Israel Journey in Spirit & Song with Craig Taubman and Guests
This unique tour features three touring different tracks to choose from. The Experience Israel track offers Israel’s key sites while featuring all of the special experiences of this musical journey. The Multi-Cultural/Multi-Faith track introduces a cross-section of the vast ethnic and religious diversity that comprises Israel’s human tapestry. The Arts and Gourmet route is an encounter with a sampling of art forms and culinary traditions that characterize this special country. Your final Wednesday is an open day, with four different touring options available to select from.
All tracks are subject to availability and will be booked on a first come-first served basis, tracks will require minimum registration. Itinerary is regularly updated; final version, subject to change, will be available one month before departure.
Itinerary
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH – USA Departure
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25TH – When You Come Into
the Land (Deut. 26:1)
Arrive in Israel at Ben Gurion Airport to
be met and assisted by your ITC representative • Transfer to
Jerusalem for check-in to your hotel, rest.
Everybody together: Join with Craig, Faith Leaders,
and our tour artists and musicians to meet your fellow
travelers. Enjoy light cocktails and the opportunity to
create a personal art journal to chronicle your Journey
in Spirit and Song.
Overnight: Jerusalem
FRIDAY OCTOBER 26TH
Experience Israel Track
OPTION 1: Ancient Jerusalem, Walk with sculptor
Jeremy Langford through the Kotel Tunnels as he gives a
personal tour of his glass sculptures alongside the massive
foundation stones of the Western Wall • Explore the Southern
Wall Excavations and learn more about the ancient Jerusalem
Temple at the Davidson Center • Travel through many centuries
in a guided tour of the Jewish Quarter.
OPTION 2: In Holy Footsteps, Take in a breathtaking
view of the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives • Walk
down alongside the ancient Mount of Olives Cemetery to the
Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested • Enter the
Old City of Jerusalem and walk along the Via Dolorosa, the
Stations of the Cross, to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
• Visit the Garden Tomb and Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion
of Jesus, according to Protestant tradition.
Multi-Cultural/Multi-Faith Track: Tour the four colorful
quarters of Jerusalem’s Old City, including the colorful Arab
Market, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, including its rooftop
Coptic Village • Tour Jerusalem area Arab neighborhoods with
the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel, including
meetings with Arab community leaders to further understand
the conflict. Arts and Gourmet Track: Enjoy intimate visits with several
renowned Israeli artists in their studios in Jerusalem’s Hutzot
Hayotzer Artist Colony • In the studio of the Kolben Dance
Company, experience their “Gates of Jerusalem” performance,
including video pieces correlated with dancing for each of the
gates of the Old City.
Everybody together: Our “Kehillah” (sacred community)
gathers under the stars for “Friday Night Live in Jerusalem”,
followed by a sumptuous Shabbat dinner together.
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SHABBAT, OCTOBER 27TH – Shabbat in Jerusalem
Shabbat
services at a choice of neighborhood synagogues (suggestions,
directions to be provided.)
Late morning: Choice of study sessions, group speakers, and
home hospitality options * Shabbat buffet lunch at your hotel.
Afternoon: Choice of walking tours and museum visits (Israel
Museum, Bible Lands Museum, Tower of David Museum.)
Everybody together: Enjoy a spiritual Havdalah program
together with Craig at Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam, a village
jointly established by Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens of
Israel, this one of a kind experience will highlight the
remarkable educational work for peace, quality and
understanding of this remarkable community.
Following you will have a choice of intimate cultural events
including dance and theater experiences, a performance by
Israeli Comedian Yisrael Campbell, an evening with Emmy
Award winning actress and singer-songwriter Mare
Winnegham, and more. Dinner at Leisure.
Overnight: Jerusalem
SUNDAY, 28 OCTOBER – Israel’s North
Experience Israel Track: Church services at a choice of
neighborhood Churches (suggestions, directions to be provided.)
See ancient history come to life at the the multi-media Palmach
Museum. Excavations include an impressive amphitheatre and
aqueduct • Tour the synagogues, • courtyards, and shops of the mystical city of Tzefat; meet
with a kabbalistic painter • Ascend the Golan Heights and
stop to gaze down upon the Galilee as the Syrians once did.
Multi-Cultural/Multi-Faith Track: Meet a member of
Israel’s Druze community in Issufia, hear about their fierce
patriotism and enjoy their warm hospitality • Explore the
magnificently excavated ancient city of Tzippori; discover
ancient beauty and evidence of a community in which Jews and
Romans coexisted peacefully • Visit the fascinating cultural
museum of Kfar Kama, home to Israel’s Circassian community;
learn about their unique customs and traditions.
Arts and Gourmet Track: Tour the synagogues, courtyards,
and shops of the mystical city of Tzefat; meet with a
kabbalistic glass-blower; enjoy a demonstration of ethnic
musical instruments • Ascend the Golan Heights and stop to
gaze down upon the Galilee as the Syrians once did Group
may split: Enjoy a tour, tasting, and a chocolate-making
workshop at the delicious chocolate factory at Kibbutz Ein
Zivan OR At the kibbutz’s boutique winery.
Everybody together: Travel back in time with “Katzrin Live”
at the excavated Talmudic Village on the Golan Heights;
meet actors and artisans who will be animating the site;
enjoy ancient-style dancing and a Talmudic feast for dinner.
Overnight: Tiberias
MONDAY, 29 OCTOBER – From the Galilee to Tel Aviv
Experience Israel Track: Drive to Tel Aviv • Explore the
pathways, art galleries, and market stalls of Old Jaffa, once
the gateway to the Land of Israel; review Jaffa biblical stories
on site • Enjoy lunch at Liliot, a special teaching restaurant for
teens at risk • At Independence Hall, relive Ben Gurion’s
moving declaration of the State • Enjoy an impressive
presentation of the amazing achievements of the Palmach at
the multi-media, Museum Palmach.
Multi-Cultural/Multi-Faith Track: Proceed to the
excavations of the ancient Caperneum Synagogue on the
shores of the Sea of Galilee, the focal point of Jesus’ ministry
• At the Mount of Beatitudes, stand at the site of the Sermon on
the Mount • Tour the synagogues, courtyards, and shops of the
mystical city of Tzefat; enjoy a demonstration of ethnic musical
instruments over lunch • Drive to Tel Aviv.
Arts and Gourmet Track: Drive south along Israel’s
border with Jordan to Jerusalem • Take a culinary tour and
cooking workshop in Machane Yehuda; prepare a special lunch
to enjoy together • Learn all about olive oil production and enjoy
tasting a variety of oils • Proceed to Tel Aviv for a bus tour of
the famous Bauhaus architecture of the “White City”.
Everybody together: Dinner at leisure • FAITH JAM, more
than a concert – people of all faiths join together in joyous
song. A blend of East and West, Middle-Eastern, African,
Classical, Blues, Jazz, Klezmer, Gospel, Hasidic and more.
It is a musical JAM of spirit.
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TUESDAY, 30 OCTOBER – Israel Then and Now
Experience Israel Track: Drive to the Dead Sea Region • Enjoy a walk through the beautiful Ein Gedi Nature Reserve to the waterfall and review the binnd Masada by cable car. Tour this impressive excavation and discuss the terrible dilemma faced by its Jewish population during Roman times.
Multi-Cultural/Multi-Faith Track: Visit a cultural center for Ethiopian Jews • Experience the center for traditional Bedouin weaving done in women’s homes in the village of Lakiya. Learn about Bedouin culture and see their traditional hand-weaving process demonstrated • At Moshav Nevatim, home to Cochini Jews, see their impressive synagogue, brought over from India, and learn about their culture • Continue to the Dead Sea Region.
Arts and Gourmet Track: Take part in a fascinating walking tour of Old Jaffa, “Bread and Butter,” focusing on the role of bread in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam • Guided visit to the Rubin Museum to view the stirring paintings of this signature Israeli artist • Browse through unique craft items in Nahalat Binyamin’s colorful,open-air market and enjoy seeing modern Tel Aviv in action • Travel to the Dead Sea Region.
Everybody together: Dinner overlooking the Dead Sea followed by a special farewell concert performance at Masada featuring multi-platinum Israeli singer-songwriter and guitarist David Broza.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
WEDNESDAY, 31 OCTOBER – Farewell day:
Hotel check-out
Option 1: Jerusalem Highlights
Take in a breathtaking view of the Old City from the Haas
Promenade, standing where Abraham stood at the dawn of history
• In the Kotel Tunnels, walk alongside the massive foundation
stones of the Western Wall • Tour the new state-of-the-art
Memorial Museum and the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem
• Visit the graves of Theodore Herzl and Yitzhak Rabin; continue
with a sobering walk through Har Herzl Military Cemetery.
Option 2: Jerusalem Tapestry
Take in a breathtaking view of the Old City from the Mount of Olives, as did Jesus as he entered Jerusalem
• Take a walking tour, including the Via Dolorosa, Church of the
Holy Sepulcher, Coptic Village, Arab Market • Tour the new
state-of-the-art Memorial Museum and the Children's Memorial
at Yad Vashem • Visit the graves of Theodore Herzl and Yitzhak
Rabin; continue with a sobering walk through Har Herzl Military
Cemetery.
Option 3: Digging Israel
• Stumble across many archeological finds as you take part in
a hands-on dig through archeological matter that has been
removed, amid controversy, from under the Temple Mount
• Visit the renovated Israel Museum, including the Shrine of
the Book; the Second Temple Model of Jerusalem; Judaica,
art, and archeology exhibits.
Option 4: Back to the Bible
• Tour Bethlehem, including the Church of the Nativity • Visit
Rachel’s Tomb for prayer and reflection.
Evening departure.
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