Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah Tour

Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah Tour (Upon Request)

“Our feet will be standing within your gates, O Jerusalem; Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122)

Day 1: Thursday – Jerusalem: “Shehecheyanu”

Welcome to Israel! Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, our representative will meet and assist you through customs and transfer you to Jerusalem. Before checking into your hotel, enjoy a special welcome toast overlooking the Golden City from Mount Scopus. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Friday – Jerusalem: Modern History

After breakfast, we will view the Menorah opposite the Knesset. Drive past the impressive Supreme Court building to Hadassah Medical Center, famous for its Chagall Windows. We then continue to the Jewish National Fund Forest, where everyone will have the opportunity to plant a tree with their own hands.

Continue to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Spend time at the museum and the Children’s Memorial, and walk along the Avenue of the Righteous. Visit the impressive Valley of the Destroyed Communities and walk among the huge rocks engraved with the names of thousands of lost communities.

In the evening, experience the thrill of entering the Old City, walking through Zion Gate to the Hurva Synagogue and the Western Wall (Kotel) to witness Kabbalat Shabbat with Hasidic Jews. Shabbat dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 3: Saturday – Jerusalem: Second Temple Era

Shabbat morning is free. After lunch, enjoy a walking tour of the Old City, including the Western Wall (Kotel). Walk along the restored Cardo in the Jewish Quarter and continue to the Shuk (Arab market) with its colorful shops.

Visit the Tower of David Museum, where we will journey through 3,000 years of Jerusalem’s history. In the evening, stroll along the famous pedestrian Ben Yehuda Street, sample Israeli cuisine, and enjoy shopping. Dinner is on your own.

Day 4: Sunday – Independence and Memorial

Drive to Ayalon Institute, the code name for a secret ammunition factory operated by the Haganah before the establishment of the State of Israel.

Continue to Yad La-Shiryon, the Tank Museum, and a memorial dedicated to Israeli soldiers who served in the Armored Corps. Proceed to Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve, where many plants mentioned in the Bible can be found.

Drive along the Biblical road, passing the modern city of Modi'in, homeland of the Maccabees; Gibeon, the battlefield of Joshua; and the tomb of the Prophet Samuel. Enter the suburb of Ramot and continue to Ammunition Hill, the site of one of the most heroic battles of the Six-Day War.

Continue to Mount Herzl to pay our respects to the leaders of the nation. Visit the graves of Theodor Herzl, Yitzhak Rabin, Golda Meir, and others. Walk through the military cemetery, honoring the thousands of IDF soldiers buried there.

Visit the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. Conclude the day with a visit to the scale model of ancient Jerusalem from the Second Temple period, as well as the models of Mini Israel. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 5: Monday – Jerusalem: Bar/Bat Mitzvah Services

Today, we will celebrate the Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the Southern Steps, the original entrance to the Temple Mount. Visit the Old City, the Western Wall Tunnels, and the magnificent Herodian Quarter, where you will be impressed by luxurious mansions from the days of the Temple.

Walk through the Jewish Quarter to the Burnt House and the Temple Treasures Museum. In the evening, enjoy a special banquet honoring the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child or children. Overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 6: Tuesday – Jerusalem / Dead Sea / Masada

After breakfast, drive to Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Continue along the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, via the oasis of Ein Gedi to Masada.

Ascend by cable car and visit the fortress built by Herod the Great, which later became the last stronghold of the Zealots. Enjoy magnificent panoramic views from the summit.

Walk among the ruins of the synagogue, storerooms, bathhouse, and palaces. Descend via the Roman ramp, built by Jewish slaves to enable the Romans to conquer the fortress. Visit a Bedouin camp and experience traditional Middle Eastern hospitality. Continue to our deluxe spa hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Wednesday – Dead Sea / Jericho / Jordan Valley / Galilee

Drive north to Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Continue along the Jordan Valley to Beth Alpha Synagogue to see the beautiful mosaic floor in the ancient synagogue.

Proceed to Gan HaShlosha National Park (Sachne) for a refreshing swim. Continue to Beit She'an, one of Israel’s largest ongoing archaeological excavations. Visit the Roman theater, the Cardo, and the bathhouse complex.

Drive to our kibbutz guesthouse in Galilee. Dinner and overnight, followed by a lecture about life on a kibbutz.

Day 8: Thursday – Galilee / Golan Heights / Safed

Today is dedicated to exploring Galilee. Drive along the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, where we will see an ancient decorated synagogue.

Cross the Jordan River and ascend the Golan Heights. Visit Katzrin, the capital of the Golan. Drive along the Syrian border to Banias Nature Reserve and Tel Dan Nature Reserve, two of the main sources of the Jordan River.

Stop at Tel Hai, where you will hear the heroic story of Joseph Trumpeldor and his companions, whose struggle contributed to the establishment of the State of Israel.

Continue to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). Wander through the cobblestone streets, visit the artists’ colony, and explore ancient synagogues. In the evening, enjoy a fun boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at our kibbutz hotel.

Day 9: Friday – Galilee to Tel Aviv: A Day of More History

After breakfast, drive to Zippori National Park, one of the centers of the Sanhedrin during the Mishnah and Talmud periods. Admire the beautiful mosaic floors, especially the famous “Mona Lisa of the Galilee.”

Continue to Acre (Akko), where we will visit the newly excavated and beautifully preserved Crusader city, including the Knights’ Halls and the ancient port. Proceed to Beit She'arim National Park to visit the catacombs of Mishnah and Talmudic rabbis.

Drive to Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. Ascend Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the bay and port.

Continue along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea National Park, the ancient Roman port city. Explore the impressive excavations, including the Roman theater, aqueduct, and Crusader moat and walls.

Drive past Netanya, Israel’s “Diamond City,” and continue to Tel Aviv. Shabbat dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Saturday – Tel Aviv / Jaffa / Relaxation

Free morning in Tel Aviv. Attend synagogue services or enjoy a swim in the Mediterranean Sea. In the early afternoon, check out of the hotel and drive to Old Jaffa. Explore its narrow alleys and art galleries.

In the evening, conclude your visit to Israel with a farewell dinner at a typical local restaurant.

Day 11: Sunday – Return Home

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.