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.
Early bird discount: Participants who complete registration and pay the $500 per person deposit by October 15 will receive $100 off per person, which will be deducted from the final trip invoice.
Food Tasting Tour 
Nature Walks 
Family Friendly 
Food & Wine 
Local Specialists 
Rafting & Kayaking 
Archaeology 
Art & Culture 
Jeep Tour
Program Itinerary
DAY 1
THE START OF A SPECIAL JOURNEY
Mon. Jun 17, 2024
- Tour begins: 4pm at the Carlton Tel Aviv hotel.
- Orientation and welcome dinner.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Dinner
DAY 2
THE BEAT OF THE CITY
Tue. Jun 18, 2024
- 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.
- Mending Hearts: Meet children from the Middle East and Africa who are getting a new chance at life at Save a Child’s Heart. Based in Holon, this Israeli humanitarian project provides life-saving surgery and care for children with heart diseases from 59 countries and territories, including the Palestinian Authority and Jordan, where the most up-to-date medical care is not available. (The children of Save a Child’s Heart always appreciate gifts of art supplies and small treats.
- Calling Boutique-Loving Hipsters: Browse your way through Nachalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv’s arts and crafts market before we check out the hustle and bustle at the Carmel Market.
- 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.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3
ALONG THE COAST
Wed. Jun 19, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Drive along the coast 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. Stop at the Ancient Roman Aqueduct, located on the pristine beaches of Caesarea. With the ruins of a past empire to your backs, enjoy the power of the sand, sea and the rush of the water.
- Visit the Hula Nature Reserve, home to thousands of storks, cranes, pelicans, and flamingos. Enjoy bike-riding and golf-carting.
- 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.
- Check into the hotel.
- Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 4
PASSAGES IN TIME
Thu. Jun 20, 2024
- Stop by Tel Faher, an abandoned Syrian outpost that once threatened the northern towns of Israel and follow the footsteps of Israeli soldiers who fought there in the 1967 Six-Day War. The view offers an invaluable insight into the challenges of the war and its rapid and unexpected conclusion.
- Go for a jeep tour of the Golan Heights.
- 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.
- Celebrate a Bnai Mitzvah in Ancient Katzrin.
- 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.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 5
FROM THE HILLS OF THE NORTH TO THE HILLS OF JERUSALEM
Fri. Jun 21, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Walk around the peak of Mount Meron, the highest mountain in the Galilee and a beautiful nature reserve. At the foot of the mountain is the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a longtime beacon for Jewish mystics from the city of Safed across the valley.
- 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’ll:
- 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.
- Walk through the cobbled streets and alleyways to the Artists’ Colony with its galleries, shops, and studios. Tour the Tsfat Candle Factory.
- Overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
- Check into the hotel.
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at Kehillat Yozma in Modi’in, led by Rabbi Nir Barkin.
- Home Hospitality Shabbat dinner/communal Shabbat dinner with local congregants OR festive Shabbat dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 6
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
Sat. Jun 22, 2024
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Tour the Tower of David Museum and explore the city's history – from the time of Abraham to the end of the British Mandate over Palestine:
- Havdalah overlooking the Old City.
- Watch the Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum, a cinematic celebration of sight and sound depicting the story of Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7
MEMORY AND RENWAL
Sun. Jun 23, 2024
- 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.
- Children: Visit Ein Yael, an interactive, living museum, located on a 2,000-year-old archaeological site.
- Sacrifice and the State: Visit Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery, to discuss key events in the nation's history and to honor those who fell while fighting for the state. Our visit will include the main military cemetery where Israel's fallen soldiers are buried side-by-side regardless of rank, each with a simple, stark gravestone.
- Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Mahane Yehuda open-air market.
- Tour the grounds of Israel’s “Capitol Hill”: The Rose Garden, featuring more than 400 species of roses imported from all around the world; The Knesset – Israel’s Parliament building and its famous Menorah – Israel’s symbol monument built from bronze; The Supreme Court – designed to reflect Jewish and democratic values of justice.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 8
THE DEAD SEA BASIN BEYOND BORDERS
Mon. Jun 24, 2024
- 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 in 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.
- Hike in Nahal David, part of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. This is a desert oasis with springs, waterfalls, and freshwater pools, so don't forget your swimsuits. Featured are the ibex, hyraxes, and other desert mammals that live in this area. Nahal David is named after the biblical David, who fled here to escape from the murderous King Saul.
- Return to Jerusalem and to the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 9
BEYOND THE BORDERS
Tue. Jun 25, 2024
- At the Heart of It All: Explore the City of David, the core of ancient Jerusalem, and learn how the city was administered during the First Temple period. Our visit will include:
- Archaeological discoveries illustrating how the wealthy and powerful lived in ancient Jerusalem.
- The Gihon Spring, the source of Jerusalem's water, which was integral to its survival and religious ceremonies.
- Ride the longest zipline in Israel at “Eretz Ha’ayalim” (Deer Land) in the Etzion Bloc.
- Is Religion the Way Forward or an Obstacle to Peace? We’ll go beyond the Green Line to meet with Ali Abu Awwad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger/ Rabbi Shaul Judelman from Shorashim (Roots), a program bringing West Bank Palestinians and their Jewish neighbors together despite their fears and suspicions.
- Return to Jerusalem.
- Late check-out from the hotel.
- Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
- Tour ends: Bus departs from Jerusalem to the airport at 7:30pm. Please, book your departing flight after 11pm.
Overnight: Flight
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
RATES & LODGING
participants
25+
Cost p/p in double room
$4,590
Cost p/p in single room
$6,660
Child As 3rd (Reduction)
- ($1,400)
In addition to this price, all participants are expected to make a $1,000 per person donation to Congregation Or Ami.
Early bird discount: Participants who complete registration and pay the $500 per person deposit by October 15 will receive $100 off per person, which will be deducted from the final trip invoice.
Questions? Please contact Rabbi Kipnes at [email protected] Registration open
Early bird discount: Participants who complete registration and pay the $500 per person deposit by October 15 will receive $100 off per person, which will be deducted from the final trip invoice.
Questions? Please contact Rabbi Kipnes at [email protected] Registration open
Tel Aviv: Carlton
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Premium (Partial sea view)
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Classic
- Hotel Website
Jerusalem: The Inbal
- Nights: 4 + LCO
- Room Category: Deluxe new city
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 8 nights' accommodations. Late check out on the day of departure is included.
- 9 days of touring in a luxury, air-conditioned bus.
- Daily breakfast, 1 lunch & 5 dinners.
- Water on the bus.
- Porterage at the hotels.
- All site entrance fees & program fees as per your final program.
- Credit card fees.
- J2 tour educator (guide) for Option 2 & 4.
- 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.
- Gratuities: Recommend guidelines for tipping are provided in the terms section.
- 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.
- Peace of Mind Travel Protection Program (POM).
- 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 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.
- 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.
DISCOVER NEW WORLDS.
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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