Music • Dance • Architecture • Theater • Food & Wine • Art

March 9—21, 2011

Trip Itinerary

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 — Depart Denver
• Depart Denver, Continental Flight #229, 8:25 a.m.; Arrive Newark, 2:05 p.m.
• Depart Newark, Continental Flight #84, 3:35 p.m.

Thursday, March 10, 2011 — Arrive in Israel
• Arrive Tel Aviv, 9:15 a.m.
• Shechiyanu on arrival in Jerusalem at the Hass Promenade
• Opening dinner and orientation with our tour educator
• Free time evening stroll on Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall or Mamilla mall
• Overnight at the David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem

Friday, March 11, 2011
• Guided walk through the Jewish and Christian Quarters of the Old City including the Kotel tunnels (Rabbinic tunnels) including walking on the rooftops of the Jewish Quarter and a look at the changing types of Jerusalem’s architecture.
• Lunch on own in the Old City *
• Free afternoon to wander round the Machane Yehuda fruit and vegetable market or shop in downtown Jerusalem
• Preparing for Shabbat – sounds of Shabbat with singer Yael Bedichi
• Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel (Western Wall)
• Shabbat group dinner at hotel dining room
• Overnight at the David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem

Shabbat, March 12, 2011
• Morning Shabbat services on own
• Lunch at hotel
• Documenting the Changing Face of Jerusalem, guided walk with Israeli photographer Yoram Amir
• Havdallah and tie-in discussion
• Dinner on own in Jerusalem*
• Israeli cultural event (TBD)
• Overnight at the David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem

Sunday, March 13, 2011
• Israeli culinary program and cooking workshop including shopping in Machane Yehuda
• Lunch at our culinary program
• Guided visit to the recently renovated Israel Museum
• See Israel through the lens of film – meeting with directors from Ma’aleh film school and view examples of their award winning short films
• Dinner on own and free evening in Jerusalem*
• Optional evening tour to the bars and bakeries of Jerusalem*
• Overnight at the David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem

Monday, March 14, 2011
• The changing understanding of the Holocaust in Israeli Society, a guided visit to Yad Vashem designed by the world famous architect Moshe Safdi
• Lunch on own*
• Guided visit to the amazing Israel Supreme Court building with a focus on the architecture
• Visit to nearby Mount Herzl National Cemetary
• Free time
• Dinner at a boutique winery in the Jerusalem hills
• Overnight at the the David Citdel Hotel Jerusalem

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
• Check out of hotel and travel by bus to Tel Aviv
• Guided visit to Hechal Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Hall
• Guided walk to selected art galleries and appreciating the special architectural of Tel Aviv with Smadar Sheffi, art critic for Ha’aretz newspaper
• Meet with Israeli musician and conductor Gil Shochat -or- guided visit to the Tel Aviv museum of Art or the Design Museum in Holon
• Tie-in discussion
• Dinner on own in Tel Aviv*
• Cultural evening event (TBD)
• Overnight Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
• Travel north along road #6 to view and discuss the separation fence
• Guided visit to the Talmudic period city of Tsippori including a look at the mosaics – Mona Lisa of the Galilee
• Group lunch in Haifa Area
• Guided drive through different interesting neighborhoods of Haifa and visit to the beautiful Bahai Gardens
• Meet with artists at the Ein Hod artist village
• Return to Tel Aviv, evening dinner on your own*
• Overnight Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Thursday, March 17, 2011 (Fast of Esther)
• The Hebrew Language -A Key to Understanding Israeli Society – guided walk in Tel Aviv with texts in hand
• Israel in the 21st Century – visit to a Better Place Visitors Center to learn about Shai Agassi’s internationally known initiative to bring the electric car into day-to-day use
• Lunch on own*
• Afternoon visit the matnas (community center) in Lod established by the Denver Jewish Community including a community and meet with executive director and staff
• Group dinner in Tel Aviv
• Na La Ga’at theater performance by a company of deaf and blind actors or late night Israeli singing and dancing and Purim party at the Yekev in Holon
• Overnight Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Friday, March 18, 2011
• Meanings and symbols of Purim – discussion with tour educator
• Prepare and distribute Mishloach Manot (Purim gifts)
• Vist the well known Nachalat Binyamin arts and crafts market
• Lunch on own and free time*
• Kabbalat Shabbat
• Shabbat dinner at hotel
• Overnight Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Shabbat, March 19, 2011
• Optional Shabbat morning services or free morning
• Shabbat lunch at hotel
• Walk along the promenade followed by tie-in discussion and havdallah
• Dinner on own followed by Megillah reading at Beit Daniel Reform congregation-or-Israeli cultural event*
• Overnight Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

Sunday, March 20, 2011 — Purim!
• Late morning departure for Holon to view the traditional Adloyada Purim procession
• Lunch on own*
• Afternoon free for last minute shopping or relaxation
• Wrap up discussion followed by final group dinner
• Depart for Ben Gurion airport for flight home
• Depart Tel Aviv, Continental #91, 10:40 p.m.

Monday, March 21, 2011 — Arrive in Denver
• Arrive Newark 4:50 a.m.
• Depart Newark, Continental #1828, 9 a.m.; Arrive Denver 11:32 a.m.

Pricing:

What is included in the price for the trip; economy airfare via Continental Airlines, airport transportation in Israel, hotel based on double occupancy for 10 nights, tour educator and driver and related service tips, breakfast eachmorning in our hotel and the lunches or dinners listed in the itineray, all bus and transportation in Israel related to the tour, admissions and entrance fees, seminar fees andmaterials, insurance, limited health care insurance and administration fees are $5750/person.

What is not included in the price: Single supplement hotel which is currently estimated at an additional $1500/person, meals or events marked by an asterisk or on own, incidentals, travel insurance, shopping, additional food and drink and any additional cultural program fees.

Jerusalem Tour Staff: The tour is presented through the fantastic JCCA Israel office and staffed by professional guides, in addition the trip is accompanied by Steve Wilson, Executive Artistic Director of the MACC and Stuart Raynor, JCC Chief Executive Officer.

Other Important Information: All programming & pricing is subject to change, air fares are based on a group fare of 15 or more people. Upgrading to First or Business Class is NOT part of the group fare rate. Any person choosing to upgrade or use frequent travel miles does not receive the services of our travel agency, Frosch Travel or transportation to or from the airport in Israel. Please call for land only tour fees.