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.
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Program Itinerary
DAY 1
DEPARTURE
Sun. Jun 11, 2023
- Depart the USA.
DAY 2
THE START OF A JOURNEY
Mon. Jun 12, 2023
- Arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport. Our representative will be on hand to assist with all formalities and ensure your journey has the smoothest of starts.
- Meet your tour educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
- Welcome to Jerusalem: Drive to the vibrant and colorful ancient city of Jerusalem, and experience the convergence of the old and the new.
- 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 Mount Scopus for a stunning overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving followed by orientation with Cantor Goldberg and your tour educator.
- Check into the hotel.
- Enjoy a festive welcome dinner at a Focaccia Bar restaurant.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3
THE LAYERS OF JERUSALEM
Tue. Jun 13, 2023
- Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
- Going Under, Going Deeper: Explore the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Kotel, and examine important archaeological discoveries that are revising our understanding of daily life in ancient Jerusalem.
- Take a walking tour through Jerusalem’s Old City and the Jewish Quarter and experience the center of Jewish life, history, and holiness. Among the highlights will be:
- A walk along the rooftops that will provide an extraordinary scene of multi-faith Jerusalem. From this one spot, we will see the domes of three great religious landmarks: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (marking where Jesus is believed to have been crucified); the Jewish Quarter’s Hurva synagogue; and the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam’s most sacred and beautiful sites.
- The Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns.
- King Hezekiah’s “Broad Wall”, a massive wall built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 years ago.
- Hurva Square, the center of modern-day life in the Jewish Quarter.
- 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.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
THE DEAD SEA
Wed. Jun 14, 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, 1,412 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 or climb 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 in the Dead Sea and enjoy a buffet lunch at the hotel. 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 Jerusalem and to the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 5
PASSAGES IN TIME
Thu. Jun 15, 2023
- Talk with Professor Paul Liptz of Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew Union College about the key issues shaping Israeli society today.
- 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 lunch.
- Diggin' for Roots: We'll literally get in touch with the land and history of Israel during an archaeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves. Get your hands dirty uncovering pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2300 years ago before crawling through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth.
- The non-crawlers among us will visit a more spacious part of the cave complex in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Return to Jerusalem and to the hotel.
- Enjoy an evening session with Cantor Goldberg.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 6
THE POWER OF MEMORY
Fri. Jun 16, 2023
- Explore the wonderfully creative Israel Museum, housing more than 5,000 years of cultural treasures. Highlights include the archaeology wing, with the most extensive collection of biblical artifacts in the world; the Jewish art and life wing; the fine arts wing; the sculpture garden; and the open-air model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. Don't miss the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, considered the world's oldest existing biblical manuscripts.
- 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.
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at Kol HaNeshama followed by Shabbat dinner*.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Shabbat Dinner
DAY 7
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
Sat. Jun 17, 2023
- Optional: Attend Shabbat morning services at one of the nearby Jerusalem synagogues. Depart the hotel for a walking tour.
- Yemin Moshe and Mishkenot Sha'ananim: Get to know the great banker and philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore as you explore the pastoral neighborhoods, famous windmill and the artists’ colony that he developed and which transformed Jerusalem in the nineteenth century.
- En route, view two of modern Jerusalem’s most storied and important landmarks: the King David Hotel and the YMCA building.
- Three Stars in the Jerusalem Sky: At nightfall, we will mark the end of a special Shabbat with a communal Havdallah ceremony overlooking the Old City.
- Free time in the Mamilla Mall, an upscale shopping street and the only open-air mall in Jerusalem, located outside the Jaffa Gate of the Old City.
- Lights! Action! Jerusalem! Watch the Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum. The walls of the Citadel serve as the stage for this cinematic celebration of sight and sound depicting the story of Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
FROM THE HILLS OF JERUSALEM TO THE HILLS OF THE NORTH
Sun. Jun 18, 2023
- Check out of the hotel.
- As we drive north on the Trans-Israel Highway, there will be plenty of opportunities to see the Security Barrier which runs along the seam zone between Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and to learn about the barrier’s effects on Israeli security and Palestinian communities.
- 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.
- See the Caro Synagogue, built originally, like the Ari 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.
- Up There Where We Belong: The Agamon Hula (Hula Lake), Israel’s best place for bird-watching, is home to thousands of storks, cranes, pelicans and flamingos. We’ll learn why early Zionist efforts to drain these swamps have been replaced by environmental protection. And for those with a need for speed, there’s bike-riding and golf-carting.
- Check into the hotel, followed by dinner.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 9
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Mon. Jun 19, 2023
- Paradise Springs is one of the places we’ll visit at the Tel Dan Nature Reserve. We’ll tour the remains of a 5,000- year-old city and find out why water is like gold in the parched Middle East.
- Northern Borders, Northern Battles: We'll gaze across the Golan and into Syria from the top of Mount Bental and gain powerful insights into Israel's geopolitical and security situation. Analyze the current challenges Israel faces on its northern border, examine the impact of the tragic civil war in Syria, and hunker down in bunkers from the vital battles that took place here during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
- Sample the Golan Height’s finest wine at the Pelter Winery, owned by brothers who ran this winery out of their family farm backyard.
- Cool Off Down the Jordan River: With the hot weather, it’s time to take to the water with rafting or kayaking down the Jordan River. This is the parched Middle East rather than the Rockies, so the current is mainly calm and suitable for ages five and up. Water shoes are recommended.
- Return to the hotel for dinner.
- Enjoy an evening session with Cantor Goldberg.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10
COMMUNITIES COMING ALIVE
Tue. Jun 20, 2023
- Check out of the hotel.
- Farmers, Fighters, and Flyers: Visit Nahalal, Israel’s first moshav, and encounter the Israeli experiment of communal living, then and now. We’ll discuss why its members played such a prominent role in the Israeli military while visiting the village’s secret weapons hideaway used during the 1948 War of Independence. We will also stop at the graves of famed General and politician Moshe Dayan, and two Israeli fighter pilots, Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut, who died during the Columbia space shuttle mission of 2003, and his son Assaf, who died at age 21 during a training flight.
- Visit a village on Mount Carmel and meet Israel’s Druze community. Home hospitality lunch with a Druze family.
- Drive along the coast to 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.
- Welcome to Tel Aviv: Enter 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.
- Salon Talk with Scott Copeland: Tel Aviv-The New Jewish Normal. You might have heard Tel Aviv described as a Mediterranean mini-Manhattan or the party capital of the Middle East. But we are going to explore and uncover – through music, art, texts, and sites – an alternative version of Tel Aviv that embodies a new expression of Jewish and Israeli identity.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 11
A NEW CITY
Wed. Jun 21, 2023
- 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.
- From Hebrew City to Hebrew State: Walk along the Independence Trail 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.
- Join locals at the Carmel Market and treat yourself to lunch with food options from all over the Mediterranean.
- Experience the dynamism of Jewish life at the newly opened ANU Museum of the Jewish People, dedicated to telling their story and representing their diversity, highlighting the creative works and cultural riches of a variety of communities in different periods of history until the present day.
- Late check-out from the hotel.
- Festive farewell dinner at a Maganda restaurant.
- Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport and check in for your return flight.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 12
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Thu. Jun 22, 2023
- Return to the USA.
RATES & LODGING
participants
30+
Cost p/p in double room
$5,637
Cost p/p in single room
$7,537
Cost of accommodations for pre & post nights including breakfast and all taxes:
- Tel Aviv: Carlton $484,- per night per double occupancy room, $462,- per night per single occupancy room, $517,- per night per double occupancy room with child as third.
- Jerusalem: only as per request
*All rates are subject to availability. Registration closed
Jerusalem: The Inbal
- Nights: 6
- Room Category: DLX New City
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Classic
- Hotel Website
Tel Aviv: Carlton
- Nights: 1+LCO
- Room Category: Premium Partial Sea View
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 9 nights' accommodations. Late check out on the day of departure is included.
- 10 days of touring with a tour educator (guide) in a luxury, air-conditioned bus.
- 1 Group arrival transfer & assistance at the airport.
- 1 Group departure transfer & assistance at the airport.
- Daily breakfast, 2 lunches & 6 dinners.
- Water on the bus.
- Porterage at the airport & 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 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. Please refer to the small print tab on your trip’s webpage or in your proposal for your cancelation policy and fees.
- 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.
A family vacation to Israel. An adventure of a lifetime traveling with friends to Morocco. A trip to Poland or Portugal with your community. What do these trips have in common? No matter where you go, you will come back with a fresh perspective and appreciation of the place you visited as well as a heightened awareness of your identity as part of the global Jewish community.
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