See the crossroads of civilization!

Israel: Pride and Heritage
A walk through history

October 18-26, 2009

OR

May 23-31, 2010

For serious travelers interested in history, Israel is a must see. Home to three of the world’s most important religions, and filled with significant historical and religious sites, Israel is unlike anywhere else in the world.

Modern Israel is a rich mosaic of ethnic and religious groups, each with long-standing ties to the land. To offer a more in-depth understanding of these communities, our tour not only explores the landscape and history of Israel, but features interactions with representatives of some of Israel's diverse groups. We designed this tour with assistance from the New Israel Fund, a leading funder of progressive causes in Israel.

During our tour we will explore the most famous sites in and around Jerusalem including: King David’s tomb, the room of the Last Supper, the Western Wall and the Arab market. We will also drive around central and northern Israel to visit Masada, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights and Tel Aviv. Join us on a journey to this unique land as we explore ancient sites and contemporary life and enjoy the hospitality of this gay-friendly nation.

And for those with more time, our three-night extension to Jordan, including Petra, adds another rich chapter to your exploration of the region.

The following itinerary is subject to change. Please check with us before making flight arrangements.

Highlights of this trip include:

• Walk in the footsteps of history in this ancient land.
  
• Tour the Old City of Jerusalem including the most famous religious sites.
  
• Explore the ancient citadel of Masada, then float in the Dead Sea and enjoy the sights and sounds Israel has to offer.
  
• Spend two nights in a gay-friendly kibbutz.
  
• Hike along the lush Sea of Galilee and take a jeep ride to the Golan Heights.
  
• Enjoy in-depth tours of archaeological sites.
  
• Together with our partners from the New Israel Fund, experience Israeli gay life and see how the people live and love their land, with presentations about contemporary life in Israel.
  
• The New Israel Fund strengthens Israel's democracy and promotes human rights, justice and equality for all Israel's citizens. NIF supports grassroots organizations working to safeguard civil and human rights, bridge social and economic gaps, and foster tolerance and religious pluralism.
  
• On our three-night Jordan extension, explore the Hashemite Kingdom from north to south, including the Jordan Valley, the well-preserved Roman city of Jerash, Amman, the magnificent rose-colored buildings of Petra, that were built into the sides of cliffs, and Lawrence of Arabia's desert abode.
  

Dates:
Oct. 18 to 26, 2009: $2,990: A trip for Bet Mishpachah members-friends.

May 23 to 31, 2010: $2,990: A trip for gay men, lesbians & friends.

Travelling Alone?
So are most of the people who travel with us. You do not need to pay extra to travel by yourself. Prices are per-person, and the single supplement applies only if you'd like a room by yourself. For selected trips, especially if the trip includes a cruise, we charge half the single supplement if you request a roommate, but we are not able to match you with someone.

Location: Starts in Jerusalem and ends in Tel Aviv

Price includes: Accommodations for 8 nights, including 2 nights at a comfortable kibbutz hotel; All group ground transportation during the trip; Airport transfers from Ben Gurion Airport to our hotel; Departure transfers from Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion Airport; Breakfast every day and four dinners; Wine or soft drinks at the Welcome and Farewell dinners; Services of a Hanns Ebensten Travel tour director, and a knowledgeable Israeli guide at each location; Entrance fees to all sites on program; Meal and porterage gratuities. Optional extension to Jordan includes: 3 hotel nights in double occupancy; 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; all ground transportation and admissions fees; services of English-speaking guide; Jordan visa; flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv. Three-night Jordan extension is $1190 per person in a shared room and $1390 in a single room (2009 prices).

Not included: Airfare between home and Tel Aviv; International departure taxes; Meals that are not part of tour itinerary; Tips to local guides, drivers, hotel staff and tour director; Personal items such as alcoholic beverages, telephone calls and laundry. Optional extension to Jordan does not include Israeli and Jordanian border taxes (estimated at US$50 per person); cross-border shuttle fee; dinner on final day; gratuities for guides and drivers; personal expenses.

 
Israel is an ever-changing mosaic of peoples, cultures, and identities. One of the most important historical and religious centers in the world, it is also a dynamic and somewhat daunting region to visit. On this tour, with the assistance of the local LGBT community, and under the care of experienced tour professionals, we will experience firsthand the social and ideological realities of contemporary Israeli life. We will also enjoy visiting the most famous and well-known sites throughout the region.

The following itinerary describes our planned itinerary. However, please note that the itinerary is subject to change based on local conditions.

North American travelers will depart home a day before the tour begins and fly overnight to Tel Aviv. (Flights are not included in the tour price.)

1: Arrival Day in Jerusalem

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, half-way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, you will be met and assisted by our local partners for your transfer to our hotel in Jerusalem. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner where you can meet the other tour members. We will also provide all participants with a list of optional places to visit tonight, if you still have the energy to go out on the town.

2: The Old City of Jerusalem

Following is a summary of our exploration of both ancient and modern Jerusalem. Please note that this schedule may change based on local conditions, but we plan to offer all of these activities.

We'll start our exploration of Jerusalem with an overview from the Mount of Olives, which lies across an ancient valley from the Old City. Our appreciation of the historic Old City of Jerusalem will include visiting elements of all four quarters: the Jewish, Arab, Christian and Armenian sections. To put the city in perspective, we’ll start our tour with an overview at the David Citadel Museum at Jaffa Gate. Highlights of our Jerusalem touring will be our visits to King David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper. We'll also enjoy the recently opened Davidson Center with its 3-D reality program that makes the local archaeological sites come alive.

Of course, we'll also visit the Western Wall, the Southern Excavations, and the Broad Wall, and explore the Jewish Quarter. There will be a visit to the home of the Kathros Family, better know as the Burnt House. The Kathros Family were residents of Jerusalem during the first century AD, when this entire quarter of Jerusalem was burned in the year 70 AD. After lunch on your own, we head on to the Christian Quarter for a walk on a portion of the Via Delorosa and into the Church of the Holy Sephulchre, which is jointly maintained by six different Christian denominations.

No visit to the old city of Jerusalem would be complete without a visit to the Arab market to test your negotiating skills with the local merchants. As you make your way towards the Jaffa Gate, walk by the Citadel of David. Don't forget to pay your respects at the two almost forgotten tombs on your right - those of the architects of the Old City Walls. They were killed by the Ottoman Sultan Suliman the Magnificent in 1538, since they were the only people who knew all of the "secrets of the wall."

3: New Jerusalem

Today we will visit the new sections of Jerusalem outside the walls, including Yad Vashem, Israel's recently renovated memorial to the Holocaust Victims. We may also visit the museum, the Children's Pavilion, and the Valley of the Communities. We will then proceed to Israel's Supreme Court for a tour of this architectural wonder or to the Knesset, with its renowned art works. Time permitting, we will visit the nearby town of Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity.

During our tour we will also learn more about the latest walls to surround Jerusalem, Israel’s controversial Security Barrier. We will gain insights as to why some Israeli's credit this wall for a significant reduction in violence against Israeli Jews, and why the Wall is viewed as a deep insult against Israel's Palestinian community by others.

During our time in Jerusalem and/or Tel Aviv, we will meet with representatives from Israel's LGBT community.

4: Masada and the Dead Sea

We depart Jerusalem with one last look at the Old City from Mount Scopus, home of Hebrew University.

Then we head east across the desert to begin our exploration of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea. We will stop at Masada, where we will ascend to the top via a cable car. This mountaintop fortress is best-known for the long siege of a small band of martyrs who were trapped there by Roman soldiers. However, it was originally built by King Herod, and still retains colorful elements of his royal rooms.

After touring Masada, we slow down our busy touring schedule with an afternoon and evening at our hotel for one night on the shore of the Dead Sea. There will be time for an enjoyable "swim/float" in the world famous rejuvenating waters of the Dead Sea. The water is so salty that it is actually easier to float than to try to swim! And because the Dead Sea is over 1000 feet below sea level, the distance from the sun, combined with the ambiance of the air, makes it almost impossible to get a sun burn.

5-6: The Galilee and the Golan Heights

Today we drive north through the Jordan Valley, from the Dead Sea to Israel's northeastern tip. Along the way we pass the modern Palestinian West Bank city of Jericho.

One of today's highlights will be a visit to Beit Shean, one of the most magnificent archaeological sites in Israel, located at the strategic juncture of the Jezreel and Jordan Valleys. Like Jericho, it has been almost continuously inhabited throughout history. Later we will drive by Gilboa, where King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed and where David wrote his famous poetic legacy to his lover.

As we proceed north, we pass the surprisingly lush green hillsides of the region called Galilee, as we drive through Tiberias, and alongside the Sea of Galilee. Our home for the next two nights will be in the comfortable, modern guesthouse of a Kibbutz.

During our one full day in the north, we'll take a jeep ride to the Golan Heights, and visit the Banias, also known by its Roman name of Caesarea Philippi, the major source of water for the Jordan River. We'll continue across the Golan Heights to visit the ancient synagogue at Katzrin and discuss the strategic value of this controversial region while viewing the Sea of Galilee to the west and Syria to the east. Enjoy a stop for wine tasting at one of the emerging boutique wineries in the region, before returning to our kibbutz for one more night.

Time permitting, we'll visit the picturesque Galilee town of Rosh Pina, and we'll drive by the holy city of Safed, birthplace of the Kabbalah, with its ancient synagogues and its contemporary artists' colony.

7: Haifa and Caesarea

As we start our journey to the Mediterranean coast and on to Tel Aviv, we'll drive west to the coast for a panoramic drive through Haifa, including a visit to the newly renovated Bahai Temple with its golden dome and Persian gardens. Time permitting, we will also pause at the ancient city of Akko.

We will then drive south along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the well-preserved port city of Caesarea, the city that King Herod dedicated to Caesar Augustus more than 2,000 years ago. Among other sites that are still standing are a Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct.

The day ends at our waterfront hotel in Tel Aviv, just a short distance from the city's vast expanse of beach, and the active nightlife of this vibrant capital city. During your stay in Tel Aviv, enjoy a dip in the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

8: Old Jaffa and New Tel Aviv

Today explore the vibrant city of Tel Aviv, including the old port of Jaffa and the Bauhaus-inspired new city of Tel Aviv. One memorable sight is Independence Hall on Rothchild Blvd, where David Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence in 1948.

Along the way we will visit Neve Tsedek, the first Jewish neighborhood in the northern area of Jaffa, which today is a cultural and entertainment center. Another stop will be Old Jaffa, now home to many art galleries, but the most important port in ancient times. Through this port the ceders from Lebanon were imported for use in building Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

If you have free time in the afternoon, or additional days in Tel Aviv, you will enjoy the Diaspora Museum at the University of Tel Aviv. The museum illustrates the life of the Jews in different communities around the world during 2000 years of exile.

For our farewell dinner in Tel Aviv we will invite some members Tel Aviv's LGBT community to get their perspective on daily life in Israel today.

9: Departure Day or Start Jordan Extension

Today is a day at leisure to relax, recuperate and enjoy a sunny day in Tel Aviv before your flight home, or the start of some extra days in Israel. (The transfer from Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion International Airport is included in the tour fee).

Or you can join us for a rewarding extension to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including Amman and the memorable archeological site at Petra.

For those participating in the extension to Jordan, the program is as follows:

Pack an overnight bag for the three nights in Jordan, then check your main suitcase with our Tel Aviv hotel. We start the morning with a drive to the Sheik Hussein/Jordan River border crossing of the Jordan River, just north of the Dead Sea. Following border formalities on both sides of the bridge, and a short shuttle ride across the bridge, your Jordanian guide will meet you to begin your touring of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan!

We first drive to Jerash, a little-known but well-preserved Roman city, with its Triumphal Arch, Roman Cardo and street of columns. There is a Roman amphitheatre with acoustics that still rival any modern concert hall. After lunch we proceed to Jordan's modern capital of Amman, where we check into our hotel for one night.

The rest of the afternoon is free, before an included dinner at a local restaurant. This evening, you can enjoy a visit to Books at Café, which is a great place to relax, have a good drink, meet Jordanians and strike up an interesting conversation.

10-11: Amman, Petra and Lawrence of Arabia!

After breakfast, we begin the day with a panoramic tour of Amman, a modern capital, but with a very long history. We visit the ancient Citadel high above the main part of the city, then drive west along the 5000-year-old King's Highway to Madaba, the city of mosaics, and we visit the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George with its sixth century Byzantine mosaic map of the Middle East.

From here it’s a 10-minute drive to Mount Nebo, the site from which Moses, the great prophet of all three major religions of the region, was able to look into the Promised Land, although he was not permitted to enter.

Next we drive through the Jordanian desert to the Bedouin hillside town of Wadi Moussa, five miles southeast of Petra, where we check into our rooms for two nights. Our hotel itself is a special treat - the Taybet Zeman Village is built in the style of an ancient Arab village, so instead of taking elevators and walking down carpeted hallways, you walk along the meandering lanes of the village to get to your room. Weather permitting, dinner is a lavish open-air buffet on tables set in the village square.

The next morning, following an early breakfast, an extraordinary day awaits us as we drive 10 minutes to the entrance of the Nabatean capital of Petra. From the main entrance of the site, we walk into the chasm (called a siq in Arabic) that ripped through the rock in a prehistoric quake. Petra's most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the siq. We will explore the Treasury, the 3000-seat theater from the 1st century, the Monastery and other sites. Marvel at the rose red stone and how the colors change as the day progresses.

In the afternoon and evening, there will also be time to relax and enjoy the amenities of our unique lodging, such as an optional visit to the Turkish Hammam for a good steambath and/or massage.

12: Shadows of Lawrence of Arabia

After breakfast we proceed further south to Wadi Rum, the desert headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia, where we will enjoy a 2-hour jeep ride through the desert – the scenery is magnificent, including rocky outcroppings and dunes of pure blowing sand, and the sense of desert history surrounds us!

From Wadi Rum we will proceed to the southern Arava/Yitzhak Rabin border crossing for our return to Israel. Following Jordanian and Israeli border formalities, we'll be met by an Israeli driver for the 5-minute drive to the Eilat airport, from which we will take a 50 minute flight to Tel Aviv’s domestic airport, Sde Dov. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we will be met by our driver who will have the luggage that we left in Tel Aviv.

Most flights to North America depart Ben Gurion Airport within a couple of hours of midnight, so we will provide a transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for anyone flying out tonight. We will also provide a transfer to hotels in Tel Aviv for anyone staying on in Israel for a little longer.

For anyone with the time, this excursion into Jordan will provide a rich addition to your experiences within Israel.