Travelujah’s bar/bat mitzvah tours are awesome.
“Simply stated, our trip was incredible. Thank you so much for all your input and effort to make it so meaningful and stress-free. Every person thoroughly enjoyed themselves – and it was certainly a varied group. By the way – Shai was voted the best guide ever” – Ken Pritzker
All you need to do is to share a bit about your family, your child, your interests, passions, and goals, and we will plan the most amazing tour you could ever imagine. We have awesome tour guides, a warm rabbi to help facilitate your son or daughters experience, and we can create special celebrations that complement your family’s tastes. It will be an experience that will forever change all of you and that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Day 1 -Arrival
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be welcomed by our representative. Transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv.
Suggestion: At night go and visit the New Port in the northern part of the city, where you can find many restaurants to dine at.
Dinner on your own at the adjacent Tel Aviv port. (lots of restaurants there).
Overnight in Tel Aviv. Alexander Suites Hotel
Day 2 Jaffa- Ayalon Institute
We will begin our day at the Ayalon Institute, site of an underground bullet factory for the Haganah. Continue on to the Weizmann institute we will visit the amazing science park and visitor center.
We will stop for a quick lunch in the port city of Jaffa before going to tour Independence Hall, where Ben Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel. We will end our day at Rabin Square and learn about the late Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin and his quest for Peace.
Group dinner (Dr. Shakshuka)
Overnight in Tel Aviv. Alexander Suites Hotel (B,D )
Day 3 -Beer Sheva -Sde Boker – Avdat – Camel Rides
Begin our day traveling south to the archaeological site and reserve of Beit Guvrin, where we will participate in a hands on archaeological dig. The region is rich in remnants of ancient Philistine life and you’ll have a chance to try your hand with a shovel where you may dig up an ancient coin, pottery or other important find from thousands of years ago. We will then continue to Beersheva where we will visit the Air Force Museum. After a light lunch on our own in Beersheva we will visit Ben Gurion’s grave and (time permitting). We will enjoy camel rides and pita making before sitting down for a traditional ‘hafla’ dinner and bedouin culture evening. (DAVID BROVER to transfer on own to hotel).
Dinner and overnight in sleeping bags inside Bedouin tent or in bungalows (B and D)
Day 4 -Masada – Ein Gedi-Dead Sea
We will begin our day by climbing up the shorter Roman path to Massada, to tour the ruins of Herod the Greats’ palaces together with remains from the heroic struggle of the Jews against the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. We will see the ancient bathhouses, the synagogue and learn about the water supply and how the zealots were able to maintain their lifestyle on the secluded mountain up until the Roman victory.. We will descend the mountain via the snake path and travel to the spring at Ein Gedi, where David hid from Saul where we will enjoy a hike through the reserve to a hidden fresh water waterfall. Then view the magnificent Dead Sea and enjoy lunch, swim and some relaxation time at the Crowne Plaza hotel at the Dead Sea prior to traveling back to Jerusalem. Upon arrival in Jerusalem we will stop at Mt. Scopus for a Shechiyanu blessing before checking into our hotel. Dinner included.
Overnight Jerusalem (B, L)
Day 5– Introduction to Jerusalem
Today’s tour will begin with a visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial. (Those that don’t wish to visit Yad Vashem can go to the biblical zoo on their own). From there we will visit the home of a Gur Hasidic family and learn about their traditions and participate in a challah making workshop. (based on availability) We will then enjoy lunch on our own inside the Machene Yehuda market. We will spend the afternoon at the ancient City of David where we will walk through the ancient water tunnels or the newly discovered rabbinical tunnels that go very close to the Western Wall. Dinner on your own.
Tonight meet with the rabbi to review the following day’s ceremony.
Overnight Jerusalem (B)
Day 6 – Bar /Bat Mitzvah Day
Tdoay is a very special day as your children celebrate their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and pledge their loyalty to the Jewish present and future as he has his Aliyah to the Torah, bless it, read from it. After the ceremony, we will visit the neighboring southern wall excavations and have a small kiddush (included) at the Davidson Center Terrace.We will then walk through the Western Wall tunnels. From there we will have a group lunch at the Jewish Quarter café. We will enjoy a scavenger hunt in the afternoon before going back to the hotel to rest. The bus will pick us take us to the Eucalyptus restaurant for a festive private dinner
Overnight Jerusalem (B,D)
Day 7– Today we will enjoy a very active morning just outside of Jerusalem in an area known as Gush Etzion. We will see the Gush Etzion visitor center where we will see an excellent audio-visual and learn the Jewish history of this important area outside of Jerusalem. We will visit Battle Hill, a 1,300 feet high at the western approach to Gush Etzion. This is where 35 of the armored Corps and Palmach’s finest soldiers fell in 1948 after setting out to bring help and supplies to besieged Gush Etzion settlements. We will enjoy some extreme sports (activities are extra) at Deer Country for zipline and other sports. Bring your bathing suits because, time permitting, we may have an opportunity to dip in one of the many natural springs found in the area. In the afternoon we will return to Jerusalem and have some free time for lunch (on our own) for a bite and shopping on Ben Yehuda street. Bus will drop group at the Western Wall at 6:30, return is on your own. One or two lone soldiers to join at dinner at 8:30 pm at the hotel.
Shabbat group dinner at hotel included (B,D)
Day 8 Jerusalem at Leisure (no guide or driver)
Enjoy a Day at leisure.
Tonight we will go to the Jerusalem Sound and Light Show
Overnight Jerusalem
Day 9 -Travel to the Galilee and Golan
We will begin the day driving north through the Jordan valley to the first kibbutz, Degania where we will learn about the early kibbutz life and enjoy a special hands on chocolate workshop. Continuing north a little we will visit Beit Alpha and see the ancient synagogue and wonderful mosaics. Travel to the Golan Heights and learn about the geopolitical situation, walk through bunkers and see the old Syrian fortifications that remain within the Golan Heights. We will take ATV vehicles and get a bit dirty as we travel through the ravines and river beds and see the border. Time permitting, we will end the day with a great water hike (Gilabon). Check in at Merom Golan Guesthouse (B, D)
Day 10 -Akko, Haifa and Tel Aviv
We will begin our day with a visit to Otzer Hastam and learn about tradition of making tefillin. From there we will enterSafed, center of the Kabbalah movement. We will visit the Joseph Caro and the Ha’Ari synagogues, the most important synagogues in the city and stroll around the Artist’s Quarter and spend some time with a local artist as she demonstrates the art of glass blowing and speaks about her art and her connection to the Torah..After a quick lunch on our own in Safed we will, time permitting, walk through the Meshumshin pools. Our day will end with a rafting ride.
Overnight at Merom Golan Guesthouse (B,D)
Day 11 – We will check out and begin our day by traveling to Rosh Hanikra, located on Israel’s northern border. We will take the cable car into the grottos. We will continue to Akko and tour the old prison and learn about the lives of the many people who fought for the establishment of the state of Israel and served time (and were even executed) in this prison. There we will walk thru the colorful market and have lunch on our own in one of the many great humous shops etc.. We will stop in Zichron Yaakov and enjoy a farewell dinner in the winery.
Transfer to the airport for late night departure.