WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE 2023

Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport

For VIP Airport Assistance and/or transfers - please contact Israel Seminar.

Travel to Tel Aviv and Check in to the David Intercontinental hotel

Overnight at David Intercontinental

Breakfast at hotel

Spend your day at leisure

Enjoy a free day to explore Tel Aviv on your own. The city that never stops offers attractions for all ages; from world-renown museums such as the Tel Aviv Museum of Art or the ANU Museum of the Jewish People to the beloved green HaYarkon Park and the famous beaches.

Welcome Dinner

Shalom Aleichem! Embark on your coming-of-age journey with the traditional “Shehecheyanu” blessing of thanksgiving. Join at the table for a festive welcome dinner, followed by an introduction with your guides.

Overnight at David Intercontinental

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

Walk of Independence

Walk along the main avenue of Tel Aviv, Rothschild Boulevard, which used to be known as Rehov HaAm (Hebrew for: "the Street of the People") at the time of the establishment of the State of Israel. Stop outside Independence Hall, where the new state was declared in 1948. Continue then to Neve Tzedek, one of the most beautiful areas in Tel Aviv and the first neighborhood built in the “new” city of Tel Aviv, back in 1887.

The Gateway to the Land of Israel

Explore the ancient port city of Jaffa. For more than 5,000 years this magical port city brimming with life, color, and excitement served as the setting for the first leg of the journey for the sailors, pilgrims, and adventurers who “washed upon the shores” of the Holy Land. Step foot in the place where Jonah the Prophet embarked on a journey that would become one of the most famous stories ever told.

Another One Bites the Dust

Just next to Jaffa’s picturesque Old City and ancient Clock Tower, is a treasure trove of antiques, handmade and secondhand items over at the Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpushim). Have lunch in any of the restaurants and coffee shops that line the streets for weary shoppers to refresh and watch the crowds go by.

Full Metal Jacket

Visit the Ayalon Institute, a munitions factory dating back to the War of Independence. To avoid detection by the British, this munitions factory was situated in a secret tunnel under the Kibbutz laundry factory. At the institute, you will head into the secret tunnel and explore this piece of history for yourselves.

Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner

Dinner [on own account]

Tel Aviv is the home off an everevolving culinary scene. It's unique and exciting due to Israel's cultural diversity combined with Israeli innovation. See and taste for yourself as you freely explore the streets of the city that never sleeps.

Overnight at David Intercontinental

Breakfast at hotel and check out

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

Ball Aboard!

By harnessing the incredible power of sport for physical and psychological rehabilitation, The Israel Sport Center for the Disabled transforms lives. Meet the para-athletes and join an exciting basketball in wheelchairs game.

Stop for lunch along the way [on own account]

Top Gun

At 1,320 mph and 50,000 ft high, gain a heightened understanding of Israel’s geopolitical challenges from the seat of an F-16 Simulator. Take a look into the techniques and methods used to train Israel’s very own IDF pilots and provide insight into the strategic challenges posed by Israel’s complex location and geographical nature.

Travel North and Check in to the Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel

Freshen up for dinner

Dinner at hotel

Overnight at Pastoral Kfar Blum

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

Standing on Israel’s Border with Syria

A jeep ride along the line of volcanic hills, with overviews on Israel's border with Syria. Hear a geopolitical update on the Syrian Civil War and its impact on Israel with Captain (res.) Ilan Shulman, former IDF paratrooper, and intelligence officer.

Druze Lunch

Travel to Majdal Shams, the largest Druze city in Israel. Taste authentic foods and gain insights on this special community's way of life.

The Israeli Savana

Set off to an exhilarating experience of nature, wildlife, sports and a bit of splash! Go kayaking across the Sea of Galilee and into the Jordan River estuary. Enjoy spectacular views of the northern region of Israel as you make your way through Beit Tzaida's lagoons.

Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner

Kumzits

A "kumzits" is a social gathering around a campfire, which usually happens at night, often accompanied by live music. Join this Jewish-Israeli tradition for a fun and bonding experience under the stars, as you ravish on Israeli BBQ!

Overnight at Pastoral Kfar Blum

Breakfast at hotel and check out

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

Over the Coocoo's Nest

Ride a bike through the Hula Valley Nature Reserve, one of the world’s most important bird-watching locations and a transit stop for hundreds of thousands of birds as they migrate from Europe to Africa and back along the Syrian African Rift Valley. Ride between the orchards and around the body of water. Stop in the botanical garden for aquatic plants and enjoy the clean air and nature without partitions.

Stop for lunch along the way [on own account]

Song of Ascents

Ascending to Jerusalem used to be a long and challenging journey worshippers have taken at the time of Shalosh Ha’Regalim (The Three Pilgrimage Festivals). Take the time to appreciate arriving to the city of god from the panoramic overlook at Haas Promenade.

Check in to the Mamilla hotel and freshen up

Kabbalat Shabbat

“Shabbat comes with its own holiness; we enter not simply a day, but an atmosphere" writes Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel  In his book The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man. Leave your worries behind for this holy moment at the holiest of all places.

Return to Hotel

Shabbat Dinner at hotel

Friday night is the start of the Shabbat and its meal is a time of holy celebration when families sit down to sip the ceremonial kiddush wine, break the challah bread and eat together. To “make the Shabbat a delight” (in the words of Isaiah 58:13), share your table with IDF's Lone Soldiers - the young men and women who've come to Israel by themseleves to protect it.

Overnight at Mamilla

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

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.

Return to hotel and freshen up for dinner

Taking Leave of Shabbat

Upon nightfall, with the sight of three stars, we end the Shabbat with the traditional “Havdalah” (literally, separation or distinction) - a bittersweet ceremony to pronounce the holiness of this sacred day over a cup of wine, fragrance and candlelight.

Dinner [on own account]

Stroll through the Alrov Mamilla Avenue, a modern open-air street mall in the seam between old and New Jerusalem. Enjoy the street theatre performances and sit at one (or more) of the local restaurants and cafes while glancing at the spectacular view of the old city right in front of you.

Overnight at Mamilla

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

The Historic Nucleus

Visit the City of David, the ancient capital of Jerusalem, established 3000 years ago by King David. Inaccessible for 19 years, the site has been continuously excavated since the reunification of Jerusalem with fascinating revelations constantly emerging. You’ll be introduced to the excavations and recent archaeological developments, before heading off for an amazing behind-the-scenes tour with your own private guide. Finish off wading through the architectural wonder called Hezekiah’s Water Tunnels (there's also a dry exit) that once helped save the city from an attack by the Assyrians!

Lunch at Golden Panoramic

Being in the heart of the Old City, enjoy genuine authentic Middle Eastern food on the rooftop of the restaurant and see the panoramic views of the Old City.

Four Quarters, Three Religions, One God

Walkthrough the alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem and discover the intertwined stories of Jews, Christians, and Muslims throughout all four quarters. Stroll through the marketplaces (shuks) and alleyways, and discover the secret tastes, stories, people, and places that make this city unique.

Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner

Dinner [on own account]

Jerusalem's First Station, dating back to the 19th century is no longer a train station. Carefully preserved it is now a cultural hub in which on any given day you’ll find concerts, art galleries, lectures, performance art and more going on alongside a strong contingent of enjoyable dining options, such as the famous Adom restaurant.

Overnight at Mamilla

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

Remembering the Holocaust

A comprehensive tour of Yad Vashem including the Historical Museum, The Children’s Memorial and the Hall of remembrance. As the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations. Take part in a special Twinning Program that matches the Bar and Bat Mitzvah children with children from the Holocaust, highlighting connections, and creating a special understanding of the tragedy of the past.

Meorav Yerushalmi

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 from the incredible diversity of cultures: Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Ethiopia, and so many more.

Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner

It's Show Time!

Gather all in honor of the B'nei Mitzvah for a heart-melting ceremony, followed by a mouth-watering dinner.

Overnight at Mamilla

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide in hotel lobby

OPTIONAL: The Navel of the World

Few are the holy sites which stir religious fervor as Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Ascending the platform, sacred to all three great monotheistic religions, we shall delve not only into the site's historical and archaeological characters, but also to the religious sentiments which stand as the foundation of the immense political tensions the site generates, tensions which continue to ripple through the region and at times the rest of the world.

Quest for Peace

Jerusalem is a microcosm of the Arab-Israeli conflict, conveying the human, political, and territorial dimensions. Meet with Riman Barakat, a native of East Jerusalem who serves as Director for East Jerusalem and the Palestinian Community Relations at "Mekudeshet" organization. Under her guidance, participate in an interactive workshop that will help you get a unique perspective and gain valuable insight into what the future may hold for the city.

Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner and Check-out

Farewell Dinner

Upon completion of study of a sacred text, Jews ritualize a form of goodbye to that text by reciting Hadran Alach ("we will return to you"). You may have completed this part of the journey but a goodbye is never final.

Transfer from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport

Depart from Ben Gurion Airport

Arrive at the airport, and be greeted by a VIP Service representative who will assist you through the airport .

Overnight at Mamilla

Return flight home