The ULTIMATE - ALL INCLUSIVE FAMILY
BAR/BAT MITZVAH EXPERIENCE

Day 1: Sunday

Meet at Pearson Airport, say farewell to friends who have come to say good-bye,  board our EL AL wide-body jet for a non-stop flight to Tel Aviv and - Israel, here we come! El Al and Air Canada seats are available for our trip (and will be subject to different air fares and in some cases one additional pre-tour night in a hotel).

Day 2: Monday

Early morning or afternoon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv.  Our representative and guide will meet you, help you through customs and porters will load your bags on to our latest model super deluxe air conditioned tourist bus.  On the way "up" to Jerusalem, the ancient and modern capital of Israel, we pause to participate in a "Shehechiyanu" ceremony.  We then  proceed via Mount Scopus for a panoramic view from the Haas Promenade, as we briefly tour the city - Jerusalem of Gold - before transferring to our downtown deluxe hotel.  Here we relax and acclimatize to the sunshine and the excitement of being in our land of Israel.

Over a welcome dinner at the hotel, we will be briefed on the program. In the evening, walk through Ben-Yehuda promenade, with its side-walk cafes, street artists and local handicrafts.

Day 3: Tuesday -

This morning we enter the gates of the Old City to the Jewish Quarter for an introduction to the history of the land of Israel and the region. by the experts of  "Archaeological Seminars", who will also guide us through sites - very few have access to! - visit at the south wall and get first hand information on all the new developments in the area.  We will visit the Jewish Quarter, the Kottel (the Western Wall), the Herodian mansion and the new " Hafirot Hakotel" (the new Wall excavations).  Continue to the Rabbinical tunnel under the Temple Mount, another monumental achievement of the ancient Israelites that inhabited Jerusalem thousands of years ago. We end the day at the Citadel Museum.  Evening: a dinner in Little Italy (for groups not exceeding one bus, larger groups will be hosted in a different restaurant-the 02 July tour will be hosted at the Arches). Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 4: Wednesday -

Today we will cover the New City of Jerusalem.  We begin at the Model of Jerusalem during the Herodian period (Second Temple). We visit the Synagogue at the Hadassa hospital at Ein Karem to view the magnificent Chagall Windows.  We proceed to the Supreme Court and  the Knesset the Israeli Parliament and continue to the Israel Museum. The Israel Museum holds a unique collection of Jewish artifacts and historical treasures that can only be collected in Israel. Continue to Yad Vashem the holocaust memorial for a lecture followed by a tour of the exhibits, Children's Memorial, and Dead Communities Valley. After a special "Izkor" (memorial service), we proceed to visit Har Herzl  the burial place of most of Israel's great statesmen and the military cemetery and where Herzl is also buried.  Evening:  a dinner in a "A taste of Israel" a cooking workshop that will give us a chance to have hands on experience with the mosaic of cooking styles creating the Israeli cuisine.  Another evening of good food and fun.   Overnight: Jerusalem.      

Day 5: Thursday -

We Start our day with a tree planting ceremony which symbolises our small contribution to making the  landscape of Israel green and fertile and on the way we will stop at the Scrolls of Fire monument.  We proceed to Latrun  to visit the Armed Forces Museum. This strategic place was the site of many battles to control the main road to Jerusalem including the War of Independence. We proceed to Absalom Caves to see stalagmite and Stalactite that were created over millions of years in a cave under the Judean Hills. We continue to the ancient cities of Beit Govrin and Tel Maresha for another day of family experience and fun. -  participate in a real Archaeological dig at  at Beit Govrin - almost half a day of digging and learning about archeology and the history of the region.  Visit the new site of the "refuge caves"  where Jewish warriors lived and hid observe olive oil making ancient facilities and learn more about our forefathers..Before dinner a meeting  and rehearsal with the Rabbi with the families and than separately with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah children who will have the opportunity to rehearse their part and get more comfortable being with the Rabbi Dinner today is a BBQ dinner at the hotel (at Laromme if staying in other hotels at Shipudei Hagefen an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant for a real feast of the regions favourite dishes). Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 6: Friday -

Friday morning in Jerusalem and what a better way to spend it than to learn more about Jerusalem and its surrounding.  We begin following the footsteps of the Israeli Soldiers who liberated and reunited Jerusalem. We visit Har Adar  (also called Radar Hill) which is an outlook over the road to Jerusalem and where many fierce battles took place through the war of independence. We proceed to Nebi Samuel  - The traditional site of the Tomb of the prophet Shmuel.  There we will have a chance to have abetter understanding of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. And for the fun part of the day we proceed to the Sataf  - a natural water spring in the Judean Hills for fun time (don't forget your bathing suites.  Early afternoon before Jerusalem shuts down for Shabbat we will tour the enchanting neighbourhoods of Jerusalem to observe how the city is preparing for the Shabbat. You will wonder through the picturesque winding lanes, you will see beautifully restored 19th Century homes but mainly watch the people as they get ready for the holy day. Early return to the hotel. Late afternoon before sunset we go to the Wall to participate in the Friday evening prayers and watch the procession of the Yeshiva students dance their way down to the Wall to greet the Shabbat. A traditional Shabbat dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 7: Shabbat -

A free day to visit sites in Jerusalem or explore the Old City or visit relatives. Bath in the swimming pool and rest before the tour continues. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Day 8: Sunday -

(Guests can join the group today for two day tour that includes the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony) Today we bid farewell to Jerusalem .Early departure for Desert Experience - a day of exceptional family excitement! A ride through the Judean desert  in a special desert vehicle: meet the Bedouins of the desert, visit Mt. Montar and view Marsabba Monastery , view Horkanya fortress, Dargot Cliffs, We continue to Qumeran and than to "Hanokdim Farm" to experience the Bedouin style hospitality for a feast a "Chafla" Lunch". Near by a caravan of Camels will take us to the desert for a ride and when we return we will be greeted and exposed to a demonstration of the desert people customs and culture.  Dinner and overnight at the deluxe   hotel at the Dead Sea near Massada. Here you will be able to enjoy the great facilities of this beautiful hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea.

Day 9: Monday -

Today we celebrate the Bar/Bat Mitzvah in a very special place. We ascend Massada in the early morning via the cable car which will be operated especially for our group to view the fantastic sun rise above the Mountains of Moab and then join the our Rabbi for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service atop the cliff overlooking the Dead Sea. An early morning ceremony in our pre booked spot, will ensure full enjoyment of the ceremony in relatively cool air  (when we descend the other groups are arriving to "bake" in the hot desert sun!).  Each Bar/Bat Mitzvah child will participate in this exciting ceremony. After a walk around Herod's palace, descend the summit by cable car to have a buffet brunch at the hotel and to relax at the "Spa" and "float" in the Dead Sea. Continue to  the Galilee via the ancient oasis of Jericho (pending to the political situation) and stop at a memorial site to view the Jordan valley. Visit the Beit Shean Roman Amphitheatre and the largest excavations site of a  Roman city in the Middle East. Dinner and overnight at Mitzpe Hayamim  Or for those groups who stay at a Kibbutz a dinner at the kibbutz.

Day 10: Tuesday -

We begin at Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar shooting range to test our Target shooting skills!! Today we explore the most northern part of Israel.  We visit the northern tip of Israel. We use the cable car to the mountain top to Kibbutz Manara which encompasses a great view of the Northern Galilee. (The program up north is subject to change due to political situation) We tour a kibbutz, observe the Kibbutz life and have lunch a Kibbutz dinning room with kibbutz members!! We then visit an Army Base  (a real base - not a museum!!) for an unbelievable experience. Have a chance to climb on tanks and speak to the soldiers who defend the northern border of Israel and observe the life of a real combat unit.  We return to our hotel early to leave time to enjoy the unique spa facilities of Mitzpe Hayamim or enjoy the kibbutz hotel facilities. In the evening we will have a "Kumzits" a typical Israeli outing in nature where we will sing dance and have great food - an evening of surprises fun and good food. O/N Galilee.

Day 11: Wednesday -

Today we start another day of family fun.  We begin our tour at Katzrin the Capital city of the Golan. We will visit the winery and continue touring the Golan Heights.  We visit the Banias Waterfalls, one of the sources of the Jordan River.  We will ascend Har Ben Tal at Israel/Syrian border at Kuneitra for a view of Kuneitra and beyond the border with Syria. Visit Katzrin and than continue through the Golan Heights to Mitzpe Gadot ( the "Mourtafa") for a breath taking view of the Hula Valley and visit the Syrian fortifications.   Drive to the Jordan river for Kayak rafting down stream and test our skills on the Omega (another pleasant surprise). In the evening we are going to have dinner at the "Deks" an Argentinean style restaurant followed by a boat ride on the sea of Galilee - another evening of surprises and family fun!! Overnight at Mitzpe Hayamim.

Day 12: Thursday -
We begin at Safed, visit the ancient city its Synagogues and the artists colony . We walk around and explore the art galleries and ancient small Synagogues.  On to the ancient and important port city of Acre, which marked the most difficult obstacle in the advance of Napoleon and holds some of the most heroic stories of the Jewish resistance movements before the establishment of the state of Israel. Walk through the Crusaders fortress.  Then go on to Haifa, Israel's major port city where we experience the beautiful view of the Bay of Haifa.  Than to the beautiful Persian gardens of the Baha'i Shrine. Drive through the Carmel Mountains, if time permits we visit a Druse village and continue along the coastal road to our deluxe hotel in Tel Aviv.  Tonight we will have our Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration . We will have a wonderful evening of dancing and singing enjoying Israeli artists hired especially to entertain our group and make our party unique and memorable. A special celebration dinner will be served - another special evening of good time and family fun. (Guests may be invited with prior coordination - fee will be charged by our Israel office).

Day 13: Friday -
In the morning  Visit Beit Hatfuzot, the Museum of Jewish Diaspora, where you can find the roots of your family and observe many models of Jewish life in the diaspora. We visit the Independence Hall where the establishment of the State of Israel was announced.  We proceed to Old Jaffa and enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Tel Aviv, stroll through the art galleries and enjoy the special Mediterranean atmosphere.  From here we drive back to heart of Tel Aviv to Nachlat Benyamin. Each Friday this pedestrian walkway is transformed into an outdoor arts and crafts market - the place to be and be seen on Friday afternoon.  You can stroll along the beautiful promenade along the beach and enjoy the invigorating pace of  Tel Aviv! Traditional  Shabbat Dinner will be served at the hotel. 

Day 14: Shabbat -
Free in Tel Aviv to enjoy the sun and the Sea, visit relatives and relax.  In the evening we have our farewell dinner.  Late transfer to the airport. Today we will keep one day room  per family till the time of departure.

Day 15: Sunday

Early morning return flight to North America for those who decide to end the trip, or extend your stay in Israel.  Because bookings are made many months prior to departure it may be necessary to make minor changes before the final itinerary is published.  Final versions of the itinerary will be sent to all the participants approximately three months before departure. The information meeting held prior to departure will provide further details.

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Some Tour Highlights:

• "Archaeological Seminars" special tour
• New Herodian Excavations
• The Citadel Museum
• Hizkia Tunnel
• Tree planting
• Israel Museum
• Absalom caves'
• Desert Adventure
• Archaeological Dig
• Bar Cochva refuge Caves
• Camel track in the Negev
• Sunrise and Ceremony at Massada
• Beit Shean new excavations
• Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
• Target shooting at Canada Center
• Kayaking at the Jordan River
• Visit an army base
• Har Ben Tal observation point
• And many more surprises..............................!!

• Israeli buffet style breakfast daily
• 2 dinners at the hotel
• 2 traditional Shabbat dinners
• A special Bar/Bat Mitzvah dinner/party
• A Bedouin "Chafla" near Massada
• Cardo Culinaria dinner/entertainment in Jerusalem
• Dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant
• Dinner at Little Italy in Jerusalem
• A barbecue in an Israeli "dude" ranch
• Lunch at a Kibbutz
• Argentinean dinner in Tiberias
• Farewell dinner in a restaurant
• And more  ............
  
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