Tuesday April 21, 2009 - on a Jet Plane
Depart the US for Israel.
UA 954 SFO/LHR 12:21 PM - 6:55 AM (April 22)
BMI 761 LHR/TLV 11:15 AM - 6:05 PM

Wednesday April 22, 2009 - Welcome Home! Shalom and welcome to Israel Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport (6:05 PM) and meet your Tour Educator Ascend to Jerusalem. Pause at a vantage point overlooking the city to say Shehehianu Enjoy a spiritual visit to the Western Wall. Opening sessions Overnight: Jerusalem

Thursday, April 23, 2009 - City of King David Start the day with a visit to the Israel Museum. Enter the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept and view the newly erected Second Temple Period Model. Walk the Old City Ramparts from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate. Continue to the top of Mount Zion; visit Tomb of King David - founder of the City of Peace. Enter the Old City via Zion Gate, descend the Western Hill to visit the newly excavated City of David and get wet while walking through Hezekiah Tunnel, built to bring water into the city. Overnight: Jerusalem

Friday, April 24, 2009 - Jerusalem during the Second Temple Enter the Old City and explore the Jewish Quarter including the Roman Cardo, an ancient shopping street still active today; view the Broad Wall (First Temple Period city wall indicating the expansion of the city at that time) and the Southern Wall Excavations (Davidson Center). Cross into the Christian Quarter to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on top of the Rock called Golgotha, where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried. See Jerusalem prepare for Shabbat at the Machaneh Yehudah Market; Kabbalat Shabbat at the Wall Overnight: Jerusalem

Saturday, April 25, 2009 - Shabbat Jerusalem Style Shabbat Services while visiting the Italian or another Sephardic synagogues Shabbat programs Havdalah In the evening stroll the pedestrian street of Ben Yehudah. Overnight: Jerusalem

Sunday, April 26, 2009 - Darkness to light Visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Site. Experience the museum, the Children's Memorial, the Valley of the Communities and the Boulevard of the Righteous among the Nations—a trip that emphasizes that Israel exists in spite of the Holocaust, and not because of it. Continue to Mount Herzl to see the graves of Herzl, Golda Meir, Yitzchak Rabin and other Zionist luminaries as well as graves of Fallen Israeli Soldiers. In the afternoon, visit Neve Shalom -where Jews and Arabs have chosen to live together in a community based on tolerance. On our way back to Jerusalem pause at the Harel Mall for a chance to taste kosher McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut. Explore the Western Wall Tunnels, stretching under the Old City (10:40 PM) Farewell visit to the Wall Overnight: Jerusalem

Monday, April 27, 2009 - Mediterranean Madness and Israeli friends Depart Jerusalem and head north along the Mediterranean Sea to Atlit, an internment camp for “illegal immigrants” - Jews trying to enter the country during the British Mandate period. Enjoy a traditional Druze meal in the village of Ossafiyah and learn about this minority whose members are very loyal to the State of Israel. This visit to the Druze community (who are religiously different from the Muslim community) provides insight to understanding this people who live in Israel alongside the Jews. Drive to Haifa for a view of the largest harbor in Israel and of the Bahai Gardens. Continue north to meet with your P2K partner school, ORT at Ma'alot Tarshicha. Following icebreaker activities join your peers for the Erev Yom Ha-Zikaron ceremony at Ma'alot Tarshicha. Overnight: a Kibbutz in the Galilee

Tuesday April 28, 2009 - Golan Experience Visit your peers' school and join in their school's Yom Ha-Zikaron ceremony. Engage in a discussion with your Arab and Jewish peers on the meaning of the ceremony in a city where Arabs and Jews share their livelihood. Ascend the Golan Heights, peer deep into Syria and the ghost town of Kuneitra and view the new city built after the Yom Kippur War, from Mt. Bental. Pause at Mitzpe Gadot to view the Hula Valley and to hear the exploits of Israel's master spy, Eli Cohen. In the evening join your peers for Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrations Overnight: A Kibbutz in the Galilee

Wednesday April 29, 2009 - North, Kayaking and South Ascend to Zfat, city of Mystical Judaism (Kabbalah). Explore the narrow alleyways lined by ancient synagogues and artists' galleries. Experience a thrilling kayaking adventure. View the region of Beit Shean and Tel Jeezrael and see how Biblical tales mesh with Israel's topography. Head to Tel Aviv Overnight: Tel Aviv area

Thursday, April 30, 2009 - Digs and deserts, caves and camels Depart Tel Aviv to Tel Azeka and view the Ella Valley, David and Goliath's battleground. Continue the day with a "hands on" experience with the past as you participate in an archeological dig. Explore the unique Bell Caves in Beit Guvrin, including the Columbarium—all carved from stone. Head south into the desert for a camel trek followed by a Bedouin Haflah (feast). Overnight: a Bedouin Tent in the desert

Friday, May 1, 2009 - At the lowest place on earth Ascend Massada and tour the site, hearing tales of Herod and of the Zealots who chose death over slavery at the hands of the Romans. Swim (float) in the Dead Sea. Head to Ein Gedi desert oasis, for a hike to the waterfalls. Travel via Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Ascend to Jerusalem via the Judean Desert. Kabbalat Shabbat at Carlibach Synagogue (pending confirmation) Overnight: Jerusalem

Saturday, May 2, 2009 - Shabbat at rest Shabbat Services at the Center for Conservative Judaism Shabbat programs Walking tour of Jerusalem neighborhoods Havdallah Evening excursion, see Jerusalem at night and explore the Ben Yehudah Pedestrian Mall Overnight: Jerusalem

Sunday, May 3, 2009 - Tikun Olam on many levels and Biblical Garden Drive to visit Neot Kedumim for a tour of this unique Biblical Garden. Drive to Rehovot's Weizmann Institute for workshop on environmental issues and hands-on tour of its Clore Garden of Science. In the evening head to Old Jaffa to hear about Jonah and the Whale, Greek mythology's Andromeda, Napoleon and others who are part of Jaffa's history. Overnight: Tel Aviv

Monday, May 4, 2009 - Jewish Brains and farewell at the City that Never Sleeps Start the day where the State of Israel was born in 1948 - Independence Hall. Continue to a Tikun Olam program with Table to Table - pick fruit and vegetables from harvested fields that will be given to those who need. Return to Tel Aviv for a short city tour, pause at Rabin Square to remember and speak of peace. Closing Sessions and farewell dinner Drive to Ben Gurion Airport

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 - Shalom U'lehitraot
Depart for the US
BMI 762 TLV/LHR 6:30 AM - 10:00 AM
UA 931 LHR/SFO 2:15 PM - 5:20 PM

* Program is subject to change