Israel

A Jewish tour in Israel: Be’Yachad with Ahavah

From the timeless hills of Jerusalem to the vibrant pulse of Tel Aviv, this is our homeland – shaped by faith, reborn from sand, and sustained by courage and hope. We are standing together (be’yachad), with love (ahavah). 

This journey traces the arc of our story: From prophets and kingdoms to centuries of diaspora, through the devastation of the Shoah, and into the miracle of rebirth in the modern State of Israel. Along the way are places of memory and resilience – sites that honor the survivors who rebuilt their lives and their land. Out of tragedy came tenacity, out of hardship came innovation, and out of exile came return.

Amid the echoes of history, encounter the living heartbeat of today’s Israel – its energy, creativity, and warmth. We celebrate its achievements, reflect on its challenges, and feel the strength and love that bind us together as one people.

This is not just a tour of a country – it is a journey in the spirit of Am Yisrael Chai.

DAY 1 WEDNESDAY MAY 27 ARRIVAL IN ISRAEL

The arrival at Ben Gurion Airport marks the beginning of a journey through memory, renewal, and celebration. The first afternoon opens with a panoramic introduction to Tel Aviv – a city born from sand dunes and dreamers. Modern, spirited, and endlessly creative, Tel Aviv embodies the miracle of Israel’s rebirth. Here, ancient longing meets a youthful nation full of energy, innovation, and promise. Check in at the hotel to rest and refresh. Dan Tel Aviv Hotel.

DAY 2 THURSDAY MAY 28 TEL AVIV

Today, drive north along the coast to Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta’ot, founded by survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto and partisans who turned loss into legacy. The Ghetto Fighters Museum preserves the voices of courage and defiance, linking the Shoah to the story of Israel’s creation. Lunch with kibbutz members offers a glimpse into the life of shared purpose that shaped the early decades of the state. Continue to Beit She’arim, where the burial caves of great sages and scholars tell of a thriving Jewish presence nearly two thousand years ago. The site is associated with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who compiled the Mishnah. Return to Tel Aviv in the late afternoon, where the Mediterranean breeze feels like a breath of renewal. Dan Tel Aviv Hotel.

DAY 3 FRIDAY MAY 29 TEL AVIV

Begin the day in the spirit of revival at the Palmach Museum, where the story of Israel’s pre-state defenders unfolds through immersive imagery and powerful testimony. At Yung Yiddish, a cultural treasurehouse of rescued books and memories, experience the meeting of vanished shtetl life and vibrant new Israeli creativity – a bridge between worlds destroyed and worlds reborn. Continue with a walk along Rothschild Boulevard, following the Independence Trail to the historic hall where David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel (currently closed for renovation). End the day in Nachalat Binyamin’s lively artist market, filled with color, craftsmanship, and music, before gathering for a Shabbat dinner – a pause for reflection and gratitude in the heart of modern Israel. Dan Tel Aviv Hotel.

DAY 4 SATURDAY MAY 30 TEL AVIV

Shabbat in Tel Aviv, the city by the sea – Shabbat Shalom. The pace slows as shops close and the city hums with quiet joy. Time to stroll along the promenade, visit a local synagogue, or simply rest and breathe the rhythm of Jewish life renewed in freedom. Shabbat in Tel Aviv is both peaceful and alive – a living expression of continuity and the enduring spirit of Am Yisrael. Dan Tel Aviv Hotel.

DAY 5 SUNDAY MAY 31 TEL AVIV – NOVA FESTIVAL MEMORIAL – SDE BOKER

Before leaving Tel Aviv, visit the Ayalon Institute. This secret underground munition factory produced more than two million bullets for the Jewish fighting forces during the British Mandate and Israel’s War of Independence. Concealed beneath a kibbutz laundry, it stands as a remarkable story of ingenuity and courage. Continue south toward the Negev on a road that holds stories of struggle, loss, and rebirth. Visit the Nova Music Festival Memorial, a sacred site of recent tragedy and unity, honoring the young lives cut short yet forever remembered. Nearby, the destroyed Kibbutz Kfar Aza bears witness to endurance and rebuilding – a living and current expression of Israel’s resilience (visit pending). In Sde Boker, visit the modest desert home of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, and pay respects at the resting place of David and Paula Ben-Gurion. Facing the vast Negev that he believed held the key to Israel’s future, his grave overlooks a landscape of vision fulfilled. Check in at the hotel. As the sun sets over the desert, join a jeep ride (optional) through the Ramon Crater at a time when the desert becomes colorful and the horizon turns vivid. Dinner at the hotel concludes a day that bridges past and present, loss and hope. Kedma Hotel.

DAY 6 MONDAY JUNE 1 SDE BOKER – LATRUN – JERUSALEM

From the silent beauty of the desert to the hills that lead to Jerusalem, the journey moves northward. Stop at Latrun, where the battles for Israel’s independence are remembered through the stories of soldiers and the armored vehicles that helped defend a fragile dream. In Jerusalem, the senses awaken at Mahane Yehuda market – alive with scent, flavor, and color. Walk through the neighborhood of Nachlaot, once home to dozens of small synagogues tucked within its narrow lanes, and continue to Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Jerusalem’s first modern neighborhood, built outside the ancient walls and facing the golden glow of the Old City. Check in at the hotel located in the very heart of the city. Herbert Samuel Hotel.

DAY 7 TUESDAY JUNE 2 JERUSALEM

Jerusalem – the soul of our people. Begin on Mount Zion at King David’s Tomb, a site of faith and longing through generations, and continue through the Jewish Quarter. Visit the Hurva Synagogue, formerly the most prominent Ashkenazi place of worship. The synagogue was heavily damaged during the Independence war in 1948 and was later rebuilt. Continuing to the Kotel (Western Wall), where centuries of longing meet the prayers of today. Enter the Rabbinical Tunnel and walk beneath layers of history that bear the imprint of devotion. In the afternoon, visit the new National Library of Israel, passing the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) along the way. The library stands as a sanctuary of knowledge and creativity, preserving the intellectual and cultural legacy of the Jewish people for future generations. Herbert Samuel Hotel.

DAY 8 WEDNESDAY JUNE 3 JERUSALEM

Morning visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national memorial to the victims of the Shoah. Here, memory is elevated into sacred duty. The names, faces, and voices of those lost are honored through remembrance that transforms mourning into moral strength and the promise of life renewed. The afternoon is free for reflection or exploration – perhaps to walk the city’s streets, visit a favorite café, or look for gifts that can only be found in Israel. In the evening, gather for a Farewell Dinner to celebrate shared memories and the unbreakable chain of Jewish life. Herbert Samuel Hotel.

DAY 9 THURSDAY JUNE 4 JERUSALEM – BEN GURION AIRPORT – DEPARTURES

It is time for the tour to end as you transfer to the airport for the flights back to the USA. This journey across Israel was not only through space but through time and spirit. Each site told a chapter of a story that belongs to all generations of our people – from the prophets of ancient times to the pioneers who built a homeland from dust and dreams. The Shoah, the rebirth, the wars, and the peace – all live here, side by side with hope, innovation, and laughter. In this land, faith is not an idea but a living force, renewed each day by those who build, remember, and love. May this journey have deepened your connection to Israel, strengthened the bonds of Be’Yachad, and kindled the glow of Ahavah that unites the Jewish heart everywhere – Am Yisrael Chai.