Centennial Mission Personal Tracks of Interest

Unlimited number of buses
No additional cost

• Visit the Palmach Museum for an experiential showcase of the Palmach legacy through the stories of individuals and groups. Visitors join the group of young Palmach recruits from its establishment and advance through their story until the end of the War of Independence. The museum presents a fascinating personal story accompanied by three-dimensional decor, films and a variety of documentary materials.
• Tour, tasting and lunch at: winery/distillery/brewery
• Ramparts walk, one of the Old City’s hidden treasures. Take a walk that winds along the top of the walls, affording stunning views of the neighborhood of Yemin Moshe and West Jerusalem as well as several major churches. Catch glimpses inside the cloistered Armenian Quarter, the Valley of Hinnom, the Judean Desert, the Arab Shuk (market), the Garden of Gethsemane, the ancient graveyard on the Mount of Olives and Muslim homes inside the Muslim Quarter.
• Visit the Hurva synagogue, originally built in the 1860s on a site where smaller synagogues had been erected and destroyed over the centuries. The Hurva (or by its full name the Beit Ya’akov Synagogue in the Courtyard of the Ruin of Rabbi Yehuda Hassid) became the most magnificent and important synagogue and the center of life in the Jewish Quarter. Two days after the Jewish Quarter fell in May 1948, the Jordanians turned the synagogue into a pile of rubble for the second time in its history. A commemorative arch was erected at the site in 1977. It was later restored to its former glory and the newly rebuilt Hurva Synagogue was dedicated in 2010.
• Photo-op at the Knesset Menorah the official symbol of the State of Israel, which stands in the area in front of the Knesset gates, was designed by the Jewish English sculptor Benno Elkan, and was donated to the Knesset by the members of the British Parliament on April 15, 1956. The subjects depicted on its reliefs are drawn from the Jewish tradition.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
No additional cost

• The future is here: get an insider look at Israel’s next exciting start-ups with a visit to AnD Venture Capital. AnD Venture invests in pioneering early-stage start-ups and build them into companies that make a difference. The firm founded and managed acceleration programs for tech giants including Google, Microsoft, Amdocs, and Deloitte. It deployed over $400M of VC funding and built companies from Seed to Unicorn. AnD’s team is composed of a unique group of world-class professionals driven by their desire to empower high-impact founders creating meaningful solutions​.
• Lunch with serial entrepreneur Ophir Herbst for a firsthand briefing of his latest Startup: Sequentify – revolutionized approach to DNA sequencing. DNA sequencing has become a key technology in many areas of biology and other sciences such as medicine, forensics, and anthropology.
• FoodTech: get a firsthand look and see how Israel’s renowned innovation capacity has addressed the global food challenges with an exclusive visit to Redefine Meat which uses cutting-edge, science-based, technologies to produce high-quality delicious plant-based meat, that’s not only good for the environment but is also kind to animals. Visit the company and meet with CoFounder and CEO, Eshchar Ben Shitrit.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
Additional cost $150 per person

• Guided culinary tour of the hidden secrets of Levinsky Market, a cultural gem in the heart of the hip neighborhood of Florentin in southern Tel Aviv. Levinsky Market has turned, almost inconspicuously, into the best spot in the city for shopping, drinking and most importantly: eating. Out of Tel-Aviv’s urban swamp, from the neglect and the mess, this market has elevated to the top of every foodies’ list of most desirable delicacies. The tour will track the shifts in the neighborhood’s culinary landscape over time, surmising that what is to come will be even more dramatic. We will smell, touch, taste, drink, shop, ask questions and try to get some answers. The tour includes the praised gazoz by chef Benny Briga, the Pereg spices empire, the Lupo Delicatessen-sco and Yom Tov Delicatessen, the sensational Magic of halva flavours and more!
• A special hands-on cooking lesson, preparing “Knafe”, sweet and yummi Arabic desert in Abu Gosh with Blend.Ar participants. Israeli Jews and Arabs rarely interact, and if they do, oftentimes it is in a tense setting. The program, supported by GMW, brings Israeli Jews from all sectors and Arabs together through immersive direct experiences of Arab culture and meaningful interactions. The participants live in an Arab village and experience Arab culture firsthand.
• “From the Vineyard to the Glass” follow the wine production process at Domaine Du Castel vineyard. In 1988, almost by chance, Eli Ben Zaken planted the first modern-day vineyard to be found in the Judean Hills, in the backyard of his home in Ramat Raziel. Within four years’ time, family and close friends came together to harvest the grapes that would become the winery’s very first wine – Castel Grand Vin 1992. The winery moved to its new location in Yad Ha’shmona in 2015 – to a new, beautifully designed building, located across the way from the new vineyards in Ma’ale Ha’hamisha. After 23 harvests in the Ramat Raziel winery, the Ben Zaken family wanted to ensure the longevity and continuity of their family legacy and of Domaine du Castel.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
Additional cost $250 per person

• Fly the world’s most advanced combat flight simulators and learn the values and organizational tools with which the Israeli air force holds so valuable. The dedicated team of senior IAF fighter pilots (res.) and former combat flight simulator instructors will guide you and teach you the tools for excellence embedded within the Israeli air force as well as let you experience the unique prevailing spirit that fighter squadrons hold true. The Squadron’s fleet of simulators run on Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the F-16 and F-35, proprietary software. This advanced technology allows for a simulated flight experience that is closest to the real thing. Using advanced network technology developed by The Squadron, it is possible to fly simultaneously with other simulators and execute missions in a group setting. Training flights are recorded and documented, allowing for in-depth analysis of each flight.
• Lunch
• Security briefing by a geopolitical expert: The current threats facing Israel and the country’s security-awareness and high-level of preparedness at Beit Aryeh lookout. Situated just on the other side of the security barrier (to the east) and a 10 min drive from the city of Shoham. From here we can see right below us the runways of the Ben Gurion airport, the coastal line, the Dan Block-Tel Aviv Region to the west, and the mountains of Judea and Samaria to the East.
• Confidential visit to the IDF’s Home Front Commend Headquarter, to better understand the revolutionizes ability to respond to multiple national emergencies. The Home Front Command system generates a situational picture of the entire country—linking together first responders, the government, the Home Front Command’s rescue teams and local authorities. This real-time picture allows decision-makers to immediately see which parts of the country are in the most urgent need of assistance and displays more than 250 layers of data. It allows local council heads to focus their time on responding to emergencies, rather than trying to keep up with figuring out what’s going on.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
Additional cost $150 per person

• Private tailored-made tour TLV Style: with Israeli tastemaker, entrepreneur, curator, and fashion-content expert Galit Reismann. Galit combine her passion for fashion with her deep connection to Tel Aviv. Galit has helped Israeli designers to establish new markets, primarily in the U.S, where she worked with procurement managers and buyers. As the driving force behind TLVstyle, Galit aims to promote fashion tourism by exposing upcoming Israeli designers and their unique fingerprint to international audiences in experiential innovative ways.
• Tour, lunch, and wine tasting at a boutique winery with special guest speaker: artist Eyal Assulin. Born and raised in Ofakim, Eyal is a graduate of Betzalel Art Academy who became a national and international artist. His work explores the culture of prosperity with reference to global socio-economic aspects and is presented in museums in the states and in central institutes around Israel.
• Meet one of Israel’s most famous modern artists: painter and a sculptor David Gerstein. In his art, Gerstein seeks to expand the limits of two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional sculptures. His easily recognizable artistic colorful syntax has found its place in private homes and collections, as well as public spaces around the world. His works have been given by Israel’s Foreign Ministry to heads of state around the world.

Max. 1 bus
Min. 20 people
Additional cost $175 per person

• Meet your expert scholar-of-the-day and start with a briefing: Expending the Abraham accords –is the Palestinian case holding the Saudi-Egyptian-Israeli deal?
• Get ready with a special (short) Arabic lesson at Blend.Ar (supported by GMW), in Abu gosh. Israeli Jews and Arabs rarely interact, and if they do, oftentimes it is in a tense setting. The program brings Israeli Jews from all sectors and Arabs together through immersive direct experiences of Arab culture and meaningful interactions. The participants live in an Arab village and experience Arab culture firsthand.
• Private and secure visit to Ramallah the boom town of the West Bank. The city of 70,000 people sits at about 3,000 feet above sea level. Its name means “God’s Mountain”. As, bit by bit the likelihood of East Jerusalem being the capital of Palestine is fading, Ramallah is emerging as the de facto capital of the country. It feels secular and relatively sophisticated, and there’s no question that it’s Palestinian. The PLO headquarters is here. Yasser Arafat is buried here. And it’s busy with NGOs and international agencies working on Palestine’s problems. As many Palestinian Americans have moved back home and live here, there are lots of American accents.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
No additional cost

• Opening by Muhammed Darawshe, Director, Center for Equality & Shared Society, Givat Haviva: The development of a joint vision for a shared society for Jews and Arabs in the State of Israel
• In the heart of a beautiful village of Abu Gush, that has become the symbol of coexistence, the Hinam Center has set up a unique Center for Tolerance. Located in a 150-year-old stone building, lying on an area of 500 square meters, the center houses a Beit Midrash, Midrasha, conference and cultural center and research department, as well as the Hinam Center’s headquarters. Hinam aims to reduce polarization and alienation, and with them their derivatives: racism, discrimination, and hatred, that are one of Israel’s greater challenges. The foundation of the programs run by the center is the belief that only a real and direct acquaintance with the other – his world, his culture, and his life – can lead to a softening of the attitude towards him and recognition of his legitimacy and his place in society.
• Abu gosh style lunch at Hinam
• Meet the people of Project Rozana, an international initiative raising funds for the transport and treatment of critically ill children from the West Bank and Gaza in Israeli hospitals. Also funding the training of Palestinian doctors, nurses, and therapists in Israel, to improve and expand healthcare in Palestinian communities.

Max. 4 buses
Min. 20 people
No additional cost

• Try your skills with a special surfing session with the professional guides of “HaGal Sheli” (My Wave). This non-profit organization uses surfing as an educational tool and provides at-risk youth with the chance to ‘ride the wave’ and succeed. By facing the unique forces of the sea and overcoming the challenge of surfing the participants are instilled with the self-confidence and sense of achievement necessary to propel them through equivalent life challenges. “HaGal Sheli” operates various programs for teenagers between the ages of 13-18 from all walks of Israeli society – Jews, Muslims, and Christians; secular and non-secular; immigrants; and boys and girls alike.
• Lunch at the beach
• The beaches in Israel are some of the most beautiful in the world and there is no better place to relax and soak up the rays. A private shade area will be provided with sun chair and cold water. Join-in for fun beach activities: Matkot, Shesh-besh, volleyball, Frisbee and more.

Unlimited number of buses
No additional cost

• Meet with the women behind Established in 2000, WePower is a non-profit, non-partisan Israeli NGO that helps women to advance to top level decision-making and elected positions, thus propelling social change and leading to a more equal and just civil society. As more women advance in the political and public arenas, they bring a more inclusive and compassionate approach and are vital in addressing the challenges faced by women and girls in Israel and throughout the world. In May 2017, WePower was granted Consultative Status by the United Nations on the topic of women’s leadership.
• Lunch session at a woman owned restaurant
• Private meeting with Rakefet Ginsburg, head of the Masorti Movement in Israel and/or Anna Kislansky, head of the reform (IMPJ) movement in Israel or with Ayala Dekel, head of Bina Secular Yeshiva – for an open talk about their experience, achievements, and the challenges ahead. All 3 movements/organization are supported by GMW.
• Behind the scenes of the life of leading women athletes: Linoy Ashram retired Israeli individual rhythmic gymnast and the Tokyo Olympic All-around Champion / Avishag Samberg, Taekwondo, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist / Paralympic Rower Moran Samuels Tokyo Olympic silver medalist at the Women’s 2000-meter single sculls / Timna Nelson-Levy Olympic Judoka

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
No additional cost

• See Israel’s new must-see attraction the beautiful Roman-era Lod mosaics at the newly opened Lod Mosaic Archeological center. Crafted towards the end of the Roman period (37 B.C.E.–324 C.E.), the mosaics originally paved the entry hall to an elite residence in a wealthy neighborhood of Lydda (Lod’s ancient name). Unusual in their quality, construction, and contents, and state of preservation, the mosaics are evidence of the incredible wealth of their original patron. It is about 17 meters long and about 9 meters wide and comprises colorful surfaces depicting fruits, mammals, birds, fish, flora, and even sailing vessels. Its design was influenced by that of North African mosaics.
• Lunch and wine tasting at the family-owned winery – Bravdo. In 1999 Professor Ben Ami Bravdo and his former student Professors Oded Shoseyov, both faculty members of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem decided to establish Karmei Yosef Winery that produces BRAVDO wines. The winery is located in the heart of the vineyard at the foothills of the majestic village of Karmei Yosef. The Shoseyov family began growing grape vines 120 years ago. The cool summer nights and the limestone rich soil at the 50 acres Shoseyov estate are known to produce fine wine grapes back to the time of the Solomon’s kingdom. The wine is produced with advanced technology implemented both in the vineyard and the winery. The grapes are grown and harvested at optimal conditions to maximize their fruit flavor.
• Special tour of the new excavations under the police station (Kishle) at Jaffa Gate (not open to the public). The site known as the “Kishle” was erected in 1834 by Ibrahim Pasha who governed the Land of Israel (Palestine) from Egypt. When the Ottoman Turks regained the area in 1841, the “Kishle” continued to serve as a military compound. During the period of the British mandate, it was used as a police station and prison where some members of the Jewish underground were also incarcerated. Archaeological excavations have unearthed remains from as early as the 6th century BCE and walls from the time of King Herod as well as evidence from the Middle Ages. Of particular importance is the discovery of a wall from the First Temple Period which adds to our knowledge about the route of the city wall of those days and adds a dramatic element to a visit to the site. Additionally, the impressive findings from the Second Temple Period complement the monumental remains in the Citadel courtyard

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
Additional cost $125 per person

• Explore the caves of Beit Guvrin National Park The people who lived at Beit Guvrin thousands of years ago left behind plentiful testimony to their existence both above and below ground. The real excitement of this site lies in the cool interior of some of the hundreds of caves, which first served as quarries for the people of Hellenistic Maresha to build their houses in. Beneath those houses are storerooms and cisterns. One cave had hundreds of niches where pigeons were raised; in another you can see an ancient olive press. The colorful Greek-style frescoes of the Sidonian burial cave and the Musicians’ Tomb are another attraction. Beit Guvrin’s dramatic Bell Caves still bear the marks of the diggers, who penetrated the surface through small holes and left behind bell-shaped caverns.
• Lunch and wine tasting at Flam winery. Flam winery was established in 1998 by Golan, Gilad Flam and their mother Kami, with the vision of producing wine at the highest international quality. Golan and Gilad absorbed their love for wine from their father, Israel, one of the country’s wine industry pioneers. Their mother, Kami, has contributed greatly to the development of the family’s winery, harnessing her business experience for the task. The younger sister to the Flam clan, Gefen, joined in and added her young and innovative approach.
• End your day with the most exciting experience: rappelling off the Old City Walls! Enjoy this fun, challenging, and unforgettable experience.

Max. 45 participants
Min. 5 participants
Additional cost $1900

• Classified briefing by geopolitical expert: Mounting Challenges on Israel’s Northern Borders
• Board your helicopter and fly north to enhance your understanding of Israel’s northern border in light of the current, fragile situation in Syria and Lebanon.
• Ride 4*4 jeeps to Tel Phares, one of Israel’s posts on the Syrian border overlooking the area also known as one of the battles sites of the Yom Kippur war. Stop for a confidential briefing overlooking Syria.
• Proceed to the Château Golan, meet the winery owner, enjoy lunch, and wine tasting. Wine production at the Château Golan Winery combines European traditions with modern knowledge and technology. The grapes are harvested by hand in the early morning and transported immediately to the nearby winery. The fermentation process takes place in stainless steel vats, and in most varieties, without the addition of commercial yeast cultures.  The wines are aged from a year to a year and a half in oak barrels, shortly after which the wine is bottled and aged for an additional year before being sold
• Fly north to tour the recently open for public Alawite-Arab the divided village of Learn about the village unique situation where a border that run directly through it, splitting it into two: the southern part under Israeli control – even though according to the UN, the land was Syrian territory – and the northern part located in Lebanon. And so, despite originally being Syrian, most of Ghajar’s 2,500 inhabitants hold dual Israeli and Lebanese citizenship. With no effective border on its northern end, Ghajar became infamous in recent years as a hub of arms and drug smuggling from Lebanon and hence Israel closed it to any non-residents. But that changed in late July, when the local council erected a fence, completely blocking access from Lebanon into the village.
• Fly to Jerusalem, along the Israel-Jordanian border enjoy a bird view of the Old City surrounded by the ancient walls and the New City including the Knesset, the supreme court and the Hebrew University campuses.

Unlimited number of buses
Min. 20 people
No additional cost

• I.P guided tour of the new National Library of Israel. Explore the spectacular new building that houses the National Library and view the personal archives of philosophers Martin Buber and Gershom Scholem as well as novelist Franz Kafka, rare books, maps, and other remarkable collections.
• Lunch in Jerusalem
• Back to Aleppo – A Virtual-Reality Tour of the Great Synagogue of Aleppo, The Israel Museum. Travel through time on a VR tour of the ancient synagogue of Aleppo, built between the fifth and seventh centuries CE.  The display reconstructs the synagogue’s appearance at the height of its glory before its destruction by rioters in November 1947, a few days before the U.N. resolution to establish the State of Israel and the ensuing riots that brought about the synagogue’s destruction. Sarah Shammah, a member of the Aleppo Jewish community, traveled to Aleppo and commissioned documentary photographs later smuggling the images to Israel at great personal risk. The photos formed the basis for the VR tour. Renovated in the 1990s for use by the local community, the synagogue was again destroyed in 2016 during the Syrian Civil War. Proceed to the Shrine of the Book to see the Crown of Aleppo, also known as the Aleppo Codex, and learn about the history and dramatic rescue of the oldest Hebrew Bible in book form.
• See the new and exciting finding under the Great Bridge. A magnificent structure from the Second Temple period that was very well preserved was discovered in the new excavations in the Western Wall Tunnels. This public structure, decorated with many impressive architectural details, along with one of the largest ritual baths ever uncovered, was discovered under the bridge which led water to the Temple in the days of the Second Temple. The structure’s level is at the foot of the Temple Mount near the main road of stores that were outside the Temple gates where the nation passed before their ascent to the Temple Mount. Many components were preserved in this structure that are characteristic of the magnificent construction of the period. Apparently, the structure was built by Jews about 30 CE, approximately forty years before the Second Temple’s destruction, however, what this space was used for remains a mystery.

Unlimited number of buses
No additional cost

• Text study at the Beit BINA. For 25 years BINA has worked to advance Jewish Pluralism and democracy by celebrating diverse Jewish Israeli culture and serving as inclusive, vibrant, social-cultural hubs for Jewish learning and community building. Due to the Orthodox monopoly on Jewish life, many Israelis are not exposed to authentic, egalitarian approaches to Judaism, the Beit BINA network aim to create a shift in Israeli public discourse on Jewish identity.
• Depart to Jerusalem
• See the new and exciting finding under the Great Bridge. A magnificent structure from the Second Temple period that was very well preserved was discovered in the new excavations in the Western Wall Tunnels. This public structure, decorated with many impressive architectural details, along with one of the largest ritual baths ever uncovered, was discovered under the bridge which led water to the Temple in the days of the Second Temple. The structure’s level is at the foot of the Temple Mount near the main road of stores that were outside the Temple gates where the nation passed before their ascent to the Temple Mount. Many components were preserved in this structure that are characteristic of the magnificent construction of the period. Apparently, the structure was built by Jews about 30 CE, approximately forty years before the Second Temple’s destruction, however, what this space was used for remains a mystery.