Jewish Heroes:
The story of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel

Monday, Day 1: "Henini": Here I am! Abraham and Sarah
Tel Gezer
Naot Kedumim
Hike in Sataf
Stalactite and stalagmite caves of Sorek
Map orientation
Jerusalem base

Our story begins with the departure of our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah, from Mesopotamia and their entrance to the Land of Israel. As they enter the land, they meet Canaanite civilizations in cities like Gezer. Here a "Kulturkamph" (cultural struggle) takes place between these two ancient civilizations. It is with this contrast between Canaanite and Biblical civilization that we being our story. Naot Kedumim and Sataf give us a close up view of Biblical life and values.

Tuesday, Day 2: David, King of Israel lives forever!
City of David
City of Solomon
Hezekiah's tunnel
Jerusalem Time Elevator
Jerusalem base

David chooses to unite Israel by establishing his capital in Jerusalem. He brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem with fanfare and dancing. In so doing David transforms a physical capital into a national spiritual capital of the Jewish people for all time. Solomon ultimately builds the 1st Temple on Mt. Moriah, thus completing his father's dream. A visit to Hezekiah's tunnel continues the story of Jerusalem's development. The day concludes with rock and roll experience of Jewish history in the Jerusalem Time Elevator.

Wednesday, Day 3: The Holiness of Beauty or the Beauty of Holiness
Holyland model of Jerusalem
Shrine of the Book and Israel Museum
Herodian mansions
The 2nd Temple
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
Jerusalem base

Hellenistic culture, brought to Israel by Greek and Roman civilizations, presented a threat equal to none in our history. On this day we will examine this threat and our varying Jewish reactions.

Thursday, Day 4: Struggle for life! "Massada Will Never Fall Again."
Massada
Dead Sea float
Hike in Nachal Arugot and Ein Gedi
Bedouin experience
Bedouin tent sleep out

The saga of Massada tells a story of resistance against Roman Hellenistic culture. Elazar ben Yair and the Zealots of Massada prepare to build a Jewish life and to regroup after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 c.e. The story is about a struggle to live with dignity. The choices and options of the Jews of Massada provide the basis for a discussion for the contemporary State of Israel. Floating in the Dead Sea is an experience never to be forgotten.
Hiking in Nachal Arugot and Ein Gedi nature reserves provides a view of the beauty of the wilderness. A Bedouin experience in the area concludes our day.

Friday, Day 5: Digging into our Roots
Dig for a Day
Visit Machene Yehuda
Prepare for Shabbat
Prayer at the Kotel
Shabbat dinner at hotel
Jerusalem base

This is a day to learn of the wonders of archeology and its importance to Israel through a very hands-on experience. We dig, we "shlepp", we sift and together search for the hidden secrets of our past.
We move from digging into the past to appreciating the joys of Shabbat in Jerusalem as we visit the Jerusalem open-air market of Macheneh Yehuda to see Jerusalem preparing for Shabbat. A visit to the Kotel brings the Shabbat into our midst.

Shabbat, Day 6: Eternity Utters a Day
Morning services in local synagogues
Jerusalem neighborhoods walk
Shabbat rest
Discussion: the Jewishness of Jewish State
Havdalah
Jerusalem base

Sunday, Day 7: Shimon bar Kochba and Rabbi Akiva: One last attempt at Independence.
Amatziah caves
Caesarea
Swim in Mediterranean
Northern base

Bar Kochba with the support of Rabbi Akiva determined to defeat the Romans and return to Jerusalem in victory. Indeed they did! But the ultimate results were tragic for our history. At Amatziyah caves and then at Caesarea we follow this story from victory to tragedy.

Monday, Day 8: Yochanan ben Zakkai andYehuda ha Nasi: Heroism through compromise and the power of the word over the sword.
Tzipori
Donkey ride
Boat ride on the Kinneret
Northern base

Yehuda ha Nasi, scholar, religious leader and editor of the Mishnah was a man who walked in two worlds and searched for the way of compromise. Here at Tzipori where the Mishnah was edited and sealed, we join in with Yehuda ha Hasi in our own search for meaningful Jewish guidelines for our day. A donkey ride in the area and an evening boat ride on the Kinneret provide some real fun on this day.

Tuesday, Day 9: Od Lo Avda Tikvateynu-We Never Lost our Hope-Kabbalists and Chalutzim: Yosef Karo; Isaac Luria; A.D. Gordan: Rachel Blaustein; Eliezer ben Yehuda Safed
Overview of the Kinneret
Chavat Kinneret
Cemetery of the founders
Swim in the Kinneret
Northern base

Safed is the city of mystics. Here in the 16th century Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 decided to change the destiny of the Jewish people.Three centuries later, after pogroms in Russia, some Jews retuned to the Holy Land to change the destiny of their nation.
We examine the common elements and differences between Kabbalists in Safed and the pioneers of Israel as they each set out to build a new future for our nation.

Wednesday, Day 10: The sons of the Macabees: Yosef Trumeldor and Avigdor Kahalani
Tel Chai
Misgav Am
Kibbutz Ein Gev
Mitzpeh Shalom
Emek Ha Bacha
Har Ben Tal
Rafting on Jordan
Jeep Tour
Northern Base

This day is a day of modern day heroes-from Yosef Trupeldor at Tel Chai who represents the beginnings of Jewish self-defense in the early days of state building to young Israelis who continue to defend the Jewish state in our day. We examine the nature of defense and potential for peace then and now.
The relationship between water, defense and survival will be discussed and experienced as we consider the conflict in the Golan and enjoy rafting in the sources of the Jordan River.

Thursday, Day 11: Lihyot Am Chofshi B'Artzeynu-To Be A Free People In Our Land-Dov Gruner; Murray Greefield and David ben Gurion
Acco Prison
Atlit detention center
Independence Hall
Palmach Museum
Jaffa by night
Tel Aviv base

Dov Gruner was hanged by the British for his activities in the Etzel (Irgun): Murray Greenfield was an American volunteer in the Illegal Immigration and will give living testimony of his dedication; and David Ben Gurion ultimately declared the State of Israel in Independence Hall. We "meet" each of these heroes in their own setting and discover the power of will and commitment in each of them.An evening strolling the alleys in Yaffo concludes an amazing day.

Friday, Day 12: The New Frontier; The New State and the new Jew. Ben Gurion and his disciples
Kibbutz Sde Boker
Ashalim
Preapare for Shabbat in the Negev
Kabbalat Shabbat under the stars
Negev base

As Ben Gurion declared the new state, he also challenged us all to take on new challenges. The new frontier was the as yet barren desert that comprised much of Israel. Ben Gurion as leader felt he had to go first and bring the nation after him. Did his vision succeed? At Ashalim, a new settlement in the Negev, we meet young students who are living his vision.
We prepare to greet the Shabbat in nature and to discover the spiritual beauty within nature and within ourselves.

Shabbat, Day 13: Our Own Heroic Dimension
Prayer in nature
Hiking in nature
Personal meditation
Swim

Shabbat is a day for both community and personal refection. We will spend this day sharing in group prayer, hiking and supporting each other, and looking inward we stand alone in the vastness of nature to discover our own potential, each of us in his or her own way.

Sunday, Day 14: Fun and sun in Eilat
Eilat tour
Snorkeling
Swimming
Camel riding
Chilling out
Eilat base

Enjoy every moment of this desert oasis.

Monday, Day 15: Return to Jerusalem
Hiking and fun along the way
Jerusalem base

Tuesday, Day 16: If I Forget Thee O Jerusalem
Yad Vashem
Mt. Herzl
Military Cemetery
Ammunition Hill
Tree planting
Mini-Israel.
Depart for Airport
Li Shana Ha Baah b'Yerushalayim.

On this last day of our Israel Experience, we are joined by a Shoah survivor who will present its message to us; we will hear Herzl's message, "If you will it, it is not a dream;" and the silent voices of those young Israelis who spoke through their actions and sacrifices will be heard. As we "hear" these voices of Jewish commitment and Jewish hope, we join in planting trees to express our own commitment to our roots, and to the flourishing of our future as young Jews.