Jewish Heritage: Jerusalem and Masada

Visit the Tomb of King David on Mt. Zion. Walk along the Cardo, heart of the ancient Roman city. Visit the four Sepharadic synagogues restored after 1967 war in the Jewish quarter and tour the Western Wall tunnels. Visit the archaeological park at Davidson center; walk through the colorful local bazaar to visit the Tower of David museum presenting the history of Jerusalem and ancient remains of the city beginning with the first temple period.

Enjoy seeing the Bar-Mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel. Drive through Mea Shearim, one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem and learn about the unique lifestyle of the ultra orthodox communities. Proceed to Mount Herzl , the military cemetery, and Yad Vashem the memorial to the Holocaust. Visit the Ammunition Hill, a former Jordanian army stronghold , conquered by the Israeli army in the six day war, and converted into a national memorial site and museum. Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament and see the Menorah with the biblical emblems. Next visit Israel Museum, the Shrine of the book where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and the Holyland model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period.

We will start the morning with driving towards the Dead Sea through the Judean Desert. The Dead Sea is the lowest point in the world (400 meters below sea level). We will stop at the Qumran caves, where archaeologists have discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls. The next stop is Masada. Masada is an ancient Jewish fortress during the Second Temple period. During the Roman siege on the mountain, the Jews fortified themselves in this fortress. We’ll go to the top of the mountain using the electric cable car. Then we will continue towards the Dead Sea and enjoy flooding over the salt water and spread the Dead Sea’s mud on our body, as it is well known for its medicinal abilities.