This Jewish heritage tour in Israel is dedicated to introducing Jewish culture by exploring historical sites that have valuable meaning to the history of Jewish people.
TRAVEL ITINERARY
The Jewish heritage tour in Israel includes staying mainly in the center and northern parts of Israel and also an educational experience through the main Jewish sites. I am your tour guide in Israel and I will show you the most memorable Jewish sacral items in Jerusalem, the architecture of Tel Aviv, and ancient cities in the North part of Israel.
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL AT ISRAEL AIRPORT AND CHECK-IN
Your Jewish heritage tour in Israel begins today,
I am your private tour guide in Israel and your greeter and I will wait for your arrival at the main gate of our international airport, coming a little earlier so in case of your flight is delayed or landing earlier you can be sure I will be there. After warm greetings and pleasantries, I will personally drive you to your hotel in the heart of Jerusalem. A comfortable car is accommodated with bottled water, an air conditioner, and a spacious trunk for your belongings.
A nice authentic dinner will be waiting for you at the hotel, if you have any food preferences or allergies please inform me beforehand so that I could accommodate your private guided Jewish heritage tour in Israel even better.
Take your time to relax in the hotel, and explore nearby shops and restaurants, Tomorrow I will meet you in the hotel lobby to start our ultimate Jewish heritage tour in Israel.
DAY 2 - ARCHAEOLOGY AND OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM
We begin our official first day in Israel by taking a walk to the most famous place in Jerusalem, the Old City. It’s a place to witness history and touch the sacred symbols of Judaism.
Since in modern Jerusalem we have three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam coexist in the same city – people here are welcoming and tolerant, but I'm warning you about being respectful towards other cultures in personal behavior and choice of outfit.
Starting from the ruins of the First Temple, a small segment of an ancient wall from the times of King David in the Jewish quarter called “The Broad Wall”, not far away we will walk to the Kotel, what’s left from the Second Temple period it is the Western Wall that is a major tourist attraction and place for prayers.
As your private tour guide in Israel, on this Jewish Israel tour, I will tell you a story of syncretism and how it coincides with the same historical landmarks.
Moving to the main street during the times of the Roman Empire's reign – Cardo street, a place where we could trace how Romans influenced locals and see reconstructions of ancient shops and street vendors that populated this street centuries ago.
While walking around the Jewish quarter – one of the four oldest residencies in old Jerusalem where throughout times the Jewish community lived near other religious circles, we relocate to the Hurva Synagogue a great example of neo-Byzantine architecture that later I will show you much more. It's the third version that was erected in the 20th century, previously it was destroyed during the Arab-Jewish war in the 18th century, and before that, in the 15th century, the first-ever synagogue built on this exact spot was demolished by Ottoman authorities. So as I will tell you in detail on our way to the next Christianity-centered locations – it's a place where politics and religion are closely connected, and various beliefs leave a mutual impact for centuries to go.
Later that day I will show you monuments of Christianity in this area and move to the outskirts of Jerusalem to see the place where the Bible was written, the City of David an archaeological site that also played a major role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict details of which I will tell you when we arrive.
constructed during the Bronze Age – we will take a trip through underground tunnels, hear the waters of subterranean rivers and watch it reflecting on the marble walls, this is how citizens of the ancient kingdom Judah lived almost 3000 years ago!
as a private tour guide in Israel, I have plenty of fascinating stories about local daily routines at the times of ancient wars and foreign invasions on this amazing Jewish heritage tour in Israel.
DAY 3 - EXOTIC TASTINGS, COSMOPOLITAN JERUSALEM, HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, AND JEWISH RELIGIOUS MANUSCRIPTS
The third day begins with our outings to the Yad Vashem – a World Holocaust remembrance center, started as just a Holocaust history museum on top of Mount Herzl now it’s a whole museum center, build in many locations with multiple monuments created to educate and spread awareness about the human cruelty that took place in the 20th century. On this day we will visit the major historical milestones such as The Children Memorial, The Hall of Remembrance, and the Museum of Holocaust Art, and see many sculptures and art installations at the site.
Visiting Yad Vad Vashem is a must in the Jewish heritage tour in Israel this is my personal opinion.
The weather in Jerusalem is changing but if the forecast will be positive we will go to the open-air museums that are part of the Memorial: Valley of Communities and Synagogues, Research Institute and its private archives, the local library, and publishing house where you can purchase thematic literature in various languages from journals of Survivors to newly published research papers from world-class historians, we could also take a look at the building where till this day people learning to prevent future conflicts by studying past war history – the International School for Holocaust Studies Educational Centre.
Further to relieve stress and remind ourselves about the precious moments in life we will go to the exoticMahane Yehuda Market – an ancient street market full of delicious homemade dishes and small antique stores that manifest the multicultural spirit of Jerusalem. During the customary Israeli lunch that is included in the Jewish heritage travel package, I will recommend you a few traditional treats based on my expression of you and try to guess your typical restaurant order, these delicious nibbles will remind you how it’s important to live in the moment.
After fulfilling our primal hunger we will go in search of spiritual nourishment leading us straight to the doors of the Israeli Museum, where we will see The Shrine of the Book, the Dead Sea Scrolls center under another name, we will be able to see one of the first written Bibles that survived till our times, a must-see for its historical value. There you will also see The Second Temple 3d model reconstruction, the ruins of which we saw on the morning of a second day.
DAY 4 - MASADA FORTRESS, EIN GEDI PARK, AND THE DEAD SEA FLOAT
Starting the day early, wearing comfortable shoes, we will take my luxury SUV and drive to the Judean desert, today we are going to see the memorial in stone of the Jewish resistance against Romans in 66 A.D. – the Masada Fortress. Walking up the mountain I will tell you multiple stories about the bravery and desire for freedom that locals are born with, resulting in constant revolts and partisan movements in this area. being a private tour guide in Israel with a license allows me to organize a cable car that will take you comfortably to the top without climbing the Snake path, straight to the museum and the archaeological site.
The view from Masada is breathtaking, you will see for many miles ahead, overlooking the whole Judaean desert, seeing the glittering waters of the Dead Sea reflecting in sun and realizing that it's just a lake with very salty water, this will allow us to plan our next stop– the Dead Sea or the Ein Gedi National Park.
Ein Gedi is A place where nature took its rules and we are just mere visitors, gallivanting in the middle of this explosion of bright greenery and exotic birds. Organically created waterfalls and springs – nothing on this oasis in the desert was created by man, only nature.
After such a long trip it’s good to relax in the healing waters of the Dead Sea, finally after a busy day you deserve a good floating in the Dead Sea! applying a mud mask and taking care of your limbs. Beware that the water in the Dead Sea is high in oxygen and can be damaging to your footwear and clothes, so in the morning before we will leave the hotel I will remind you to take a spare change of clothes, as a tour guide in Israel it's my responsibility to take care of you on this unforgettable Jewish heritage tour in Israel.
DAY 5 - GOING NORTH, ZIPPORI, MYSTIC SAFED, AND DISCOVERING KIBBUTZ CULTURE.
Today we will continue our Jewish heritage trip from Jerusalem to the archaic cities Zippori and Safed, these historical landmarks recognized by the UNESCO organization. First Zippori – unique in its beauty, this place is Virgin Mary's hometown and it carries the scene where Jesus grew up to become who he was, it is also the birthplace of modern Judaism. So you can see the idyllic park where people of different faith can come to the same place seeking guidance.
Walk on the mosaic paths that emerge from grass, here you can see the layers of history, on our way I will provide you with all the interesting information during this amazing Jewish heritage tour in Israel about the changes that this place had from 104 BCE till recently, how Romans, Crusaders, and Greeks brought a part of their culture to this place. So when we arrive you will have free time to wander around, looking at remains of Crusader fortress or taking pictures of the 6th century Neil Mosaic.
Moving forward North to the Kibbutz area of residence. It’s a Jewish community with socialist norms, they preserved beliefs and ideals for ages, without merging with the outside world, and this became the groundstone for new Israeli politics. Many famous politicians had kibbutz origin, I will show you the home-now-museum of former Prime Minister Eshkol Levi, where you can trace the changes in the kibbutz movement throughout history.
For lunch let me take you to Safed, a center for Kabbalism, it's a city with an ancient spirit where you can touch history, meet locals, try delicious food, and buy souvenirs.
The whole city is a museum itself full of museums, small curvy streets, and old synagogues. There is also a place to learn more about the Crusaders in this town, their input in local architecture, British government aimed at the separation of Jews and Arabs that lived in the community.
DAY 6 - FEEL THE HISTORY IN ANCIENT TEL DAN AND CONQUER THE GOLAN HEIGHTS
Moving further North, we will go to the Ancient city of Dan where an ancient tribe lived in the late Neolithic Era. The historical complex of this ancient city tells us a dramatic history of Jewish people graphically. We will see many occult buildings that show the changes in religious beliefs among locals, we will also look at the buildings built by Romans and the correlations between them and other religious sites from biblical times. Tel Dan is also a nature reserve, with water springs filling up the Jordan River.
Emerging deeper in history and getting higher in mountains I will take you on this exciting Jewish heritage tour in Israel to the Sea of Galilee – the biggest water source that feeds the entire Israel, you will be fascinated with the majestic simplicity of a place that has such big importance in the everyday and religious life of Jewish people. The Golan Height also carries a varied geopolitical status since it's the territory that both Syrians and Israelis consider their own, it's a great place to have a debate and listen to the opinions of local elders on such topics if the time will be on our side I will take you to the actual place where this Syrian Israeli conflict was battled –the "Valley of Tears".
While staying at the original kibbutz territory it is good to understand the reasons behind some of their most unorthodox decisions such as their change from a peaceful agrarian community to high-importance activists that fight for their beliefs. I will tell you about their compromise with the technical evolution by creating their film studio called – Kibbutz-El-Rom, and so much more waiting for you to learn from Day 6th activities.
You will be so occupied during this day that you could easily forget about lunch, you can decide between a local small winery with a cheese tasting or staying with a Druze family for an authentic lunch, an independent community whose belief system is a branch of Islam, trying their original local food recipes of which didn’t change for centuries.
SUV tour around the Golan Heights
Finally, with warm food in our bellies, we said goodbye to a firm piece of land and took a two-hour Off-road Tour to see another wing of the kibbutz community, we will go and see agricultural traditions that didn't alter under the pressure of times and maybe even learn a thing or two about handcrafting from local masters, a drive along the border with Syria near Israeli tanks and UN bases and a conversation about politics plus a visit in an abanded Syrian facility in which the famous Israeli spy Eli Cohen visited before he left to Syria to spy for Israel.
We will finish the private guided tour by looking at the demilitarized zone from Mount Bental – a great observation point where I will show you the Syrian border with abanded Syrian cities since the six-day war and the Yom Kippur War while learning about the most important battles of Israel on the Golan Heights, at the end of this amazing day we will witness the beautiful sunset and spend some time stargazing and drinking Arabic style coffee from the local café nearby.
DAY 7- UNESCO SITES, ACRE, AND THE PORT OF CAESAREA
Let me take you to the place where every building and stone in the wall has the status of a UNESCO World Heritage. It’s the Old City of Acre, a place shaped by history itself. Muslims were erecting Mosques such as the El-Jazzar mosque emerging from the seafoam, while Crusaders from Middle Ages built underground tunnels and amazing castles while fighting against their enemies, the British at the same time collecting artifacts from ancient times now available display in a tunnel that nowadays used at the Ethnographic museum and Underground Prisoners Museum.
From the quietness of tunnels, we will go on this great Jewish heritage tour in Israel to the old market of Acre, where for centuries travelers from all over the world were exchanging goods and gossiping about their rulers. It's a place to have fun and taste the best Hummus in Israel or enjoy fresh fish.
If you were fascinated by the architecture in the movie Casablanca you will love Caesarea – a port city constructed by the greatest builder of the Holy Land the famous king Herods, this city will amaze you and take you back in time to Roman times! we will resurrect the finest songs from the roman amphitheater and discuss the cruelest gladiator fights from the hippodrome Aka the arena of Caesarea while walking the port I will explain the amazing techniques of how the port of Caesarea was built as a deep water harbor.
The 18th-century British colonialist influence with ancient fortresses and marketplaces built during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammed. It’s a nice town to learn about architecture and how it perpetuates major historical events, you will stand at the exact amphitheater where Pontius Pilate declared to Emperor Tiberius about Jesus’ crucifixion. Here was the last time when Apostle Paul breathed as a freeman before going on trial in front of governor Felix and many more.
The last location of the day will be Atlit, a British detention camp. In the 1930s and 40s, this site served as a detention center for illegal Jewish immigrants seeking refuge in Palestine.
DAY 8 - MODERN TEL AVIV AND SEASIDE IN JAFFA
Israel is a semi-young and very eclectic country, It has many port cities and is located at a place of big historical and economical value making it a highly desirable and prosperous place. Today I will meet you and we will explore the fruits of its democratization and modernization by visiting the Independence Hall at Rothschild Boulevard, we will see the statue of Israel's founding father – David Ben Gurion, and talk about his heritage while eating delicious local ice cream.
Later that day on our way to the Carmel Market where you will be able to experience the multicolor spirit of diverse Tel Aviv and taste some local fruits and vegetables or perhaps have a mini tasting tour in the market I will tell you about the importance of Bauhaus movement and why locals have to thank these German art school rebels for UNESCO to include city into its World Heritage List.
Another Insta-famous place in Tel Aviv and a must-visit for everyone who is interested in the local lifestyle and Jewish traditions is the oldest neighborhood in town - Neve Tzedek. A buried in a sand jewel that flourishes from the hard work of the Israeli people, this is the perfect place to learn about the foundation of the first Hebrew city and its heroes.
As a private tour guide in Israel, I like old more than new, therefore we will head to Jaffa, this beautiful city on the seashore is one of the oldest cities in the world with a rich history, we will learn from the bible about Jonas and Noah, walk threw roman and byzantine ruins, search for Egyptian excavations and admire the hard-working people from the 19th century who made the orange the symbol of Jaffa while looking at the floating tree. here you will enjoy the sea breeze and fresh aromatic dishes from local fishermen and in the end, you will have some free times to wander in the flea market.
These two cities play a crucial part in formatting the art styles of many famous architects that came here for inspiration, don't be surprised if this place will also fill you with the urge to persuade a creative path.
DAY 9 - PACKING YOUR BAGS AND SAYING GOODBYES
After nine days of experiencing the Jewish heritage tour in Israel, I hope you learned and experienced the main Jewish sites and you will leave with an enlightened mind. I will make sure your departure will go smoothly and positively as was this trip.
For many years providing tours for the Jewish Federation to Israel and Jewish families from the United States, Canada, and the UK I have enormous experience guiding Jewish people in Israel, as a private tour provider the Jewish package will be less expensive but includes all possible routes and benefits of a private direct Jewish trip to Israel.