Israel's Jewish History & Heritage Tour - 8 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Tel Aviv

Welcome to Tel Aviv! Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax after your flight or head out to start exploring the city on your own.

Day 2: Tour Tel Aviv: Neve Tzedek, Diaspora Museum & Jaffa

Discover the highlights of Tel Aviv today with a half-day city tour that takes you from the Bauhaus and Art Deco buildings of Rabin Square to the historic neighborhood of Neve Tzedek. Take some time at the Diaspora Museum to journey through the history of the Jewish people, then head to the ancient port of Jaffa and its eclectic artists' colonies. After a stroll along Sheinkin, a lively and colorful street specially known for its independent shops and cafés, the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore more of the city at your own pace.

Day 3: Transfer to Lower Galilee via Caesarea, Haifa, Rosh HaNikra & Acre

Start the day with a drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea—the perfect place to learn about the former Roman and Crusader presence in the country. Marvel at the massive Roman amphitheater that overlooks the Mediterranean and explore the Crusader fortress. Then continue another 30 minutes north to reach the sun-soaked port of Haifa. Here you can take in breathtaking views of Haifa Bay from Mount Carmel and visit the National Maritime Museum to learn about illegal immigration under the British Mandate and explore Israeli naval history. 

Proceed to Rosh HaNikra to explore the interesting chalk cliff rock formations and grottoes on the shared border with Lebanon and on to Acre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the northern end of the Bay of Haifa that was once the capital of the Crusader kingdom.

After a busy day of exploration, you'll transfer to Lower Galilee to get settled into your lodgings at Kibbutz Lavi. You can meet with the kibbutz members and learn about their unique lifestyle before sitting down to dinner.

Day 4: Explore Safed, Golan Heights Jeep Tour

Start your day with a typical Israeli breakfast, then meet your guide to start the day's tour. Your first destination is Safed (Tzfat), the center of Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) in Israel. Take a walk along the old city's cobblestone paths, and stop to visit its most important synagogues of Joseph Caro and Ha'Ari. After a stroll through the charming artist's corner, you'll switch gears and hop in a Jeep for a tour of Golan Heights, where you'll enjoy breathtaking views and learn about the history of the hills.

Continue to the Kuneitra Lookout, which overlooks the no man's land between Israel and Syria, and stop at Tel Facher, a former Syrian army camp, to visit the beautiful Banias Springs. After a visit to Tel-Hai to see the Roaring Lion monument and learn about the heroic battle of Josef Trumpeldor and his comrades in 1920, you'll return to Kibbutz Lavi for the evening. 

Day 5: Transfer to Jerusalem via the Jordan Valley

Begin today day with tree planting, then join your guide for the drive through the Jordan Valley toward Jerusalem. Along the way, you'll stop at Tiberia to see the grave of Rambam, the renowned Jewish scholar and physician. Continue to the ancient city of Beit Shean, Israel's largest archaeological park, to explore the remains of what was once a Hellenistic and later a Byzantine city. Stroll through the ancient streets and see shrines and an amphitheater.

 

Visit Beit Alpha to see the beautiful mosaic floor of a synagogue from the Byzantine period, then proceed to Gan Hashlosha to spend some time at the freshwater springs located at the foot of Mount Gilboa. As you approach Jerusalem, you'll stop at Mount Scopus for a blessing as you enter the city and proceed to your hotel for the evening. 

Day 6: Tour Old Jerusalem: Mount Zion, Western Wall & Tower of David

Your exploration of Jerusalem starts today with a fascinating tour of the Old City. Start with a visit to the Tomb of King David on Mount Zion, then make your way to the Jewish Quarter to explore thousands of years of history. Stroll along the Cardo, an ancient Roman road, and see the city's four famous synagogues restored in 1967.

Head to the Western Wall to visit the holiest site for the Jewish people, then descend underground to discover its ancient tunnels. Browse archaeological wonders at the Davidson Center, then take a walk through the city's Jaffa Gate to reach the Tower of David Museum, where you'll find remarkable remains of the city dating back to the First Temple period (1200-586 BCE).

Day 7: Western Jerusalem: Knesset, Israel Museum, Yad Vashem & Ammunition Hill

After breakfast, you'll meet your guide and head back to the Western Wall to celebrate the Bar/Bat-Mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel. Continue to Mea Shearim to learn about the unique lifestyle of the ultra-orthodox communities, then drive by the Knesset, Israel's parliament, to see the iconic Knesset Menorah statue. Then it's on to the Israel Museum, where you can marvel at the detailed model of Jerusalem from the time of the Second Temple and enter the dramatic Shrine of the Book to see the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

After a sobering visit to the Museum Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, you'll end the tour at Ammunition Hill, a former Jordanian army stronghold that was conquered by the Israeli army in the Six-Day War and converted into a national memorial site and museum

Day 8: Return to Tel Aviv, Depart

Enjoy a leisurely final breakfast on your final morning in Jerusalem. When the time comes, your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport to catch your departing flight. Safe travels!  

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