JCRC NY CITY COUNCIL NOV 22

Arrive in Israel

Welcome to Israel

Opening with guide Avi Ben Hur. Continue to Haifa

Lunch

Lunch in Haifa at Arabesque, a casual restaurant co owned by a Jew and a Muslim Arab

Visit to Beit HaGefen

Explore Haifa, and meet with representatives from Beit HaGefen, the Arab Jewish Cultural Center, to get an insider’s look at the diverse community, and the projects that are working to bring Jews and Arabs together.

Check in to the Dan Carmel hotel

Introduction to Israel

A framework for understanding Israel with your guide, Avi Ben Hur

Opening dinner with mayor of Haifa, Einat Kalisch- Rotem and city council members

Overnight at Dan Carmel Haifa

Travel to the border

Geopolitical Briefing

Understand Israel’s strategic challenges along its northern border. A geo-strategic survey and overviews of Israel’s border with Lebanon from the peaks of the Galilee with Lt. Col (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, who specializes in Military Intelligence with the IDF Research & Analysis section and within the IDF Northern Command.

Ziv Medical Center

Visit the Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat, where thousands of injured Syrian civilians were secretly treated during the Syrian Civil War. Meet with a representative at the Center to gain an insight into the unique work that the center provides which serves as a regional trauma center in the event of accidents, natural disasters, terror attacks, and war.

Street food lunch in old Tzfat

Stop for lunch.

Daytime Boat Ride

Go on a breathtaking spiritual Galilee journey. Sail on a wooden boat, on the Sea of Galilee

Dinner

Dinner with Dalia Fadila, educational entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Qschool

Travel to Jerusalem and check in to the hotel

Overnight at Inbal Hotel

Four Quarters, Three Religions, One God

Walk through the alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem and discover the intertwined stories of Jews, Christians, and Muslims throughout all four quarters. Visit the holy sites of the three religions including Temple Mount, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Lunch

Stop for lunch.

Meet with Fleur Hassan Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem

Meet with Rabbi Nechemia Steinberger

Meet with Rabbi Nechemia Steinberger, head of the Haredi mechina program at the Hebrew University, and get an insider look in to the Ultra Orthodox community

Dinner at Touro

Dinner with Gil Troy, historian and Zionist activist

Overnight at Inbal Hotel

Meet with Reuven Hazan

Meet with Prof. Reuven Hazan, a scholar of political science at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Remembering the Holocaust

Serving as the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem safeguards the memories of the past and stresses the importance of acknowledgment and rememberance to future generations. Join your expert guide for a private, comprehensive tour of Yad Vashem that includes the Historical Museum, The Children’s Memorial, and the Hall of Remembrance.

The Heart of Jerusalem

A tasting tour through the Machane Yehuda fresh produce market, take in the sights and sounds of this fantastic Jerusalem institution and grab some lunch on the way. Hear the stories of the many different ethnic backgrounds of the vendors who bring the wares to the market and see the influence of the incredible diversity of cultures: Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Ethiopia, and so many more.

Kabbalat Shabbat

Every Friday evening, a quiet atmosphere descends on the city as the sun slowly sets and the daily activities cease. Come together and join the crowd at the Western Wall to welcome the Sabbath Queen in a prayer service that will inspire you with abundant singing and joy.

Dinner at hotel

Traditional Friday night dinner joined by local families

Overnight at Inbal Hotel

Travel south. Drive through the West Bank to Qasr El Yahud

Environmental Peacemaking in the Middle East

Visit Qasr El Yahud baptismal site of Jesus by John the Baptist on the Jordan River. Discuss the environment, peace and conflict nexus with Dr. Shahar Sadeh.

From Narrative to Symbol

Take a cable car or hike to the top of Masada to tell the ancient story of the 960 men, women, and children that were the last to resist the Romans during the Great Jewish Revolt almost 2,000 years ago. The story of Masada has become synonymous with Israel's quest for freedom and independence in modern times.

The Lowest Point on Earth

At 1,385 feet below sea level, visit the lowest point on Earth and experience effortless floating on the Dead Sea’s hypersaline waters. Have lunch, swim and relax at a Dead Sea hotel.

Travel back to the hotel

Evening at leisure

Dinner on your own

Overnight at Inbal Hotel

Inside a Settlement

Meet with Benny Kashriel, mayor of Maale Adumim. Hear from local residents about life in the city, and living alongside their Palestinian neighbors

East Jerusalem

Tour East Jerusalem with Riman Barakat, founder of “Experience Palestine”. Continue to Ramallah

Lunch with Dr. Khalil Shikaki

Meet with Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.

Ramallah tour

Travel to Tel Aviv and check in to the hotel

The Gateway to the Land of Israel

Introduction to Tel Aviv in old Jaffa, overlooking the Mediterranean

Experience Ethiopian Culture with Ashager Araro

The Battae Center is the first Israeli- Ethiopian Heritage Center in Israel. It serves as a place for guests to learn through the art of storytelling about Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Guests will experience first-hand traditional Ethiopian culture through the taste of food, photography, art, music, dancing, and personal story.

Overnight at Carlton

The LGBTQ community

Meet with Chen Arieli, Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv and LGBTQ activist

The Start Up Nation

In a region rife with challenges, Israelis have honed the art of problem-solving and turned their small desert nation into a powerhouse of invention, an unparalleled ecosystem of creativity and resourcefulness. Visit Start Up Nation Central and learn about the Israeli Startup Ecosystem and the unique impact of the national and military service.

Travel to Gaza Strip

Lunch

Lunch in a kibbutz dining hall

Kibbutz Kfar Aza

Meet with Chen Kotler Abrahams, a proud member of the infamous Kibbutz located on Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. Hear first‐hand about what it's like to live in the shadow of "Code Red" alerts, rockets, and fire balloons and see for yourself what a children's house looks like when it's built in a bunker.

Tour Sderot (Time permitting)

Tour the city of Sderot

Farewell Dinner at Villa Wilhelma

Depart from Ben Gurion Airport

Arrive at the airport, and be greeted by a VIP Service representative who will assist you with departure procedures