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
The journey featured on this page is open to all & the trip leader welcomes your participation!
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.
Active 
Food & Wine 
Archaeology 
Art & Culture 
Home Hospitality 
Cooking Workshop 
VR Experience
Program Itinerary
DAY 1
ON OUR WAY TO ISRAEL
Wed. Jun 14, 2023
- Depart the USA.
DAY 2
WELCOME TO ISRAEL
Thu. Jun 15, 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.
- Group transfer to Jerusalem and check into the hotel.
- Welcome dinner at a local restaurant and orientation with Rabbi Klein and your tour educator.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3
THE LAYERS Of JERUSALEM
Fri. Jun 16, 2023
- Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
- 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 Sepulcher, 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.
- The Jerusalem Archaeological Park is a large-scale excavation that has uncovered vital parts of ancient Jerusalem. A particular highlight is to walk on the 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, the remains of a major Second Temple-period Street, and drainage tunnels used by Jewish fighters hiding from the Roman invaders.
- No visit to Israel is complete without experiencing the Kotel (Western Wall), widely considered Judaism’s holiest site.
- 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.
- The City of Shabbat: Join Jerusalem in welcoming the Sabbath, the high point of the Jewish week, with Kabbalat Shabbat services at the Tachana.
- Shabbat dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Shabbat dinner
DAY 4
INTO THE DESERT, MASADA & THE DEAD SEA
Sat. Jun 17, 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 breath-taking.
- 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 defence and discuss its influence on modern Israel.
- 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.
- "Swim" in the Sea of Salt: Float into happiness at a hotel beach on 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.
- Visit Qumran, the area where the Dead Sea Sect established a community and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
- Retun to the hotel.
- Ben Kodesh Lechol: Havdallah overlooking the Old City.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5
THE POWER OF MEMORY
Sun. Jun 18, 2023
- 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.
- Leaders of the Nation:* Visit the graves of Israeli leaders including Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres, and learn how they dealt with the great questions confronting the State. We will also visit the grave of Theodor Herzl, the founder of the modern Zionist movement.
- Tree Planting: Set your mark on the land with tree planting at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory or at the new Jerusalem Deer Valley Park for leisure and nature.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6
DIGGING FOR ROOTS
Mon. Jun 19, 2023
- Depart Jerusalem for Latrun.
- Tanks and a Tribute: Pay tribute to the men and women of Israel's armored division at the Armored Corps Memorial and Museum in Latrun. Located atop a militarily strategic hill on the main route from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Latrun and the nearby Ayalon Valley hosted many significant battles, from the time of Joshua Ben-Nun and Judah Maccabi to modern-day battles during the War of Independence and the Six Day War. Learn about the history and valor of the armored corps and view (or climb on) the tanks from various eras on display.
- 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.
- Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Mahane Yehuda open-air market.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch at the market
DAY 7
FROM THE HILLS OF JERUSALEM TO THE HILLS OF THE NORTH
Tue. Jun 20, 2023
- Check out of the hotel and depart.
- The Process for Progress: Discuss the way forward in the struggle for religious pluralism and gender equality in Israel with a representative from the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC).
- 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.
- Visit the Zippori National Park, known for its extraordinary ancient mosaics and its central role in Jewish life after the destruction of the temple. Visit the innovative Zippori National Park, Site of Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi’s codification of the Mishna and extraordinary ancient mosaics, with a special mosaic-making program for children and youth.
- You Be the Chef: We’ll be welcomed into the home of an Israeli Arab family to talk, over tea and coffee, about their lives and to join them for a GalilEat cooking workshop. The Arab villages of the Galilee are famous for their food, including fish and olive dishes and delicious desserts like knafeh and baklawa. We’ll find out the local culinary secrets and, mentored by our host family, whip up and eat a traditional dinner.
- Drive to the hotel for check-in.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner (cooking workshop)
DAY 8
ADVENTURES IN THE NORTH
Wed. Jun 21, 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.
- 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. Retrace the experiences of Israeli soldiers in their battles here during the Six Day War of 1967 and talk with your jeep drivers about their personal experiences and feelings about the Golan.
- Following a Dream: Enjoy a wine tasting and a tour of a family-owned kosher boutique winery located on Kibbutz Ein Zivan, on the Golan Heights.. We'll taste a few wines and liqueurs from the collection and learn about traditional winemaking process.
- 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 and enjoy the hotel pool.
- Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 9
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Thu. Jun 22, 2023
- Check out the hotel and depart.
- 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, 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.
- Head north 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.
- Drive to the hotel in Tel Aviv for check-in.
- The City at Night: Tel Aviv’s food scene is on fire with world-class chefs and a huge range of happening restaurants.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
DAY 10
THE BEAT OF THE CITY
Fri. Jun 23, 2023
- Modern Tel Aviv grew out of ancient Jaffa. Gaze out over the Mediterranean Sea; learn why affa, 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. Walk through Jaffa's famous flea market – Shuk Hapishpeshim.
- 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.
- 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.
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at Kehillat Yozma in Modi’in, led by Rabbi Nir Barkin.
- Home Hospitality Shabbat dinner/communal Shabbat dinner with Kehillat Yozma congregants.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast & Shabbat Dinner
DAY 11
CULTURE & CREATIVITY
Sat. Jun 24, 2023
- Day at leisure to explore Tel Aviv on own.
- Optional visit on own to 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.
- Three Stars in the Israel Sky: At nightfall, we will mark the end of a special Shabbat with a communal Havdallah ceremony.
- Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your return flight to the USA.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 12
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Sun. Jun 25, 2023
- Return to the USA.
RATES & LODGING
participants
20+
Cost p/p in double room
$4,900
Cost p/p in single room
$6,380
Child As 3rd (Reduction)
- ($650)
Jerusalem: Dan Panorama
- Nights: 5
- Room Category: Jerusalem
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Hotel HaGoshrim nature
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Classic
- Hotel Website
Tel Aviv: Crowne Plaza Beach
- Nights: 2+LCO
- Room Category: Deluxe
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 9 nights' accommodations.
- 10 days of touring with a tour educator (guide) in a luxury, air-conditioned bus.
- Group arrival transfer & assistance at the airport.
- Group departure transfer & assistance at the airport.
- Daily breakfast, 1 lunch & 5 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.
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.
J2 APP
Watch your J2 Journey come to life.
*coming soon
