VIPIsrael - Chabad New Mexico

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I S R A E L

VIPIsrael – Chabad New Mexico Monday, March 17, 2008 - Wednesday, March 26, 2008

11 Monday, March 17, 2008 (VIP & Transfer) Welcome

WELCOME TO ISRAEL

• Touchdown at Ben Gurion International Airport.

• Before clearing passport control a VIPISRAEL representative will be waiting to welcome

you at the door of your plane as you exit the plane. You will be transported quickly through

the airport, pass immigration at the flight crew counter where passport control is efficiently

expedited and continue to facilitate luggage identification and handling; & escort you

through customs.

• Ascend to Jerusalem & Check into your hotel to freshen up and relax.

• Enjoy a welcome dinner with orientation from your guide and political update from

Jerusalem Post newspaper Chief Political Correspondent Mr. Gil Hoffman for an

update on the state of Israel and a Q & A session

OVERNIGHT: Jerusalem, Sheraton Plaza (Deluxe Rooms)


22 Tuesday, March 18, 2008 (Guide & Vehicle) Dead Sea

• 8:00 a.m. After breakfast depart to the Dead Sea area traveling south through the Judean

Wilderness.

• 10:00 a.m. arrive at Masada - Ascend the cliff top fortress by cable car, or for the more

daring, ascend the snake path just as the Jews did thousands of years ago.

• Explore the ancient remains of the fortifications, King Herod's palace, storerooms and

baths.

• 12:30 p.m. Continue along the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, and a rich source of

minerals for export.

• Take a swim or ‘float’ & let the buoyant waters support you as you relax on your back and

think of nothing else but the sea and the salt all around you!

• 3:00 p.m. Take in the beauty of the natural Ein Gedi Waterfall; take a light hike along a

waterfall oasis, whose beauty exudes vibrant hues of green, red, blue and yellow, a small slice

of heaven.

• During the Byzantine period, the Jewish residents of the area built an ornate synagogue

here in Ein Gedi

• Enjoy a packed lunch by the Dead Sea Shore.

• Return to Jerusalem to relax for the evening



33 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 (Guide & Vehicle) Old City

• 9:00 a.m. Reserved After breakfast, tour the amazing City of King David.

• Begin with a breathtaking observation overlooking Biblical Jerusalem and observe 3,800

years of history dating back in time to the days of Abraham, when the first foundations of

the city were laid.

• The journey quickly heads underground to some of the newest archaeological

excavations at the site. Here, while exploring the recently excavated fortresses and

passageways, you will relive King David's conquest of the Jobsite city as described in the

2nd Book of Samuel.

• 12:00 p.m. Enter the Old City walls and start at the Davidson Center – the newly opened

visitors’ center, located at the Jerusalem Archaeological Park.

• Tour the Southern Wall Excavations where some of the most important archaeological

discoveries have been unearthed, proving this to be one of the key areas of Jerusalem.

Amongst these remains is a complex of royal palaces dating back to the 7th century.

• View Hulda's Gate and walk up the impressive ancient staircase that was the main entrance

through which worshippers entered the Second Temple's compound.

• Take a Guided tour of the Jewish Quarter that was reconstructed after the city was unified

at the conclusion of the Six-Day War in 1967. A special point of interest in the restored

Jewish Quarter is the "Cardo", meaning the "heart" of this ancient Byzantine City. View the

unearthed main Roman thoroughfare and ancient marketplace lined with columns.

• 1:00 p.m. Reserved Next view the excavated ruins of a “Burnt House,” home to Kathros,

High Priest mentioned in the Talmud from the Second Temple period. These burned ruins

remained undisturbed until they were uncovered in the 1970’s.

• 2:30 p.m. Reserved See the Herodian Mansions at The Wohl Archaeological Museum

preserves the extraordinary discoveries made during excavations carried out between 1969

and 1983, that revealed remains of magnificent buildings from the time of the Herodian

dynasty period 37 B.C.E. till 70 C.E.



44 Thursday, March 20, 2008 Fast of Esther (Guide & Armored Vehicle) Chevron

• 9:30 a.m. After breakfast, depart in an armored vehicle and then stop for Tehillim and

supplication at the very special site of Rachel’s Tomb. (Pending military approval)

• Onto the holy city of Chevron, visit Ma’arat Hamachpela where our patriarchs and

matriarchs are buried: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and their wives. Tradition also holds this

to be the burial place of ‘Adam & Eve.’

• Meet some of the very special families who live in this special neighborhood & Rabbi

Danni Cohen the Chabad Rabbi of Chevron.

• Return to Jerusalem and enjoy your evening at leisure.

• Jerusalem is full of amazing shops, cafes & boutiques and local artists display their

work throughout the city, take some time to explore Jerusalem or relax at your hotel.


55 Friday, March 21, 2008 Purim (Guide & Vehicle) Jerusalem

• 9:00 a.m. Reserved Visit Yad Vashem Complex, was completed in the spring of 2005 a

memorial to the six million innocent victims of the Holocaust.

• Continue on to visit the famous and remarkable Israel Museum to visit The Shrine of the

Book, where you will be able to view the Dead Sea Scrolls housed in a specially built

structure - an architectural masterpiece.

• Spend a wonderful inspiring Purim in Jerusalem, For Purim Meshulash. Listen to the

Megilah.

• Enjoy a walk to browse fresh produce, fish mongers, and an array of unique shops and

boutiques, or just enjoy a famous Jerusalem Falafel or Shawarma at the Machne Yehuda

Shuk (open market).

WELCOME SHABBAT AT THE KOTEL (WESTERN WALL)

• As the sun sets preparations will be made for welcoming the Shabbat.

• Upon reaching the steps leading down to the Kotel, look around and notice people from all

corners of the world converging together with one purpose in mind; to welcome the

Shabbat at the holiest place on earth for Judaism.

• Enjoy Shabbat Dinner & Chassidic Farbrengen at the Tzemach Tzedek Shul in

Jerusalem’s Old City; this is a VIP exclusive experience!



66 Saturday, March 22, 2008 (Free Day) Shabbat Shalom

• After a light breakfast, walk to The Mayanot Shul or the Great Synagogue for davening or

to a synagogue of your choice.

• Return to your hotel for a Chabad spirited Shabbat lunch, L’Chaim!

• As Shabbat expires, participate in a moving Havdallah service with your Rabbi in the hotel

• After Shabbat, enjoy shopping and dinner at Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda outdoor mall,

where the young Jerusalem comes to life!


77 Sunday, March 23, 2008 (Free Day) Purim

• The rest of the world celebrates Purim on the 14th of Adar; give Shalach Manot and

Matanot Levyonim to fellow Jerusalemites.


88 Monday, March 24, 2008 (Guide & Vehicle) Coastal

• 8:30 a.m. After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head north along Israel’s Coast

• 10:00 a.m. Visit the Caesarea National Park contains an impressive Roman

Amphitheatre, the Hippodrome, a horse-racing arena that could seat 20,000; also a giant

headless statue on Byzantine Street & Mansion, and the Roman Aqueducts.

• 1:00 p.m. Further along the coastline, visit the ancient city of Acco (Acre) 14 miles above

Haifa, once known as the Crusaders capital of the north. This city is almost 4,000 years old.

• Walk on the city walls & Ramparts to the harbor, then through the colorful markets to visit

the huge, cool yet spooky Subterranean Crusader Halls. Explore gates, towers, tunnels,

and secret passageways.

• 5:00 p.m. Arrive in Tiberius to visit the resting place of Rambam, Rabbi Akiva & others

and enjoy a Cruise on the Sea of Galilee.

• Head to the north side to check into your hotel and relax for dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Sea of Kinneret, Kinnar Classic


99 Tuesday, March 25, 2008 (Guide & Vehicle) Tzfat

•• 9:00 a.m. After breakfast, ascend the Golan Heights, where you will have the very special

privilege of being the guest of an Armored Brigade at their IDF base. This is an exclusive

VIP experience!

•• 1:00 p.m. Visit Tel Dan, a nature reserve at the foot of Mount Hermon which includes

archeological remains from the ancient town of Dan- the city of Laish, which members of

the tribe Dan captured for their homeland.

•• Visit Tzfat's restored Old City including the artists' colony. Tzfat has much to offer in the

way of art galleries, gift-shops and restaurants found tucked away amongst the winding,

cobblestone streets and take a dip in the famous Mikveh of the Ari z"l in the mystical city.

•• Stop by Tzfat’s famous candle shop and visit art and sculpture galleries.

•• Return to your hotel to enjoy dinner and relax for the evening.

OVERNIGHT: Sea of Kinneret, Kinnar Classic

1100 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 (Guide & Vehicle) Tel Aviv

•• 9:30 a.m. After breakfast check out of your hotel and depart toward Tel Aviv.

•• Browse the shops and experience the unique flavors and ambience of the famous Dizengoff

St., Shenken St. & Rothchilde Ave

•• The Carmel Market is imbued with oriental flavor, on of the few places in the city that

reminds visitors of Tel Aviv’s Middle Eastern location. Tour the aromatic and enticing stalls

of fresh fruits and vegetables, hot breads and spices.

•• The Flea Market makes up the heart of New Jaffa. Browse through an array of stores

offering an exotic, oriental flavor, selling hookahs, tobacco, and silver jewelry. Fancy an old

boot or a rusty xylophone?

•• Unique stores such as Albertina sell 19th century vintage clothes from Europe and many

other such treasures await you as the actual market expanse, a colorful delight.

•• Visit Old Jaffa port that was the most important port at the ancient times. Through this

port the cedars from Lebanon were imported in order to build Solomon's Temple in

Jerusalem, where fishing boats still depart and return daily with the fresh ‘catch of the day.’

•• Visit the artist colony and the galleries of old Jaffa.

•• Visit Kfar Chabad and be inspired by the Israeli replica of “770”. Head over to the local

pizza shop for a slice. Visit the Main Yeshiva and see hundreds of students learning torah.

•• Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your temporary departure flight from Israel.

Begin planning your next VIPIsrael Adventure!!!!!

VIPIsrael - Chabad New Mexico

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