Wednesday, 20 June – Departure for Prague
Board overnight flight to Prague from LAX
Thursday, 21 June – Welcome to Prague
Morning arrival (ideally) at
Prague Airport, to be met and assisted by your ITC representative.
Depart for Prague’s Castle Hill for an overview of the city. Visit the St.
Vitus Cathedral and Lobkowicz Palace. Continue in a walking tour through
Prague streets, ending up at our hotel. Welcome dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Pragu.
Friday, 22 June - The Rich Jewish Heritage of
Prague -
Spend this morning in Prague’s Jewish Quarter seeing the many
Judaica artifacts, saved from Nazi plunder, that are housed in the synagogues
that make up the Jewish Museum: Maisel, Pinkas, Klaus, and
Spanish synagogues. Visit the famous Altneushul, associated with the
Golem of Prague. Free time to explore the Old Town Square. Kabbalat
Shabbat with the Masorti Community. Shabbat dinner at Dinitz Kosher
Restaurant. Prague.
Shabbat, 23 June - Shabbat in Prague - Parashat
Korah - Shabbat services with the Prague Masorti Community. Shabbat
lunch at the home of the Masorti shul president, to be joined by other
members of the community. Enjoy a short walking tour in Prague’s Lower
Quarter, across the famous Charles Bridge and to the Old Town along
the Coronation Route. Dinner (seudah shlisheet) at the hotel. Havdalah
with Rabbi Kornberg. Cultural evening in Prague (based on availability)
Sunday, 24 June - Terezin - Travel to Terezin to visit what the Nazis
called the “Model Concentration Camp” Tour the fortress and the
recently discovered Holocaust era secret synagogue of the Danish Jews.
Visit the former shtetl of Roudnice nad Labem. Return to Prague for
final shopping, packing. Board overnight flight to Israel. Depart for the
airport for late evening overnight flight to Israel - Overnight: In flight
Monday, 25 June - When You Come Into the Land (Deut. 26:1)
Very early morning arrival at Ben Gurion Airport to be met and assisted
by your ITC representative. Transfer to the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel
Aviv for early check-in and rest. Transfer to join up with the remainder
of Congregation Beth Am group for today’s touring in Tel Aviv
Sunday, 24, June - USA Departure - Overnight flight to Israel
Monday, 25 June - When You Come Into the Land (Deut. 26:1)
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport to be met and assisted by your ITC representative.
Proceed to the modern Hebrew city of Tel Aviv
At Independence Hall, relive Ben Gurion's moving declaration of the
State. Walk through the historic Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Tzedek,
a UNESCO Heritage Site, replete with funky new shops and art galleries.
Hotel check-in and welcome dinner. Overnight: Dan Panorama
Hotel, Tel Aviv.
Tuesday, 26 June - Israeli Peers - At Weitzman Institute in Rehovot
learn of the impressive accomplishments of Israel’s top science university;
adults: walk through the superbly appointed Weitzman family mansion
to enjoy its fine design and architecture; children/teens/families: visit
the Science Garden for a fun, hands-on experience of Israel’s cuttingedge
science and technology. Spend the remainder of today in the Shaar
Hanegev Region, with activities to be coordinated by P2K, including lunch
and an Argentinean barbeque dinner with our Israeli peers arranged by
P2K . Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv
Wednesday, 27 June - Foundations of the Modern State
Enjoy an extremely impressive presentation of the amazing achievements
of the Palmach at the new multi-media Palmach Museum (age 6 and up
only) Take part in the mitzvah of "leket" at the Table to Table project
as you harvest crops for the needy. Tour the synagogues, courtyards,
and shops of the mystical city of Tzefat. Continue to the Galilee
Panhandle for hotel check-in. Dinner at the hotel - Overnight: Kibbutz
Thursday, 28 June - The Galilee and the Golan Heights
Please choose one for the group: Walk through the Hula Valley Nature
Reserve, through which millions of migratory birds pass and other
species roam; experience the Ophoria Multi-Media Experience, connecting
birds, water, and the Israeli landscape OR Glide down the Jordan
River in a kayak or raft (age 5 or over) Ascend the Golan Heights and
stop to gaze down over the Galilee as the Syrians once did. Enjoy a
tour, tasting, and a chocolate-making workshop at the delicious
chocolate factory at Kibbutz Ein Zivan, run by immigrants from Argentina.
Travel back to the time of the Talmud as you visit the excavated
Talmudic Village in Katzrin, including an amusing and informative film
presentation about the famous tanur shel achani story from the Talmud.
Visit a modern dairy farm where you can bottle-feed the calves and
also try your hand at milking cows; discuss the challenge of “kosher”
milking on Shabbat; taste different varieties of olive oil and fresh
chocolate milk. Dinner at the hotel - Overnight: Kibbutz Hagoshrim
Friday, 29 June - From the Galilee to Jerusalem
Bid farewell to the
Galilee as you plant a tree in Israeli soil, in honor or in memory of a
loved one; share something special with the group about the person in
whose honor/memory you are planting. Travel south along Israel's border
with Jordan. Explore Belvoir Castle, a beautifully restored Crusader
fortress; hear the amazing story of its conquest by Saladin; take in a
magnificent view of the Jordanian Gilead Mountains. Tour the remarkable
excavations of the ancient Roman city of Beit Shean, including a
magnificent Cardo, Roman baths, residences, and amphitheatre. Ascent
to Jerusalem. Gaze upon the Old City of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus;
take in the breathtaking view. Kabbalat Shabbat as a group in the hotel
or at Robinson's Arch. Shabbat dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Shabbat, 30 June - Shabbat in Jerusalem - Parashat Hukkat
Shabbat services at a synagogue of your choice (suggestions, walking
directions to be provided) Shabbat lunch at the hotel. Optional: Late
afternoon walking tour with Rabbi Kornberg. Havdalah with Rabbi
Kornberg, followed by a free evening in Jerusalem.
Overnight: Dan
Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Sunday, 1 July - Making a Difference
Drive along Jerusalem's former
border with Jordan, pre-1967. 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. At
Ammunition Hill, see a terrific new audio-video presentation about the
fierce Six Day War battle for Jerusalem; enter former Jordanian
bunkers . Visit the new Holocaust Memorial Museum (age 12 and up only)
and the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem. Alternative for younger
children: At the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, enjoy meeting the animals that
roamed this land during Bible times (accompanied by adult/s; not included
in tour price) Free evening in Jerusalem OR Evening program with a
Masorti congregation.
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Monday, 2 July - Jerusalem of Old
Take part in a moving Bar/Bat
Mitzvah service at Robinson's Arch, the “Masorti Kotel”. Explore the
Southern Wall Excavations and take a virtual, computerized "walk"
through the ancient Temple Mount at the Davidson Center. Group may
split: In the Kotel Tunnels, walk alongside the massive foundation stones
of the Western Wall (local guide) OR Take a walking tour through the
Christian Quarter and Arab Market in the Old City. Travel through
many centuries as you tour the Jewish Quarter, including the
ancient Cardo and the ancient excavated homes of Temple priests at
the Herodian Mansions. Enjoy a camel trek and biblical hospitality
with a delicious bar/bat mitzvah celebratory dinner in Abraham's
tent in the Judean Desert at Eretz Bereshit.
Overnight: Dan
Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem
Tuesday, 3 July - Freedom Fighters or Fanatics?
Depart for the
Dead Sea Region, the lowest place on earth. First time Israel visitors.
Ascend to Masada by cable car; tour this magnificent excavation
and a discussion of the terrible dilemma faced by its Jewish
population during Roman times. Take a walk through the beautiful
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve to the waterfall and hear the biblical
story of kings David and Saul that took place "on site" Lunch at
Pundak Ein Gedi Enjoy for an unsinkable swim and mud baths at the
amazing Dead Sea. Repeat Israel visitors. Spend some time today
at a Dead Sea resort hotel, enjoying its spa facilities, lunch, and
the amazing Dead Sea Everybody together. Return to our hotel in
Jerusalem for final packing. Farewell dinner at Anna Ticho House
Depart for the airport
Wednesday, 4 July-A Temporary Departure
Itinerary Subject to Change
Itinerary