Day 1 - Sunday
Depart the US for Israel

Day 2 - Monday - Shalom Teachers! Shalom and welcome to Israel! Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport and meet your tour educator Head to Tel Aviv After a festive welcome dinner, explore Old Jaffa and hear about its famous visitors: Andromeda, Jonah and the Whale and Napoleon. Program: "What does Israel mean to me?" - An interactive program in which the participants express and clarify their conceptions of Israel and their expectations from the program in Israel. This will be reflected upon at the end of the program. Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 3 - Tuesday - Education Israeli Style Spend the morning as guests in an Israeli school; visit the classrooms and see teachers in action. Onward to Tel Aviv University's School of Education for an overview of Jewish Education Tour Tel Aviv and pause at Rabin Square to remember In the evening, enjoy dinner with the teachers whose classrooms you visited earlier in the day Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 4 - Wednesday - Mosaics, Kabbalah and the Media Head north to Haifa and view the magnificent Bahai Gardens from atop Mt. Carmel Visit the Druze Village of Ossafia and enjoy a traditional Druze lunch Continue to Zfat, city of Mystical Judaism (Kabbalah). Explore the narrow alleyways lined with ancient synagogues and artists' galleries. In the evening a workshop on Israel in the Media - How Israelis are portrayed in the world media, what Israelis think of events as compared to how they are shown in the world press. Participants will be asked to role-play in this activity. Overnight: at a Kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee

Day 5 - Thursday - Heroism and Spirituality Morning session: how Biblical texts mesh with the lay of the Land Drive south to Beit She'an area, where the ancient Israelites, with King Saul and his son Jonathan heading them, fought their last battle with the Philistines. View and better understand the story of Jezebel and the Navoth Vineyard. Head south to the Dead Sea Continue to Massada, ascend and descend by cable car and hear tales of Herod and the Zealots who chose death over slavery at the hands of the Romans After descending stay to reflect and ask the question "Why was there a need for Massada to become a symbol of Jewish resistance against persecution". Later, swim (float) in the Dead Sea Drive to Jerusalem via Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found Pause at a vantage point to say Shehehianu After dinner, enjoy a spiritual visit to the Western Wall Then explore the Western Wall Tunnels stretching under the Old City (pending confirmation) Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 6 - Friday - Jerusalem of Gold Start the day at the Israel Museum to see the model of Jerusalem 2000 years ago and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Enter the Jewish Quarter through the Zion Gate as generations of Jewish Warriors have. Explore the Jewish Quarter taking in highlights such as the Cardo (Old Roman "shopping street" - still active today), the Broad Wall, the Hurva Synagogue and the Southern Wall Excavations. Enjoy a spiritual visit to the Western Wall Kabbalat Shabbat Festive Shabbat Dinner Shabbat workshop: "Jerusalem at the center of the Jewish History, Tradition and Life" - an interactive discussion that will introduce the participants to the history of Jerusalem, starting with Abraham and King David to its becoming the united capital of the State of Israel. This will be achieved through readings and stories. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 7 - Saturday - Shabbat in Jerusalem Shabbat Services Discussion about Parashat Hashavua Continue with a visit to the David Citadel museum. View the Old City from top of Phasael Tower. Continue to visit the model of Jerusalem as it was in the Second Temple Period and the 19th Century model Walk the Old City Walls Promenade from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate. Session: The ABC's of Israeli Politics- with Neil Lazarus Havdallah Evening at leisure to meet friends and explore Ben Yehuda Street Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8 - Sunday - Honor and Remembrance Visit Yad Vashem, Holocaust Memorial site: Walk along the Avenue of the Righteous Meet with a survivor Tour the new museum Visit the Children's Memorial and other memorials Yizkor service in the Valley of Lost Communities Session on teaching the Holocaust hosted by the School for Holocaust Studies Continue to Mount Herzl for a ceremony by the graves of Israeli soldiers and Herzl, Rabin and others. This will surmise the day's educational idea of "The reason and cost of having a Jewish Homeland". A short discussion will revolve around the question of "What would Israel be like if there was no Holocaust?" A farewell visit to the Western Wall Closing session: "What Did This Trip Do for me?" An interactive program in which the participants express and clarify their conceptions of Israel at the end of their visit to Israel. This will be compared with their expectations from the beginning of the program. Festive farewell dinner Head to Ben Gurion Airport

Day 9 - Monday - Shalom U'lehitraot
Depart for the US

* Program is subject to change