Itinerary for Israel: Walking in the Footsteps of the Masters

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Day 1: Weds March 3  -  Depart for Israel!

Today we leave home for an incredible adventure and spiritual journey to the heart of the Abrahamic religions.

Day 2: Thurs Mar 4 (-/-/D) – Arrival in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv

Spend the day relaxing by walking along the promenade of the Mediterranean Sea or by exploring  Tel Aviv. Tonight we’ll meet and travel to nearby Jaffo, the ancient seaport to have a most unique experience. We’ll dine at “Blackout,” a restaurant that operates in complete darkness and whose staff is completely blind.

After dinner we’ll precede a few steps away to “Nalagaat Theater” (Please touch Theater). Founded in 2002, this unique company is comprised of eleven Deaf-Blind actors who together perform and receive rave reviews from audiences as well as from the press. The ensemble is regarded as a worldwide breakthrough in the theatrical world. After this extraordinary experience, we’ll head for the shores of the Mediterranean Sea where we’ll form a circle and have time to get to know one another, discuss our experience and enjoy the sea at night. Overnight: Delamer Hotel Tel Aviv

Day 3: Fri March 5 (B/-/D) – Golan Heights

Today we’ll wake up early and head to our home for the next two nights, a lovely bed and breakfast wood cabin replete with Jacuzzi, candles, etc. on the Golan Heights.  On our way, we’ll stop to visit the amazing archeological sight of Beit Shean a city which dates back to the Chalcolithic period (~4000 BCE), when the town was an important stop for caravans and as a center of Egyptian rule. Excavations have uncovered a series of temples built by the Egyptians in honor of their local deities. Later, it became a Canaanite city, and then an Israelite city in the time of Solomon.

Olive Grove, Israel

Excavation in Bet She’an has uncovered the remains of a Canaanite city, a Hellenistic city (renamed Scythopolis) and a Roman Byzantine City. During its Hellenistic period, the city was the capital of the 10 Greek cities known collectively as the Decapolis. The city was predominantly Christian until the Arabs conquered it in the 7th century and restored its ancient name. After our visit to Beit Shean, we’ll head for a beautiful spot on the shores of the Sea of Galilee where we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and a session on different cultures and what they valued as seen in the archeological ruins in Bet She’an. We’ll then head for a delicious fish restaurant on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and back to our lovely accommodations on the sea. Overnight: Karei Deshe Hostel

Day 4: Sat March 6 (B/-/D) – Golan Heights

Today after a delicious breakfast, we’ll head for the ancient city of Gamla, located in the Golan Heights and mentioned in Talmudic sources as a walled city dating back to the time of Joshua Bin-Nun. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, has documented the city of Gamla, its siege and fall around 66 CE when the residents of Gamla joined the Jewish Revolt against the Romans.

The Romans eventually succeeded in seizing the city – they killed four thousand of its defenders, and five thousand people threw themselves into the precipices in despair. This is a beautiful site and while there we can sit in one of the few synagogues that remains from the time of the second Temple,  a wonderful place for contemplation and meditation.

After our visit to Gamla we’ll head for the Golan Heights Winery, for a tour and a wine tasting. From here, we ‘ll take our wine, cheese and bread and head to the Banyias spring which begins at the foot of Mount Hermon. Its water rushes with great force through a canyonlike channel, losing 190 meters in altitude over the course of three and a half kilometers and forming the Banias waterfall, one of the most beautiful in Israel. Here, we’ll find a beautiful spot overlooking the water to have a time for a group discussion. Tonight we will head for the Druze village of Pekiin.

The Druze are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and in the Palestinian territories whose traditional religion is said to have begun as an offshoot of Islam, but is unique in its incorporation of Gnostic, neo-Platonic and other philosophies, similar to other followers of Ismaili Shi’a Islam. We’ll be the guests in a Druze home, enjoying a delicious feast, where our host, Kamal will expound on the many beliefs of the Druze people including reincarnation. After dinner we’ll make our way to our cabins on the shores of the Galilee. Overnight: Karei Deshe Hostel

Day 5: Sun March 7 (B/-/D) – Tzfat (Safat)

Today we’ll head to the city of Tzfat, the ancient Kabbalistic city where we’ll walk through the ancient alleyways and visit the Ari, Caro and Abuhav Synagogues with their fascinating stories and mystical messages. We’ll stroll through the quaint art galleries and shop in the artist colony. Finally, we’ll have a session with a Kabbalistic artist who will explain the basis of Kabbalah through art. Next, we head south to Jerusalem. We’ll stop at the Haas Promenade where we can see the entire city and have an explanation as to how it is divided.

Then we’ll head for Sataf, a serene place on the terraced slopes of Mt. Eitan, where ancient mountainous agriculture is practiced as it was by the Israelites thousands of years ago, and where we’ll take a short pleasant walk and visit one of the two springs, the Eretz Israel Tree Garden, where fruit trees that are considered to be the original indigenous varieties are cultivated, and where we will see an ancient wine press. Here, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and have time for a group session. Later on, we’ll have time to explore modern Jerusalem and we’ll meet for dinner in the city. After dinner, we’ll find a spot overlooking all of Jerusalem in her majesty at night and read the poetry of Yehuda Amichai, an Israeli poet who wrote of Jerusalem. Songs of Jerusalem will play in the background. Overnight: Harmony Hotel Jerusalem

Day 6: Mon March 8 (B/-/D) – Jerusalem

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

We’ll spend all of today discovering Jerusalem by walking through the ancient city – visiting the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Armenian Quarters. Walk to the Western Wall, the holiest site in all Judaism. Here stands the only visible remains of Herod’s splendid Second Temple where we will do a powerful dreaming ceremony. We’ll also visit Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum, and Har Herzl, the famous military cemetery. You might find this link interesting for a panoramic video of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Overnight: Harmony Hotel Jerusalem

Day 7: Tues March 9 (B/-/D) – Jerusalem

Dung Gate, Jerusalem

Our second day in Jerusalem, we’ll travel to the outskirts of the city to visit Latrun, the site of many famous military battles. Here, Joshua commanded the sun to stand still and the Maccabees, Romans, Crusaders, Arabs and British marched through here on the way to Jerusalem. In Israel’s War for Independence, some of the fiercest fighting of the war took place at Latrun.  Nearby we’ll visit Minzar Hashatkanim, monastery of the silent, where Trappist monks settled here in the 19th century and live a life of prayer work and contemplation and have taken a vow of silence. Across from the monastery we’ll visit the beautiful Park Canada. The park is named in honor of the Canadian community which donated the money for its renovation. The park includes 7000 dunam of pine, olive and orchid forest. We’ll enjoy a short hike and a lovely picnic here.

Gethsemane, Israel

Finally we’ll visit Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace) a cooperative village jointly founded by Israeli Arabs and Jews in an attempt to show that the two peoples can live side by side peacefully, as well as to conduct educational work for peace, equality and understanding between the two peoples. The village is located on one of the two Latrun hilltops. We will then make our way to the Ein Gedi Region and spend our night here. Overnight: Ein Gedi Guest House

Day 8: Wed March 10 (B/-/D) – Masada/Dead Sea

Dead Sea, Israel

We will begin this morning by first visiting Masada, the ancient desert fortress where King Herod built his summer palace and where the amazing story of the Jewish Zealots took places. After words, we will go to the Ein Gedi Spa, where we will enjoy a dip in the Dead Sea, optional spa treatments, etc. Later we’ll visit a Bedouin tent where we will enjoy a delicious feast, an explanation of Bedouin life, and a lovely campfire, before we retire to our hotel. Overnight: Ein Gedi Guest House

Day 9: Thurs March 11 (B/L/D) – Beit Guvrin

Masada, Israel

Today we’ll travel to the north, stopping along the way at Beit Guvrin, an amazing 1,250 acre National park which lies in the Judean plain, an area with rolling hills rising some 400 meters above sea level.  Very early, people began to dig caves in the Beit Govrin area, which they used as quarries and burial grounds, storerooms and workshops, hiding places and spaces for raising doves. Hundreds of caves were dug in the area, some of which form a huge, astonishingly complex underground maze.

At the end of the day we will travel back to Tel Aviv and spend our last night together, as we began, first with a lovely dinner by the ocean and then with our final circle by the Mediterranean, summing up our thoughts and feelings of the past eight days that we spent together. Overnight: Delamer Hotel Tel Aviv

Day 10: Fri March 12 (B/-/-) – Tel Aviv/Home or Tel Aviv/Eilat

Today we depart with open hearts to our homes. Those of us going on to Petra will catch a morning flight to Eilat and have the opportunity to spend the day in this lovely city. Dinner will be included this day for those going the Jordan extension. Overnight: Americana Hotel

Day 11: Sat March 13 (B/L/D) – Wadi Rum

This morning we cross the border from Israel and travel to the Jordanian desert of Wadi Rum. We will pass the famous seven pillars of of wisdom, described by Lawrence of Arabia and explore Wadi Rum by jeep, escorted by a Bedouin guide. We will see the house where Lawrence of Arabia lived, and the inscriptions made by the Thamudic and Nabatean people centuries ago. And we may even climb one of the natural rock bridges. Lunch in a Bedouin tent. In the evening we travel down to Petra and check into our hotel, have dinner. Evening travel down to Petra check into our the hotel and have dinner. Overnight: Amra Palace Hotel

Day 12: Sun March 14 (B/L/-) – Petra

Petra

We arise early and begin a complete and compressive walking tour of Petra, the capital city of the mysterious Nabatean traders. This is an incredible city that simply must be seen in person and experienced. We then make our way back to Eilat, Israel. Tonight we spend the night in Eilat. Overnight: Americana Hotel

Day 13: Mon March 15 (B/-/-) – Depart for Home!

Today we fly back to Tel Aviv early in the morning in time to catch our international flights back home!