Temple Emanuel
Congregational Trip to Israel

Led by Rabbi Joe Black and Cantor Elizabeth Sacks

Jun 8, 2023 - Jun 18, 2023

DESTINATION Israel
Who’s Going Multi-Generational
Trip Type Congregational
Duration 11 DAYS
Group Size 35+
Price From $4,595

J²way intro
Your journey
Itinerary
Rates & Lodging
What to expect

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.

Innovation
Heritage
Art & Culture
Archaeology
Food & Wine

Program Itinerary

DAY 1

ON THE WAY

Thu. Jun 8, 2023

DAY 2

THE START OF A SPECIAL JOURNEY

Fri. Jun 9, 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.
Ascend to Jerusalem and check into the hotel.
Shabbat candle-lighting with our brothers and sisters at Mevasseret Zion Kamatz OR Achvah Bakerem congregations
Blessings, Challah, and Friends: Friday night is the traditional highlight of the Jewish week and the Jewish stomach. Enjoy Shabbat dinner hosted by these communities.

Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Shabbat Dinner

DAY 3

A CITY OF LAYERS

Sat. Jun 10, 2023

Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
Congregate at the porch next to the Yemin Moshe windmill for a scenic overlook towards the Old City and Mount Zion. Mark your arrival to Jerusalem with a blessing of thanksgiving as Jews have done all throughout the ages.
Track 1:
- A First Look at the Holy City: Over the centuries, many have been moved and awed by their first sight of Jerusalem. We'll climb to the top of the Tower of David for a stunning overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional "shehechiyanu" blessing of thanksgiving.
- The Old City Ramparts: Stroll along the ancient outer walls for a bird's-eye view of the remarkably diverse yet closely bound communities of Jerusalem's Old City.
- 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:
  - The Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns.
  - 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.
- Explore the Christian Quarter with lunch on own.
Track 2:
- Enter the Old City through the Dung Gate and visit Kotel (Western Wall),. Experience the special atmosphere of the Kotel on Shabbat.
- The Israel Museum is an expansive campus showcasing centuries of life in the Land of Israel through art, archeology, and Judaica. Take a walk through the Second Temple model of Jerusalem and the Shrine of the Book and travel back two thousand years to a time of Jewish pluralism, creativity, and upheaval.
- Lunch on own at the museum.
ALL:
- ADULTS
  - Jerusalem and its Writers: Explore the streets of Jerusalem through the eyes and words of its poets and authors, including Yehuda Amichai and S. Y. Agnon.
- YOUTH
  - A Windmill, a Rich Guy, and a New Jerusalem: Follow the clues, manage your missions, and discover the secrets behind Yemin Moshe. From a generous Baron to an iconic windmill, this scavenger hunt will introduce you to the story and sights of Jerusalem as it moved out of the Old City and into the new world.
- ALL
  - Three Stars in the Israeli Sky: At nightfall, we will mark the end of a special Shabbat with a communal Havdallah ceremony.
- Night out at the Mamilla Mall, an upscale, open-air food and shopping area located outside the Old City’s Jaffa Gate.

Overnight: Jerusalem

DAY 4

MEMORY AND RENEWAL

Sun. Jun 11, 2023

Track 1:
- 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.
Track 2:
- 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 Memorial and Sculpture Garden focusing on the challenge of memorialization and the shifting place of the memory of the Holocaust in Israeli life.
  - The Art Museum, exploring the ways that art was used both during the Shoah and following the Shoah to describe and explain the nearly indescribable and unexplainable events of the murder of European Jewry.
Track 3:
- Set out on a safari in the Jerusalem Hills at the Biblical Zoo. See the outstanding collection of fauna from around the world, the conservation efforts of the Zoo, and the zoological mosaic of Israel and the Middle East.
ALL:
- Enjoy the Mahane Yehuda Shuk (market) and choose from one of our recommended restaurants and eateries.
- 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.
  - Track 1:
    - The Gihon Spring, the source of Jerusalem's water, which was integral to its survival and religious ceremonies.
    - Wading through the 2,700-year-old water tunnels, an architectural wonder of King Hezekiah's.
  - Track 2:
    - The City of David brings to light centuries of life in ancient Jerusalem, and specifically during the First Temple Period. Tour the archeological garden and see the Jerusalem of kings and warriors, of prophets and invaders.
    - From the heights above the Kidron Valley, the tour will focus on the geopolitical debates involved around the Temple Mount, the Holy Basin, and the City of David
Overnight: Jerusalem

DAY 5

INTO THE DESERT

Mon. Jun 12, 2023

Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before setting out to explore the Dead Sea region.
Track 1:
- 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: Climb via the Snake Path OR 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 Jerusalem and to the hotel.
Track 2:
- Salon Talk: Scott Copeland – the EVP of J2 Adventures and a renowned educator – will share the questions and challenges that Israelis are debating in 2023. Where are we going? And what still ties us all together?
- Drive by the Supreme Court and the Knesset. Hear about the Israeli protest movement and the Israeli government’s proposed judicial reform.
- Stop at the Knesset Menorah and share the defeats and victories of the Jewish people throughout the ages.
- Meet Yaron Shavit – the Deputy Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency and a leader in the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism.. Yaron will share his unique perspective on the impact of current Israeli issues on Israel-Diaspora relations, and the role of the Reform Movement as a vehicle for social change in Israel.
- Return to the hotel.

Overnight: Jerusalem

DAY 6

FROM MYSTICS TO DREAMRS

Tue. Jun 13, 2023

Check out of the hotel.
A Way Forward in the North: Visit Sindyanna of Galilee and sample some of their award-winning olive oil. We’ll learn how this non-profit organization is producing fine, fair-trade products and creating economic opportunities for Arab women, one of Israel’s most underemployed sectors. The tour will include:
- Talking with one of the basket weavers about her life and work. We’ll see how she uses traditional and modern weaving techniques and find out how Arab and Jewish women are coming together to learn and revitalize this long-established local craft.
- Weaving your own little piece of coexistence as we join one of the local women who are revitalizing the local craft of basket weaving.
ADULTS:
- 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.
YOUTH:
- Families in Tsfat: Find your way through the alley ways of Tsfat, uncovering the hidden words, secret codes and mystical messages on a family scavenger hunt through the Old City of the ancient Kabbalists.
ALL:
- Drive to the hotel for check-in, followed by dinner.

Overnight: Galilee Meals: Dinner

DAY 7

IN THE GOLAN

Wed. Jun 14, 2023

A jeep tour on the Golan Heights.
Track 1: Fun for Families.
- 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. Other activities include:
- Climb and Clamber: After cooling down, get your adrenaline levels up at the adventure park. It includes a 40-foot high, all-levels climbing wall and 20 different rope bridges.
- Zip: You can also ride on a 300-foot zipline that will send you careening into to the Jordan River.
Track 2: Geopolitics along the Syrian Border.
- Explore Israel’s security situation on the Golan Heights. Overlooking the Hula Valley from former Syrian fortifications, discuss the challenges Israel faced leading up to the 1967 Six-Day War.
- Watch the panoramic views from Mt. Bental (overlooking the abandoned Syrian town of Kuneitra) and gain sharp insights into Israel’s security situation on the Golan Heights and the enormous challenges it faced in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and today with the increasing presence of Russia and Iran.
- Visit Nimrod Fortress and see a bird’s eye view of the region, from the Crusaders’ viewpoint.
Return to the hotel for dinner.

Overnight: Galilee Meals: Dinner

DAY 8

INNOVATION THEN INNOVATION NOW

Thu. Jun 15, 2023

Check out of the hotel.
B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony at Kibbutz Sasa. The kibbutz is a special Jewish community born from an ethos of community and connection to the Land of Israel. Our visit will include a tour of the kibbutz, and adventure activities for the younger generation.
Stop at the Ancient Roman Aqueduct, located on the pristine beaches of Caesarea.
Continue 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.
The City at Night: Israel’s food scene is on fire with world-class chefs and a huge range of happening restaurants. See and taste for yourself with dinner. We’ll be happy to make reservations and recommendations so that you can enjoy a night out at the Israeli restaurant ideal for you.

Overnight: Tel Aviv

DAY 9

ADVENTURE IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

Fri. Jun 16, 2023

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. Walk through Jaffa's famous flea market – Shuk Hapishpeshim.
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.
Track 1 – The Tel Aviv Story.
Walk the streets of early Tel Aviv from the edge of Neve Zedek and along the Train Track Park. How did Tel Aviv begin and who were the early pioneer still recalled in the streets throughout the city.
Track 2 – Free time in the city or on the Beach.
Kabbalat Shabbat services: On the rooftop of Mishkenot Ruth in Jaffa, together with Har Hashem (Boulder) and Tlamim, the IMPJ's young adult movement. As the sun sets over Tel Aviv, welcome Shabbat through prayer, song, and community dinner.

Overnight: Tel Aviv Meals: Shabbat Dinner

DAY 10

CREATING MEMORIES

Sat. Jun 17, 2023

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.
Bnai Mitzvah ceremony followed by farewell lunch at Riverside located at the edge of the north bank of the Yarkon River, where the White-City of Tel Aviv and nature merge.
Free time for last minute shopping and packing.
Late check-out and then transfer to Ben Gurion Airport.

Meals: Dinner

DAY 11

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

Sun. Jun 18, 2023

Return to the USA.

RATES & LODGING

participants

35+

Cost p/p in double room

$4,595

Cost p/p in single room

$6,285

Child As 3rd (Reduction)

- ($1,100)

Cost of accommodations for pre & post nights including breakfast and all taxes:
-Jerusalem: Inbal - per request
-Tel Aviv: Inter Continental David $520,- per night per double occupancy room, $490,- per night per single occupancy room.
*All rates are subject to availability. Registration closed

Jerusalem: The Inbal

Nights: 4

Room Category: Standard

Hotel Website

Upper Galilee: Hotel HaGoshrim nature

Nights: 2

Room Category: Boutique

Hotel Website

Tel Aviv: Intercontinental David

Nights: 2+LCO

Room Category: Classic

Hotel Website

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.
1 Group arrival transfer & assistance at the airport.
1 Group departure transfer & assistance at the airport.
Daily breakfast & 5 dinners.
Water on the bus.
Porterage at the airport & hotels.
All site entrance fees & program fees as per your final program.

Cost of Bnai Mitzvah Ceremonies and venue (June 15 & 17th)
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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