Program is tentative and subject to change. Connect with our Customer Care Team by calling: (888) 230-6008 Mon.-Thur. from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
YOUR journey
J² crafts journeys of inspiration, education, and Jewish connections to Israel and worldwide. We are guided by a simple but powerful concept: No two trips are the same; each experience should be personal, meaningful, and backed by superb service. Travel is not just about the places you visit, but the connections you make along the way.
Archaeology 
Heritage 
Art & Culture 
Current Affairs 
Expert Scholar 
Food & Wine 
Home Hospitality - Street Food
Nature Walks
THE EXPERT
Program Itinerary
DAY 1
ON THE WAY
Thu. Dec 21, 2023
- Depart the USA.
Overnight: Flight
DAY 2
THE START OF A SPECIAL JOURNEY
Fri. Dec 22, 2023
- Arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport.
- Transfer to Tel Aviv, also known as “the city that never sleeps.” A place of sun and fun, its centers of culture and history are complimented by great beaches, stores, and entertainment.
- Check into the hotel.
- Meet your tour educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
- Shabbat candle-lighting at the hotel.
- Shabbat services with Beit T’fila Israeli.
- Blessings, Challah, and Friends: Enjoy Shabbat dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3
THE FIRST HEBREW CITY
Sat. Dec 23, 2023
- Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
- Beginnings: Modern Tel Aviv grew out of ancient Jaffa. Gaze out over the Mediterranean Sea; learn why Jaffa, mentioned in the biblical story of Jonah and the Whale, is so historically important; and see how its Old City reflects the present as well as the past.
- Arming for Independence: Visit the Ayalon Institute near Rehovot and uncover its role in the establishment of the state of Israel. This secret ammunition factory produced millions of bullets for Jewish forces fighting for a Jewish state and the end of British rule over Palestine.
- From Hebrew City to Hebrew State: Walk along the Independence Trail in Tel Aviv and embark on a remarkable journey that begins with the founding of Tel Aviv in 1909 and ends with the establishment of Israel in 1948.
- Return to the hotel.
- Three Stars in the Israeli Sky: At nightfall, we will mark the end of a special Shabbat with a communal Havdallah ceremony.
- The City at Night: Tel Aviv’s food scene is on fire with world-class chefs and a huge range of happening restaurants. See and taste for yourself during a free evening. Afterwards, those who love the nightlife can sample the city’s bar, club and café culture or stroll along the refurbished promenade and port.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
COMMUNITIES COMING ALIVE
Sun. Dec 24, 2023
- Check out of the hotel.
- Visit Magen David Adom (MDA) headquarters, serving the needs of Israel’s growing population.
- Visit the inspiring Israel Sports Centre for the Disabled (ISCD) a world-renowned center that provides extraordinary rehabilitation services through the magic of sport.
- Head north and back in time to Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel's most important cities during the Roman Period. Explore life 2,000 years ago with its ancient theater, palace, and bathhouse.
- Visit Kfar Kedem in the Galilee for a hands-on family experience, exploring Jewish life of 2,000 years ago, including donkey rides, costumes, pita baking and more.
- A Taste of the Galilee: We’ll be welcomed into the home of an Israeli Arab family to hear about their lives and to enjoy a mini-workshop on the culinary traditions of the Galilee. Our GalilEat host family will prepare some delicious local delicacies and provide expert advice as we whip up a classic local dish for dinner.
- Continue to the Upper Galilee hotel for check-in.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 5
NATURE AND SECURITY IN THE NORTH
Mon. Dec 25, 2023
- Go off-road for a jeep tour on the Golan Heights that will combine natural beauty with insights into one of Israel's most strategically important areas. We recommend talking with your jeep drivers about their personal experiences and feelings about the Golan.
- Northern Borders: We'll gaze across the Golan and into Syria from the top of Mount Bental and learn more about Israel's geopolitical and security situation, including the current challenges Israel faces on its northern border, the impact of the tragic civil war in Syria, and hunker down in bunkers from the battles that took place here during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
- Option 1:
From Golan Grapes, Fine Wines Are Made: Where the mountains kiss the sky, nature speaks to you at the Odem Mountain Winery, located at the foot of Mount Hermon on the Golan Heights. Winemaker Adam Alfasi strives to create the perfect balance between nature and modern technology in producing quality boutique Kosher wines. We'll visit the vineyards and learn about Odem's winemaking process. - Option 2:
Take a tour of the Odem Deer Forest for families with children to see the animals and enjoy some activities. - Return to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 6
FROM THE HILLS OF THE NORTH TO THE HILLS OF JERUSALEM
Tue. Dec 26, 2023
- Check out of the hotel.
- Perhaps it’s the combination of mysticism and art, and maybe it’s the mountain air in Israel’s highest city; entering Tsfat, there is a sense of something uniquely Jewish but not quite of this world. Here, you could:
- Visit the Ari Synagogue and share in the inspiration and innovation that moved Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Holy Ari) and his fellow mystics. In Tsfat they developed the Kabbalah, the esoteric insights of Judaism and created Kabbalat Shabbat, the prayers sung on Friday evenings to welcome the arrival of the Sabbath followed by text study. Synagogue, in the 16th century. It is where Rabbi Joseph Caro, one of the greatest of all Jewish legal authorities, taught and lived. Hear the story of how he was visited here by a maggid, an angelic messenger, who revealed secrets of the Torah.
- As we drive south through the Jordan Valley, we’ll discuss the strategic and political situation in this area and consider how Israeli control over it is viewed by some as vital to national security but by others as an impediment to any future agreement with the Palestinians.
- How Fast Can This Thing Go? The patriarch Abraham will welcome us to Genesis Land for a taste of life and travel in biblical times as we take a camel for a test drive. Afterwards we will experience how guests were treated like royalty in biblical times in a spacious desert tent and enjoy a traditional "hafla" dinner.
- A First Look at the Holy City: Over the centuries, many have been moved and awed by their first sight of Jerusalem. We'll stop at a stunning overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
- Check into the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 7
THE POWER OF MEMORY
Wed. Dec 27, 2023
- J² Salon Talk: A Time to Remember and a Time to Forget. Memory is a key part of Jewish identity. But aren’t some parts of history better left forgotten? We’ll be hearing from a variety of voices - Bob Marley, Yehuda Amihai, Rabbi Nahman, and Elie Wiesel – to talk about the role of remembering and forgetting in Jewish life.
- ADULTS:
Visit Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, an essential emotional and educational experience. Your guided tour will include:- The Avenue of the Righteous, where trees symbolic of the renewal of life have been planted along with plaques honoring brave non-Jews who saved Jews during the Shoah.
- The Historical Museum, a state-of-the-art interactive display reflecting decades of research and educational expertise. The story of the Holocaust, with an emphasis on individual victims, is told through survivor testimonies, original artifacts, and personal possessions saved from the ghettos and camps.
- The Children’s Memorial, commemorating the 1.5 million children lost during the Holocaust.
- A memorial service where we will pay tribute to those who were lost. It will include the opportunity to talk about family members and loved ones who died during the Shoah.
- CHILDREN UNDER 12:
Two by Two the Animals Went into the Ark: The Biblical Zoo is one of Jerusalem’s loveliest places. It has a great collection of animals with a special focus on creatures mentioned in the Bible. It includes 62 acres of open areas where the animals live, a zoo train if you don’t feel like walking, a petting zoo, and plenty of other activities to keep all ages enthralled. - Take part in an archaeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves: prepare to get your hands dirty uncovering pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2,300 years ago, and optionally crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Return to Jerusalem and to the hotel.
- High Times in the Holy City: Jerusalem at night provides a very different vision of the Holy City. Check out how the locals let their hair down during a free evening and explore Jerusalem nightlife.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
PASSAGES IN TIME
Thu. Dec 28, 2023
- A Milestone Amid a Movement: Celebrate the B'nei Mitzvah at the beautiful Taube Family Campus of the Hebrew Union College (HUC).
- Discover the archaeological treasures and other highlights of the Jewish Quarter:
- Climb to the rooftops to see and discuss the ties and tensions between the different faith groups and communities of the Old City. From this one spot, we’ll look out over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, venerated by Christian groups as the burial place of Jesus; the golden Dome of the Rock, which is sacred to Islam; and the Jewish Quarter’s famous Hurva Synagogue.
- Walk through the Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns.
- Stop next to King Hezekiah's “Broad Wall,” a massive wall built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 years ago.
- No visit to Israel is complete without experiencing the Kotel (Western Wall), widely considered Judaism’s holiest site. Each year, over one million notes containing prayers and wishes are placed in the cracks of the wall. We’ll discuss the wall’s historical and contemporary importance and experience its unique atmosphere. Continue Southern Wall steps used by Jewish pilgrims to enter the Temple, 2,000 years ago. But there is much else to see, including Robinson’s Arch, and the remains of a major Second Temple-period street.
- Take a multi-cultural tasting journey through the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda open-air market: Enjoy the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of this vibrant area where Jerusalemites shop. This doubles as a delicious as a dinner.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 9
THE DEAD SEA BASIN
Fri. Dec 29, 2023
- Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before setting out to explore the Dead Sea region.
- As Low as It Goes: We'll drive to the Dead Sea Basin, 1412 feet below sea level and the lowest place on earth. The desert, the landscape, and the views are breathtaking.
- The Last Stand: Take the cable car to the top of Masada with its extraordinary views and fascinating archaeological remains. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is where Jewish rebels are believed to have made their final attempt to resist Roman invaders (c 74 CE). We'll learn about Masada's importance as a symbol of Jewish defense and discuss its influence on modern Israel.
- The Sea of Salt: Float into happiness at The Dead Sea. Not much can live or swim in what is the saltiest piece of water in the world, nine times saltier than the ocean, but the weightless feeling of floating is great fun.
- Return to the hotel and prepare for Shabbat.
- Togetherness at the Wall: We’ll return to the Old City for Kabbalat Shabbat services at Ezrat Israel, the pluralistic section of the Kotel (Western Wall). This space for egalitarian prayer at the Kotel was only established after sustained struggle and the issue of progressive prayer at Judaism’s most sacred Site remains one of the most controversial issues in the Jewish world. Nonetheless, the dominant themes as we welcome Shabbat will be of joy and togetherness.
- Friday night dinner is the traditional highlight of the Jewish week. It’s also a favorite time for the Jewish stomach! We’ll share in the rituals, the recipes, and the relaxation of Shabbat in Jerusalem and talk with Lone Soldiers – young men and women who have come to Israel without their families to serve in the IDF – about their experiences.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
Sat. Dec 30, 2023
- Ascend the Old City Ramparts for a walk along the ancient walls of the city.
- Enter the Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem, for a walk through the city’s history – with observation points, an animated film and visual and audio-visual aids – from the time of Abraham to the end of the British Mandate over Palestine.
- Visit the renewed Israel Museum, with its wide-ranging and eclectic collection, from Archaeology and the Dead Sea Scrolls, to Jewish Life and Art, European art, contemporary Israeli art and the open-air model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period.
- Let’s Wrap It Up: Final session to reflect on your experience and look back over the course of the last ten days.
- Late check out from the hotel.
- Festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
- Ben Kodesh Lechol: Havdallah.
- Group transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport for the departure flight to the USA.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 11
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Sun. Dec 31, 2023
- Return to the USA.
RATES & LODGING
participants
20+
Cost p/p in double room
$5,900
Cost p/p in single room
$8,190
Child As 3rd (Reduction)
- ($1,400)
Tel Aviv: Sheraton
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Deluxe
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Classic
- Hotel Website
Jerusalem: David Citadel
- Nights: 4+LCO
- Room Category: Superior new city
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 8 nights' accommodations. Late check out on the day of departure is included.
- 9 days of touring with a tour educator (guide), 8 days of touring in a luxury, air-conditioned bus.
- Daily breakfast & 7 dinners.
- Water on the bus.
- Porterage at the hotels.
- All site entrance fees & program fees as per your final program.
- Credit card fees.
- Flights to & from Israel.
- COVID related expenses, including tests.
- Evening transportation when dinner is not included.
- Amendments to the program: In the event that any sites, programs or meals etc. are added to the program, an additional fee may be required.
- Personal extras: Items of personal nature such as laundry, wines, mineral water, beverages, coffee, tea, food other than the table d’hotel menu, passport and visa fees, insurance, and foreign port taxes, unless otherwise specified.
- US and foreign airport taxes, Q fuel surcharge and border taxes when applicable.
- Value Added Tax is currently not applicable to tourists visiting Israel. Should the law change, you will be notified accordingly, and VAT will be added to your final invoice.
- Gratuities: Recommend guidelines for tipping are provided in the terms section.
- Please review our terms & conditions (T&C’s) or request that we send you our full T&C’s. Until you do that, here is the small print, and other stuff you may want to know:
- Validity | All prices quoted are based on exchange rates as of the proposal date and are subject to change without notice. Rates are per person and are based on shared twin room occupancy.
- How to Make a Reservation | The quickest way to make a reservation is to register online or contact us by email. We accept VISA, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required in order to complete the registration process.
- For any assistance with this registration process or other trip-related queries, please email Customer Care: [email protected].
- Payments | The balance of your payment is due 90 days before your trip begins, or as specified in your invoice. You will receive an email reminder 2 weeks before this date. Various payment options are available as follows:
- Credit card | We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Please check with your credit card provider regarding international processing fees. We are unable to process payments of over $1,000 over the phone. Please submit payment online via a credit card or by wiring funds via your bank.
- Domestic bank wire transfer | Payment should be wired in the same currency that is listed on your invoice. Please add the name of your group or invoice number as a reference and forward a copy of the transfer receipt by email. The bank transfer should clearly state the beneficiary’s name on the wire transfer.
- Please use the following information: Citizens Bank: 1 Citizens Drive, Riverside, RI 02915 Routing number: 021313103 (Domestic only) ACH: 036076150 SWIFT Code: CTZIUS33 (International only)
- Beneficiary Instructions: For the benefit of J² Adventures. Account number: 1001858331
- J² Adventures reserves the right to automatically cancel your reservation on that date and it may be subject to reconfirmation should the final payment not be received.
- Cancelation Policy | All cancelations need to be made in writing. The cancelation fee depends on the date when we receive written notification of your request to cancel your booking. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable.
- Cancelation fees | Cancelations made 90 or more days prior to departure incur the loss of the deposit. Cancelations made 89 to 46 days prior to departure incur the loss of 50% of the full trip cost. Cancelations made 45 days or less prior to the departure incur the loss of 100% of the full trip cost.
- Cancelation fees may also include: Hotel or supplier cancelation fees. J² Adventures reserves the right to adjust its terms of payment, including cancelation policies and initial deposits.
- Protect your investment for $495 p/p: Should you cancel your trip up to 5 days before your departure for any reason, our POM program offers you a trip refund. Call 888-230-6008 or e-mail: [email protected].
- Please click here to view our full terms (T&C’s). These T&C’s apply to all reservations created within J2 Adventures.
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JEWISH JOURNEYS.
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