TAO Jewish Renewal – Summer 2024 Israel Experience

June 20 - June 30, 2024

Come encounter the goodness, the people, the natural beauty, and the epic story of Israel with Rabbi Marc and the TAO Community.

Together we will journey throughout Israel on an itinerary designed for first-time travelers and returners alike. We'll walk in the footsteps of our ancestors in the Judean Desert, we'll tap into the mystical energy of a Shabbat in Tsfat, we'll wander through the Old City of Jerusalem, and we'll sample the delights of Tel Aviv's colorful food and craft markets. Our journey also coincides with Ocean's bar mitzvah, and all who are celebrating their coming of age are welcome to mark this special occasion together with the TAO community in the Jewish Homeland.

Yes, bring yourself prepared for delights to all five of your senses; but more, be prepared for a journey that fills your heart and mind with the gift that is Israel.

The double occupancy cost of our package is $3,600, and space is limited. Sign up online to reserve your spot. For program questions, contact Renee Greene at renee@taocenter.net or 954-888-1408. For travel registration questions, contact Authentic Israel at register@authenticisrael.com or 202-537-6056.

PROGRAM ITINERARY

The following is our projected itinerary, subject to reasonable change based on availability and local considerations

Wednesday | June 19, 2024

Depart for Israel on your self-booked flight from S. Florida

Thursday | June 20, 2024

  • VIP airport greetings and transfers to our hotel in Jerusalem are available to all travelers arriving between 7:00am and 4:30pm today

  • Travelers arriving early today will be treated to a tour of the City of David Excavations and the Hezekiah underground water tunnel

  • Orientation with our staff team and the journey begins!

  • Enjoy a gourmet welcome dinner at Eucalyptus restaurant overlooking the Old City

OVERNIGHT: Bat Sheva Hotel, Jerusalem
Meals Included: Dinner

Friday | June 21, 2024

  • Panoramic introduction to the contours of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade

  • Enter the Old City at Zion Gate and explore the ancient corridors of the Jewish Quarter

  • Reflections at the Kotel - The Western Wall - followed by a tour of the Southern Wall Excavations

  • Arrive to back to our accommodations and prepare for the start of Shabbat in Jerusalem

  • Evening: Kabbalat Shabbat experience in Jerusalem followed by a Shabbat dinner at the hotel joined by a Lone Soldier in the IDF

OVERNIGHT: Bat Sheva Hotel, Jerusalem
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Saturday | June 22, 2024

All touring today is on foot today

  • Morning yoga at Montefiore Windmill overlooking the Old City

  • Walk the Rampart Walls surrounding the Old City from above, starting at Jaffa Gate and descending at Damascus Gate

  • Explore the Christian and Muslim Quarters of the Old City, including the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Arab Bazaar (Shuk)

  • Break for a group hummus and falafel lunch along the way at Versavee in the Christian Quarter

  • Late Afternoon: Optional B'nai Mitzvah ceremony

  • Mark the end of Shabbat with havdallah, followed by a free evening to explore Jerusalem on own

OVERNIGHT: Bat Sheva Hotel, Jerusalem
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Sunday | June 23, 2024

  • Morning Options:

    • Yad VaShem World Holocaust Remembrance Center

    • Discover our ancient musical traditions at the Hebrew Music Museum

  • Mahane Yehuda - Experience this colorful open-air marketplace

  • Meet with students at Maale - a film school devoted to exploring the intersection of Judaism and modern life

  • Descend into the Judean Desert and check in to our desert kibbutz accommodations (option to explore the local desert botanical gardens)

  • Travel to Metzukey Dragot for a desert tent dinner overlooking the Dead Sea and Jordan beyond

OVERNIGHT: Kibbutz Ein Gedi Guest House
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Monday | June 24, 2024

  • Take the cable cars or climb the Snake Path to the summit of Masada

  • Masada - Tour Herod's desert mountaintop fortress and the bastion of an ancient Jewish rebellion

  • Descend Masada via the cable cars and continue to Ein Gedi Nature Reserve for a short hike to the desert waterfalls of Nahal David

  • Experience effortless floating at the Dead Sea's Kalia Beach with lunch included

  • Arrive to Tel Aviv - Israel's cultural and commercial capital - and check in to our accommodations along the Mediterranean Coast

  • Enjoy a free evening and dinner on own at the Tel Aviv Port

OVERNIGHT: Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Tuesday | June 25, 2024

  • Explore the ancient port city of Jaffa, and browse the Jaffa flea market

  • Independence Hall - Explore the story of modern Israel's creation and its founding values

  • Celebrate the spirit of Tel Aviv at the Nahalat Binyamin street festival and Carmel Market

  • Visit to the Museum of the Jewish People (Diaspora Museum) on the campus of Tel Aviv University

  • Evening:  Experience a gourmet meal in the dark with new senses at Blackout in the Nalagaat Center, a groundbreaking theater and cultural complex for the deaf and blind

OVERNIGHT: Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Wednesday | June 26, 2024

  • Morning Options

    • Machon Ayalon - Honor the bravery of the pioneers who helped establish modern Israel at this secret underground munitions facility

    • Visit the Yaakov Agam Museum - View the works of this iconic Israeli experimental artist

  • Break for lunch on your own along the way

  • Learn how Israel became the 'Startup Nation' at the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation in Jaffa

  • The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy Tel Aviv's beach culture on your own

  • Evening: Discover the richness of Jewish Ethiopian culture and  take part in a culinary workshop and meal at the Battae Center in Tel Aviv

OVERNIGHT: Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Thursday | June 27, 2024

  • Leket - Volunteering project at this leading Israeli foodbank for the hungry

  • Head north along the Mediterranean Coast towards the Galilee

  • Horseback riding along Israel's rugged Mediterranean Coast at Cactus Ranch

  • Break for lunch on your own at the Caesarea Port

  • Caesarea - Tour Herod's Roman amphitheater and grand palace on the beach

  • Arrive to Tsfat and check in to our accommodations in the Old City

  • Evening: Group dinner at a restaurant in the restored early Zionist village of Rosh Pina

OVERNIGHT: Ruth Hotel, Tsfat
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Friday | June 28, 2024

  • Morning: Walking tour of Tsfat and explore the Tsfat artist's quarter, including a meeting with glass artist, Sheva Chaya

  • Bake your own challah for Shabbat in the 500-year old "Beit Hakahal" stone oven with Livnot U'Lhibanot in Tsfat

  • Explore the history and terrain of the Golan Heights on an off-road jeep tour

  • View Israel's neighbors and navigate former IDF bunkers at the summit of Mt. Ben-Tal

  • Return to our accommodations and prepare for Shabbat

  • Kabbalat Shabbat experience followed by dinner at the hotel

OVERNIGHT: Ruth Hotel, Tsfat
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Saturday | June 29, 2024

No guide or bus is provided today

  • Shabbat programming and Bar Mitzvah experience (TBD)

  • Shabbat lunch at our hotel

  • The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy our resort accommodations

  • Evening: Cruise on the Sea of Galilee and a group night out in Tiberias and dinner on your own

OVERNIGHT: Ruth Hotel, Tsfat
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Sunday | June 30, 2024

  • Tour the Derech HaTavlanim spice farm in Bethlehem of the Galilee

  • Explore Haifa, Israel's most diverse city, including a tour of the Bahai Temple Gardens and a meeting with the local Imam at the Ahmeddiya Mosque

  • Break for a hummus lunch on your own in Haifa's Wadi Nis Nas neighborhood

  • Tasting and tour at the Tishbi Winery in Zichron Yaakov (alternative option for children)

  • Tree planting project, wrap-up session, and closing dinner celebration at Neot Kedumim's JNF Forest

  • Evening: Return transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for overnight flights

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Monday | July 1, 2024

Arrive back to North America in the morning

Back to Top

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • VIP greeting at Ben Gurion Airport and transfer to our arrival hotel
    Included for all travelers arriving between 7:00am and 4:30pm on the arrival day

  • Return transfer to Ben Gurion Airport
    Included for travelers departing on the final evening of the program (overnight flights) 

  • 10 days with a licensed Israeli guide

  • 10 days with a luxury touring bus

  • Accommodations per the itinerary (4* equivalent), including hotel porterage

  • Breakfast daily and additional meals per the itinerary
    Including taxes and tips for restaurant meals

  • Entrance fees and programming per the itinerary

  • Gratuities for the guide and driver

  • All applicable taxes
    A 17% VAT (tax) applies for Israeli passport holders at hotels. Contact us to make arrangements

Not Included:

TRAVELING TO AND FROM ISRAEL
Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel to and from Israel. Airport transfers will be provided for anyone arriving to Ben Gurion Airport between 7:00am and 4:30pm on June 20th. At the end of the program, travelers will be escorted back to Ben Gurion Airport in time for overnight flights departing on the evening of 30th / early AM of July 1st (no later than 1:00am). Travelers wishing to arrive early or stay later will be accommodated at the group hotels by special request based on the group hotel rate.
Back to Top

WHAT IT COSTS

Land Package: $3,600/person

  • Based on double hotel room occupancy

  • Single hotel room supplement: $1,150/person

  • Discount for children 12 and younger sharing a room with two full-paying travelers: $500

  • Discount for children 13 and older sharing a room with two full-paying travelers: $150

  • A supplement applies for non-member travelers ($250 per individual | $400 per couple)

REGISTRATION

Sign up for the program by completing the online Registration Form

PAYMENT & CANCELLATION TERMS

  • To reserve your place on the program, a $300/person non-refundable deposit is due with your registration. The deposit will become fully refundable if the program is canceled due to public health considerations or enrollment.

  • A late fee of $100/person will apply for travelers registering after November 1, 2023, and a $200 late fee will apply for travelers registering after January 1, 2024.

  • The balance of payment is due no later than March 1, 2024 and is non-refundable.

  • Cancelation must be made in writing to Authentic Israel. We encourage you to obtain travel
    insurance prior to making the final payment.

  • The program may be paid for by check or credit card. However, if you wish to pay by credit card, a
    3.0% processing fee applies (credit card fees are not refundable).

  • This program is most suitable for travelers comfortable touring ~eight to ten hours in a day

  • Pricing is subject to a minimum of 30 confirmed participants as of November 1, 2023, and we
    encourage you not to book any flights until the program is fully confirmed.

*Our travel insurance policy must be issued before final payment is made. Some benefits are only available if the policy is purchased within 21 days of your initial registration.

Back to Top