Israel: A Women’s Perspective on Politics, History & Culture

Welcome to Israel. We’ll transfer from the airport to our hotel in Jerusalem via private motorcoach.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll enjoy a buffet welcome dinner with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions.Unless otherwise specified, transportation will be provided by motorcoach, requiring going up/down a few steps when getting on/off. Our Group Leader and local Study Leaders will facilitate all lectures and field trips unless otherwise noted. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel, choose what you like from the plentiful dairy buffet with eggs, cheeses, cereals, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, and more, plus juice, coffee, tea, water.

We’ll board a motorcoach and transfer with our local expert educators, plus our Group Leader to Biblical Jerusalem, also known as City of David, home to prophets and kings. Upon arrival in the ancient birthplace of Jerusalem, which is comprised of only about 12 acres, we’ll view the latest excavations of what may have been King David’s Palace (Area G) with the remains of a house from the First Temple Period, and more. We’ll learn how and why Jerusalem became the capital city of the Israeli people and examine King David's relationship with Batsheva and her role in assuring that her son Solomon would ascend to the throne. We'll then make our way to Mt. Zion to explore Dormition Abbey which commemorates the "Eternal Sleep" of Mary. It is decorated with mosaics of different women mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.

Enjoy lunch at a cafe in the trendy outdoor Mamilla Mall by Jaffa Gate. Choice of sandwich or salad and soft drink.

We’ll travel by coach to an extraordinary excavation site on the slopes of Mt. Scopus where archaeologists sift through dirt and artifacts from Jerusalem dig sites. The site director, an archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities authority, will greet us and speak to the group about the history of the area and the techniques used for uncovering artifacts before allowing us some time to sift and sort through a section with previously excavated artifacts.

Hotel buffet.

Hotel dairy buffet

Travel by coach with your group leader and site coordinator to the charming village of Ein Karem on the western outskirts of Jerusalem. Explore the Church of the Visitation which honors the visit paid by Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. This is the site where according to Christian tradition, Mary recited her song of praise, the Magnificat. Then we'll visit the beautiful Chagall Windows at the world-renowned Hadassah Hospital funded by the Hadassah Women's Organization and enjoy a brief tour of the hospital.

Lunch break. This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At the Mt. Herzl Cemetery, we'll learn about some of the women who helped build the State of Israel. We'll visit the grave of former Prime Minister Golda Meir, and fallen hero, Hannah Senesh, killed during the Second World War. Then we'll board our coach to return to the hotel for a lecture on "Women in the Israeli Political System" with a female member of Knesset (Parliament) or Judge.

Hotel Buffet

Hotel dairy buffet

We'll board our coach with the Group Leader and site coordinator and travel to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Complex. Our guided tour of the historical museum, Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles, Sculpture Garden, and Childrens' Memorial will focus on the personal stories of the women caught up in this terrible period of history.

Enjoy typical Israeli "street food" with a falafel lunch. Pita with falafel, and your choice of hummus, salads, techina plus a beverage.

After lunch, we'll return by coach to the hotel for a short rest before heading to the Machaneh Yehuda shuk (market). We'll rendezvous with a local chef who will escort us to some of his favorite vendors for some tastings before we begin our own culinary workshop. We'll split into groups to prepare our own meal under the instruction of our chef.

We'll prepare our own dinner featuring typical Israeli dishes. Everyone will receive a recipe booklet to take home.

Hotel dairy buffet

Lecture at the hotel on "Religion and State in Israel-Advancing Gender Equality in the Public Sphere" with a representative of IRAC-the Israel Religious Action Center, a leading civil and human rights organization. We'll then board our coach with our Group Leader and Site Coordinator to travel to the town of Maaleh Adumim. There we'll meet with Ethiopian Jewish woman who will tell us her daring story of immigrating after a long trek from Africa.

Lunch break. This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a festive Sabbath dinner with soup, salad, main dish, side dishes, breads, desserts, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

After our lunch break, we'll return to the hotel to have time to freshen up before heading by coach to the Western Wall (Kotel) to mingle with thousands of Jews and visitors from around the world to welcome the Jewish Sabbath. Modest dress required. You may return to the hotel by motorcoach or walk back with the Group Leader to experience the atmosphere of the Old City on Friday night.

Dairy hotel buffet.

Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You may wish to explore Jerusalem or attend synagogue services on your own.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions of nearby restaurants open on the Sabbath.

Lecture at the hotel on "Israeli and Palestinian Women Seeking Security and Pursuing Peace".

Hotel buffet.

We'll board our motorcoach with our Group Leader to head to Jaffa Gate. After a short walk to the Tower of David Museum, we'll enjoy the Night Spectacular sound & light show, projected on the walls of the museum which was built as a fortress. Dress warmly as we will be sitting outside in the museum courtyard. We’ll then return to the hotel. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel dairy buffet

After checking out of the hotel, we will set off for the Negev desert region. We will meet a Bedouin woman who is pushing the envelope to empower women in her community.

We will enjoy a home hospitality North African lunch in the home of one of the "Culinary Queens of Yerucham". Yerucham is a "development town" and our host will share her family's personal story of how they arrived here in the 1950s.

After lunch we'll begin our transfer to the Dead Sea Region, the lowest point on earth. After check in at the hotel there will be some time to relax. You may wish to go outside and enjoy a float in the Dead Sea, which is known for its therapeutic properties, or enjoy the hotel's swimming pool and spa facilities.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll enjoy a buffet meal with soft drinks, tea, coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

At the hotel, choose what you like from the plentiful dairy buffet with eggs, cheeses, cereals, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, and more, plus juice, coffee, tea, water.

The morning is at leisure to enjoy floating in the Dead Sea or the hotel spa. (Treatments may be ordered in advance for a fee. Your group leader will have details). Check-out and depart.

Lunch break at the Masada Visitor's Center cafeteria.

In the late morning, we'll board our motorcoach and transfer to Masada. We’ll ride a cable car to ascend this mountain fortress to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Led by our local expert Study Leader, we’ll explore the Northern Palace, store rooms, and bath house complex that were built by King Herod and later used by Jews who fled the Romans after the Great Revolt in 70 CE. While here, we’ll delve into the complex history of what happened atop this mountain in 73 CE when the Romans attacked the nearly 1,000 men, women, and children living here and the legacy of this event in Jewish and Israeli memory.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll have a buffet meal with lemonade, tea, coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

At the hotel, a female member of a kibbutz will join us to teach us more about the history of the kibbutz movement, which began in 1909, and how it has changed through the years. She will focus on the role of women in kibbutz life. Merriam-Webster defines a kibbutz as, “a communal [farm or] settlement in Israel in which all wealth is held in common and profits are reinvested in the settlement.”

At the hotel, choose what you like from the plentiful dairy buffet with eggs, cheeses, cereals, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, and more, plus juice, coffee, tea, water.

Traveling to nearby Tiberias with our Group Leader and Site Coordinator, we'll learn more about the 16th century Jewish heroine and philanthropist, Dona Gratzia.

We'll enjoy a light lunch and wine & cheese tasting at the Adir Winery.

We’ll explore the mystical city of Zefat led by our local expert Study Leader while we discuss the development of Jewish mysticism in the city in the 15th century. As the center of Jewish mysticism beginning in the 15th century, many famous rabbis lived here including Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Ha’Ari) and Rabbi Yosef Caro. It is now home to a diverse Jewish community, modern mystics, and many artists. We’ll meet a local female glassblower who will share her personal story of discovery which led her to Zefat.

Hotel buffet.

Hotel dairy buffet

After checking out of the hotel, we’ll travel to the ancient fishing village of Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene. On-location lecture: "Early Christianity and the Life of Jesus" by the ancient synagogue. We'll continue by motorcoach to the charming town of Zichron Ya'akov. There we'll learn about the life of Sarah Aharonson, member of the NILI spy ring, which helped the British during World War I.

En route at local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a family-style meal

At the "Khan" Museum of Hadera, a docent tour will focus on the many pioneering women who laid the foundations of the Jewish State. We'll then continue driving along the Mediterranean Coast to Tel Aviv for check-in at our hotel.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll have a buffet meal, plus lemonade, tea, coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

At the hotel, enjoy a plentiful dairy buffet complete with fruit, fresh vegetables, salads, cereals, fresh breads, cheeses, eggs, and more. Juice, water, coffee and tea are included.

Lecture on "Windows to Israeli Society Through Israeli Literature".

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

"Jaffa Stories & Coffee". Meet Doris Hiffawi in her home in the Ajami neighborhood to hear her personal story of a Christian girl growing up in a Jewish, Muslim and Christian area over coffee and baklava. Then we'll meet with a young female entrepreneur to learn more about how Israel is the "Start Up Nation" and a hi-tech dynamo. The Group Leader will lead a wrap-up session to review program highlights, share favorite experiences, and say farewell to new Road Scholar friends before dinner.

Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Tel Aviv. This concludes our program. Depending on flight times, some participants will fly out after dinner while others will go back to the hotel and transfer to the airport in the middle of the night. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program.We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!