoon: We’ll drive to the airport after lunch connections as we talk to locals about life in the and board a short flight to Gondar, our next village, and its long, complex history. destination. After we land, we’ll transfer to Lunch: We’ll enjoy an included lunch at a our hotel and check in, then we’ll have about restaurant in the village. two hours to relax or explore independently before dinner. Afternoon: Our tour continues as we explore the castles and palaces of Gondar, royal capital Dinner: Included at the hotel. of the Ethiopian Empire from the 17th to the Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as middle of the 19th century and famous for its you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for 17th-century stone castles and fortresses that recommendations. evoke the feel of an African Camelot. In 1632, King Fasilidas proclaimed that this previously Day 9 Explore Wolleka Ethiopian obscure village would become the site of the Empire’s new capital, and over the next 250 Jewish village • Visit Fasil Ghebbi & years a succession of Ethiopian kings built a Fasilides’ Bath series of stone castles and fortresses that still • Destination: Gondar occupy the heart of modern day Gondar. Known • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner collectively as the Royal Enclosure or “Fasil • Accommodations: Gondar Hills Resort Ghebbi,” the magnificent medieval palaces of or similar Gondar are recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. We’ll visit Gondar Castle, the Breakfast: At the hotel. main structure in the Royal Enclosure which was inspired by the castles of medieval Europe.

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46 We’ll then drive by private motorcoach to continue our discoveries at Fasilides’ Bath, one of the most sacred sites in Ethiopia. Constructed around the same time as Fasil Ghebbi, the bath still plays an important role in Ethiopia’s religious traditions today—once a year, on Timkat (the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany on January 19th), the bath is filled to commemorate the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

We’ll tour the historic complex, and also visit nearby Zobel’s Mausoleum, constructed by emperor Yohannes I to serve as the final resting place for the emperor’s favorite horse. We’ll learn more about the mausoleum, and hear the curious tale of how a humble horse earned such an elaborate burial, before returning to our hotel via private motorcoach.

Dinner: Included at the hotel.

Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations.

Day 10 Fly to Addis Ababa • Fly to Tel Aviv, Israel • Overland to Haifa • Begin main trip • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel this morning and drive by private motorcoach to the airport, where we’ll board a short flight to Addis Ababa.

Lunch: We’ll drive to a local restaurant in Addis Ababa, where lunch is included.

Afternoon: Transfer to the airport after lunch and board a flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. After landing, we’ll transfer overland to our hotel in Haifa, where we begin our Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures adventure.

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

47 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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48 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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49 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.

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

50 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

51 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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52 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

53 POST-TRIP Israel’s Rugged South: Red Sea’s Eilat, National Parks of the Negev Desert & the Gaza Envelope

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 2 nights at the kibbutz » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip of Neot Semadar and 3 nights in Mitzpe Experience Leader Ramon at the Even Derech Hotel or similar » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and » 13 meals—5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, luggage porters and 4 dinners » All transfers » 8 small group activities

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Extend your adventure in the ruggedly beautiful Negev Desert in Southern Israel. From the Red Sea port city of Eilat, we’ll travel north into the heart of the desert, learning about kibbutz culture during a two-night stay in the artist commune of Neot Semadar, and admiring the stark beauty of Timna Park. We then make our way to Mitzpe Ramon, our gateway to majestic Ramon Crater as well as Erez, a hardy kibbutz located on the border with Gaza, where we’ll learn what life is like in this conflict-prone region, and the hopes of its residents for a peaceful future.

Day 1 Fly to Eilat, Israel • Explore Eilat & center of trade, as well as a popular destination Coral Beach Nature Reserve • Overland to for locals and travelers alike looking for a Neot Semadar seaside retreat, offering ample opportunity for people-to-people connections as we stop and • Destination: Neot Semadar chat with local families who have come to take • Included Meals: Dinner in the scenery. • Accommodations: Kibbutz Neot Semadar We’ll discover a unique aspect of Eilat’s coastal Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel this charms during an included visit to the Coral morning and drive by private motorcoach to Beach Nature Reserve, located in the city, which Ben Gurion International Airport, where we’ll offers a fascinating glimpse at the biodiversity board our hour-long flight to Eilat. After we of this region’s colorful coral reefs. The reserve land, we’ll drive by private motorcoach to the features a series of delicate footbridges built city center for an included tour of this coastal over these brilliant underwater gardens, from destination. which you can admire the dazzling colors of the Eilat is Israel’s southernmost city, located reefs, and observe the many species of marine on the banks of the Red Sea. As Israel’s only port on this vital waterway, Eilat is a bustling

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54 life that have made their homes amidst the Morning: We’ll drive by private motorcoach coral, including cleaner fish, bigclaw snapping to nearby Timna Park, where we’ll enjoy shrimp, and Red Sea clownfish. an included tour of this region’s incredible desert geology. After our tour of the reserve, we’ll take a stroll along Eilat’s lively promenade as we make our Located in a horseshoe-shaped ravine amidst way to the city’s flea market, which features the stark scenery of the Negev Desert, Timna an array of stalls selling local cuisine and Park is a showcase of the desert’s most unique handmade goods, and more opportunities to earthly formations. We’ll spend about three connect with the locals. hours here, taking our time to admire the curious red sandstone arches and pillars carved Lunch: On your own in Eilat. Your Trip by natural forces over the millennia, including Experience Leader can recommend a café or the famous Mushroom, Arches, and Solomon’s restaurant. Pillars. In addition to its ruggedly beautiful Afternoon: We’ll regroup after lunch and drive scenery, the park is a historic site as well, as it north by private motorcoach toward Neot is situated over the world’s first copper mine, Semadar, an oasis kibbutz on the southern edge where humanity began to excavate and refine of the Negev desert where we’ll be spending this precious metal 6,000 years ago, beginning the next several nights. Neot Semadar is a a new era of civilization. small community founded in 1989, based on Lunch: Included at a local restaurant in a shared vision of mindfulness, creativity, Timna Park. and cooperation. We’ll get quickly acquainted with the kibbutz’s various projects, including Afternoon: We return to Neot Semadar after organic farming, water recycling, art, and lunch, where we’ll spend about an hour winemaking, during an orientation walk with getting to know this quirky kibbutz a little our Trip Experience Leader after checking in better during an included tour with our Trip to our accommodations. You’ll then have a few Experience Leader. We’ll wander the grounds hours free to explore the kibbutz independently of this lush, green desert oasis, taking in before dinner. the unique architecture—designed with an eye for ecological sustainability, as well as Dinner: Enjoy an included Welcome Dinner at aesthetic appeal—and then spend a leisurely the kibbutz’s on-site restaurant tonight. afternoon exploring the kibbutz and getting to Evening: On your own to relax or to explore as know its passionate residents at our own pace. you’d like. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for Neot Semadar was founded on principles of recommendations. creativity, community, and sustainability—a purposeful departure from the profit- and Day 2 Visit Timna Park • Explore productivity-oriented culture that pervades much of the rest of the world—and we’ll have Neot Semadar plenty of time to learn more about this unique • Destination: Neot Semadar lifestyle firsthand today. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Dinner: Included at an organic tea house in • Accommodations: Kibbutz Neot Semadar Lotan, another kibbutz located nearby. Breakfast: At our kibbutz.

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

55 Evening: We return to Neot Semadar after a firsthand look at the challenges of growing dinner, where the rest of the evening is free to grapes and making wine in this arid landscape. relax or explore independently. We’ll also sample a few vintages during an included tasting—the winery focuses on small Day 3 Explore Sde Boker & Ben Gurion batches of handcrafted, barrel-aged cabernet Tomb National Park • Winery visit • sauvignon and merlot wines. Overland to Mitzpe Ramon We then board our private motorcoach and • Destination: Mitzpe Ramon drive to the town of Mitzpe Ramon, where we’ll • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner check in to our hotel and have the afternoon • Accommodations: Even Derech Hotel free to relax or explore independently or similar before dinner.

Breakfast: At our kibbutz. Dinner: Included at a local restaurant.

Morning: We’ll check out of our kibbutz and Evening: Tonight, join your Trip Experience drive north by private motorcoach to Sde Boker, Leader outside for a memorable stargazing a kibbutz in the center of the Negev Desert, experience. In this remote desert location, free where we’ll step out for an included tour. Sde of the light pollution of more populated areas, Boker was the home of David Ben Gurion, the the night sky here is particularly stunning, and first prime minister of the State of Israel, and your Trip Experience Leader will help you spot one of the nation’s main founders. We’ll learn prominent constellations as you warm yourself more about the life and legacy of this national with included hot tea and coffee. icon during a visit to his former house—now a public museum—which he chose as his home Day 4 Discover Ramon Crater late in life after passing by the settlement • Destination: Mitzpe Ramon during a state visit. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Just a short drive away from the kibbutz, we’ll • Accommodations: Even Derech Hotel visit the tomb—now a National Park—where or similar Ben Gurion and his wife, Paula, have been laid Activity Note: Our discoveries at Ramon Crater to rest amidst a lush desert garden overlooking include an approximately mile-long hike of the rugged landscape of the Negev Desert. In about 1.5 hours. Travelers who would prefer not his life, Ben Gurion challenged his country’s to join the hike may choose to remain in the citizens to transform the arid sands of the crater’s visitor center instead. Negev into a flourishing place where people could live in prosper, and we’ll have the chance Breakfast: At the hotel. to observe the fruits of Israel’s labor during our visit here. Morning: We’ll board our motorcoach this morning and drive to Ramon Crater, Lunch: Included at a local restaurant near also known as Makhtesh Ramon. These Sde Boker. makhteshim—rocky, circular indentations that formed in the earth via oceanic erosion—are Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll visit Sde Boker a peculiar geological phenomenon that occur winery. Established in 1999, the winery was the only here in the Negev Desert and Egypt’s Sinai first to be built in the Negev Plateau, and during Peninsula. our visit we’ll meet the owner, Zvi Remak, for

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

56 With a length of almost 25 miles, the Ramon Day 5 Discover Kibbutz Erez & the Gaza Crater is the largest makhtesh in the world, Envelope • Visit Path to Peace border wall and we’ll learn more about how it was created • Destination: Mitzpe Ramon over a span of 220 million years during our introduction to this natural wonder at the • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner site’s visitor center. Here, we’ll also visit a • Accommodations: Even Derech Hotel museum and memorial for Ilan Ramon, Israel’s or similar first astronaut, who died tragically in 2003 Breakfast: At the hotel. during the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Born as Ilan Wolferman, the intrepid Morning: We’ll board our private motorcoach explorer changed his name in life to that of this this morning and drive to Erez, a kibbutz majestic makhtesh, so captivated was he by its located within the Gaza Envelope—the natural beauty. region of Israel along the Gaza border that is subjected to mortar and rocket attacks from the We’ll then set out to see the crater for Hamas-controlled side of the border. ourselves during a 1.5-hour hike. We’ll take in magnificent views of the colored sands Along the way, we’ll stop at two memorial sites stretching into the distance, then descend to learn more about the history of the conflict via gentle hiking trails to the crater’s bed, for between Israel and the Palestinian Authority a closer look at the playground of geologic which pervades daily life in this region. First, formations, fossils, and volcanic rocks left we stop at the Black Arrow Memorial, built behind as ancient ocean waters receded in honor of the Israeli paratroopers who northward, leaving behind a stark desert participated in Operation Black Arrow, a 1955 landscape. Keep your eyes open for local military operation against Egypt in retaliation wildlife, as unique creatures like ibex, leopards, for the latter government’s sponsorship of striped hyenas, Dorcas gazelles, and other Palestinian militants operating in Israel. The desert animals make their home here. controversial raid resulted in the death of eight Israeli soldiers, as well as almost 40 Egyptian Lunch: We’ll return to Mitzpe Ramon, where troops, and set the stage for even bloodier lunch is included at a local restaurant. conflicts between the two nations over the coming years. Afternoon: We’ll drive back to our hotel, where the rest of the day is free to relax or explore We’ll make another stop at the Assaf Siboni independently. Scenic Lookout, named in honor of an Israeli soldier who died in a 1997 helicopter crash Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience that also claimed the lives of 72 other troops. Leader can recommend a restaurant. The lookout features an array of 20 wind Evening: The rest of the evening is free to relax flutes—each one representing a year of Assaf or explore independently. Siboni’s life before it was cut short—that play a tune with every breeze, as well as a panoramic vista of the Gaza Strip below.

We then arrive in Erez, where we’ll meet a resident of the kibbutz who will lead us on a tour and give us their personal perspective of what it’s like to live so close to one of the most

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

57 volatile regions of the Middle East. As we walk Day 6 Return to U.S. through the commune, we’ll see the bunkers • Included Meals: Breakfast and shelters constructed throughout the grounds, which each resident is ready to run to Breakfast: At the hotel. at a moment’s notice in the event of a Hamas Morning: Transfer to Ben Gurion international missile or artillery attack—a regular occurrence airport for your flight home. since around 2001. We’ll see for ourselves what it’s like for the locals to live their lives in the shadow of war as we spend about an hour exploring the kibbutz and meeting its people.

Lunch: We’ll enjoy an included lunch at the kibbutz.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll end the day on a hopeful note as we make our way to the Path to Peace, an ever-growing collaborative mosaic art installation built on a section of the border wall between Israel and Gaza.

The mosaic is the creation of the local Israeli artist Tsameret Zamir, who has lived in this region for more than 20 years, and wanted to offer a way for people from all walks of life—Israeli, Palestinian, and around the world—to share a message of peace and unity, and to transform the ominous gray security wall into a colorful symbol of hope, visible from both sides of the border. During our visit, we’ll have the opportunity to leave our own mark on the wall, as we etch a message of hope into a colorful mosaic stone, and add it to the ever-growing installation.

We’ll then drive back to our hotel in Mitzpe Ramon, where you’ll have a few hours free to relax, contemplate the day’s discoveries, or continue exploring independently, before dinner.

Dinner: Toast to your adventure with an included Farewell Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: The rest of the evening is free to relax or explore independently.

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

58 Israel: The Holy Land & OUR SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY To ensure the safety of all of our travelers, we are requiring that all travelers Timeless Cultures joining us on one of our Small Group Adventures must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure of their adventure— and provide proof of their vaccination on-site. 2022 Dates & Prices For more details, please visit www.oattravel.com/covid-update.

APRIL; MAY NOV 2-17; SEP 11-30; SEP 24-30; DEC 1-22; MAY OCT OCT DEPART FROM J A N U A R Y F E B R U A R Y M A R C H 11-23 NOV 3-8 20-31 JUNE 2-12 13-31 DEC 4

New York $ 3795 $3995 $4195 $4395 $4595 $4695 $4995 $4895 $4795 $4095

Boston, Los Angeles, Newark $ 3895 $ 4095 $ 4295 $ 4495 $ 4695 $ 4795 $ 5095 $ 4995 $ 4895 $ 4195

Chicago, Detroit, Miami, $ 3995 $4195 $4395 $4595 $4795 $4895 $5195 $5095 $4995 $4295 Orlando, Washington, DC Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, $ 4095 $4295 $4495 $4695 $4895 $4995 $5295 $5195 $5095 $4395 San Francisco, Seattle Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, $ 4195 $4395 $4595 $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 ; APRIL; SEPTEMBER; J A N U A R Y F E B R U A R Y M A R C H NOV 11-30 NOV 3-8 JUNE OCTOBER DECEMBER Without international airfare $ 2595 $ 2795 $ 2995 $ 3195 $ 3395 $ 3495 $ 3595 $ 2895

ISR2022

NEW! STOPOVERS RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH CONFIDENCE— NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 All O.A.T. Stopovers include 3 nights in a centrally- located hotel, daily breakfasts, and roundtrip We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any private airport transfers. reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. See details at www.oattravel.com/ Rome: $895 per person riskfree-booking. Paris or Amsterdam: $945 per person Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. London: $995 per person All prices and availability are effective as of the date of this publication, and are subject Other O.A.T. Stopovers are available. If a city you to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: are interested in is not offered, we can arrange www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. your airfare for that, too. We reserve the right to correct errors. Call your Regional Adventure Counselor for full A visa is required for entry into Jordan on the pre-trip extension. You will receive application details at 1-800-955-1925. information after you reserve.

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/isr2022pricing

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 6/7/21

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/isr2022

59 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 need 2 blank passport pages.

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

• Pre-trip extension to Ethiopia: You will need an additional page for a total of 3

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

• Post-trip extension to South Israel: No additional pages are needed for this extension.

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

• Stopover in Amsterdam, Munich, or Rome: You will need to add 2 additional pages to the applicable total listed above.

• Stopover in Istanbul, London, Madrid, Paris, Addis Ababa, Cairo, or Dubai: You will need to add an additional page to the applicable total listed above.

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.

60 • 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 (pre-trip extension): 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.

• 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.

• Ethiopia (pre-trip extension or optional stopover): Visa required. U.S. citizens will require a visa for Ethiopia; detailed instructions will be included in your Visa Packet, as noted above.

• Turkey (optional stopover only): Visa required. We suggest you obtain an e-visa in advance through the Turkish government’s website as visas cannot be obtained upon arrival.

• Egypt (optional stopover only): Visa required. U.S. citizens will require a visa to enter Egypt; detailed instructions and information will be included in your Visa Packet, as noted above.

• United Arab Emirates (optional stopover only): Visa required. Currently, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) allows U.S. citizens to get a tourist visa free of charge on arrival in Dubai.

• The Netherlands, England, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy (optional stopovers only): No visas required. A visa is not required in any of the listed countries for stays of up to 90 days.

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.

61 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.

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.

62 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

63 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.

Yellow Fever All travelers will need to bring EITHER proof of a yellow fever vaccination OR an official vaccination waiver in order to meet entry requirements. This requirement applies only to Ethiopia, if you are joining the pre-trip extension or optional stopover to Addis Ababa.

While the CDC offers a wide range of vaccination and medication suggestions, there is one in particular that we’d like to draw your attention to—the yellow fever vaccine. For some countries, the yellow fever vaccination is a legal entry requirement, like a passport. For other countries, it is a health recommendation to protect you from getting sick. On this adventure, this vaccination is a legal entry requirement for Ethiopia—but fortunately, authorities will accept a doctor’s waiver in place of getting the actual shot. Therefore EITHER proof of a yellow fever vaccination OR an official vaccination waiver is a requirement for this trip.

64 You should discuss the vaccine with your doctor to see if he or she recommends it and if your health allows for it. (He or she can offer a suggestion tailored to your personal medical history.) If you and your doctor decide the vaccination is right for you, then he or she will issue you a Yellow Fever Card, also called an International Certificate of Vaccination. This is your proof of vaccination; you should bring it with you on the trip.

If you and your doctor decide the vaccination isn’t right for you, then have your doctor issue an official vaccination waiver. An official waiver is a letter that meets these requirements:

• It must be on business letterhead paper.

• It must be signed by a doctor.

• It must be stamped using the same stamp that the doctor uses on a Yellow Fever Card.

• It must give the medical reason why you cannot get the vaccine, say how high the risk is, and cite an authority. (For example: Mr. Smith cannot receive the yellow fever vaccine due to a high risk of side effects as outlined in the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines for people over the age of 65.)

Whether you receive a Yellow Fever Card or an official vaccination waiver, keep it on your person (in your carry-on) so it is easy to find when you arrive or when you cross the border. You may not show anything at all when you cross the border—it all depends on the local official. But if you are asked, you must be able to produce your Yellow Fever Card OR your waiver.

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.

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).

65 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.

• In Ethiopia, tap water is not safe to drink. We recommend you use only filter, treated, or bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth throughout this trip.

• 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.

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.

66 • 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.

67 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.

Ethiopia The official currency in Ethiopia is the Birr (ETB), which is composed of 100 santims. Banknotes and coins come in the following denominations:

• Banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 birr

68 • Coins: 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 santims; 1 birr

Note: Officially, foreign currency, including U.S. dollars, is not legal for use in Ethiopia, with the exception of hotel bills, but this is not enforced, and US currency is widely accepted (and often preferred).

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.

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.

Ethiopia: ATMs can usually be found in major cities, such as Addis Ababa, but are harder to find in rural areas.

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

69 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.

Ethiopia: Credit cards are rarely accepted in Ethiopia, even in large cities such as Addis Abada. We strongly recommend that you bring enough cash to exchange or withdraw local funds from an ATM.

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.

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

70 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.

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.

71 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.

72 • 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

73 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 Ethiopia: +251

Jordan: +962

74 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.

75 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.

76 • 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.

77 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.)

78 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, Jordan, and Ethiopia 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.

79 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

Ethiopia: C and F

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.

80 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.

Ethiopia: Ethiopia lies to the north of the equator and experiences three climate zones. The plateau regions in central Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa, experience cool, mild weather with average lows in the 40s and 50s and average highs getting up into the high 70s. The plateau sees heavy rains from June to September (monsoon season) and a relatively dry climate from November through February. The lowlands, which surround the plateau to the northwest and south, experience an arid climate with heavy rains typically only in July and August and a dry heat from October to mid-May. Temperatures in this region usually range from the low 70s to high 90s. Along the border of Eritrea, Ethiopia sees desert climates with intense heat averaging from the mid 80s to low 100s and very little rainfall throughout the year.

NOTE: If you are taking one of our optional stopovers before or after your OAT adventure, please be aware the climate and temperatures might be different from what you experienced during your tour. To prepare for weather differences and pack appropriate clothing, we recommend the following world weather sites:

• www.intellicast.com

• www.weather.com

• www.wunderground.com

81 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.

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

82 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

MONTH ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA JERICHO, WEST BANK

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. (high-low) % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 69 to 53 81 to 37 5.0 66 to 53 -- 6.0 FEB 70 to 55 80 to 41 6.6 68 to 53 -- 5.1 MAR 72 to 56 79 to 42 9.8 73 to 56 -- 3.5 APR 71 to 57 82 to 47 12.4 82 to 62 -- 1.3 MAY 72 to 58 81 to 45 11.9 90 to 68 -- 0.2 JUN 69 to 56 85 to 54 22.7 94 to 73 -- -- JUL 65 to 55 92 to 68 18.7 97 to 77 -- -- AUG 65 to 55 92 to 68 18.7 97 to 77 -- -- SEP 66 to 55 91 to 65 22.4 95 to 75 -- -- OCT 69 to 54 81 to 47 10.7 89 to 71 -- 0.5 NOV 69 to 51 79 to 38 3.8 79 to 63 -- 2.4 DEC 69 to 51 81 to 38 6.3 70 to 56 -- 5.0

83 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.

84 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).

85 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.

86 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.

87 • 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.

88 • 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.

Ethiopian Cuisine You may have tried Ethiopian food at home, but what you’ll get here is totally different as there are ingredients that are only found locally. However one component stays the same, and that’s the injera, a type of pancake made from a semi-fermented grain called tef that serves as a platter, utensil, and bread all in one. Food is piled on top of the injera, and pieces of it are broken off to be used as a scoop for the food. (Or in some restaurants, it will be served on the side like bread.) But be warned: Travelers tend to get “injera fatigue” at some point as the taste is an acquired one—tangy and slightly sour. If that happens to you, stick to the yummy toppings instead. Some typical dishes include:

• Wat: Ethiopia’s version of curry, made with lamb, beef, goat, or chicken (in a nod to religious diets, you won’t easily find pork in Ethiopia). Kai wat is a spicy reddish version while alicha wat is a milder yellow version.

• Kitfo: A filling meat dish where raw lean meat is minced and warmed in a pan with butter, hot spices, and thyme (think of a warm steak tartar and you’re not far off). Can be served as leb leb (warmed but not cooked) or betam leb leb (lightly cooked).

• Vegetable dishes: Ethiopian cuisine is very meat-heavy, but on Wednesdays, Fridays, and the 55 days before Ethiopian Easter, vegetarian dishes are the norm as these are considered fasting days, when most locals will avoid meat. Look for dishes like messer (lentil curry), gormen (collard greens), and shiro (a type of humus). If you are a vegetarian, some of these dishes must be ordered in advance on non-feast days, so we recommend that you let your Trip Experience Leader know as soon as possible.

• Drinks: Coffee is a big deal here. And no wonder—this might be where it was first drunk. Italian-style lattes and cappuccinos are especially popular, as is local variations that combine coffee with tea or the herb rue (t’na adam). For alcoholic beverages try tej, which is brewed from honey, local beers, Gouder red wine, or Awash Crystal white wine.

89 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.

Ethiopia Popular souvenirs include textiles (such as scarves or a traditional Ethiopian dress called a caftan), hand-woven baskets, spices, coffee, jewelry, clay pottery, and wood sculptures.

Note: The U.S. State Department advises that Ethiopia has strict consequences for the transport of ivory, including fines, detainment, or imprisonment. Also, keep in mind that any replicas or copies of antiques or religious artifacts must be accompanied by a receipt and may still be confiscated.

90 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.

Ethiopia Customs Regulations Ethiopia has strict guidelines regarding what is allowed to enter and leave the country. For more information, please visit the U.S. State Department website at https://travel.state.gov. A few points to know:

• All cell phones entering Ethiopia must be registered with the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority. This can be done at the Bole International Airport or any Ethio Telecom shop.

• Personal laptops and video equipment are allowed, but any professional photography/video equipment or laptops intended for anything other than personal use much be declared upon arrival and departure.

• Export permits are required for antiques, religious artifacts, Ethiopian crosses, and wildlife parts. If you decide to purchase any of these items while in Ethiopia, you must request a permit through the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority.

91 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.

92 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.

93 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

94 • 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

95 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.

Ethiopia

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 426,372 square miles

• Capital: Addis Ababa

• Languages: Amharic is the official national language; Oromo, Somali, Tigrigna, and Afar are also official regional languages.

• Ethnicity: Oromo 34.4%, Amhara 27%, Somali 6.2%, Tigray 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Gurage 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Afar 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 8.8%

• Location: Northern Africa, bordering Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti to the north, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and South Sudan to the west.

• Geography: Ethiopia features deserts along the eastern coast and a mountainous terrain in the central regions.

• Population: 108,386,391

• Religions: Ethiopian Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.5%, traditional 2.7%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.6%

• Time Zone: Ethiopia is seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. When it is noon in D.C., it is 7:00 pm in Ethiopia.

96 National Holidays: Ethiopia

Ethiopia celebrates a number of national 01/19 Epiphany / Timkat holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as 03/02 Adwa Victory Day Easter and Eid ul Fitr. To find out if you will be traveling during these holidays, please visit 05/01 Labor Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 05/05 Freedom Day 01/07 Ethiopian Christmas Day 05/28 Derg Downfall Day

Ethiopia: A Brief History Ethiopia’s known history dates back well over 3,000 years, although most scholars trace the modern country to the Aksumite Kingdom which rose to power in the first century CE. It was a major power on the Red Sea for centuries, subjugating both Yemen and Sudan, and converting to Christianity in 333 CE. The Aksumite empire fell into decline with the rise of Islam, forcing the Ethiopians to move south into the highlands for refuge. The Aksumites gave way to the Zagwe Dynasty who established a new capital at Lalibela.

Unlike the Aksumites, the Zagwe were very isolated from the other Christian Nations, although they did maintain a degree of contact through Cairo and Jerusalem. For example, when Saladin retook Jerusalem in 1187, he expressly invited the Ethiopian monks to return and even exempted Ethiopian pilgrims from the pilgrim tax, proving that the country was in contact with the Crusader States in the Middle Ages. It was during this period that the Ethiopian king Gebre Mesqel Lalibela ordered the construction of the legendary rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. The Zagwe Dynasty gave way to the Solomonic Dynasty in the 1400s, bringing military reforms and imperial expansion that eventually dominated the Horn of Africa.

Catholic Portuguese missionaries arrived by the 1500s, touching off a political showdown between them and the Muslim Somalis who conquered Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1529. But in the end, neither side won as the locals reclaimed their land from the Somalis and all Catholics were expelled by 1632, when a new capital was established at Gondar. A period of peace and prosperity ensued until the country was split apart by warlords in the 18th century and then reunified in 1855 under Emperor Tewodros II. It is this emperor’s descendants who would rule the country until 1975. During this time Ethiopia expanded its territory to the present-day borders, defeated an Italian invasion (in 1896), and saw its first reigning empress, Zewditu (1916-1930). It was her successor, Emperor Haile Selassie, who was to prove a key figure in modern Ethiopia.

Part of his impact was due to his role in World War II, when Italian forces launched a second invasion and occupied Ethiopia from 1935-1941. A joint force of British and Ethiopian rebels managed to drive the Italians out of the country by 1943, and Haile Selassie was returned to the throne. He then embarked on a series of widespread reforms, including the introduction of Ethiopia’s first written constitution and the abolition of slavery. But his reign was not without controversy, especially in Eritrea, which he declared a province of Ethiopia in 1962, sparking a 30-year conflict. (Eritrea regained its independence after a referendum in 1993.) He was overthrown by a military coup known as the Derg in 1974 and killed by them in 1975.

97 The new regime was met with armed resistance from large landowners, royalists, and nobility. The resistance was largely centered in Eritrea, adding fire to the already-existing tensions there. Sensing the disarray, Somalia attacked, but was eventually driven out by the Ethiopians with the assistance of Soviet arms and 17,000 Cuban combat forces. This put the country squarely in the Soviet sphere of influence and in 1987, a new Soviet-style constitution was passed by popular referendum. The country was renamed the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The Derg regime continued to hold power until 1991, when their collapse was hastened by droughts and a famine—which affected around 8 million people and left 1 million dead—as well as by insurrections, particularly in the northern regions of Tigray and Eritrea. In 1994, a new constitution was written; the first free general elections were held in 1995. Since then the main political challenges in Ethiopia have been allegations of election corruption; the rise of terrorist groups in neighboring Somali; and the role of the TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) a political party based in the northern Tigray Province. But on the bright side, Ethiopia also passed a historical milestone in 2018 when it elected its first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde.

98 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.

99 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.

100 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.

Ethiopia Beneath the Lion’s Gaze (2011) and The Shadow King (2019) by Maaza Mengiste (Historical Fiction) Award-winning Ethiopian-born author Maaza Mengiste tells the tales of a family during the revolution that resulted in the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 in Beneath the Lion’s Gaze and the struggles of an orphaned servant in the 1930s as the country faces Mussolini’s impending invasion in The Shadow King.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (2009, Fiction) A sweeping novel about the twin sons of a British doctor and Indian nun born and raised in Ethiopia. When they fall for the same woman, one twin flees to America, where he gets a job at a NYC hospital…and then the past catches up to him.

Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb (2007, Fiction) From the author of The Kite Runner comes the story of Lilly, an orphaned British girl raised at a Sufi shrine in Morocco whose life changes dramatically when she goes on pilgrimage Harar, Ethiopia.

Eating the Flowers of Paradise: One Man’s Journey Through Ethiopia and Yemen by Kevin Rushby (1999, Travel Narrative) Travels through Ethiopia and Yemen, including an examination of the political and historical landscapes of Ethiopian culture.

Sign and the Seal: The Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant by Graham Hancock (1992, History) A British journalist explores the mystery of the Lost Ark of the Covenant.

The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat by Ryszard Kapuscinski (1978, Non-Fiction) A Polish journalist captures the story of Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-1974, and his downfall through interviews with Selassie’s associates and servants.

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.

101 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.

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.

Ethiopia Lamb (2015, Drama) When Ephraim is sent to live with some relatives after the death of his mother, he brings his beloved pet lamb with him. But Easter is coming, and Ephraim will do everything he can to ensure his friend survives. Lamb was the first Ethiopian film to show at the Cannes Film Festival and has been praised for showcasing rural life in Ethiopia.

Difret (2014, Drama) Loosely based on a real landmark court case in Ethiopia, this story centers around female attorney Meaza Ashenafi as she defends her 14-year-old client Hirut Assefa from murder charges after Hirut shoots a man who tried to abduct her into marriage.

102 Live and Become (2005, Drama) A touching French-language film about an Ethiopian boy who is Orthodox Christian but disguises himself as Jewish in order to escape famine and emigrate to Israel.

National Geographic Explorer: Search for the Lost Ark (1994, TV Series) A British journalist goes in search of the Ark of the Covenant. Or if you want a more action-adventure take on the subject, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) is always fun. Note that while the film claims that the Ark of the Covenant is in Egypt, many believe that the Ark is located in a church in Axum, Ethiopia.

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

103 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

104 Notes

105 Notes

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O J Jericho Miles To/From U.S. Internal flight Land route Mar Saba Monastery Sea Nablus Ramon Crater Dead Tel Aviv Tel 030 BANK WEST Eilat ISRAEL Erez Sebastia Ramallah Timna Park Hebron Bethlehem Sde Boker Tel Aviv Tel Naot Smadar

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Dead Sea Dead

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107 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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