Temple Menorah
& Temple Israel
Discover Israel Together

Led by Rabbi Leah Lewis

Jun 19, 2024 - Jun 30, 2024

DESTINATION Israel
Who’s Going Families
Trip Type Congregational
Duration 12 DAYS
Group Size 30+
Price From $4,990

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.

Archaeology
Art & Culture
Family Friendly
Heritage
Current Affairs
Food & Wine
Jeep Tour
Local Specialists
Rafting & Kayaking
Nature Walks
Active

Program Itinerary

DAY 1

DEPARTURE

Wed. Jun 19, 2024

Depart the USA.

Overnight: Flight

DAY 2

ARRIVAL

Thu. Jun 20, 2024

Arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Meet your tour educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
Check into the hotel.  
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Tel Aviv Meals: Dinner

DAY 3

THE HEBREW CITY

Fri. Jun 21, 2024

Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
The State of the State of Israel: Talk with Professor Paul Liptz of Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew Union College about the key issues shaping Israeli society today. Find out whether the country is stronger than ever or splitting into separate “tribes”.
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.
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. 
From Hebrew City to Hebrew State: 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. 
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.
Return to the hotel. 
Kabbalat Shabbat service at the Beach followed by dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Tel Aviv Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 4

SHABBAT IN TEL AVIV

Sat. Jun 22, 2024

Study session led by Rabbi.
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.  
A Fallen Leader, A Fallen Soldier: The assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 was one of the great traumas of Israeli political history. Discuss his life and death at Rabin Square, the place where he was murdered, and take a quiet moment to reflect at the Rabin Memorial. We’ll also see how Rabin Square has become one of the crucial public spaces in Israel and the location for political protests, state ceremonies and spontaneous celebrations.
What’s Going on in Bohemian Tel Aviv? Join an expert on Tel Aviv’s alternative scene for an urban adventure. Explore the latest street art, slang, and graffiti and find out what they reveal about life, ideas, and ideology in Israel’s cultural capital. Three Stars in the Israeli Sky: At nightfall, we will mark the end of a special Shabbat with a communal Havdallah ceremony.
The City at Night: Tel Aviv’s food scene is on fire with world-class chefs and a huge range of happening restaurants. See and taste for yourself during a free evening. Afterwards, those who love the nightlife can sample the city’s bar, club and café culture or stroll along the refurbished promenade and port.

Overnight: Tel Aviv Meals: Breakfast

DAY 5

COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTH

Sun. Jun 23, 2024

Check out of the hotel.
Head north 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.
Visit Kfar Kedem in the Galilee for a hands-on family experience, exploring Jewish life of 2,000 years ago, including donkey rides, costumes, pita baking and more.
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.
Check into the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Upper Galilee Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 6

ADVENTURES IN THE NORTH

Mon. Jun 24, 2024

Go off-road for a jeep tour on the Golan Heights that will combine natural beauty with insights into one of Israel's most strategically important areas. We recommend talking with your jeep drivers about their personal experiences and feelings about the Golan.
Northern Borders:: We'll gaze across the Golan and into Syria from the top of Mount Bental and learn more about Israel's geopolitical and security situation, including the current challenges Israel faces on its northern border, the impact of the tragic civil war in Syria, and hunker down in bunkers from the battles that took place here during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Take a nature hike to the Hanging Trail at the Banias Nature Reserve. The trail is suspended above the gorge and the rushing waters of the Banias Stream, the second largest source of the Jordan River, at the foot of Mount Hermon. We'll end at the famous Banias Waterfall, the largest in Israel.
Wine tasting at a local boutique winery.
Return to the hotel for dinner.

Overnight: Upper Galilee Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 7

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Tue. Jun 25, 2024

Check out of the hotel.
Option 1: 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.
Option 2: Cryptic Clues and Mystical Messages: Explore a cave of secrets, climb to the top of a bell tower, and discover how a rabbi saved his community from a deadly earthquake on this scavenger hunt through the mystical, magical city of Tsfat.
Drive through Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Visit Tiberias, numbered among the four Jewish holy cities in the land because of its connection with the codification of the Talmud some 1,600 years ago.
As we drive south through the Jordan Valley, we’ll discuss the strategic and political situation in this area and consider how Israeli control over it is viewed by some as vital to national security but by others as an impediment to any future agreement with the Palestinians.
Take an interactive tour of the Bio-Bee fields, where environmentally-friendly ways to protect crops, which use flies, bees and owls rather than pesticides, are developed. We’ll see how this is thriving in 21st century Israel and is strengthening environmentalism in the international marketplace.
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 a stunning overview of the city and celebrate our arrival with a special ceremony and the traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
Check into the hotel.

Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 8

TRACK DAY

Wed. Jun 26, 2024

Track options with Temple Israel of Long beach:
- Option 1: The Dead sea Basin
- Option 2: The challenges of Region
  - 1 City, 2 States, 3 Religions, and 4 Tribes: Take a ride on Jerusalem's light rail and experience the mosaic of the Jerusalem population. As we travel through Jerusalem's diverse neighborhoods, including those populated by Hareidim and Arabs, we'll note the difference between East and West Jerusalem and the ongoing struggles between the city's different communities. Discuss whether Jerusalem is divided, as President Ruby Rivlin has suggested, into four "tribes."
  - 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.
  Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 9

THE POWER OF MEMORY

Thu. Jun 27, 2024

B'nei Mitzvah Ceremony at HUC Lawn.
Option 1:
Adults and children over 10: Visit Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, an essential emotional and educational experience. Your 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.
- A memorial service where we will pay tribute to those who were lost. It will include the opportunity to talk about family members and loved ones who died during the Shoah.
Option 2:
Children under 10: Ancient Crafts, Young Artisans: Experience Ein Yael, an interactive, living museum, located on a 2,000-year-old archaeological site. Weave, paint, and try your hand at crafts typical of life in ancient times.
Option 3:
Returnees: A program for returnees who want to deepen their knowledge at The Museum of Holocaust Art. The world's largest collection of Holocaust art reveals the lives and heroism of artists engulfed by the Shoah. These artists risked their lives to create, often under the most harrowing conditions, an artistic record of the catastrophe.
ALL:
Option 1: Take part in an archaeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves: prepare to get your hands dirty uncovering pottery from the Hellenistic period, 2,300 years ago, and optionally crawl through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
OR
Option 2: Little Guy versus Big Guy: As we drive by Tel Azeka, the Site of David’s biblical battle against Goliath, we’ll read the old story through new eyes.
High Times in the Holy City: Jerusalem at night provides a very different vision of the Holy City. Check out how the locals let their hair down during a free evening and explore Jerusalem nightlife.

Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 10

A CITY OF LAYERS

Fri. Jun 28, 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:
- 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.
- Become Your Favorite Biblical Character! Let the Bible's authentic costumes and amazing backgrounds provide a fun photo opportunity for you to dress up like Moses, Ruth, or a Temple Priest.
Stop for a Moment of Celebration and Prayer at the Egalitarian Kotel.
Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Mahane Yehuda open-air market.
Return to the hotel.
Join Jerusalemites in a musical Kabbalat Shabbat at the Old Train Station Plaza, followed by a private dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 11

SHABBAT IN JERUSAELM

Sat. Jun 29, 2024

Study session led by Rabbi.
A Mountain Holy to Many: Experience the complexity of inter-religious relations on Mount Zion. We’ll first visit the Upper Room. It is venerated by Christians as the location of Jesus’ Last Supper but was, for a period, converted into a mosque. In a room directly below, Jews pray at the place believed to be King David’s Tomb.
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.
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.
Late check out of the hotel.
Farewell Dinner and group transfer to the Airport.

Overnight: Flight Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 12

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

Sun. Jun 30, 2024

Return to the USA.

Overnight: Flight

RATES & LODGING

participants

30+

Cost p/p in double room

$4,990

Cost p/p in single room

$6,690

Child As 3rd (Reduction)

- ($850)

Registration open

Tel Aviv: Crowne Plaza Beach

Nights: 3

Room Category: Deluxe

Hotel Website

Upper Galilee: Kfar Giladi hotel

Nights: 2

Room Category: Baselet

Hotel Website

Jerusalem: Dan Panorama

Nights: 4+LCO

Room Category: Jerusalem

Hotel Website

9 nights' accommodations. Late check out on the day of departure is included.
10 days of touring with a tour educator (guide), 10 days of touring in a luxury, air-conditioned bus, extra guide on June 26th.
Daily breakfast & 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.