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 
Current Affairs 
Art & Culture 
Expert Scholar 
Heritage 
Food & Wine - Local Specialists
Home Hospitality 
Nature Walks
Program Itinerary
DAY 1
DEPARTURE
Sat. Apr 6, 2024
- Depart the USA.
Overnight: Flight
DAY 2
ARRIVAL
Sun. Apr 7, 2024
- Group 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.
- Transfer 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.
- Stop at the Jaffa Overlook for an introduction to Tel Aviv and to our journey in Israel.
- Check into the hotel.
- Enjoy a festive welcome dinner, followed by orientation with your group leader and tour educator.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3
THE FIRST HEBREW CITY
Mon. Apr 8, 2024
- Breakfast at an Israeli hotel is an experience in itself. Start the day with a bounteous buffet.
- Walk along the newly-opened 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.
- Visit the Peres Peace Center, created by the late Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister and President of Israel.
- Lunch in Jaffa
- Relive the birth of the State of Israel in Shalom Tower.
- Visit the Rabin square and learn about former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995.
- When the Sun Goes Down: Enjoy Tel Aviv’s hot night life, with its boardwalk and cafés, bars, clubs, shows – and more.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
COMMUNITIES PAST & PRESENT
Tue. Apr 9, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Join the volunteer organization Leket Israel and pick fruits and vegetables for those in need.
- 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.
- Visit The Yemin Orde Youth Village, which houses and educates over 400 youth from across the globe.
- Check in to the hotel and enjoy dinner.
- Thoughts and Experiences Thus Far: Opportunity for group conversation and reflection.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 5
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Wed. Apr 10, 2024
- 60 Minutes – Israel's Security Challenges Along Its Border with Lebanon: Meet with a research expert and reserve IDF officer from the Alma Research and Education Center for a security briefing at observation points along Israel's border with Lebanon. Find out about Lebanon's religious and political status, the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah's military in Southern Lebanon, and Israel's security challenges along this volatile border.
- 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.
- Stop at Tel Faher, an abandoned Syrian outpost where Israeli soldiers fought during the Six Day War.
- View the abandoned city of Kuneitra for an insight into the Yom Kippur War.
- From Golan Grapes, Fine Wines Are Made: Where the mountains kiss the sky, nature speaks to you at the Odem Mountain Winery, located at the foot of Mount Hermon on the Golan Heights. Winemaker Adam Alfasi strives to create the perfect balance between nature and modern technology in producing quality boutique Kosher wines. We'll visit the vineyards and learn about Odem's winemaking process before settling in for wine tasting and a dairy lunch.
- Up There Where We Belong: The Agamon Hula (Hula Lake), Israel’s best place for bird-watching, is home to thousands of storks, cranes, pelicans and flamingos. We’ll learn why early Zionist efforts to drain these swamps have been replaced by environmental protection. And for those with a need for speed, there’s bike-riding and golf-carting.
- Return to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight: Upper Galilee
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 6
ALONG THE RIFT
Thu. Apr 11, 2024
- Check out of the hotel.
- Spend time in Tsfat, where you will:
- Visit the Ari Synagogue.
- Walk through the Artists’ Colony.
- See the Caro Synagogue, built originally, like the Ari Synagogue, in the 16th century.
- Kinneret Cemetery: The area around the Kinneret was a stronghold for early Zionist experiments in communal living and collective agriculture. We’ll visit the graves of some of the iconic figures in pioneering Zionist culture buried at the Kinneret Cemetery including Rachel the Poetess, the Zionist Marxist philosopher Ber Borochov, and Naomi Shemer, the “first lady of Israeli song,” and discuss communal life in Israel then and now.
- As we drive 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.
- Stop at Mount Scopus in Jerusalem for a traditional “shehechiyanu” blessing of thanksgiving.
- Check into the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7
THE LAYERS OF JERUSALEM
Fri. Apr 12, 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.
- Traveling through time as we walk in ancient drainage channels from the City of David to the Western Wall’s massive foundation stones at the foot of the Temple Mount.
- 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. A museum, including movies and a 3-D model of ancient Jerusalem, add to the experience.
- 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.
- Continue to Jerusalem and check into the hotel with time to prepare for Shabbat.
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at Kehillat Yozma, led by Rabbi Nir Barkin.
- Communal home hospitality Shabbat dinner with local congregation.
- Return to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast and Shabbat Dinner
DAY 8
THE DEAD SEA BASIN
Sat. Apr 13, 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 ad 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.
- We'll drive by Qumran, where a separatist Jewish sect from the Second Temple period created an isolated community and where the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most ancient and important religious manuscripts in existence, were discovered.
- Return to Jerusalem and to the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 9
TO THE SOUTH
Sun. Apr 14, 2024
- Visit Moshav Netiv Ha’asarah, located on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip and meet a resident.
- Continue to Sderot to see the impressive work of the ITC (Israel Trauma Coalition) and visit other projects supported by Federation’s partner agencies in Israel.
- Tradition and Transformation – Life in a Bedouin City: Visit Rahat, the largest Bedouin settlement in Israel, which is often called the only Bedouin city in the world. We'll talk with local residents and explore whether their clan and tribal life, work patterns, and traditional gender roles are being transformed by life in a permanent "city."
- Travel through the Valley of Elah, the Site of the famous biblical battle between David and Goliath.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 10
THE POWER OF MEMORY
Mon. Apr 15, 2024
- 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:
- FOR FIRST-TIMERS:
- 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.
- FOR RETURNEES:
- 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.
- The Valley of the Communities, a 2.5-acre monument dug out of bedrock. Engraved on its stone walls are the names of 5,000 Jewish communities that were swallowed up by the Shoah.
- The Sculpture Garden with its powerful and poignant artworks.
- The Yad Vashem Synagogue which includes Torah Arks and other sacred items rescued from synagogues destroyed by the Nazis.
- Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem while walking through the Mahane Yehuda open-air market. Machane Yehuda: Explore the colorful and ethnically diverse Mahane Yehuda market of Jerusalem.
- 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.
- Join Professor Reuven Hazan of the Political Science Department at Hebrew University for an introduction into Israel's turbulent political scene.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 11
EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY JERUSALEM
Tue. Apr 16, 2024
- 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).
- Visit Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery.
- Take part in a tree planting ceremony, followed by a visit to the Gazelle Valley Park.
- Late check-out from the hotel.
- Farewell dinner and wrap up conversation at a local restaurant.
- Group transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport to check in for your departure flights to the U.S .
Overnight: Flight
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 12
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Wed. Apr 17, 2024
- Return to the USA.
RATES & LODGING
participants
20+
Cost p/p in double room
$5,350
Cost p/p in single room
$6,950
Tel Aviv: Crowne Plaza Beach
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Deluxe
- Hotel Website
Upper Galilee: Hotel HaGoshrim nature
- Nights: 2
- Room Category: Superior
- Hotel Website
Jerusalem: Dan Panorama
- Nights: 5+LCO
- Room Category: Jerusalem
- Hotel Website
What to expect
- 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.
- 1 Group arrival transfer & assistance at the airport.
- 1 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.
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