Oakland Hebrew Day School
MaÕagal Hashanah-Trip to Israel ¥ Led by Mark Shinar May 6-17, 2007
Date
Program
Meals/Overnight
Sunday May 6
Departure from Oakland
Monday May 7
Arrival at Ben Gurion airport in the afternoon.
Welcome dinner in Tel AvivÕs Yemenite Quarter followed by check-in.
Welcome dinner at Maganda
Overnight: Bnai Dan Youth Hostel, Tel Aviv
Tuesday May 8
Celebrate Yom HaÕatzmaut by re-creating the declaration of the State of Israel by David Ben Gurion at Independence Hall.
Visit the Neot Kedumim Biblical Nature reserve in ModiÕin, home of the Maccabees. Learn hands-on how olive oil was made in ancient times (Hanukkah). Try your hand at being a shepherd by herding sheep and goats.
Kibbutz Magal visit (Meet MayaÕs friends and relatives).
Picnic Lunch
Cash Dinner or Home Hospitality Dinner
Overnight: Bnai Dan Youth Hostel, Tel Aviv
Wednesday May 9
Depart for the north.
Visit the mystical city of Zefat including the ancient synagogues. Trace the development of ÒMatan TorahÓ through halacha and kabbalah (Shavuot). Shtender Program with Noah Greenberg. Boys visit the Ari ZÓl Mikveh while Girls visit the Candle Factory.
Throw a ÒPurimÓ carnival for the children at ZefatÕs Sieff hospital or at a Bet Avot.
Hike along the Meron Mountain Trail before enjoying a BBQ and a ÒLag BÕOmerÓ bonfire.
Cash lunch in Zefat
BBQ Dinner in Meron
Overnight: Karei Deshe YH
Thursday May 10
Bring care packages IDF soldiers on their base near the Lebanese border (Yom Hazikaron).
Nahal Hatzbani Water Hike. (Exodus at Pesach)
Kayak down the Jordan River.
Visit the brave firefighters of Kiryat Shemona who battled non-stop blazes during last summerÕs war with Lebanon.
Plant a tree at the hesder Yeshiva (Tu BÕshvat) and help repair some of the destruction to the northÕs forests.
Lunch at Jordan River Rafting
Cash Dinner
Overnight: Karei Deshe YH
Friday May 11
Ascend the Golan Heights.
Talmudic Katzrin and movie about R. Meir and Elisha ben Abuya.
Outlook over the ancient site of Gamla, a bastion of Jewish rebellion before the Great Revolt which lead to the destruction of Jerusalem (Tisha BÕAv). OR the Kol Shofar activity (Rosh Hashanah)
Continue to Jerusalem for check-in and to prepare for Shabbat. Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel followed by festive Shabbat dinner at the hostel.
Lunch at Koher MacDonaldÕs in Bet SheÕan
Shabbat dinner at hostel
Overnight: Agron YH, Jerusalem
Shabbat May 12
Shabbat morning tefilot at local synagogue followed by lunch at the hostel and rest time.
Walking tour of Meah Shearim and seudat shlishit with the Karlin Hassidim.
Group Havdalah followed by free evening at Malcha Mall. Tefilah chagigit??
Shabbat lunch at hostel
Light Seudat Shlishit
Cash Dinner in Malcha Mall Food Court
Overnight: Agron YH, Jerusalem
Sunday May 13
Yom Yerushalayim
Outlook from the Haas Promenade and text study on Akedat Yitzhak (Yom Kippur).
Learn more about the centrality of the Bet Hamikdash in ancient times at the Southern Wall excavations. See the destruction of Tisha BÕAv 70CE at RobinsonÕs Arch.
Celebrate Yom Yerushalayim and the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 at Ammunition Hill.
Yom Yerushalayim Tefilah Hagigit and Tekes.
Evening: Program in Mevasseret Zion.
Picnic Lunch
Cash Dinner in Mevasseret
Overnight: Agron YH, Jerusalem
Monday May 14
Visit the multi-media Herzl Museum.
Yad Vashem.
Volunteer at Yad Eliezer, preparing food packages for JerusalemÕs less fortunate.
Evening: BBQ at AppelbaumÕs
Picnic Lunch
BBQ at AppelbaumÕs
Overnight: Agron YH, Jerusalem
Tuesday May 15
Dig up history with your hands at an archaeological excavation in Bet Guvrin. Learn why this ancient site is connected to the story of Hanukkah. Crawl through unexcavated caves which were used by the Bar Kochba rebels.
Volunteer with Project Leket, picking left over fruits and vegetables to be donated to local soup kitchens.
Set off for the Judean Desert. Sunset camel ride followed by an authentic Bedouin ÒHaflaÓ dinner. Camp out in a Bedouin tent.
Picnic Lunch
Bedouin dinner
Overnight: Kfar Hanokdim Camel Ranch
Wednesday May 16
Hike to the Nahal David waterfall, where a young David hid out from King Saul.
Float in the Dead Sea at Mineral Beach.
Time Elevator.
Shopping time followed by farewell dinner and transfer to airport for departing flight.
Lunch at Ein Gedi YH
Farewell Dinner
Thursday May 17
Arrival in Oakland.