Michael Medved Tour

• Introduction
• About Michael Medved
• Itinerary
• Pricing Information
• Registration
• Payment
• Insurance Plan
  

Introduction

A Journey into the Heart of the Modern State of Israel

Radio Show Host Michael Medved, in association with the Israel Studies Institute, is proud to offer an unparalleled look into the very essence of the State of Israel.  Like Michael's radio show, you'll go well beyond the superficial coverage that you receive from the networks and cable news during your 10 day trip.

The tour will offer:

• An innovative, new itinerary, appropriate for first-time and repeat visitors
• Ongoing commentary and insights by acclaimed radio talk show host Michael Medved
• A comprehensive, guided interfaith tour of the Holy Land
• For Christians, a chance to understand the Jewish roots of Christianity
• For Jews, a chance to understand the roots of Christianity in the Holy Land
• For Jews and Christians, the chance to understand each others past and present, and an opportunity to discuss our shared futures
• An in-depth view of Israel's main sites from Masada in the South to the Lebanese border in the North and from the Mediterranean Coast in the West to the Jordan River Valley in the East
• Encounters with people and institutions that shape the country
• Special Sabbath (Shabbat) experience
• Insights into the current challenges facing Israel from within and without
• Experience the Spirit of Israel in a unique framework with an incredible group of fellow travelers!

Israel receives more press coverage per capita than any other country on the planet. On this tour, you'll go beyond the images that you see from your homes in the U.S. and gain a deeper understanding of what's really happening in the country today, and how it will impact the world, the U.S., and your own life.

Add to all of this the chance to understand the Jewish and Christian underpinnings of Israel as the Holy Land and as the Modern Jewish State, from both historical and religious perspectives, and you'll be sure to go home with an understanding and appreciation of the country that very few people ever have!
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About Michael Medved
Michael Medved is a nationally syndicated radio host, best-selling author, and veteran film critic. His daily three-hour broadcast reaches more than 2,500,000 listeners on nearly 200 stations across the country - drawing an audience that consistently ranks his show as one of the top ten political talk shows in the United States.
To learn more go to his website: http://michaelmedved.com/

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The Itinerary

Sunday 20 July – Day 1 – Departure from US

Monday 21 July – Day 2 – Arrival in Israel

Arrive in Israel and travel to Ne'ot Kedumim, a nature park in the Judean Hills that focuses on plants and nature in Israel's Biblical Heritage. (For groups with morning arrival only.) Opening Ceremony: The Environment of the Biblical Land of Israel. Travel to and check-in at the Dan Caesarea Hotel. Meet your host, Michael Medved, and your fellow travelers over cocktails before dinner at the hotel. Settle into your hotel adjacent to the lovely beach at Caesarea, within easy stroll of the magnificent ruins of the port built by King Herod over 2000 years ago and of the 12th century Crusader fortress. Overnight: Dan Caesarea Hotel.
The Dan is a hotel situated within an entire resort complex, near the classical site of Caesarea, capital of the Roman province of Judea. While here you can take advantage of the hotel’s extensive grounds, spacious outdoor pool, health club and proximity to the Mediterranean beach.

Tuesday 22 July – Day 3 – Biblical Roots

It is impossible to appreciate the complexity of the Middle East in general and the Holy Land in particular without understanding the historical connection of the Jews with their Land. On this day, you can choose one of two great options:

1. Travel to Mt. Carmel near Haifa and visit the site where Elijah the Prophet confronted the Priests of Ba'al some 2,600 years ago (I Kings 18:40). From the Carmelite monastery called the "Mukhraka" (burned place) our guides will re-tell the story and you will enjoy a commanding view of the Jezreel Valley, a region of Israel centrally feature in Biblical narratives. Travel to Nazareth for a visit to the Church of the Annunciation where the Gospel relates that the angel Gabriel gave tidings of the birth of Jesus to Mary. Finally, don Second and Third Century costumes as you ride on donkeys through the hills of the Galilee and learn about the period of the Mishna, Judaism's central first codified Book of Law.

2. Travel to Megiddo, the quintessential "tel", or artificial hill that holds the remains of 26 civilizations dating back 9,000 years! Guarding the trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia, this was a site of crucial Biblical importance as well as the source of the name of the site of Mankind's future, final battle, Armageddon. Travel to Nazareth for a visit to the Church of the Annunciation . Finally, visit Zippori, a Jewish and pagan city which flourished during Roman and Byzantine times – formative periods in the development of both Rabbinic Judaism and the early Church.

The groups rejoin at our hotel for a lovely BBQ dinner on the verdant lawns of the Dan Caesarea Hotel. This evening, join a bonfire on the beach and hear the dramatic story of local heroine and poetess Hana Senesh, a young woman paratrooper who was dropped into her native Hungary during World War II. Overnight: Dan Caesarea Hotel.

Wednesday 23 July – Day 4 – The Struggle for the State and Modern Israeli Culture

This day also starts with options. This time there are three:

1. Take a morning and relax on the beach or at the pool by the hotel. At mid-day, travel to Tel Aviv and tour Independence Hall, the historic location where on a Sabbath eve in May, 1948, David Ben Gurion declared the independence of the modern State of Israel.

2. Visit Tel Aviv and tour the moving and interactive Palmach Museum. Travel back through time to the period just before the founding of the modern State of Israel and experience the lives of a platoon of soldiers in Israel's pre-state "Palmach" strike force as they face the challenges of the War of Independence in 1948. Stroll along Tel Aviv's scenic new port and get a taste of the modern cultural and business capital of Israel.

3. Travel North to the Ein Hod Artists Colony and wander through this idyllic village, meeting artists in their studios working in various media and techniques. Continue to the picturesque city of Zichron Yaakov, named for its founder and patron, Baron Jacob de Rothschild, one of the earliest Jewish villages settled in the late 1900s and now a picturesque town with shops, museums, cafés, and restaurants. Zichron Yaakov holds its own secret of a spy ring whose members drew inspiration from the Bible in their struggle against the Turks during World War I.

All groups will then head to Old Jaffa, traditional entry port into the Land of Israel, mentioned in the Bible as the place where Jonah boarded the ship from which he was thrown to be swallowed by the whale (literally: a "big fish"). Enjoy a coffee break at the avant garde "Na LaGa'at" (Please Do Touch), and hear the amazing and inspirational story of how deaf and blind actors perform theater and run a coffee shop.

Enjoy free time shopping in modern Tel Aviv. Grab a falafel or a schwarma (Israeli fast food) from a street vendor or one of the fast food restaurants downtown. Overnight: Dan Caesarea Hotel

Thursday 24 July – Day 5 –Northern Israel Throughout History

We will begin our trip to Northern Israel extremely early, and end our day in Jerusalem. After an early check-out, pick one of two optional tours:

1. Explore the Christian holy sites of the early ministry of Jesus. We will visit the Church of Tabgha (miracle of the loaves and the fishes, Peter's Primacy), Capernaum (healing of Peter's mother-in-law and the site of an ancient synagogue), and Mt. of the Beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount). We will continue north for lunch in the quaint village of Rosh Pina, settled in the late 19th century, then head to the Mitzpeh Gadot overlook and monument to understand the issues of the Golan and peace with Syria from the Six Day War in 1967 until today. Hike to a hidden spring where you can cool off in refreshing water.

2. Visit the Crusader city of Acre and the Knight's Hall. Hear the little-known story of Napoleon's failed military mission to the Holy Land in the late 18th century. Travel North to Rosh Hanikra, gorgeous grottoes cut by the Sea out of the rock cliffs. Continue along the Lebanese border to Kibbutz Malkiyeh, for a briefing on the security situation from the Second Lebanon War in 2006 until today from a local resident who lived through the Hizbullah shelling during the war. Visit an Israel Defense Forces Army Base and get a briefing from IDF personnel protecting Israel's northern border.

The groups will join together for a Cruise on the Sea of Galilee and will enjoy dinner in Tiberias, a city founded in the time of Jesus and considered one of the four holy cities of Israel by Jews throughout the centuries. Transfer to Jerusalem and check-in at the Sheraton Plaza Hotel after a very long (but exciting!) day. Overnight: Sheraton Plaza, Jerusalem.

Friday 25 July – Day 6 – Considering the Past

The day starts for everyone with a fascinating lecture by Michael Oren (pending availability), author of the seminal book on the Six Day War ("Six Days of War") and the current best-seller, "Power, Faith, and Fantasy," that chronicles US involvement in the Middle East since 1776. Don't miss it! Following the lecture, depart for one of two options:

1. Visit the new Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, which memorializes the millions who died and the few who resisted the Final Solution of Nazi Germany. Visit the museum and try to understand the nature of the evil perpetrated by the Nazis on the Jewish people and others, and get a feel for how modern Israelis perceive the meaning of this cataclysmic event. From here, experience first-hand Friday's noticeable level of pre-Sabbath frenzy followed by an abrupt "winding down" as people prepare for the Jewish Sabbath. Visit the open air Mahaneh Yehuda Market and engage in a hands-on activity "Jerusalem Prepares for the Shabbat".

2. Travel west of Jerusalem to the area of the Shfelah (foothills) and walk up Tel Azeika overlooking the battleground where the small soldier-boy David slew the Phillistine giant Goliath 3,000 years ago. Visit the Roman amphitheater in Beit Guvrin where gladiators fought and tour the caves where the rebel Jewish Army led by Bar Kochba held out against the Romans in the revolt of the 2nd Century. Top off the morning with a visit to one of the world-class boutique wineries in the Shfelah region. Drawing inspiration from Israel's Biblical culture of raising wine, one noted wine from this region has been voted one of the 100 best wines in the world!

After an afternoon rest, we change into "Shabbat clothes" and walk to the Western Wall where Jews from around the world join together in prayer to welcome the Sabbath. We will have a festive, traditional Friday night Shabbat dinner at the hotel followed by a traditional "Oneg Shabbat" with stories and song. For those who want to walk off the calories afterward, there is an optional walking tour of Jerusalem neighborhoods where the spiritual quiet of Shabbat can be felt most intensely. Overnight: Sheraton Plaza, Jerusalem.

Saturday 26 July – Day 7 – Remember the Sabbath Day

Saturday – Shabbat - is Israel's day off, and you have the option of resting today if you'd like. A wide range of Jewish synagogue services will be available for those who choose. For a special experience, visit Jesus' Jerusalem, including the Mt. of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Via Dolorosa , and the "Garden Tomb" or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. At sundown, the group joins together for the Jewish Havdalah (separation) service that ends the Shabbat and begins the new week. We watch the city reawaken after sundown, and enjoy an evening on Jerusalem's downtown pedestrian mall, Ben Yehuda or a bus tour of Jerusalem by Night. Overnight: Sheraton Plaza, Jerusalem.

Sunday 27 July – Day 8 – Bemidbar: The Desert

Sunday is not a rest day in Israel – it's just the first day of the work week! Early in the morning we will depart for the Dead Sea. Again, two options:

1. Visit Masada, site of the dramatic last hold-out of the Jews against the Romans in 73 CE. From the hot mountaintop, cool off at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve with its ibex, natural spring, and waterfalls, all witness to the dramatic Biblical confrontation between King Saul and the young David. Free time for swimming in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

2. Explore Qumran, the desert settlement from the time of Jesus and the Second Temple in whose caves the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Learn who these people were, who authored the Scrolls and why! From here, travel to the Dead Sea Spa where you can take a dip at the world's lowest point and saltiest water. Spread the famous therapeutic Dead Sea mud on your body or enjoy a massage or other treatment.

After your hot day in the desert, you'll appreciate coming back to the hotel for an air conditioned dinner and any final shopping you need to attend to before departure. Overnight: Sheraton Plaza, Jerusalem.

Monday 28 July – Day 9 – The Temple Mount and the City of David

Wake up early to visit sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, holy sites of the three major world religions.

1. Ascend the Temple Mount, site of the First Temple built by King Solomon and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Second Temple built in Persian times before Alexander the Great, considered one of the wonders of the world as restored by Herod in Roman times, and destroyed by Titus in the first century. See the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site for Moslems.

2. Go underground to explore the wonders of Herod's Temple at the Kotel Tunnels. View a model of the Temple from Jesus' time, and walk on Second Temple streets traversed by the great Rabbis of the Mishna as well as Jesus during the Passion.

3. Visit the most important archaeological site in the world, the City of David. The 3,000 year old Jerusalem was built around the Gihon Spring. View newly uncovered archeological remains dating back to the time of Abraham, including what is claimed to be the remains of King David's Palace.

4. Tour the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, winding through its alleyways and stones that have such importance in antiquity and today, as you view archaeological remains and experience the Holy City.

In the afternoon, hear a lecture from noted Jerusalem archaeologist, Eilat Mazar (pending availability), active in the digs in the Old City, getting a window into some of the great controversies surrounding the finds that have been uncovered in the last 100 years of digging in the world's most-excavated city!

In the evening, enjoy a final banquet and hear a concert by a modern Jewish Israeli musician, who will weave ancient melodies into modern musical arrangements. Overnight: Sheraton Plaza, Jerusalem. Late night or early morning departure for Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and the flight home.

Tuesday 29 July – Day 10 – Home Again

Arrival in the U.S. Shalom and l'hitraot (farewell)!
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Contact Information

For general information about the trip, please send an e-mail to info@isi-shovalim.org or call Marcia Katz at 1-800-213-8260. For flight-specific information, see the Air Travel section below.

Pricing Information (per person)

In calculating your total price per person, please be sure to include the following:
1. For each Adult or Child the “Land and Air” or “Land Only” price, as applicable.
2. “Single Supplement”, if applicable (the number of single rooms available is limited and will be allocated on a first-come/first-served basis).
3. “Airfare Supplement” for Los Angeles Departure, if applicable.
From your total price per person, a non-refundable registration fee of $500 per person is due with your registration. Registration is due by April 30, 2008.
Full payment of the balance (total price minus $500 registration fee) is due at that time.

* Please note: The amount charged for Air in the “Land and Air” option above includes current airport taxes and airline charges in the amount of $416. These items are not in our control and are subject to increase. Should they increase, any increased amounts will be the sole responsibility of the traveler.

Air Travel

If you choose “Air and Land” we will arrange for round trip economy class air travel from New York to Tel Aviv or from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv on one of the following flight combinations - please choose either Option A, B or C. All air travel arrangements are subject to availability.

Please contact Anjali Malaney, our Group Flight Coordinator by e-mail at anjalim@abt-us.com or by phone at (973) 812-0888 Ext 14 or toll free (866) 453-2164 to confirm your flight preference and for assistance with connecting flights if necessary. Please indicate which flight itinerary (Option A, B or C) you prefer when you call about flights. Flights are subject to availability and will be assigned on a first-come/first-served basis. Please contact Anjali Malaney only related to booking your flights for the tour. For For questions about the tour itself or how to register, please contact Marcia Katz, using the contact information above the price chart.

Accommodations and Meals
* 8 nights 5 star hotel accommodations including daily breakfast and dinner

Caesarea – 3 nights at the Dan Caesarea Hotel
Jerusalem – 5 nights at the Sheraton Plaza Hotel

* Full Israeli buffet breakfast daily

Land Services
* Meet & assist at the airport
* Transfer on arrival and departure
* Porters fees at airport and hotels
* 8 full days of touring in deluxe air-conditioned buses
* A professional licensed English speaking guide
* Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
* Entrance fees to all sites mentioned
* Cable car to/from Masada

Price Does Not Include
* Additional $650 for single room supplement
* Additional $324 for Los Angles supplement
* Extra meals (lunches) not mentioned in the itinerary
* Personal expenses
* Travel insurance (highly recommended)
* Tips to guide ($5 pp/day), driver ($3 pp/day), hotel staff (participant's discretion)

Trip is subject to minimum and maximum numbers of participants.

Registration and Payment

Registration Form
Please download the tour registration form. Please download and mail in
PDF registration form or Word document registration form

Tour prices and payment terms are described in detail on the form. Please fill it out and send the form back via US mail only to:

MESTI, Inc. PO Box 5421, Denver, CO 80217-5421

* If you are paying by check, please make the check out to MESTI, Inc. and enclose it with your registration form

* If you are paying by credit card, please click here to pay by PayPal.

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Insurance Plan
Participants in the Medved tour can purchase trip insurance from Travelex:

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