PILGRIMAGE TO ISRAEL

September Addendum: Several people have called about the Israel trip. The deadline for deposits is now October 1. There was a glitch in the travel agent's web site, and some of you might not have been able to register on line. As a result, please call them directly at 1-888-811-2812. Choose option 1.

The weather is wonderful in Israel in February. The winter rains have gone;  the hillsides  are blooming with  spring wild flowers. It is warm during the day, and cool at night. Our touring is relaxed, but purposeful.

February 8 -20, 2009

Led by:
The Rev. William McD Tully
Rector
St. Bartholomew’s Church
In the City of New York

and
Rabbi Leonard A. Schoolman
Director
Center for Religious Inquiry

Trip costs:
Air and Land          $4,837.00
Land only              $4,067.00
Single supplement  $1,337.00

If you choose to travel without the group, using mileage or other means, please make certain that you will be at the Tel Aviv Hilton by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

Two airlines fly to Israel non-stop. El Al flies from J.F.K. International Airport, and Continental flies from Liberty International Airport, Newark. Many other airlines fly to Israel, e.g. Air France, British Airways, but there is a change of plane.

Please remember that Israel time is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
October 1, 2008 - To register, please call our travel agent at 888-811-2812.  Press option 1, and they will take all your information.

AIR ROUTING:
All air rates and schedules are subject to change prior to ticketing. Please note the flights listed below are not confirmed at this juncture, air fare is subject to the carrier’s confirmation and subject to change. Airline utilization and deposit deadlines will be advised upon confirmation of space.

DATE AIRLINE FROM TO ROUTING
08 FEB 2009 TBA NYC TLV NON-STOP+1
20 FEB 2009 TBA TLV NYC NON-STOP

Note: +1 Indicates next day arrival

A SAFE AND SECURE TOUR WITH ARZA WORLD:
ARZA World follows the events in Israel very closely. For the many years that we have been organizing trips to Israel, safety and security have always been our number one priority. We review our schedules on a daily basis and maintain ongoing contact with government and security offices. While you may be concerned about travel during this volatile time, you can be certain that we will take every safety and security precaution necessary on our trip.
In addition to refraining from entering unsafe areas, we never intentionally bring groups to any site or area that we feel is unsafe. We have staff in Jerusalem, and before and during the trips, our plans are monitored continuously, in case any changes are needed. Our tours do not travel to the West Bank or Gaza. Throughout each day, itineraries are cleared by our Jerusalem office. All of our guides carry cell phones, and we would not hesitate to move groups in a moment's notice. We use private bus companies, and instruct our participants to stay off of public transportation. Medics and guards are available at an additional cost of $275 per day and can travel with the group at all times.
Please know that no one will go to Israel unless your leadership and ARZA World feel that it is appropriate and that we can provide the highest standard of safety and security which we always try to attain. We hope and pray for peace and wish you an amazing program in Israel.

HOW DOES ARZA WORLD DESIGN ITS PROGRAMS?
ARZA World Travel plans the perfect Israel experience by listening to your expectations and needs and then facilitating them. We are committed to using a holistic approach to the educational experience. Our programs are designed thematically, combining educational and geographical considerations while in Israel. Introductory sessions, usually in the form of interactive programs, (discussions, workshops and presentations) precede most topics of study, and site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes.
Having said all that, we also believe it is essential to allow enough time for relaxation and personal exploration. We take care in designing programs that contain a successful balance between more “active” and recreational components and those that are more “content-oriented” in nature. Essentially, our views on educational programming motivate us to create programs that are wholly “experiential”, in which ALL components are “fun” and educational.

EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL AND RESPONSIBLE TOUR EDUCATORS:
ARZA World Travel only works with tour educators who are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and who are experienced, professional and responsible. Tour educators working with Jewish trips have all had a great deal of experience with guiding Jewish tours in the past, and are experts at activating participants and making the history and reality of Israel “come alive”. All educators are “fixtures” in the local field of Jewish education and have experience teaching in formal as well as informal frameworks. Needless to say, they all speak perfect English.

The tour educator is an integral part of the group staff. This means that in addition to the overall implementation of the program, he/she is involved in all other aspects of the trip, whether they be interpersonal issues, group dynamics, or problem-solving on any and all levels.

PEACE OF MIND TRAVEL PROTECTION:
Peace of Mind Travel Protection: Cancel for any Reason - Choose to protect yourself with our 'Peace of Mind-Cancel For Any Reason' waiver program: should you cancel your trip in writing up to 72 hours before your departure for any reason, you will receive a full refund equal to the cost of your trip less the cost of your registration deposit and the cost of the 'Peace of Mind-Cancel For Any Reason' waiver program. The cost of the program is $178 per person and will only be added to participants invoice upon their request. IMPORTANT NOTE: 'Peace of Mind-Cancel For Any Reason' waiver program can be purchased up to 46 days before departure and does not apply to 'Cruise Programs'.
NOT INCLUDED: US and foreign airport taxes, Q fuel surcharge, passport and visa fees, border taxes when applicable, items not listed on standard group menus, mineral water, tea, coffee, after meal beverages, personal expenses (i.e. laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls, postage, etc.), tips to drivers, guides, tour escorts and other services not indicated above.

ST. B ARTHOLOMEW ’ S CH URCH
TH E CENTER FOR RE LIGIOUS INQUIRY
13 DAY | TO UR OF IS RAEL
L ED BY R ABBI L ENNY SCHOOLMAN & R EVEREND WILLIAM TULLY
FE BRUARY 8-20, 2009
PROGRAM BY ARZA WOR LD

DAY ONE: Sunday, February 8, 2009
DEPARTURE
• Depart JFK International Airport.
Overnight: Flight

DAY TWO: Monday, February 9, 2009
ARRIVAL
• Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport.
• Welcome by our representative and assistance with arrival formalities.
• Transfer to Tel Aviv.
• Drive through Tel Aviv, known as the “city that never sleeps” and pass by centers
of culture and recreation such as the Habima Theater, sprawling beaches, Dizengoff
Street and Rabin Square.
• Check into your hotel.
• Welcome dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

DAY THREE: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
THE OLD AND THE NEW IN TEL AVIV
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit the Old City of Jaffa and stroll through the renovated artists’ colony and the
ancient port.
• Visit St, Peter’s Monastery, built on the site of a 13th century Crusader Monastery,
commemorating the Apostle Peter’s miracle resurrecting the widow Tabitha, followed
by an optional visit to the traditional site of Simon the Tanner’ Jaffa.
• Lunch on your own.
• Visit to Independence Hall, site of David Ben Gurion’s monumental
proclamation of the State of Israel in May 1948.
• Explore two thousand years of rich Jewish culture and community at Beth
Hatefutsoth, the Museum of the Diaspora, located on the campus of Tel Aviv
University.
• Time permitting, visit the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian mall, with its restored
buildings and sidewalk artists, and continue onto the colorful Carmel Market and
then to Shenkin, one of Israel’s most avant-garde streets.
• Dinner on own.
Overnight: Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv

DAY FOUR: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
COMMUNITIES OF ISRAEL
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Depart the hotel.
• Guided visit to Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel's most important cities during the
Roman Period; visit the Herodian Theater and new excavations along the Mediterranean
shore concluding with the new interactive audio-visual program ‘The Stars of Caesarea,’
located in the 900-year-old crusader city built on the same site.
• Visit Mukhracha and walk in the footsteps of Elijah the Prophet.
• Observe a scenic overlook of Haifa Bay from Mount Carmel.
• Visit the Church of the Annunciation of Christ in Nazareth.
• Drive to the Sea of Galilee and visit the ancient boat at Nof Ginosar.
• Check into the hotel.
• Enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
• Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Sheraton, Tiberias

DAY FIVE: Thursday, February 12, 2009
SPIRITUALITY IN THE GALILEE
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the site of Jesus' teachings
and the remains of a 2nd century synagogue.
• Visit the Church of the Beatitudes located on the traditional site of Jesus’ Sermon
on the Mount.
• Jeep tour climbing to the Golan Heights in the footsteps of IDF soldiers and their
battles in the Six Day War, to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and gain an insight
into the strategic complexity of the Golan.
• Lunch on your own.
• Visit Caesarea Philipi, also known as Banias which is a significant turning point in
Jesus’ ministry. It was here that Peter confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, where Jesus
tells Peter that he will be the foundation of the church, where Jesus for the first time
openly talks of going to Jerusalem to suffer and die.
• Explore Safed, a center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years, and a
contemporary artists’ colony, including:
• Guided visits to the Ari and Abuhav Synagogues with their great stories and
mystical messages.
• A stroll through the quaint Art Galleries and shop in the artists’ colony.
• Dialogue on ‘ Christian Mystics,’ with a scholar.
• Return to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight: Sheraton, Tiberias

DAY SIX: Friday, February 13, 2009
TRAVELLING THE RIFT
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Depart Tiberias.
• Visit the Kinneret Cemetery and hear about the dreams of the early Zionist
pioneers.
• Visit the archaeological excavations at Beit Shean, one of the largest Roman-
Byzantine cities uncovered in Israel.
• Drive to Jerusalem along the Jordan Valley Rift.
• Stop at Mount Scopus to say the traditional shehechiyanu blessing, recited upon
entering Jerusalem.
• The Hills around Jerusalem - ירושלים הרים סביב לה Drive around Jerusalem while
viewing the city from many of its overlooks and promenades.
• Check into the hotel and free time.
• Shabbat services at the hotel, followed by a festive private Shabbat dinner.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY SEVEN: Saturday, February 14, 2009
SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Optional Shabbat services at HUC.
• Lunch on your own.
• Walk along the Ramparts of the Old City.
• Explore the Cardo, a Byzantine street that is now the oldest shopping arcade in the
world.
• Visit the Temple Mount, site of the First and Second Temples and the third holiest
place to Islam, with the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque.
• Explore the Arab bazaar.
• Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY EIGHT: Sunday, February 15, 2009
THE LAYERS OF JERUSALEM
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Optional church services at St. George's Cathedral.
• Explore Christian East Jerusalem through visits with Christian personalities and
institutions with Daniel Rossing, Director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish
Christian Relations.
• Lunch on your own in the Old City.
• Walking tour through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, for guided
visits to some of the sites excavated over the past 30 years, including:
• The Hurva Square, the central square of the Jewish Quarter.
• Guided visit through the 2,000-year old Herodian Mansions in the Jewish
Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.
• Guided visit to the Davidson Archaeological Park with a special visit to the
Davidson Center, to view the new three-dimensional computer generated
presentation of Life During the Time of the Temple, followed by a guided visit to
the Southern Wall Excavations.
• The Kotel (Western Wall).
• Visit the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Western
Wall along the Temple Mount.
• Guided visit to the four Sephardi Synagogues, which reflect the richness and
diversity of Diaspora Jewish traditions.
• Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY NINE: Monday, February 16, 2009
MEMORIES FOR THE FUTURE
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Guided visit through the newly renovated Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish
National Memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, including:
• The Avenue of the Righteous
• The new Historical Museum
• The Children's Memorial
• The Holocaust Toy Exhibit
• The Valley of the Communities
• A concluding Memorial Service
• Lunch on your own.
• ‘Hands on Tzedekah’ project at the Yad Eliezer food packing volunteer center.
• Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY TEN: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
JEWISH STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Drive to the Dead Sea Basin.
• Visit Qumran, walk through the impressive Dead Sea Sect community area and see
the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and view the new interactive audio
visual program.
• Ascend by cable car to visit Masada, Herod’s mountain palace and site of the
Jewish Zealots’ last stand against the Roman Legionnaires. Explore the many
archaeological remains from the Roman and Byzantine Eras.
• Lunch on your own.
• Bathe in the relaxing and healthy sulphur springs at a Dead Sea Resort Hotel and
float in the Dead Sea.
• Return to Jerusalem
• Dinner at leisure.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY ELEVEN: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A KALEIDASCOPE
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Explore the Jewish judicial tradition at the new Supreme Court building.
• Visit the Israel Museum, one of the most creative and innovative museums in the
world with a wide and eclectic collection, ranging from Judaica and archaeology to
Renaissance and contemporary Israeli art, concluding with a visit to the Dead Sea
Scrolls and the Shrine of the Book and the newly restored Second Temple Period
Model of Jerusalem.
• Rest of the day at leisure.
• Dinner at leisure.
Overnight: King David, Jerusalem

DAY TWELVE: Thursday, February 19, 2009
AT LEISURE
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Day at leisure to explore Jerusalem on your own, pack and shop.
• Noon check out from the hotel.
• Farewell dinner.
• Transfer to the airport.

DAY THIRTEEN: Friday, February 20, 2009
DEPARTURE
• Depart for the USA, arriving the same day.
t- Itinerary is tentative and subject to change.