Miami Staff: Emily Hyatt

Bus # 12

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Miami Staff: Emily Hyatt

Tour Guide: Jonty Blackman

Please note that the itinerary is subject to change based on timing, weather and security considerations.

Monday, April 23, 2012

10:00 am El Al charter flight arrives in Israel at Nevatim Air Force Base.

Celebrate your arrival in Israel with soldiers from the IDF base in a moving ceremony. Hear from the Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force and/or another high-level speaker. Watch an impressive aerial demonstration.

1:30 pm Arrive at Yad LaShiryon, the Armored Corps memorial site and museum at Latrun, initially funded by Miami’s Arison Family. Each stone tells a story of the sacrifice and heroism of the fighters who fell in their prime during Israel’s War of Independence, allowing future generations to learn about the values of sharing and brotherhood, resourcefulness and immortality. We will be welcomed by a high-ranking official.

Enjoy a picnic lunch, followed by tree planting in the Miami Forest. Established in 2010, the forest symbolizes the connectionbetween our community and its historical roots in this land.

4:30 pm Check-in to hotels

6:30 pm Depart hotels for Safra Square via shuttle bus or on foot

7:00 pm Arrive at Safra Square. The Mayor of Jerusalem, The Honorable Nir Barkat, and Ofer Bavly, former Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico, will welcome us.

MEGA EVENT ONE: March in a special parade with live music and dancing down Jaffa Street to the Jaffa Gate. Enjoy a spectacular surprise performance and delicious buffet-style dinner of Israeli delicacies and wines.

10:00 pm Walk to the Kotel (Western Wall) with Mission guides and take a moment for

(Optional) private reflection as we begin our journey in Israel.

Tour the Western Wall Tunnels – Head beneath the Old City’s maze of buildings for a different perspective on the history of Jerusalem. The excavated tunnel is one of the city’s most phenomenal sites.

Overnight: The Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

6:30 am Breakfast service begins at your hotel

7:30 am Breakfast session: Israel update with Colonel (Res.) Miri Eisin

Morning-Afternoon: Al Chomotaich Yerushalayim the Walls of Jerusalem Throughout History

9:20 am The Hurva Synagogue was originally built in the 1860s on a site where smaller synagogues had been erected and destroyed over the centuries. The Hurva (or by its full name, the Beit Ya’akov Synagogue in the Courtyard of the Ruin of Rabbi Yehuda Hassid) became the most magnificent and important synagogue and the center of life in the Jewish Quarter. Two days after the Jewish Quarter fell in May 1948, the Jordanians turned the synagogue into a pile of rubble for the second time in its history. A commemorative arch was erected at the site in 1977. It was later restored to its former glory and the newly rebuilt Hurva Synagogue was dedicated in 2010.

10:30 am Take part in the Ramparts Walk around the Old City of Jerusalem, one of the Old City’s nearly-hidden treasures. Take a walk that winds along the top of the walls, affording stunning views of the neighborhood of Yemin Moshe and West Jerusalem as well as several major churches. Catch glimpses inside the cloistered Armenian Quarter, the Valley of Hinnom, the Judean Desert, the Arab Shuk (market), the Garden of Gethsemane, the ancient graveyard on the Mount of Olives and Muslim homes inside the Muslim Quarter.

11:40 am Take part in a special visit to Mabat 2000, Jerusalem headquarters of the Israel Police Force, where officers monitor activity in the Old City through an intricate network of cameras and personnel.

1:30 pm Visit Chama – Chabad School Ir Ganim, whose mission is to care for the welfare of the Jewish people and to provide humanitarian and social assistance for the needy in Israel and Russian Jews in the former Soviet Union. Chama nutritional programs in Israel assist the most vulnerable populations, operating six days a week. Volunteers package and deliver meals to children at school, as well as food packages prior to the holidays. Chama receives an annual allocation from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign.

Lunch in the school

4:00 pm Visit the Underground Prisoners Museum, where hundreds of Jewish underground fighters were imprisoned — including members of the Haganah, Irgun and Lechi (the Stern Gang). The exhibits depict life in the prison, tell stories of the underground groups and their members, and carry the memory of those who were executed there by the British.

6:00 pm Join IDF soldiers in a moving ceremony for Yom Ha’Zikaron, memorializing Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Eat dinner with soldiers and gain a personal understanding of what this day means to them.

Be part of the Opening Ceremony for Yom Ha’Zikaron. Pay your respects by joining all of Israel as the country comes to a standstill at the sound of the one-minute siren at 8:00 pm.

Optional: National Evening of Song at the Knesset in memory of fallen soldiers

Overnight: The Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

6:30 am Breakfast service begins at your hotel

8:00 am Visit Yad Vashem, the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust. Yad

Vashem safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations. Established in 1953 as the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem is a dynamic and vital place of intergenerational and international encounter. Various tours, accommodating both first-time and returning visitors as well as a tour for Poland Pre-Mission participants, will be offered.

10:15 am The visit to Yad Vashem ends with a ceremony overlooking Jerusalem, commemorating the loss of six million Jews during the Holocaust and honoring Israel’s fallen soldiers. The ceremony will close with two minutes of silence, when Israel’s national mourning siren sounds. Throughout the country, bereaved families come together at military cemeteries and remember their loved ones. As the siren is heard, cars stop, life comes to a standstill and every citizen bows his or her head in honor, grief and remembrance.

In the Footsteps of Israel’s Independence Fighters

12:00 pm Picnic lunch in Yad Kennedy

1:30 pm Lay a wreath at the memorial for Kdoshei Kahir, where we will meet with a fighter from one of Israel’s wars or with a family member of a soldier who fell in one of Israel’s wars.

2:30 pm Hike in Shvil Hama’ayanot in the Judean Hills following the cool, fresh springs and ancient agricultural lands surrounding Jerusalem.See the obstacles of the terrain and geography that played a critical role in the battle over Jerusalem during the War of Independence.

5:00 pm MEGA EVENT TWO: From Mourning to Celebration – Between Yom Ha’Zikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut – A spectacular evening on the grounds of the Israel Museum celebrating Israel’s 64th year of independence

The Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in Israel and is ranked among the world’s leading art and archaeology museums. Founded in 1965, the museum houses encyclopedic collections, including works dating from prehistory to the present day. Its Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Jewish Art and Life wings feature the most extensive holdings of Biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world. The Shrine of the Book and various galleries will open for a private tour with museum guides just for Mega Mission participants.

Enjoy food and wine at the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden at the Israel Museum. Hear from Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, a Federation overseas partner. Sharansky is also one of the most well-known former Soviet refuseniks; he spent 13 years in prison awaiting an exit visa to Israel. Participate in a meaningful ceremony around the Second Temple Model, depicting Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, reconstructing the topography and architectural character of the city as it was before its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE. Sing along to “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” with legendary Israeli singer Shuly Nathan, who made this song world-famous.

Watch the magnificent fireworksdisplay overMount Herzl, proclaiming the commencement ofYom Ha’Atzmaut. Take your goodie bag with silly string and a bopper into the city streets and join the people of Jerusalem as they dance, cheer and celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut!

Overnight: The Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Thursday, April 26, 2012

6:30 am Breakfast service begins at your hotel

7:00 am Breakfast session

Depart your hotel for Depart your hotel for a Negev Adventure – Crater

The Negev Desert, in Israel’s southern region, represents 60% of Israel’s land, and only 8% of its population. David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, had a vision for the Negev, which has become a reality. See the Negev’s breathtaking desert landscape, diverse ethnic communities, innovative agriculture and historic sites. Strengthening the Negev is vital to Israel’s security and future economic growth. Get a firsthand glimpse at how the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is playing a major role in this effort. One key area is our partnership with Yerucham — now in its fifth year — which focuses on building meaningful relationships between the two communities and is part of the Jewish Agency for Israel Partnership 2Gether Program.

10:00 am Hike and bike around the Great Crater of Yerucham and enjoy a stunning encounter across the hills of colored sand, one of the features of this amazing, colorful region. Meet the kids of Yerucham at the colored sand for a joint activity.

1:30 pm Meet for lunch on Yerucham’s central lawn for a Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration with residents. Enjoy traditional food and music by local bands performing on the central stage showcasing Yerucham’s diverse population.Watch a dance performance by the Yerucham Youth Dance Trouper with the Rikudim DanceTroupe of the Michael Ann Russell JCC, who are in Israel especially for this event. After, visit exhibition tents presenting life in Yerucham and meet Yerucham community members.

4:00 pm Yom Ha’Atzmaut at Masada

Atop a lone rock cliff at the western end of the Judean Desert lies Masada, combining natural beauty and deep meaning. We will ascend and tour King Herod’s private fortress that became a base for a small band of Jewish zealots in revolt against the Romans, following the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Although the rebels fought bravely, they were eventually overcome by a Roman siege, and according to the historian Josephus, chose mass suicide over surrender. Masada has come to symbolize the fierce determination of the people of Israel, but its tragic history raises questions about the price of freedom. Reach the mountain peak by cable-car or climb by foot to viewthedramatic desert backdrop amidst beautiful twilight colors.

Tour Masada with your guide and participate in an optional group B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony at the ancient synagogue.

Participants come together at Masada with our Miami rabbis to offer a prayer for the security and welfare of the State of Israel in a meaningful ceremony. As we raise our voices in song, we will lift our eyes to the sky for a beautiful surprise!

Masada will be illuminated for abeautifultorchlightdescentby footdown the Roman Ramp on a candle-lit path to our next event.

MEGA EVENT THREE: As night falls, and with the spectacle of Masada glowing with lights, feast on dinner in the desert under the stars. Experience an extraordinary musical performance by dynamic Israeli singer Einat Sarouf that will get you dancing and singing into the night.Overnight:

The Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Friday, April 27, 2012

6:30 am Breakfast service begins at your hotel

7:45 am Depart the hotel and board your pre-selected Options Day bus

Follow your path of special interest:

·  First Time Visitors

·  Art and Culture

·  In-Depth Art

·  Explore Tel Aviv

·  A Taste of Israel – The Food and Wine Trail

·  “Start-Up Nation” – High-Tech

·  Archaeology and History

·  Extreme Adventure

·  Medical

·  Legal

·  Thousands of Years of Jewish History in Hebron and Gush Etzion

·  Mind, Body and Spirit (Spa services available at an additional cost.)

·  Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea (Spa services available at an additional cost.)

Return to Jerusalem to prepare for Shabbat

5:15 pm Kabbalat Shabbat – Enjoy a festive Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony in the Old City at the
Davidson Center. Join together in song and welcome Shabbat with hundreds of friends and family from Miami.

Walk to the Kotel and join the diverse Jewish communities praying at this holy site, each welcoming Shabbat in its own fashion or participate in services by bus near the southern Wall.

8:00 pm Share in festive Shabbat dinners at various hotels led by Miami rabbis and cantors with lone soldiers (those who have no family in Israel) and students from Miami participating in Federation-supported programs including MASA and Nativ. An Oneg Shabbat will follow the dinners.

Overnight: The Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem

Saturday, April 28, 2012

7:30-10:00 am Breakfast at your hotel

8:00-10:00 am Walk to the different synagogues and minyanim with your rabbi and join Shabbat services

8:00 am Bus tour to Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea departs for those with pre-confirmed reservations.