Itinerary
Sunday, June 20
Depart El Paso in the morning and fly to Eretz Yisrael! Our plan is to reserve seats on a Delta flight leaving El Paso mid-morning, with a comfortable layover in Atlanta and a direct flight to Tel Aviv. Those who prefer to travel on a different airline, or at a different time, can make their arrangements with Shirley Nussbaum at Sun Travel, or any other way they choose.

Monday, June 21
Arrive in Israel late afternoon. Rabbi Bach will meet the group at Ben Gurion Airport. Enjoy the short drive to downtown Tel Aviv and check in to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, on the Mediterranean shore. Evening at leisure

Tuesday, June 22
A day at leisure, to get acclimated. Rabbi Bach will lead a walking tour of Shuk Hacarmel, the colorful and vibrant open-air market, and Nahalat Binyamin, a street fair featuring crafts and performing artists. Alanna will facilitate a day at the beach. In the evening, those would like will be able to attend a performance of "Not By Bread Alone" at the Nalaga'at Theatre.

Wednesday, June  23
The finest guide in all of Israel, Israeli Herzog, will join us after breakfast. In the morning, we'll travel to a nearby farm and glean in the fields as part of Table to Table's "Project Leket." After lunch, we'll visit Independence Hall, where the State of Israel was proclaimed by David Ben Gurion on May 14, 1948. Following our visit, we'll stroll on Rothschild Boulevard (maybe stopping for an iced latte or some ice cream). Then it's on to Old Jaffa, where will visit the ancient port and explore the maze of shops and artist galleries. After a little down time, and a chance to eat for those who prefer an "American" hour for the evening meal, we'll take a sunset walk along the Mediterranean. At dusk, we'll visit Rabin Square, site of the fateful assassination of Israel's Prime Minister. We'll walk back through the center of town as night falls and this very European city comes to life.

Thursday, June 24
We'll check out of our hotel and spend the day traveling north and east. Our first stop will be the Palmach Musuem, where we'll learn about Israel's battle for Independence. From there, it's an hour drive to Park Alona's Mei Kedem ("Ancient Waters"), where we'll walk through part of the Roman aqueduct system that brought water from mountain springs to Caesaria on the coast. After drying off (yes, it's a working aqueduct!), we'll have lunch and a tour of Zichron Ya'akov, a charming village that was among the first establish by Jews returning to the Land with national aspirations. We'll spend the late afternoon traversing the network of valleys that link the coastal plain with the edge of the Arabian Desert. Along the way, we'll meet the Israeli Reform Movement for mifgash and a meal. Our journey for the day ends at the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee, as we check in to the Kibbutz Ma'agan guest house.

Friday, June 25
Our morning will be spent in Safed, home of the sixteenth-century mystical revival movement that gave us "Kabbalat Shabbat," "L'cha Dodi," and "Tikkun Olam."  There, we'll visit historic synagogues, walk through "Messiah's Alley," and plumb the mysteries of Kabbalah. After lunch, we'll visit a Merkaz Klitah ("Absorption Center") that serves as a first home for new immigrants from Ethiopia. We'll begin to move into the spirit of Shabbat with a short and lovely walk in the Jordan River Park on the northern side of the Sea of Galilee. Then it's back to Kibbutz Ma'agan to freshen up before a group Kabbalat Shabbat Service and a Shabbat Dinner.* Lailah Tov, and Shabbat Shalom!

Saturday, June 26
A non-traditional, but deeply religious, Shabbat awaits us on the Golan Heights. Early-morning prayer for those who choose is followed by breakfast and a hike on the Southern Golan. After lunch* We'll visit an ancient synagogue, as well as the Hamat Gader mineral springs. Then it's back to the hotel to freshen up before our Saturday night dinner* in Tiberias, Havdalah, and a joyful boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Back to Ma'agan, and Lailah Tov!

Sunday, June 27
Today we go north, to the Northern Golan Heights and Etzbah Hagalil, the "finger" of the Galilee. We'll begin our day at Mount Bental, learning about the security and political questions surrounding Israel's dilemma on the Golan Heights. Assuming there's fruit in season, we'll pick apples or berries before eating a delicious lunch* at Nidal, a fine Druze restaurant in the village of Masade. We'll spend the afternoon in the Dan Nature Preserve on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon, walking along the headwaters of the Jordan River and visiting some of the most striking archeological finds from our ancient past. In the heat of the day, we'll stay cool by floating down the Jordan, before returning to Kibbutz Ma'agan for dinner* and an evening at leisure.

Monday, June 28
After breakfast, we'll check out of our rooms, load the bus, and begin traveling south toward Jerusalem. Along the way, we'll vist Gesher Naharayim and learn about efforts to harness the Jordan to provide power for Northern Israel in the early twentieth century. We'll also learn about the Jewish return to the Jezre'el Valley at Tel Amal, and our ancient presence in the same place at the Beit Alfa synagogue. After lunch in Beit She'an, we'll continue through the Jordan Rift Valley, past Jericho, and the climb to Yerushalayim! After a welcoming panoramic view from Mount Scopus and a bus ride through town for orientation, we'll arrive at the Dan Panorama. Dinner, and then a sunset show at the Tower of David Museum.

Tuesday, June 29
This morning we'll visit Mount Herzl, home to Israel's largest military cemetery and the site of the graves of her Prime Ministers, Presidents, and the dreamer and doer whose presence gives the mountain its name. From there, it's a short drive to Ein Kerem and Hadassah Hospitals famed Chagall Windows. Lunch in charming Ein Kerem follows, and then an afternoon learning about the delicate balance of security and human rights with Rabbi David Forman, Founder of Rabbis for Human Rights. Younger travelers will visit the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. We'll come back together and return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

Wednesday, June 30
An early wake-up call this morning, to beat the heat! We'll leave the hotel and descend to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, then ride the cable car up to Herod's desert fortress, Masada. Lunch* and an afternoon "float" in the mineral-laden water is followed by a short hike through Nahal David to a lovely, refreshing waterfall. Naps on the bus, and dinner and an evening at leisure in Jerusalem.

Thursday, July 1
Our morning starts at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, in a lovely garden looking out on to the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. What a great place to celebrate a Bat Mitzah! Next, we'll visit the Old City, taking in sites sacred to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. After lunch, we'll explore the events surrounding the burning of Jerusalem by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago, and then go back another millennium to the City of King David. As night falls, we'll approach the heart of the city, and of the Jewish people, as we visit the Kotel and tour the tunnels beneath.

Friday, July 2
First stop, Yad L'kashish (Lifeline for the Old), to learn about a great mitzvah project (and do some great mitzvah shopping!). The rest of our morning will be spent at Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial and museum (alternate programming will be available for young children). From contemplating death and destruction, our spirits will be lifted as we visit Mahaneh Yehudah and see the Jewish people at their very liveliest: at the market as Shabbat comes in. We'll spend our Shabbat with members of the Reform synagogue in Mevasseret Tziyon, and their Rabbi, Maya Leibovich. Dinner* will be with families from the congregation.

Saturday, July 3
Shabbat morning is at leisure...a wonderful opportunity to stroll the neighborhoods surrounding the hotel, to attend a service, or to simply relax and soak in the atmosphere of the Land of Israel. After lunch we'll visit the Israel Museum's signature holdings: the Dead Sea Scrolls. Back to the hotel for check-out, and then off to the Ben-Shemen Forest for a closing barbeque and a short ride to Ben-Gurion Airport where we'll board our overnight flight back to the United States.

Sunday, July 4
Traveling west, the time zones are our friends, and we'll be in New York by daybreak on Independence Day! Our return flight to El Paso will have us home in plenty of time to see the fireworks :-)