We depart from Boston and New York on an overnight flight to Tel Aviv. We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport and begin our exploration of Israel with a visit to Zichron Ya'akov, one of the first settlements sponsored by Baron Edmond de Rothschild in the late 19th century. We visit the First Aliyah Museum and learn of the trials of the First Aliyah immigrants to Israel. We continue to Haifa, our base in the north for the next two nights. (D) Today we explore Haifa, including the Muhraka and environs. We visit a Druze village to learn about this secret sect and its place in Israeli society. This afternoon, we return to Haifa to meet with Rabbi Edgar Nof of Congregation Or Hadash, the reform congregation in Haifa to gain an understanding of the religious divide in Israel and the accomplishments of and challenges facing the Reform Movement in Israel. (B, D) This morning we focus on the First Aliyah period visiting Bat Shlomo which dramatizes the structure of town/farm settlements of this period and Sejera, the first Jewish settlement in the Galilee. In Nazareth we learn about the development of Nazareth into a modern town, visit a mosque and meet with a local official to discuss Jewish-Arab relations and conflict and coexistence in the Galilee. We end our day at the guest house of Kibbutz Nof Ginosar. (B, D) Our day begins with a visit to Beit Yigal Allon at Kibbutz Ginossar. The aim of the museum is to arouse awareness and independent thought on ideological issues facing modern Israel. We gain insight into the statesman Yigal Allon and learn more about both Jewish and Arab settlement in the Galilee. We travel to the Golan Heights for a briefing on the geographical and political complexities of the conflict between Israel and her northern neighbors, and the impact on the Israeli Arabs and Jews living in northern Israel. (B, D) We explore the Second Aliyah to Israel with a visit to Chavat Kinneret, site of one of the first kibbutzim and the Second Aliyah Museum. We also visit Kfar Kama, a unique Circassian settlement in the Galilee. We continue to Beit She'an and then on to Jerusalem where we enjoy an overview of the city from the Haas Promenade. Upon arrival in Jerusalem, we visit the Hassidic community of Me'ah Shearim as its residents prepare for Shabbat. You may wish to experience Kabbalat Shabbat services at the Kotel and we then enjoy a group Shabbat dinner at the hotel. (B, D) We enjoy a day of leisure to attend Shabbat services or explore Jerusalem on our own. Shabbat lunch is served at the hotel. Later in the afternoon, we meet for a study session followed by a free evening to take in some of Jerusalem's night life. (B, L) We begin our day on Har Herzl and continue to the Supreme Court. We explore the Nachlat Shiva neighborhood, one of Jerusalem's older neighborhoods, now home to artist studios and restaurants. At the Russian Compound, located off of Jaffa Road, we discover the 19th century buildings that surround the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral. These buildings originally housed Russian pilgrims to the Holy Land (prior to World War I). The British had their police headquarters, prison and courthouses at the Russian Compound, nicknamed "Bevingrad" by the Jewish residents, after the unpopular British Foreign Minister of the time. We visit Beit Turgeman, formerly the Mandelbaum Gate, and meet with Dr. Hillel Cohen. Later in the afternoon we view the Monument to the Hadassah Convoy (1947) and proceed to Mt. Scopus where we review the story of the mountain from 1946 to the present. (B) Today we head for the plains and the coast, to Tel Aviv. We visit Beit Bialik and the house of David Ben Gurion as well as Independence Hall. Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv lived here and this is where Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. We visit the neighborhood of Nachlat Binyamin, with some free time for lunch (on own). We discover the Guttman Museum of Art, located in the reconstructed Writer's House in Neve Tzedek. Later this afternoon enjoy some free time to shop, relax, spend time at the beach and enjoy dinner in one of Tel Aviv's many restaurants. (B) We visit the Haganah Museum to learn about the history of the Israeli military from the time of the Shomrim, or watchmen, at the beginning of the 20th century, through the War of Independence. We continue to Machon Ayalon in Rehovot, where prior to Israel's War of Independence, a clandestine ammunition factory was set up underground. A bakery and laundromat were built on ground level to cover up the illegal munitions factory. After lunch (on own) we proceed to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai to view the reconstructed scene of bitter fighting during the War of Independence and hear an explanation of the battle, the initial retreat and the recapture of the kibbutz six months later. We return to Tel Aviv for an evening at leisure. (B) We begin our day with a visit to the Palmach Museum and then ascend to Jerusalem via the Burma Road. Along the way, we bear witness to the struggles and conflicts over the magical city of Jerusalem over the centuries. We hear stories of the siege on Jerusalem in the 1940's as well as the Haganah initiative to construct an alternate route for convoys to Jerusalem. The success of this route along old goat paths through the Judean Hills allowed Israel to hold onto the western half of Jerusalem. We visit Yad Vashem and head to the village of Ein Karem, site of a 14th century Arab village, captured by Israel in the War of Independence. We explore issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict and consider the Palestinian claim that they were evicted from Ein Karem in 1948 and are not allowed to reclaim their lands. At the end of the day we gather for a study session to absorb and account for the emotions of the day. (B) Enthusiasm. Zeal. Extremism. These are common words in our language, yet the definition of each and the overlapping between them might reside at the core of the Israeli-Arab political situation and this is what we explore today. We visit a community on the West Bank and meet with settlers to understand their motivations and perspectives on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Upon return to Jerusalem we meet with a Palestinian journalist to gain further insight into the Palestinian perspective on the conflict. At the end of the day we have a study session that helps us frame the events of the day. (B, L) We begin in the Old City of Jerusalem, with an exploration of the Kotel Tunnels, the fascinating underground tunnels alongside the Western Wall. We continue to the Southern Wall excavations and the Davidson Center and view the holy area of El Aksa and the Western Wall, as well as the Jewish Quarter. The religious sites of the Old City of Jerusalem are at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and are be the final tourist sites that we explore. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure before welcoming Shabbat and having a group Shabbat dinner. (B, D) We have a day of leisure, attending Shabbat services or exploring Jerusalem on our own. A Shabbat buffet lunch is available at the hotel. Toward the end of the day, we gather for our final study session where we try to summarize the various struggles that take place almost daily within the boundaries of the modern State of Israel. Our studies about the historical periods prior to and immediately following the establishment of the State of Israel, as well as encounters with Israeli Arabs and Palestinians will have brought us to a better understanding of the complex issues that face Israel and its neighbors. We review our findings on the religious issues facing Israel today, and touch on the ethnic diversity, its uniqueness and its challenges as Israel moves into the 21st century. In the evening we enjoy a farewell dinner at one of Jerusalem's restaurants. (B, L, D) In the morning we will leave Jerusalem for Ben Gurion Airport for our flights back home. (B) Please note: this itinerary is subject to change.