Beth Judea 18 Oct 2020 - 01 Nov 2020 (15 Days 14 Nights)

Home , Golan, Makhtesh Ramon, Nachlaot, Rosh Pinna

ITINERARY

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 18 Oct 2020 19 Oct 2020 20 Oct 2020 21 Oct 2020 22 Oct 2020 23 Oct 2020 24 Oct 2020 Arrival to Tel Aviv Mediterranean Golan Heigths Galilee Jordan Valley Old Jerusalem Judean Desert Coast WEEK I Royal Beach Mitzpe Hayamim Mitzpe Hayamim Mitzpe Hayamim Orient Hotel, Orient Hotel, Orient Hotel, Hotel, Tel Aviv. Hotel, Rosh Pina. Hotel, Rosh Pina. Hotel, Rosh Pina. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. 25 Oct 2020 26 Oct 2020 27 Oct 2020 28 Oct 2020 29 Oct 2020 30 Oct 2020 31 Oct 2020 Jerusalem Geopolitical Old Jaffa Tel Aviv Departure / Petra, Jordan Eilat- Leisure Day! Jerusalem extension tour To NO Guide WEEK II Orient Hotel, Orient Hotel, Royal Beach Royal Beach The Negev In Eilat In Eilat Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Hotel, Tel Aviv. Hotel, Tel Aviv. In Eilat 01 Nov 2020 Departure WEEK III

DAY 1 - ARRIVAL TO TEL AVIV Sun, 18 Oct 2020

■ VIP Arrival Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, a representative will meet you at the exit of the plane and escort you through all incoming procedures (passport control, baggage claim, customs, etc.). We have also arranged ground transportation to your hotel. ■ Welcome dinner in Tel Aviv

Overnight: Royal Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv. DAY 2 - MEDITERRANEAN COAST Mon, 19 Oct 2020

■ Tour Starts 8:30 a.m your Touring Israel guides will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and you will begin your tour from there ■ Caesarea National Park The ancient city of Caesarea was built in the 1st century BCE by Herod the Great, became the Roman and Byzantine capital of the district and was later rebuilt by the Crusaders. At the time of Herod, it was the 3rd largest port in the ancient world. Today’s National Park includes a large Roman theatre where concerts are still enjoyed in the summer season, a hippodrome, a Roman bathhouse, mosaic floors, warehouses, a Crusader fortress and a beautiful ancient aqueduct. ■ Haifa Drive through Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, as it rises from the Mediterranean and spreads over Mount Carmel. Haifa is a working-class city with its port and heavy industry. It is a mixed city of Israeli Jews and Arabs, both Christian and Muslim, who live side by side and make it work. We will enjoy a magnificent view of the Bay of Haifa, the northern coast and the Western Galilee. We will visit the lookout over the Baha’i Gardens, where we will learn how Haifa became the world center of the Baha’i religion. ■ Old Akko You will visit Akko (Acre), a city where Israeli Christians, Jews and Muslims live side by side. The first inhabitants of Akko settled on the hill east of today’s city about 5,000 years ago. During the Hellenistic period, the city expanded west to the area that later became the Crusader and Ottoman city. Descend below ground level into the Hospitaller Knights Halls, a unique UNESCO Heritage site, and transport yourselves back 800 years to a time of knights, medieval kings and the pivotal center of the battleground between Europe and the Middle East. ■ Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, Rosh Pina. DAY 3 - GOLAN HEIGTHS Tue, 20 Oct 2020

■ Kobi Marom Join Kobi for a special tour along the Israeli-Syrian armistice line (border) in the Golan Heights. You will hear about the Yom Kippur and Six Day Wars, Kobi will give briefings on the latest security developments from the region and updates on the Syrian Civil War. Drive along trails in the Golan Heights, past Druze and Jewish communities and hidden spots close to the border. Security Permitting, you will visit an Israeli Army Base in the Galilee or Golan area where you will have the opportunity to meet Israeli soldier's and witness their hard work from up-close. Colonel Marom (reserves) is an expert on Hamas, Hezbollah and other radical movements operating in the Middle East today. He is currently a Research Associate at The International Institute for Counter-Terrorism of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. (2.5 - 3 hour tour) Please note: Visiting an army base is subject to the security situation at the time of the tour and can be cancelled unexpectedly ■ Home Hospitality with Local Family In Magdal Shams at Druze family Farm House, It's now time for a very special culinary treat and a fascinating cultural encounter at an Israeli Druze village. We offer you a rare opportunity to break bread with a local family in their home, where you will hear about village life in the Galilee and Druze life in the Holy Land. You will dine at their table, sampling an assortment of authentic Galilean fare, in keeping with local culinary traditions. ■ Mount Bental Overlook A dormant volcano located on the Golan Heights, the view from the peak of Mt. Bental overlooks the Syrian border and is an excellent setting for the study of the Six Day War (1967), Yom Kippur War (1973) and the current situation in war-torn Syria. ■ Golan Winery Take a tour and enjoy a wine tasting at the world-renowned Golan Heights Winery. Learn about the special, volcanic soil of the Golan Heights and how it nourishes and grows rich, delicious fruit, including grapes. These grapes are grown by several communities on the Golan Heights that banded together to form a cooperative winery. Golan Heights Winery has become one of Israel’s leading wineries and has garnished many prizes and awards. ■ Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, Rosh Pina. DAY 4 - GALILEE Wed, 21 Oct 2020

■ Tzfat Known as the birthplace of Jewish mysticism, several thousand Jews headed towards the Land of Israel after their expulsion from Spain in 1492 invited by the Ottoman sultan to re-establish Jewish life in the Galilee. They settled in Tzfat (Safed) and for the next century this city became the most important Jewish community in the world. Today, we can visit several historic synagogues and learn about Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. The Artists’ Quarter is full of Judaic, contemporary art galleries and studios. A real shopper’s delight! ■ meeting with artist David Friedman discussion about his art work visit his website https://www.kosmic-kabbalah.com/ ■ Gourmet Picnic with Chef Tal Enjoy a delectable banquet at a breathtaking outdoor location catered by a private chef who prepares a tasty and theatrical culinary feast. The one and only Chef Tal Zohar and his mobile kitchen are standing by to go to any lengths to prepare a gastronomic experience like no other. And the food is only the beginning… ■ Rosh Pinna Rosh Pina, is a small, picturesque town located in the Upper Galilee. It was originally founded in 1865 by a group of Jews from nearby Tzfat as the first attempt to build a Jewish farming community in the modern era. Due to drought and Bedouin attacks, the farmers eventually gave up and abandoned the site. A few years later in 1882, thirty Jewish families from Romania reestablished the community and renamed it Rosh Pina. Today the town is known for its quaint cobble stone streets, quality B&Bs and eateries. ■ Agamon HaHula Israel is one of the world’s bottlenecks for bird migration and 500 million birds a year fly over our tiny country, seeking to rest and refuel on their way south to Africa and back up north to Europe and Asia. Many of these birds can be seen at the Hula Valley. The Agamon Hula lake and swamps are home to tens of thousands of aquatic birds, along with many species of rare plants and fish, creating a wondrous world of flora and. Visitors can tour the park on a variety of bicycles, golf carts, or on guided tours in a Safari Wagon, as well as special tours, according to the season.Safari Wagon guided tour ■ Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, Rosh Pina. DAY 5 - JORDAN VALLEY Thu, 22 Oct 2020

■ Old Gesher On the drive down the Jordan Valley, visit Old Gesher (Bridge), where one can still see the remains of bridges from Roman and Ottoman times and the first water-generated power plant built on the junction of the Yarmouch and Jordan Rivers. It is also where a fierce battle was fought between members of Kibbutz Gesher and the Iraqi Army during the War of Independence ■ BioBee Tour at Sde Eliyahu Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, located in the Valley of Springs, is a religious kibbutz and the pioneer of commercial organic farming and biological pest control in Israel. You may tour the kibbutz and learn what it means to live on a collective religious kibbutz. Sde Eliyahu, founded in 1939, has a lot of history. You can also learn about organic farming, which makes organic farming "organic", and the importance of such methods to our health and the environment. And then, you may tour BioBee, the first biological pest control facility in Israel, and a world leader in the field. See live samples of beneficial insects and our bumble bees, which are used for pollination. ■ Buffet lunch in the kibbutz dinning hall ■ Drive through Jordan Valley Travel through the Jordan Valley, a tectonic fault connected to the Syrian-African Rift. It is the largest geological fault in the world, extending from East Africa to the Middle East. The Jordan Valley has a fascinating story to tell, both ancient and modern, and includes amazing archaeological and historical sites as Beit She’an, Belvoir and Jericho. It also houses some of the most interesting geographical locations on the planet including the Sea of Galilee, located at 600 ft below sea level and the Dead Sea, located at 1,200 ft below sea level and is the lowest point on Earth. Travel time is approximately 2 hours. ■ Machene Yehuda Market Tastings Tour This tastings tour explores the local cuisine and culinary from different angles and exposes the participants to ethnic foods that highlight the origins of Israeli cuisine. We’ll taste local delicacies, hear stories and culinary anecdotes associated with the local melting pot culture that manifests in the most colorful and beautiful market in Israel - Machane Yehuda Market. During the tour, we’ll walk through the market streets, hear about how the market was established and about the waves of great immigration to Jerusalem and the neighborhood of Nachlaot, and the foods the immigrants brought with them that have now become part of the tapestry of Israeli cuisine. We will unravel the various cuisines characterizing the local ethnic and cultural milieu. This culinary journey of the Israeli melting pot leads participants, step by step, through the tapestry of people, figures, stalls, delis, bars, boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants, which only the Machane Yehuda market can offer in one place.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem. DAY 6 - OLD JERUSALEM Fri, 23 Oct 2020

■ Mt. Scopus Overlook Enjoy a stunning lookout over Jerusalem from Mount Scopus and make the Shehechiyanu blessing ■ City of David The City of David is where it all began. King David conquered this Jebusite city over 3,000 years ago and made it the eternal capital of the Jewish people. You will tour what some archaeologists believe are the foundations of King David’s palace and see evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Go underground into the Jebusite water system built in 1800 BCE and then splash your way as you wade through the chilly waters of the pitch-black King Hezekiah’s Tunnel, dug out to supply spring water to Jerusalem in anticipation of the siege in the year 732 BCE. Don’t forget your water shoes and flashlights! We end at the Siloam Pool, where Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for the three yearly Jewish festivals congregated as they began their ascent to the Temple grounds. ■ Western Wall The Kotel (Western Wall) is a relatively small section of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, which in ancient times housed the First and Second Temples of the Jewish people. For almost 2,000 years, this wall was the closest Jews could get to the place where the Holy of Holies stood and Jews have been praying there ever since. This enduring fragment of the Temple Complex has come to symbolize the indestructible attachment of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. ■ Western Wall Tunnels Behind The Scenes: A new tour in the Western Wall Tunnels complex, we peel back the layers of Jerusalem and walk underground along the length of the Kotel as it disappears beneath the houses of the Muslim Quarter. We will also walk above ground through the new excavations next to the traditional prayer plaza. The area around the tunnels is an active archaeological excavation and in time, more and more sections will be opened to the public. ■ Jewish Quarter Explore the Jewish Quarter of the Old City including the Cardo (the ancient marketplace from Roman times), the Broad Wall and walk by the Hurva Synagogue which was destroyed by the Jordanian army in the 1948 War of Independence and has recently been completely rebuilt. ■ Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel Welcome the Sabbath at the Kotel (Western Wall) as you observe thousands of Jews of all backgrounds, Ultra-Orthodox to traditional to secular, young and old, men and women, soldiers, and tourist groups, converge on a remnant of Judaism’s holiest site to welcome the day of rest. Watch the organized chaos in joyous bliss. It is truly a sight to behold. ■ Dinner with Lone Soldiers Join a special Shabbat Dinner at the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center. A “lone soldier” is an IDF soldier with no family in Israel to support him or her. The lone soldier may be a new immigrant, a volunteer from abroad, an orphan or an individual from a broken home. Soldiers regularly spend weekends and holidays at home where their parents provide for all of their needs: food, laundry, and even a hug. For more than 6,300 lone soldiers, there is no immediate family in Israel to support them. Though highly motivated and proud to serve, when on leave, many of them struggle with basic needs that a family would solve. The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center provides physical and emotional assistance to lone soldiers before, during and after their army service. Out of respect for religious soldiers, guests are asked to refrain from taking photos/videos while at the Center for Shabbat dinner.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem. DAY 7 - JUDEAN DESERT Sat, 24 Oct 2020

■ Masada National Park You will ascend Masada, Herod's spectacular hilltop fortress, by cable car and enter through the casemate wall. The remains of the fortress of Masada are well-preserved and in many cases have been reconstructed. The most impressive structure on Masada is King Herod’s northern palace, built on three rock terraces overlooking the gorge below. There are many other places of interest, such as the luxurious western palace, several Jewish ritual baths, storerooms, cisterns, watchtowers and a synagogue built into the casemate wall. But the story of Masada is the story of the Jewish rebels who escaped war-torn Jerusalem and found refuge on the mountain. From the hilltop one can see the Roman army bases and imagine how Flavius Silva, the Roman general, organized and planned the siege that would eventually bring the defenders to their final stand. At the breaching point, we see the Roman Ramp where the Roman soldiers climbed into the fortress on that last day of fighting in the winter of 73 CE. Masada is the most visited tourist site in Israel. Not to be missed. ■ Swim & Lunch at Dead Sea Anytime from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch at one of the Dead Sea Hotels (served between 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.). You will also spend time floating and soaking in the miraculous waters of the Dead Sea (the saltiest waters on earth). Please bring a bathing suit and water shoes today. If you would like to arrange spa treatments such as massages or facials, please contact your tour coordinator. ■ Tower of David Night Spectacular VIP Experience The Tower of David Museum transforms itself by night into the ideal venue for a Night Spectacular Sound and Light Show. At the site gate, once you've collected your tickets your VIP experience will begin as you are led to the top of the tower for a magnificent lookout of Jerusalem. You will walk the park to your reserved seats where a glass of wine and snack will be waiting for you. The show, tracing the 3,000-year history of Jerusalem with music and images projected on a gorgeous archaeological setting. Please be at least 30 minutes early to pick up your tickets and dress warmly as you will be outside for the presentation.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem. DAY 8 - JERUSALEM Sun, 25 Oct 2020

■ Matti Friedman This morning, you will have a breakfast meeting with Matti Friedman at your hotel. Matti is an Israeli-Canadian journalist and author. He was a reporter and editor in the Jerusalem bureau of the Associated Press (AP) news agency and has worked in Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Moscow and Washington, D.C. throughout his career. Matti is also the author of several books, including “The Aleppo Codex”. ■ Temple Mount The First Holy Temple of the Jewish people was built atop Mt. Moriah, north of the City of David, in the mid-10th Century BCE. Following its destruction in 586 BCE, it was rebuilt as the Second Temple in the 5th Century BCE. King Herod decided to refurbish and expand the Second Temple around the year 20 BCE. He enlarged the site, creating what we know today as the Temple Mount. Destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 CE, the Temple Mount lay in ruins and access for Jews was forbidden for hundreds of years. The Muslims conquered Jerusalem in the 7th Century and, recognizing the holiness of the place, built the Dome of the Rock on the exact spot where the Temples had once stood and the Al Aqsa Mosque along the southern edge of the Mount. The Crusaders briefly took over the Temple Mount in the 12th Century, designating the Muslim sites as churches. During the Muslim re-conquest, the Temple Mount was assigned as the responsibility of the waqf, a Muslim religious endowment organization. The waqf has maintained authority over Temple Mount matters ever since. A visit to the Temple Mount is conditional upon the security situation at the time. It is recommended to arrive to the site gates in the early morning or early afternoon due to very limited opening hours for non-Muslims. The exact time will be decided with your Touring Israel guide. ■ Yad Vashem With your guide, visit Israel's memorial museum for the victims of the Holocaust. It is a difficult but most powerful visit that documents the Holocaust as no other museum or memorial in the world. You will visit the Children’s Memorial, the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, the Valley of the Lost Communities, and of course, the museum itself culminating in the Hall of Names. Yad Vashem is also the world's most important research center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and hosts international conferences and lectures on the topic throughout the year. Entrance for ages 10 years and above only.

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem. DAY 9 - GEOPOLITICAL JERUSALEM Mon, 26 Oct 2020

■ Ammunition Hill The site of one of Jerusalem’s fiercest battles during the Six Day War of 1967. Watch an audio-visual presentation describing the years between 1948 and 1967 during which the city was divided and maps out the conquest and unification of the city over the course of the war. Walk silently through the trenches of the strongly fortified Jordanian military position to understand the complexity of the battle. Hear stories of bravery by these young heroes who were reserve soldiers in a Paratroop battalion. ■ Roots - Dual Narrative of the Conflict Visit the Carame Center in the West Bank, for a meeting with two speakers, an Orthodox Settler and Palestinian Arab from for a conversation about the political situation in the region. The session is organized by Shorashim ("Roots"), a grassroots movement of understanding, nonviolence and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians. ■ Israel Museum Chosen as one of the ten best museums in the world, the Israel Museum holds some of Israel’s most beloved treasures in an extensive archaeological wing and art and world culture wings. Visitors can enjoy the model of Jerusalem as it appeared on the eve of the Great Jewish Revolt in 66 CE as well as the Shrine of the Book which houses fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. ■ Pantry Packers Volunteer in a local community and take part in "Tikkun Olam" (repairing the world) as part of your experience in Israel. At Pantry Packers, you will participate in the hands-on activity of packing food for the needy of Israel. Each group works at a station, tagging bags, filling them with dried goods, sealing and packing them in boxes. The next day, the food that you packed will be delivered to hungry and underprivileged families in Israel. ■ OR ■ Shalva National Center Meet Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities is dedicated to providing transformative care for individuals with disabilities, empowering their families and promoting social inclusion. Shalva runs many Programs & Therapies- we will join one and take part in making the kids smile

Overnight: Orient Hotel, Jerusalem. DAY 10 - OLD JAFFA Tue, 27 Oct 2020

■ Meeting with Saul Singer Have breakfast with Saul Singer, an American-Israeli journalist and author, at your hotel. Singer was formerly the editorial page editor at The Jerusalem Post and he co-wrote the book "Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" with Dan Senor, a best-seller which investigates Israel's innovative prowess. ■ Old Jaffa Possibly the world’s oldest port city, Jaffa (Yafo) has been inhabited since the Early Bronze Age and is mentioned four times in the Hebrew Bible. This was where King Solomon's ally, Phoenician King Hiram of Tyre, landed cedars of Lebanon for the construction of Solomon's temple and where the Prophet Jonah embarked on his fabulous adventure with the whale. The Ancient Greeks were here too, as were the Romans. This is also where St. Peter was visited by the angel Gabriel as he slept on the roof of Simon the Tanner’s house. Christian and Jewish pilgrims have come through Jaffa for generations and so did Napoleon in 1799. Today, Jaffa is a mixed Israeli Christian, Muslim and Jewish city and is part of the Tel Aviv - Yafo municipality. Gentrification is making the city a vibrant, hip place and today it boasts some of Israel’s best galleries, shops, bars and restaurants. ■ Peres Center for Peace and Innovation On this private tour at the Peres Center in South Yafo you will get an insider's look at what drives the Start-Up Nation as well as the people and developments that have created this technological ecosystem. It's housed in the starkly modern Peres Center, which former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, a longtime advocate of Israel's development as a technological center, founded and where he had his own office. The center offers visitors of all ages a lively, interactive understanding of where Israel stands in terms of global technology and from where it came. ■ Kuchinate (Asylum seekers center) Social services center for female asylum seekers in south Tel Aviv, where women learn to crochet brightly woven baskets, in the tradition of baskets used in Africa. The center was founded by a South African psychologist, who offers therapy to the women at the center. Visitors can hear about the center, hear the women's stories, take a crochet workshop, and eat with them, an Eritrean lunch. ■ Ajami Neighborhood, Jaffa Ajami is one of Jaffa's old neighborhoods, mainly inhabited by Muslim and Christian Arabs, and a few Jews, mainly young students. Ajami is an example of Israeli co-existence. or is it? Take a tour around the neighborhood with your guide, and hear about the people and how they live together. hear about the history of the area, it's present and it's looming future. The 2009 award-winning film jointly produced by Arab and Jewish team was filmed in and about the neighborhood.

Overnight: Royal Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv. DAY 11 - TEL AVIV Wed, 28 Oct 2020

■ Ahuzat Bayit The neighborhood was founded in 1909 by 66 families wanting to establish the first new Jewish city built in 2,000 years. Two years after its founding, Ahuzat Bayit's name was changed to Tel Aviv. Today, the neighborhood still has many of the original homes, as well as beautiful architectural examples of eclectic and international style homes from the 1920’s and 1930’s. It was here that Israel's Independence was declared on May 14th, 1948. ■ The Independence Trail Tel Aviv, the First Hebrew City, is named after the Hebrew title of Theodor Herzl’s book "Altneuland", outlining Herzl’s vision for a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. In accordance with its name, the history of Tel Aviv embodies as a microcosm of the history of Zionism and the young State of Israel. The one-kilometer trail takes visitors past 10 heritage sites connected by a golden path that snakes through the streets of Tel Aviv. ■ Israeli Market Tasting Tour Carmel Market Enjoy this stroll and tasting tour through the stalls of the Carmel Market, Tel Aviv's largest outdoor market, with a local culinary expert. Learn about the development of Israeli cuisine, hear stories from vendors whose families built the first stalls in the market and those who are now revitalizing and gentrifying the neighborhood. Mingle with Tel Avivians while they buy their fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, flowers and daily staples. Taste the best hummus, fresh produce, baked goods and street food. Yum! Meeting point: HaCarmel 43 and the entrance of the market at the large intersection of King George, Sheinkin & Allenby Streets. ■ Graffiti and Street Art Tour This tour will commence at the junction of two neighborhoods: Neve Tzedek and Florentin. We will strive to understand what distinguishes vandalism from street art. We will continue into the alleyways of Florentin's graffiti covered factories and workshops. On this tour, we will explore the visual language we observe along with the various styles of art that have developed locally, get to know the most famous local artists and meet the overseas “guests” who have also left their mark on the neighborhood. Meeting point: "Malka Cafe" Elifelet St 26, Tel Aviv ■ Neve Tzedek Established in 1887, Neve Tzedek was the first Jewish neighborhood outside the over-crowded, ancient walled city of Jaffa. It became the first of three Jewish neighborhoods to be built in close proximity at the end of the 19th Century. Walk through the neighborhood and explore its picturesque, quaint blocks of small bars and award-winning restaurants, galleries, shops and very expensive gentrified apartments and homes. ■ Farewell dinner in Tel Aviv

Overnight: Royal Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv. DAY 12 - DEPARTURE / EXTENSION TOUR TO THE NEGEV Thu, 29 Oct 2020

■ VIP Departure A driver will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and transport you to Ben Gurion Airport. A representative from Laufer VIP service will meet you and you will be escorted through ticketing, passport control and customs (refunds) and they will remain with you until final boarding. ■ Departure Flight TBD ■ Extension option tour to the negev ■ Lookout over the Thermal -Solar Power plant project (Time Permitting) Israel has decided to use what we have plenty of (sun!) and become a greener country, using more and more solar power. Today you will visit the largest solar powered station in Israel, that is estimated to generate 2-2.5% of Israel's electricity consumption. On this tour, we will learn about the different and innovative methods of creating solar energy in Israel today, see the power plant, the new technology and hear all about the great impact that solar energy will have on our planet's future. ■ Ben Gurion's Tomb At Kibbutz Sde Boker in the northern Negev, we’ll visit the graves of David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, and his wife Pola. Ben Gurion spearheaded the founding of the State, he practically “willed” the State of Israel into existence. It was his desire to be buried in the Negev, believing that settling of the Negev was crucial to future of the State of Israel. ■ Jeep Tour in Mitzpe Ramon Take a jeep ride into Makhtesh Ramon to see the spectacular geological formations unique to this Negev Desert. Look for signs of desert wildlife and adapted desert vegetation in the Wilderness of Zin, where Biblical stories tell the Israelites once roamed for 40 years. ■ Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center Enjoy a modern, digital tour at the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center and learn about the unique geological phenomenon called a "machtesh" (erosion crater) with its delightful desert flora and fauna. The Visitors Center is also a museum and memorial dedicated to Ilan Ramon - Israel's first astronaut who died on the Columbia Space Shuttle in 2003 when it disintegrated during its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. ■ Drive to Eilat (2 hr) Without Touring Israel Guide ■ Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: In Eilat DAY 13 - PETRA, JORDAN Fri, 30 Oct 2020

■ Transfer from your hotel to Border crossing ■ Meet & Assist at Border Meet & Assist at Border ■ Petra A worldwide wonder, Petra is without a doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and the greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab civilization who settled here more than 2,000 years ago. They turned it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India, and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Start the visit with a horse ride from the main gate of Petra to the entrance of the old city (around 800 meters). Then walk on foot along the "Siq" to visit the rose-red city of Petra. The ancient city of Petra was built from 800 BC to 100 CE by Nabatean Arabs and at that time, the area of Petra was virtually inaccessible. In the 1st and 2nd Centuries, after the Romans took over, the city reached the peak of its fame. Petra covers an area of about 100 square km, where over 800 monuments can be found. Petra’s most famous monument is the treasury or Al-Khazneh which was featured in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. ■ Lunch ■ Drive to Arava Border Crossing ■ Transfer to your Hotel ■ Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: In Eilat

DAY 14 - EILAT- LEISURE DAY! NO GUIDE Sat, 31 Oct 2020

Overnight: In Eilat

DAY 15 - DEPARTURE Sun, 01 Nov 2020

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP A Brief Survival Guide

All your reservations are finalized, and your trip is coming up soon. Here are some tips on what to bring and how to prepare for your upcoming tour of Israel.

BEFORE YOUR PACK ■ Pack Light! Bellboy service is sporadic at best. If you can’t carry it yourself don’t bring it! Also your guide has limited space in his/her van. Israel is a very casual place. Leave the suits, ties and party dresses at home, its jeans, shorts and t-shirts here, yes even at night. Luggage: Please note that our vehicles are able to accommodate a reasonable amount of baggage. We define reasonable as one large suitcase and one small piece of hand luggage per person. If you intend on bringing more than this, please notify us in advance and we will make the appropriate accommodations. Touring Israel will not be held responsible for additional costs involved in transporting the additional luggage. ■ What to bring ? ✔ Some of you will be exploring caves, tunnels, water systems, etc. Please bring flashlights for these explorations. A tiny penlight will do. ✔ The Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Red Sea, streams, oasis and water tunnel floors can be rocky. Please wear the proper foot attire such as water shoes, sporty sandals, Crocs or at the very least, flip-flops and bring a towel. ✔ Sunscreen and hats. Yes even in the winter! ✔ Small umbrellas & rain gear. Yes, it rains in Israel between late October and early May. In the winter cheap umbrellas can be bought on street corners. Check the daily forecasts. ✔ A warm coat and sweater for those same winter days. In Jerusalem, Tzfat (Safed) and the Golan it does snow sometimes in the winter! The winter nights are especially cool, even in the desert. ✔ Modest dress for the “Holy Sites”. On the days that you visit the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, or synagogues in Tzfat, it’s probably a good idea to show up that day covered from your ankles to the bottom of your neck and over to the elbows. You can all wear jeans and t shirts. Skirts are optional. Yes even in August! ✔ The electricity here is 220 volts so a 110 electric converter to charge your iPhone or Blackberry or other devices is required. Israel uses a “Type C” electrical plug. Popularly known as the Europlug, the Type C electrical plug is a two-pin unearthed plug used throughout continental Europe, parts of the Middle East, and much of Africa, South America, central Asia, and the former Soviet republics. ✔ Bring a canteen or another water container, and drink lots of water especially in the summer (May through October). ✔ Bring your bank card, 90% of the ATM machines will spit out shekels and dollars at your command. You can pay with a credit card for almost anything but please notify your bankcard company that you will be using the card in Israel. It is probably a good idea to switch a few hundred dollars into shekels at the airport upon arrival. If you are receiving VIP assistance at the airport please ask your handler to taking you to the commission free money changing station.

THOSE OF YOU TRAVELING TO JORDAN PLEASE NOTE that for Petra tours in Jordan, the border crossing CAN be a long drawn out process and a lot of patience may be required. Please be aware that a border tax is to be paid directly on the spot and in cash (this amount varies - for further and more detailed information, please see your “Terms & Conditions Agreement”). Once in Petra, please note that the walk into the canyon is long but amazing and worthwhile and there are a lot of must see things on the way, so don't let the local guide talk you out of walking through to the end. The way back is a walk. If you are tired, take a camel, donkey or horse drawn carriage back to the meeting point. This does cost extra. Please remember that the Kingdom of Jordan is not a western or wealthy country and the customs there are quite different than what you may be used to so please try to go with the flow. Breakfast will be offered but isn't the greatest so pack a sandwich just in case. Sunscreen, water, hats & comfortable shoes are not only recommended but a must to take from the Israeli side so please come prepared! Passports are required to be presented at security checkpoints and borders entering/exiting Jordan.

A few other things... ■ Important Note Regarding Your Israeli Visa: For visitors from most Western and European countries, there is no need to arrange a visa prior to your arrival in Israel. When you arrive at the airport in Israel, you will receive a free Tourist (B/2) Visa valid for 90 days. It is the policy in Israel not to stamp your passport and instead you will receive a printed blue ticket which will serve as your Tourist (B/2) Visa and allow you entry into Israel. It is very important that you retain this slip for all members of your group during your entire time in Israel. As a tourist you are exempt from paying Value Added Tax (VAT) and it is most important to present your blue ticket along with your passport upon check-in at hotels in order to avoid paying VAT. (Please always double-check the visa requirements for the country which issued your passport prior to your arrival in Israel). ■ Security This begins at the airport in your city of departure. Some of the questions that security will ask you will seem too personal, even offensive at times. Your bags and your persons will be searched. Upon arrival in Israel the questions will become even more intrusive before approval of entry and wherever you go inside of Israel your bags will be searched and a metal detecting wand will be waved over you or you will be required to walk through a metal detector. This is common for everyone in Israel and Israelis take it all in stride, line up, relax and please see it as a necessary part of everyday life in Israel. It’s all for the best. The Touring Israel office staff and your guide will monitor the security situation of the area each and every day and we will stay away from any “turbulent” areas. ■ Touring Bethlehem & Jericho Bethlehem, Jericho and other cities in the West Bank are located in solely Palestinian controlled territory. Unfortunately, due to Palestinian and Israeli law, most Israeli Tour Guides are currently prohibited from entering and operating in these territories. No Israeli tour guides are insured to guide these areas. While some tour companies and private tour guides choose to ignore this law, Touring Israel provides a legal and, we believe, excellent alternative by arranging tours of these cities with our partner Palestinian guides and agents. These Palestinian guides & agents are pillars of the Palestinian community and are well regarded and respected in their societies. It has been our experience that this is the best and most safe way to explore these territories. We have sent thousands of people to Bethlehem using this system and all have had expedient, positive and safe experiences. But please note carefully: Touring Israel, our staff and tour guides cannot take any responsibility for what happens in these Palestinian controlled areas. We monitor the situation daily in Israel & the Palestinian controlled territories and if we feel that it is not a good time to visit any area we will of course inform you immediately and be given all of your options. Passports are required to be presented at security checkpoints entering/exiting the West Bank including Bethlehem and Jericho. ■ Currency The absolute easiest way to get the local currency is by using your ATM card. Most ATM cards are accepted here in Israel and you can usually withdraw both dollars and shekels. Your credit cards will work in many places and dollars & euros are accepted in many places, though not all. Changing your currency into shekels can be done at many CHANGE kiosks. There is one in the airport and it is probably a good idea to change some money there. You will lose money by changing currency in your hotel and it is not recommended. As far as going to a bank or a post office to withdraw money at the teller, this should be avoided at all costs as you will spend a fair amount of time in line. Traveler’s checks are not recommended. ■ Tipping Tipping in Israel is quite similar to tipping in the US. It is customary to tip the wait staff and cleaning staff in hotels, as well as bellboys and waiters. When eating out it is customary to tip between 10% - 20% of your bill. Restaurants do not put a place on the credit card bill for you to leave a tip. They prefer if you leave the tip in cash. However you may ask for them to add the tip to the bill before receiving it and usually they will do so. It is customary to tip your guide a minimum sum of between $125-$150 per day if he or she is also doing the driving, If you have a guide AND a driver it is customary to tip between 100 - $125 per day for the guide, and $50 - $100 per day for the driver. It is also customary to buy your driver and guide lunch wherever you decide to eat. Of course tipping is completely at your own discretion. ■ Border Crossings & Security Checks Please have cash in dollars or euros to pay for border taxes for excursions into Egypt & Jordan and also small bills for buying things and tipping while there. Also please dress modestly always in the Arab countries and Palestinian territories. You will need your passports to cross into the Palestinian territories, including Bethlehem, and you must show your passports to enter into the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and other government buildings. ■ Special Requests Our team at Touring Israel is working hard to make your trip to Israel not just a vacation but also the experience of your lifetime. If there is anything you need during your stay here all you need to do is tell your guide and together with our agents and office manager, they will do their best to solve any problem, and serve you in any way possible. ■ Connectivity WiFi is available in just about every coffee shop and gas station in Israel for free. In most hotels nowadays WIFI is available without additional fee. Israel boasts excellent data service for both GSM and 3G phones. Ask your service provider about using your smart phone or cell phone in Israel. Equipment, numbers, Israeli line rentals, SIM cards and cell phones may also be rented. For further information: http://www.israelphones.com/touringisrael.htm ■ Suggested reading list If you would like to read up on Israel, it's people, history, culture, geography, conflicts, natural beauty, etc here is a not so short book list to get a running start. Enjoy New Book List for 2019: 1.Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide, Michael Oren 2.Israel is Real, Rich Cohen 3.Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn, Daniel Gordis 4.God is in the Crowd, Tal Keinan 5.A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish wars, Kaiser & Wegner 6.Israeli Soul, Michael Solomonov (Culinary) 7.Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World 8.Exodus, Leon Uris 9.Pumpkin Flowers, Matti Freidman ■ Children’s Books: Fast Asleep in a Little Village in Israel, Tzivia Macleod The Colors of Israel, Rachel Raz

■ Honorable Mentions: Walking the Bible, Bruce Feiler Dawn, Eli Wiesel From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan Catch the Jew, Tuvia Tenenbom Six Days of War, Michael Oren The Yom Kippur War: The Epic Encounter that Transformed the Middle East, Abraham Rabinovitch The Source, James Michener Night, Eli Wiesel Hitler’s Willing Executioners, Daniel Goldhagen Israel: A History, Martin Gilbert The Case for Israel, Alan Dershowitz My Promised land, Ari Shavit Our man in Damascus, Eli Ben-Hanan Start-Up nation, Senor & Singer Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service, Nissim Mishal

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS ■ During office hours (Sun-Thu 9:00-16:00) Touring Israel Office 077-450-3900 ■ Outside office hours ✔ Rivka 052-9521144 ✔ Monica 050-4774384 ✔ Melissa 053-2339395 ✔ Shirli 054-5618126

Address Nir Yafe 13, Gilboa Region 19210 Israel ■ Toll Free USA & CA 1-877-778-8644 Tel +972-77-450-3900 ■ Fax +972-77-450-3904 ■ Email [email protected]