VFI Plus Advanced March 29 - April 14, 2019 THURSDAY, MARCH 28 DAY 1 - FRIDAY, MARCH 29 DAY 2 SATURDAY, MARCH 30 Bahai Gardens Departure to Israel Arrive in Tel Aviv at Ben Gurion airport. You we be met an assisted at Ben Gurion Airport. Group transfer to our hotel in Haifa. For those arriving earlier, please wait for the group at Arrivals Hall for the group to arrive. Guide: Julian Newman Guide Phone Number: 052-329-3060 Freshen up in hotel room before dinner. Enjoy a welcoming Shabbat supper at the hotel to start the trip. Dinner and Overnight The Colony Hotel Day in Haifa Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Start your day with a walking tour to Bahai Gardens. Visit the Bahai Gardens Located in the heart of Haifa, comprise a staircase of nineteen terraces extending all the way up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. Akko- The coastal city served as one of the key ports of Israel over much of its long history. The Canaanites and Phoenicians utilized Akko s port, and the city is mentioned in ancient Egyptian records. Walk along the city s old harbor and visit the local market. Visit the underground Templar Tunnels. Dinner and Overnight Haifa The Colony Hotel DAY 3 SUNDAY, MARCH 31 Breakfast, Transfer to Sar-El meeting place at Ben Gurion airport arrivals area with all luggage by 9:00 a.m. Report to Sar-El representative, receive IDF base assignment. Travel to IDF base by Sar-El bus, lunch and supper on base. Welcome orientation, room assignments, get uniforms, supper, evening welcoming group program, reside in barracks. DAY 4 MONDAY, APRIL 1 DAY 5 TUESDAY, APRIL 2 DAY 6 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3
DAY 7 THURSDAY, APRIL 4 Volunteer on IDF base in the morning, touring in the afternoon. Breakfast, flag raising, morning work assignments, pack light to depart for weekend, lunch on base. Private bus pickup at base and begin afternoon private weekend touring. Departure for. Davidson Center The Davidson Center helps visitors appreciate what looked like in the late Second Temple Period (1 st century) through a combination of exhibitions of artifacts, illustrations, interactive multimedia, and its highlight, a virtual reality reconstruction of the Temple Mount on the eve of its destruction. There are two short movies which are: The History of the Archaeological Research in and A Pilgrim s Story. Of particular interest are the coin collections and the probable implications showing the importance of. Western Wall Visit Herodian Mansion Food tasting at Machane Yehuda market - the largest and busiest outdoor market in all of Israel. Buy all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables and experience the excitement as everyone prepares for Shabbat. It is widely recognized as a symbol of. ites see it as a place that represents them, symbolizes them, and gives them a unique identity in a larger Israeli social context. Dinner and Overnight Grand Court DAY 8 FRIDAY, APRIL 5 Start the day at Gush Etzion Light and Sound Museum for a spectacular light and sound show. Stop at Lonely Oak Tree to witness an amazing look out point from this strategic region. Enjoy a delicious wine tasting this afternoon. Yemin Moshe and Mishkenot Shaananim neighborhoods walking tour - Created as a solution to the overcrowding within the old city walls, this area is now an upscale Jewish neighborhood surrounded by gardens and a panoramic view of the old city walls. Yemin Moshe Shabbat dinner at your hotel. Overnight Grand Court
DAY 9 SATURDAY, APRIL 6 Herodian Visit Judean Desert Herodion an amazing fortress in the Judean Desert, located on a higher northern plateau of Masada, is believed to be the location of the tomb of the legendary King Herod. His place of residence and central headquarters are also believed to be located here. Visit to Ein Karem believed to be the hometown of John the Baptist, a lively former village which became part of, famous for traditions and its charm. Dinner and Overnight Grand Court DAY 10 SUNDAY, APRIL 7 DAY 11 MONDAY, APRIL 8 DAY 12 TUESDAY, APRIL 9 DAY 13 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 Breakfast at hotel before returning to the IDF meeting point by private bus. Travel by military bus to base with possible touring. Lunch on base, afternoon work assignments, supper, group evening program. Retire in barracks. DAY 14 THURSDAY, APRIL 11 Church of Nativity Volunteer on IDF base in the morning, touring in the afternoon. Conclude IDF volunteer service. Breakfast, morning work assignments, prepare for departure with luggage. Visit the Hadassah hospital synagogue, to view the famous Chagall's windows. Participate in a guided tour of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) Departure for the Negev Desert. DAY 15 FRIDAY, APRIL 12 Negev Jeep Tour in the Crater ride along the edge of the crater s cliffs taking in the
Mizpe Ramon Visitor Center fabulous views at the top of the Atzmaut Ascent. After a short explanation at the viewpoint, descend into the Machtesh and cross half its width to the Wadi Ramon to stop for an explanation on what a Machtesh is and how it was formed. Continue across the floor of the Crater to the summit of Mt Gvanim where it offers a stunning view of the entire Machtesh and from there, stopping in some shade of an Acacia tree for an explanation of the flora and fauna in the region. Mizpe Ramon Visitor Center a telling geological site that displays the breathtaking ways of nature. Understand the natural processes that occurred in creating the world s largest Makhtesh. Visit Revivim - one of the first 3 Jewish Kibbuzim in the Negev, which struggled and survived the Independence War. Shabbat dinner at the hotel. DAY 16 SATURDAY, APRIL 13 Avdat Negev Visit Desert Song Farm - Marvel at this site that specializes in growing herbs and spices in the almost impossible desert conditions. Visit Ben Gurion's house in kibbutz Sde Boker which has been kept exactly as it was when he lived there. In 1953, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion resigned from office and moved to the kibbutz. Although he returned to politics in 1955, he continued to live in the kibbutz until his death in 1973, when he was buried nearby at Midreshet BenGurion aside his wife Paula Ben-Gurion. Ben-Gurion moved to the kibbutz due to his vision of cultivating the arid Negev Desert and building up its surrounding towns. He believed that eventually the Negev would be home to many Jews who would move to Israel after having made aliyah, and he felt that Sde-Boker was a trailblazer and an example for what should follow. Avdat - the ruins of the greatest Nabatean city in the Negev, lie on a limestone hill overlooking the desert. The remains include two impressive Bysantine churches, a wine press and many other interesting finds 9:30pm - Stargazing at the Ramon Crater with Ira Machefsky (depending on the weather) join Ira The Starman of Mitzpe Ramon Machefsky for an evening of stargazing. Observe the sky both unaided and with the use of telescopes. Ira will help in identifying constellations, learning sky lore, and understanding how the sky works. DAY 17 SUNDAY, APRIL 14 Final touring and Departure Day Lakiya Bedouin Weaving - established in 1991 as an income generation project for Palestinian Bedouin women living in villages and encampments in the Negev desert in the southern Israel. Through the network of 6 women's centers across the area, approximately 150 Bedouin women are provided with an opportunity to develop the traditional skills of spinning and weaving the wool, to acquire new
Lakiya Bedouin Weaving roles and skills in dyeing, production and business management, and to earn incomes through the work. Lakiya's rugs are hand woven outdoors on traditional ground looms using the wool of local desert sheep. By increasing demand for their weaving, the Project aims to revive and preserve a craft central to Bedouin social and cultural heritage. Traditional patterns and colors are incorporated in the products for contemporary lifestyle, including floor rugs, tapestries, cushion covers and bags. Visit Weitzmann Institute of Science - The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world s leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences. It is located in Rehovot, Israel, just south of Tel Aviv. The State of the Art Levinson Visitors Center is the gateway to the Institute giving visitors a window into the unique nature of scientific investigation and discovery at the Institute. Farewell dinner at local restaurant. After dinner, proceed to Ben Gurion Airport for your night time return flight. Tel Arad DAY 18 MONDAY, APRIL 15 Arrive back in the U.S. **Itinerary and guide are subject to change due to timing and unforeseen circumstances.**