12 Days Israel Bar Bat Mitzvah Tour

12 Days Bar Bat Mitzvah Tour

"We have upgraded our Swim & Lunch program to Herod's Dead Sea"

DAY 1

FLIGHT TO TEL AVIV, ISRAEL

Overnight flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. Get ready to enjoy one of the best tours you have ever had in your lifetime.
IBMT, with its own operations office in Jerusalem, is dedicated to giving personal service to each one of you.

DAY 2

DAY 2

ARRIVAL TEL AVIV / JERUSALEM

“Bruchim Habaim” and welcome to Israel. You will be warmly greeted by an IBMT Tours representative at the airport. A FREE Transfer to the hotel/ Airport will be available for you. After you have checked into the hotel you
are invited to join us in one of the private lounges of the hotel for a festive IBMT Tours welcome dinner where you can mingle with your fellow travelers. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Welcome reception with IBMT dinner)

DAY 3

DAY 3

JERUSALEM (OLD CITY)

Begin the day with a trip to the top of Mount Scopus, one of the few places from which both the Dead Sea and the Dome of the Rock can be seen. Marvel at your first panoramic view of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade. Together with the members of the tour, collectively we recite.
the "Shehechayanu" blessing and toast l'chaim to celebrate your visit to Israel. Enter via the Zion Gate which leads to the Armenian Quarter and walk through the restored Jewish Quarter passing the excavated Roman Cardo. At the revered Western Wall, a specially arranged walk takes us through a newly opened 1200-foot-long tunnel excavated at the time of King Herod used as an aqueduct to channel water to the Temple. On our way to the Israel Museum, we will pass by the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, where there stands the 5m – seven-branched bronze Menorah, the symbol of the Jewish people. Across the way is the modern Supreme Court Building, the highest judicial court in Israel. Proudly sitting on a hill in Givat Ram, the Israel Museum was founded in 1965.The white domed Shrine of the Book represents the lids of the jars in which the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found near Qumran. Across the way is the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden, a unique blend of Zen and Western art principles. Marvel at the meticulously recreated 1:50 Scale Model of Ancient Jerusalem during the Second Temple period which was transferred to the Israel Museum in 2006 at a cost of $3.5 million dollars. Later at the hotel join the Rabbi for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah rehearsal. Free evening dinner is on your own. Overnight Jerusalem. (Breakfast)

DAY 4

JERUSALEM / TEL MARESHA / REHOVOT / LATRUN / MACHNE YEHUDA (SHUK)  

Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves to take part in a 3hr program of digging, sifting and touring Beit Guvrin National Park. Who knows what we might find on our archeological dig at Tel Maresha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Continue to Rehovot to visit the Ayalon Institute, a secret underground ammunition factory where you will learn about the bravery and ingenuity of pre-state freedom Hebrew fighters. Pay a visit to the Yad La-Shiryon Museum in Latrun (between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv/Jaffa). Famous around the world for its unique and diverse collection of tanks and armored vehicles, this is a `hands on` visit for the children as they can climb up on the combat tanks. This was the staging area for the Independence War. At the Armor Corps Museum learn about the battles that secured the road to Jerusalem which led to victory. Our last visit today would be to the Machne Yehuda Market (Shuk) You can taste on your own from a variety of cuisines. Returning to our hotel. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)

DAY 5

DAY 5

JERUSALEM – MASADA – DEAD SEA – JERUSALEM (BAR MITZVAH DAY)

This is YOUR SPECIAL BAR/BAT MITZVAH DAY. Drive through the Judean Wilderness to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, some 1200 feet below sea level and continue to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada. An exciting 3-minute cable car ride will whisk you to the top to view the excavations of the Herodian palace, storerooms, bathhouse, and water Reservoirs. Visit the ruins of the small Synagogue which served the Jews of Masada and the Beit Midrash (Torah Study Hall). Your guide will retell the harrowing tale of the 967 zealots (men, women, and children) Here we will meet our Rabbi to witness the joy of your child coming of age. Descend by cable car and head to the Dead Sea. You are invited by IBMT Tours for lunch & a swim at the Herod's hotel Dead Sea and experience the unique sensation of “floating” in the unsinkable waters. Most facilities will be available for you. Adults will be able to enjoy the spa as well (spa treatments are not included). Time for relaxation before your exciting evening. After a great lunch and relaxation at the Dead Sea and spa we head to the mountains between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. A convoy of camels will be waiting to pick us up at (Eretz Beresheet) where the story of Abraham will be recreated. In Abraham’s tent, enjoy an authentic Festive Bar/Bat Mitzvah Dinner followed by a Menorah Lighting Ceremony. An entertainment group will celebrate our Simcha through the evening with dancing, singing, drummer circle and other surprises. A magical evening is in store for us. This will be an evening you will never forget! A short drive back to Jerusalem for overnight. Dress code: casual (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 6

DAY 6

JERUSALEM 

Our day begins with a somber visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust. See the poignant Children’s Pavilion, the new Holocaust Museum, and the Valley of Destroyed Communities where the names of 5000 lost communities have been inscribed in the stone walls. After such a difficult visit to Yad Vashem we need our tranquil time and to change our mood by visiting Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem where it is happening, lots of locals are celebrating the coming of the weekend by spending time on this beautiful exciting and happening street of Jerusalem, Cafes, shops around to explore. Return to the hotel in Jerusalem to dress for Shabbat. We are blessed to be able to celebrate Shabbat in Jerusalem. Your host for Shabbat will be waiting to take you on an IBMT Tours experience ``Shabbat of a Lifetime`` which includes Kabbalat Shabbat, dinner and hospitality, Jerusalem style. Afterwards a short walk back to the hotel. Overnight Jerusalem. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 7

JERUSALEM (SHABBAT) DAY AT LEISURE 

In observance of Shabbat Today is a free day, families can explore the Old City and the Jewish Quarter, one of the four quarters of the Old City. Or simply relax at the hotel. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)

DAY 8

DAY 8

JERUSALEM / KFAR KEDEM / SAFED / TIBERIAS

Leaving Jerusalem behind we head for the Galilee and Kfar Kedem situated between Tiberius and Haifa, next to Tzippori where a hands-on experience will transport us back in time to life as it was in a Jewish village in the Galilee some 2000 years ago. Wearing authentic clothing, you will ride donkeys, turn wheat into bread and feast on a rustic Galilean meal. This is an experience not to be missed. Light lunch will be served at the village under a tent. We continue to Safed, one of the four holy cities also the home of Kaballah (Jewish mysticism). This charming town filled with cobblestoned streets and lined with ancient synagogues and artists' galleries, offers breathtaking views of the entire Upper Galilee. Arriving to our destination at our hotel, you are invited for our second wind of celebration in the north, our chef will prepare an outdoor B.B.Q dinner for our families sitting around a Bonfire, an evening under the open sky in the north with great food and company. Overnight Kibbutz (Breakfast, Light lunch, Dinner)

DAY 9

DAY 9

TIBERIAS / GOLAN HEIGHTS / KUNEITRA / EIN ZIVAN / TIBERIAS

Explore the geo-politically vital Golan Heights by private jeep this morning. Travelling along the off- beaten-track, we will hear about the decisive battles fought in this area. In Biblical times referred to as Bashan, the captivating beauty of the Golan becomes more beautiful the higher you go. Stopping at an observation point overlooking Kuneita and Syria, you will gain a meaningful perspective as to the significance of the strategic Golan Heights. Now for some fun we head to Ein Zivan to participate in chocolate making at the famous De’ Karina chocolate factory. Established by Karina Chaplinski, De Karina Chocolates has gained an impressive reputation as a gourmet chocolatier. Hear about the history and culture and take part in a “hands-on workshop”. For the adults, we will visit a winery and take part in wine tasting. This afternoon is set aside for more fun as you raft and zip line on the mighty Jordan River. Try not to get wet! Driving to our hotel along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, Israel’s sole source of fresh water and a favorite vacations spot. Tonight, a special dinner with members of the Kibbutz and engage with kibbutzim on the principals of kibbutz life. Overnight Kibbutz. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 10

DAY 10

TIBERIAS / TEL DAN / DRUZE VILLAGE / TEL AVIV

We set our sights on the Tel Dan National Park combining a lush nature reserve with a Biblical archaeological experience with three easy hiking routes and a short wheelchair-accessible trail. At the heart of the park is Tel Dan, the capital of the ancient northern kingdom. The Dan River, one of the sources of the Jordan, flows through the reserve, its water coming from the snowmelt of nearby Mount Hermon. A wading pool offers a refreshing break. On top of Mt. Carmel, we stop at the Druze Village of Ussifiya for a traditional Druze lunch hosted by a Druze family and learn about these unique Israeli citizens. En route to Tel Aviv if time permitted, we would visit the ancient port city of Caesarea built by King Herod the Great about 25-13 B.C.E. In less than one hour we will be in cosmopolitan Tel Aviv and checking into your hotel, the David Intercontinental, with some down time for relaxing by the great pool of the hotel or the beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean. 

Our hotel is located within walking distance of the Carmel Market or the picturesque neighborhood of Neve Tzedek - Tel Aviv's first neighborhood outside of Jaffa gates - a maze of narrow winding streets with galleries, boutiques, cafes,
  and restaurants.    Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast, Druze Lunch & Dinner)

DAY 11

DAY 11

TEL AVIV / JAFFA / TEL AVIV | OPTIONAL: POWERED PARACHUTE AT GA’ASH (Cost $195 per person)

OPTIONAL: POWERED PARACHUTE AT GA’ASH (Cost $195 per person)

The morning is at leisure to spend time with your family swimming at the beach or at the hotel pool or walking along the promenade or you can take our Optional “Flying a Powered Parachute” program. You will be transferred to Kibbutz Ga’ash where you will meet your trainer / pilot and fly with him for about 20 minutes over the Mediterranean shore and will be able to see Israel from both sides (Ask for details).

Around 11AM we will start our day with a Graffiti tour in Florentin neighborhood and then visit the Levinsky Market – chosen to be one of the best markets in the world - where you can enjoy lunch on your own from a large variety of different cuisines the market has to offer. This afternoon moving on to ancient Jaffa where Jonah began his adventure with the whale. A perfect place for people to watch and good food. Take a short walk through the restored town before returning to Tel Aviv with its narrow byways filled with artist galleries and cosmopolitan shops. A city full of secrets, surprises, and adventures. We finalize our tour today with the Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed by the first Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion in May of 1948.

   Tonight, enjoy a special farewell dinner at the famous Goshen Restaurant,
   a five stars cuisine. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 12

TEL AVIV – USA / CANADA

After breakfast a FREE transfer to the airport will be provided 3-4 hours prior to their departure. (Breakfast)

 

“We Package Your Dreams & Put You in Them “

Adventure, Israel Bar Mitzvah Tours Features:

**Free trip for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child (ask for details)

 

FIVE STAR DELUXE HOTELS

Jerusalem:               Inbal hotel, Orient hotel or similar
Tel Aviv:                   David Intercontinental
Galilee:                     Pastoral hotel Kfar Blum or Hagoshrim hotel
Hotels are subject to change to similar hotels due to availability.

 

YOUR LAND TOUR INCLUDES

  • Meeting and assistance on arrival and departure at Ben Gurion Airport by a local IBMT Tours representative.
  • Free transfer from airport / hotel / airport
  • Transportation by deluxe late model air-conditioned motor coach.
  • Five Stars deluxe hotel accommodation.
  • Government licensed English speaking tour guide throughout.
  • FREE Rabbi service on Masada and preparatory for Torah readings.
  • Porterage of one normal sized piece of luggage per person at the airport and hotels.
  • 8 Full days sightseeing as per the program.
  • 10-night hotel accommodation at the above five-star deluxe hotels.

MEALS BREAKFAST

  • Daily buffet breakfast at hotels.

MEALS DINNERS

  • IBMT welcome reception with IBMT dinner
  • Festive Bar / Bat Mitzvah celebration dinner.
  • IBMT Tours “Shabbat of a Lifetime “dinner and hospitality.
  • BBQ dinner with bonfire under the open sky in the north.
  • Kibbutz dinner.
  • Farewell dinner at five-star Goshen Restaurant

MEALS LUNCHES

  • Dead Sea Lunch & Swim on the day of ceremony at Dead Sea hotel
  • Kfar Kedem light lunch
  • Authentic Druze Lunch with Druze family
  • IBMT Tours special gift to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child.
  • Archaeological dig.
  • Local taxes and standard service charges on accommodation and meals included in the tour price.

 

YOUR LAND TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

  • Return airfare to Tel Aviv.
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Meals and beverages not mentioned.

Optional: Flying ATV with a pilot (cost invloved * please ask for details)