Join the Glen Rock New Jersey Interfaith Israel Tour April 22 - May 3, 2012

Tour Highlights:
EL-AL EWR - Tel Aviv - EWR Non Stop Flights
Prima Royale or Kings Hotel, Kibbutz Lavi Hotel Tiberias, Dan Panorama Tel Aviv

All Breakfasts, 6 Week-Day Dinners, One Shabbat Dinner as per itinerary Touring with one of Israel's Top Tour Guide Educators in Deluxe Motor Coach Opening ceremony, Old City of Jerusalem, Haas Promenade, Mount Scopus, Mount of Olives, Ancient Jewish cemetery, Church of Dominus Flevit, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, Jewish Quarter of the Old City, Cardo, Herodian Mansions, Garden Tomb, Hill of Golgotha, Yom Hazikkaron ceremony, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Kotel Tunnels, Southern Wall Excavations, Davidson Center, Mount Zion, David’s Tomb, The Upper Room, Bethlehem, Church of the Nativity, Shepherd’s Field, Masada, Excavation of Kumran, Camel trek through the Judean Desert, Biblical hospitality in Abraham’s Tent, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Har Herzl Military Cemetery, Machaneh Yehuda, Welcome Shabbat at the Western Wall, Shabbat walking tour, The Night Spectacular, Tower of David Museum, Worship services nearby churches, Israel’s border with Jordan, Boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee, Ancient Capernaum Synagogue, Sea of Galilee, the focal point of Jesus’ ministry, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha, Church of Multiplication, Mystical city of Tzefat, Golan Heights, Har Bental, Golan Winery, Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Historic Acco, Crusader Fortress, Turkish Baths, British prison, Tunisian Synagogue, Bahai Gardens in Haifa, Old Jaffa, Independence Hall, Harvest crops to be distributed to the poor, ITC full color source book, A fantastic tour filled with meaningful experiences and fun !

  Itinerary

Sunday, 22 April – USA Departure
Depart on overnight flight to Israel from Newark

Monday, 23 April – When You Come Into the Land (Deut. 26:1)
Arrive in Israel to be met and assisted at Ben Gurion Airport by your ITC representative; today’s program depends on arrival time. Ascent to Jerusalem. Take in the breathtaking view of the Old City of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade, standing where our forefather Abraham stood at the dawn of history. Hotel check-in and welcome dinner
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Tuesday, 24 April – In Jesus’ Footsteps Through Jerusalem
Our morning begins with breathtaking views of the Old City and Temple Mount from Mount Scopus and the Mount of Olives Walk down past the ancient Jewish cemetery to the Church of Dominus Flevit, the beautiful “Teardrop Church” and continue to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations Walk through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, including the Cardo and the Herodian Mansions. Our day concludes at the Garden Tomb and the Hill of Golgotha. Dinner at the hotel Evening option: Attend a Yom Hazikkaron ceremony at a Masorti synagogue.
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Wednesday, 25 April – Ancient Jerusalem and Bethlehem
Yom Hazikkaron. Early departure to ascend the ramp to the Temple Mount. Stop at the Western Wall (Kotel) for prayer and reflection. In the Kotel Tunnels, walk 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. On Mount Zion, visit David’s Tomb and the Upper Room, site of the Last Supper Visit the city of Bethlehem to tour the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field. Please choose one for the group: Enjoy a tour of the unique community of Tekoa and home hospitality for coffee and cake with a Tekoa family. Evening: Take part in Yom Ha’atzmaut festivities in central Jerusalem (walking downtown)
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Thursday, 26 April – Freedom Fighters or Fanatics?
Yom Ha’atzmaut. Ascend Masada by cable car. Tour this impressive excavation and discuss the terrible dilemma faced by its Jewish population during Roman times. Stop for a dip, mud baths, and hot showers at Mineral Beach on the amazing Dead Sea. Visit the excavation of Kumran, home of the mysterious ancient sect that authored the Dead Sea Scrolls Enjoy a camel trek through the Judean Desert and biblical hospitality with a delicious dinner in Abraham’s Tent
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Friday, 27 April – Those Who Sacrificed
Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem. Take a sobering walk through the history of the Jewish State at the Har Herzl Military Cemetery . Walk through colorful, bustling Machaneh Yehuda open-air market, as Jerusalem prepares for Shabbat Welcome Shabbat at the Western Wall (Kotel) along with thousands of others. Shabbat dinner at the hotel
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Shabbat, 28 April – Shabbat in Jerusalem
Optional Shabbat services at a choice of neighborhood synagogues (suggestions, walking instructions to be provided) Take a Shabbat walking tour in the Old City, including: the Pools of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross), Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jewish Quarter and Cardo Evening: Attend The Night Spectacular, the fabulous new sound and light show at the Tower of David Museum
Overnight: Prima Royale or Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

Sunday, 29 April – The Jordan River Valley and Galilee
Optional worship services at a choice of nearby churches Travel north along Israel’s border with Jordan. Enjoy a boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) 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. Visit Tabgha, the traditional site of the miracle of fish and loaves, and the Church of Multiplication with its 4th Century mosaic floor. O/N: Kibbutz Lavi Hotel, Tiberias

Monday, 30 April – Tzefat and the Golan Heights
Tour the synagogues, courtyards, and shops of the mystical city of Tzefat. Ascend the Golan Heights and stop to gaze down over the Galilee as the Syrians once did; enter former Syrian bunkers and learn how master spy Eli Cohen revealed their secrets. Stop for lunch (at participants’ expense) in Katzrin, the capital of the Golan. Ascend to the peak of Har Bental, where you can enter army bunkers and take in a panoramic view at the crossroads of three countries; discuss the significance of the Golan Height in today’s geo-political reality. Take a tour and taste the fruits of the region in the form of award-winning wines at the Golan Winery Free time for dinner (on one’s own) on the Tiberias Promenade
Overnight: Kibbutz Lavi Hotel, Tiberias

Tuesday, 1 May – The Mediterranean Coast
Visit Mary’s Well and the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. In historic Acco, a city of many religions. Visit the Mansion of the Bahji; a “creepy” Crusader Fortress; the new exhibit at the adjacent Turkish Baths; the British prison, where Jewish freedom fighters were incarcerated; the amazing Tunisian Synagogue, which is completely decorated with mosaics depicting stories from Jewish history and traditional texts (number of stops depends on time available) Walk down through the beautiful Bahai Gardens in Haifa Continue south to the modern Hebrew city of Tel Aviv for hotel check-in. Enjoy dinner at Blackout in Old Jaffa, served by blind waiters who will teach you how to negotiate a completely dark world during your meal
Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv.

Wednesday, 2 May – The Delights of Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa
Take part in the mitzvah of "leket," as you harvest crops to be distributed to the poor with Leket Israel Tour Old Jaffa with its quaint alleyways and beautiful craft shops. At Independence Hall, relive Ben Gurion’s moving declaration of the State; discuss whether it seems that the vision of Israel’s founding fathers – articulated in the Scroll of Independence – have come to fruition Return to the hotel for final packing Enjoy a farewell dinner at Maganda
Depart for Ben Gurion Airport for overnight flight to USA

Thursd ay, 3 May – A Temporary Departure
Return to the Newark

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Itinerary Subject to Change