From the Ancient to the Cutting-Edge: Discover Israel

At a Glance

Thousands of years of history are waiting in the journey from the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, to ancient villages along the shores of the Galilee and the vibrancy of Tel Aviv. Join scholars and experts, artists and farmers as they offer you a hearty “baruch haba!” (welcome) and share the best of their country with you. This learning adventure has plenty of independent time to search for the best falafel or shawarma in the Machaneh Yehuda Shuk, explore one of the many museums of Jerusalem or Tel Aviv or walk through one of the unique neighborhoods, each with its own flare and atmosphere.

Best of all, you'll ...

Ascend the ancient fortress of Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, by cable car and float in the invigorating waters of the Dead Sea.
Visit a local kibbutz to learn how Israel has made the arid countryside bloom with fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Enjoy time to explore the remarkable cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on your own.

Daniel

Class of 2018

Greenville, NC

(5) 4 months ago

This program was by far one of the very best I have experienced in years of various group tours around the world. Visiting Israel should be a bucket list for anyone interested in history and the current events of this region.

Deanna

Class of 2015

Pembroke Pines, FL

(5) 4 months ago

This program is for anyone who is open to learning about past and present issues in this region. Come with an open mind and an adventurous spirit and you will go away a wealth of knowledge and the most fun ever.

Neil

Class of 2018

Tamarac, FL

This reviewer did not give a star rating. 4 months ago

Wonderful experience. Yossi and Cheryl were the best guides I've had. Both were especially knowledgeable , warm and experienced. They took care of our every need.Trip was a "blast". The flex program suited my needs perfectly and would highly recommend this trip to others.

Nancy

Class of 2013

Silver Spring, MD

(5) 4 months ago

Go to Israel and go on the flex tour. Israel is an amazing country with a history and political situation both of which are like no other country in the world. "From the Ancient to the Cutting-Edge" Discover Israel" provides a combination of structure and free time which makes for a very enjoyable time. Yossi Yeinan and Cheryl Meskin are the best program guides I've ever had on Road Scholar. Most of all, go to Israel and really learn about what is going on there. You will come back a changed person!

Charles

Tamarac, FL

(5) 4 months ago

This was an exceptional tour with exceptional guides and it was exactly as advertised. The people on the tour were wonderful , all of Home were friendly and interested in learning and absorbing the many wonders. It was my first Road Scholar tour and I look forward to many more.

Caleb

Class of 2018

Brattleboro, VT

(5) 4 months ago

Wonderful! I accompanied my 78yr old mother so I was the youngest at 52, but the group was interesting and welcoming and often out paced me. Yossie the guide and Cheryl the "mom" were outstanding.

Charles

Class of 2018

Bel Aire, KS

(5) 6 months ago

Excellent program. The leaders were wonderful as far as knowledge and concern for members of the group. Would not have had the multitude of enriching experiences we had had we been on our own.

Michael

Class of 2008

Oklahoma City, OK

(5) 6 months ago

Good tour with great tour leaders. I learned an amazing amount about the evolution of Judaism and Christianity, and a lot about the Palestinian issue. If you want a tour with broader and deeper coverage than the Christ-centered church tours, this is a great choice!

Nicki

Class of 2017

San Leandro, CA

This reviewer did not give a star rating. 7 months ago

Hello Road Scholar, I can't praise this trip enough. The guides and local experts were very professional and well-informed. I not only got to see everything I wanted to see (Yad Vashem, Masada, the Western Wall), but also experienced some unexpected delights: * Local experts provided perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that I hadn't heard before. I was particularly impressed by the presentation by Khaled Abu Toameh. * Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu is doing some great work organic pest control and commercial organic farming. Imagine that - using donkeys for weed control! * Save a Child's Heart, a charity I'd never heard of before. I have only two suggestions for improvement: * Increase the time spent at the Dead Sea - maybe by an hour. * Provide an alternative to the Ein Hod Artist Colony and the Janco-Data Museum. (Not that I have anything against art per se: the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv was fantastic! I can't give enough praise to our Tour Educator Yonatan Kohn and Group Leader Hami Lieber. Yonatan was able to answer all my questions about the history of Jerusalem and one evening he even walked me to a drug store to buy over-the-counter meds for myself and another tour member. And when one of our number suffered an injury at the Golan Heights, Hami and Yonatan saw to it that he got the aid that he needed while keeping the rest of the tour on track. Finally, I'd like to compliment Sinead (sorry I don't remember her last name), a Road Scholar employee who helped me find lodging in New York when my connecting flight from San Francisco was canceled and I had to take an earlier flight. If it hadn't been for her, I might have missed my flight to Tel Aviv!

Jane

Class of 2017

Chester Springs, PA

(5) 10 months ago

Fabulous trip, everyone should go on a Road Scholar trip to Israel no matter what religion they are.

Anna

Class of 2017

Brooklyn, NY

(5) 11 months ago

This was a wonderful way to experience Israel. We learned so much, not only about it's history, but also about contemporary life. Our guide was fantastic and the trip was well organized. We loved having free time to explore on our own.

Nicki

Class of 2014

Columbia, MD

(5) 11 months ago

If you want to become educated about the State of Israel and of the Middle East, go on this program. In just 10 days you will see many of the major sites of historical Judaism and Christianity, plus see the Israel of today. It's a great trip. Go!

Robert

Class of 2014

Houston, TX

(5) 11 months ago

I really enjoyed this tour of Israel, because it blended the past and present seamlessly without belabouring either. Our guide educator,Yonathan Kohn, prepared a well organized booklet with maps and background information for us to follow as we traveled, which helped a lot. (This was the first time I had all program materials bound together at the start.) The tour also allowed free time for individuals to pursue sites and activities relative to their own interests. All in all this trip has opened up a new view of Israel replacing all the minconceptions and apprehensions I once had. A special thanks to Jonathan and Hami Lieber, our group leader, for giving us such a delightful and insightful experience. Robert H