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
When we invited our congregation to join us for an information session on October 4th about next year’s intergenerational trip to Israel, the world looked very different than it does today. As we continue to monitor the unfolding war in Gaza and the rebuilding efforts in Israel, we also know this congregational journey has only grown in importance. While we cannot predict the future, we can say that bearing witness, showing solidarity, and strengthening the relationship between Rodeph Sholom and Israel is vital, and we are moving forward with this trip. While it is too soon to know our exact itinerary, we know that we will be focusing on support for those in Israel who need us, along with seeing the beauty of the land and its people.
Please note:
• All registrants must purchase travel insurance.
• A $500 deposit is required per person.
• You may cancel within 72 hours of registration with a full refund.
• After 72 hours, your deposit becomes non-refundable.
• Full payment is due September 18, 2024. After this date, cancellation penalties will apply.
• See the registration form for more details
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), or by email: customercare@j2adventures.com.
Art & Culture 
Archaeology 
Family Friendly 
Nature Walks 
Street Food 
Heritage 
Jeep Tour 
Local Specialists
THE EXPERT
Program Itinerary
DAY 1
ON OUR WAY
Fri. Dec 20, 2024
- Depart the USA.
Overnight: Flight
DAY 2
WELCOME TO ISRAEL
Sat. Dec 21, 2024
- Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport.
- Check into the hotel.
- Meet your tour educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
- Mark the end of Shabbat and the beginning of our trip with a communal Havdalah ceremony overlooking the Old City.
- Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3
A CITY OF LAYERS
Sun. Dec 22, 2024
- Stop at the Haas Promenade for a traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
- Tour Jerusalem’s Old City and the Jewish Quarter.
- Among the highlights will be:
- A climb to the rooftops, overlooking the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the golden Dome of the Rock, and the famous Hurva Synagogue.
- The Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its Byzantine-era columns.
- King Hezekiah’s “Broad Wall,” built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 years ago.
- Hurva Square, the center of modern-day life in the Jewish Quarter.
- Enjoy photo opportunities at Live the Bible.
- Discover the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, including the Davidson Center, Robinson’s Arch, and the Southern Wall steps where Jewish pilgrims entered the Temple Mount 2,000 years ago.
- Visit 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.
- Explore the Western Wall Tunnel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
PASSAGES IN TIME
Mon. Dec 23, 2024
- Enjoy a B'nai Mitzvah celebration at the Egalitarian Kotel (in Hebrew “Azrat Israel”).
- Plant a tree at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory and gain insight into the urban wildlife of Jerusalem through bird-watching and bird-banding.
- Take part in an interactive archeological dig geared to all ages at the Beit Guvrin Caves.
- Return to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5
MEMORY AND RENEWAL
Tue. Dec 24, 2024
- Depart the hotel.
- Adults and children over 10: Visit Yad Vashem. Your guided tour will include:
- The Avenue of the Righteous.
- The Historical Museum.
- The Children’s Memorial, commemorating the 1.5 million children lost during the Holocaust.
- Share feelings and thoughts and discuss what we have experienced and learned.
- For children under 10: The Bloomfield Science Museum.
- Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Mahane Yehuda open-air market.
- Visit Pantry Packers, where you will pack food for Israel’s poorest families.
- Optional: Walk in the Old City to witness the Christmas Eve celebrations in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6
THE DEAD SEA BASIN
Wed. Dec 25, 2024
- Depart Jerusalem and descend to the Dead Sea Basin. Take the cable car to the top of Masada. 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.
- 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.
- Hike in Nahal David, part of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. This is a desert oasis with springs, waterfalls, and freshwater pools. Featured are the ibex, hyraxes, and other desert mammals that live in this area.
- Enjoy a visit to Genesis Land, where you will ride a camel, take part in pita baking, like in biblical times, and enjoy a traditional “hafla” dinner in a spacious tent.
- Return to Jerusalem. Enjoy a festive Hanukkah candle lighting followed by a walk through the Jerusalem neighborhoods to view the Festival of Lights in the Holy City.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 7
TO THE NORTH
Thu. Dec 26, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Drive north on the Trans-Israel Highway and see the Security Barrier.
- Spend time at the Zippori National Park, known for its extraordinary ancient mosaics and its central role in Jewish life after the destruction of the Temple.
- Visit Rish Lakish Olive Press, located on Moshav Zippori in the Galilee.
- Drive to the Upper Galilee and check into the hotel.
- Enjoy Hanukkah candle lighting and dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 8
SECURITY AND NATURE
Fri. Dec 27, 2024
- Take a nature walk along the Banias Stream, the second largest source of the Jordan River.
- Watch the views from Mt. Bental and gain insight about the reality in our neighboring countries.
- Hit the ground racing as we go off-road for a jeep tour of the Golan Heights that will combine natural beauty with insights into one of Israel's most strategically important areas.
- Join Gadi Elias and his family at their Baba Yona Ranch for Hanukkah candle lighting and a home hospitality dinner.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 9
A TAPESTRY OF COMMUNITY
Sat. Dec 28, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Encounter the Christian Crusaders and their Muslim rivals at Akko (Acre).
- Enjoy the overlook from the Baha’i Gardens.
- Visit a village on Mt. Carmel and meet Israel’s Druze community.
- Spend an afternoon with Haifa's Ohel Avraham Synagogue at Leo Baeck and finish with a Hanukkah party.
- Enter Tel Aviv and check into the hotel.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 10
THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
Sun. Dec 29, 2024
- 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.
- Join the volunteer organization Leket Israel and pick fruits and vegetables for those in need.
- Visit the Ayalon Institute near Rehovot and its secret ammunition factory.
- Return to Tel Aviv and enjoy Hanukkah candle lighting.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 11
A NEW CITY
Mon. Dec 30, 2024
- 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.
- Visit the Peres Peace Center, created by the late Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister and President of Israel.
- Cryptic clues and madcap missions will let you discover, on this scavenger hunt in Neve Zedek, why one of Tel Aviv’s oldest neighborhoods feels so young and cool.
- Participate in a municipal Hanukkah candle lighting.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 12
A MOSAIC OF THE CITY
Tue. Dec 31, 2024
- Visit ANU - Museum of the Jewish People, which is dedicated to telling the ongoing story of the Jewish people.
- Explore Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv’s arts and crafts market, before we move on to the Carmel Market.
- Eat, drink, and learn at the Carmel Market, where we’ll sample food, sweets, and spices from all over the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
- Free time to enjoy the city.
- Late checkout of the hotel.
- Enjoy a festive farewell dinner and Hanukkah candle lighting.
- Group transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport and check in for your flight.
Overnight: Flight
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 13
HOME AGAIN
Wed. Jan 1, 2025
- Arrive home. Happy New Year!
RATES & LODGING
participants
40+
Cost p/p in double room
$6,890
Cost p/p in single room
$9,390
Child As 3rd (Reduction)
- ($1,600)
Jerusalem: The Inbal
- Nights: 5
- Room Category: Deluxe
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Classic
- Hotel Website
Tel Aviv: Sheraton
- Nights: 3+LCO
- Room Category: Deluxe
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 10 nights' accommodations. Late check out on the day of departure is included.
- 11 days of touring with a tour educator (guide), 11 days of touring in a luxury, air-conditioned bus.
- Daily breakfast, 1 lunch & 5 dinners.
- The J² adventures App available on the App Store & on Google Play (active 7 days before your departure and throughout your trip).
- Water on the bus.
- All site entrance fees & program fees as per your final program.
- All gratuities.
- Porterage at the & hotels.
- 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.
- 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 $500 per person 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: customercare@j2adventures.com.
- 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.
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.
J2 STUFF.
We have everything you need to know before you go. Check out our Instagram my_j2adventures for cool updates and interesting tidbits.
The J2 App
available on the App Store & on Google Play.
