Trip to Israel 2018

This year’s annual trip to Israel once again concluded with great success (October 31 – November 5), both in terms of participation and overall appreciation. Around twenty participants set out in search of meaningful experiences within Israel’s rich and complex universe: the encounter and comparison of the great religions through their archaeological and spiritual sites, alongside the discovery of a modern, forward-looking country that continues to surprise.

The journey was also one of remembrance, with a visit to Yad Vashem, and of art, through a full day devoted to the Israel Museum—its permanent collections, archaeological treasures, and the unparalleled discovery of the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the caves near the Dead Sea.

We were warmly welcomed into the homes of the Israeli Friends of the Museum, whose hospitality was truly exceptional and made us feel ‘part of the family’—as so often happens with the Museum’s Friends.”

PROGRAMME

Israel Trip 2018October 31 – November 5

Final ProgramME – Updated October 30, 2018

Wednesday, October 31 – Departure

• 09:00 Departure from Milan Linate on Alitalia flight AZ2031

• 10:40 Arrival in Rome Fiumicino

• 12:00 Departure from Rome Fiumicino on Alitalia flight AZ808

• 16:20 Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport

Transfer by coach to Tel AvivCheck-in at the Orchid Park Plaza Hotel, located on the seafront

• 19:15 Departure by coach

• 20:00–20:30 Dinner with Gil Brandes, President of the Israeli Friends of the Israel Museum, hosted at his private residence, including a visit to his art collectionAddress: Shai Street 5, Tel Aviv

• 22:30 Return by coach to the hotel

Thursday, November 1 – Haifa and Acre

• 08:00 Departure by air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi to Haifa

• 09:30 Guided tour of Haifa with Davide Nizza and panoramic view of the Baháʼí Gardens

• 12:30 Lunch at the old port of Acre (St. John of Acre) at the prestigious El Marsa Restaurant, featuring breathtaking views

• 13:30 Visit to Acre, the beautifully preserved Crusader citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site

• 18:00 Check-in at the luxury Kibbutz Hotel Nof Ginosar, on the shores of the Sea of GalileeDinner at the hotel restaurant

Friday, November 2 – Galilee, Golan Heights, Jerusalem

• 08:00 Departure by coach

• Visit to the holy site of Capernaum (Kefar Nahum)

• Tour of the Golan Heights with stop at Mount Bental and panoramic views over Lebanon and Syria

• 11:30 Cocktail-style lunch and visit at a Golan Heights winery

• 13:00 Departure for Jerusalem via the Jordan Valley

• 15:30 Arrival and check-in at the 5-star Herbert Samuel Hotel, before the beginning of Shabbat

• 19:30 Shabbat dinner, graciously hosted at the home of Israeli friend Jody GarfinkleAddress: Uziah Street 14, Jerusalem

• 22:00–22:30 Return to the hotel

Saturday, November 3 – Jerusalem and Bethlehem

• 08:00 Walking tour of the Old City

• 08:30 Visit to the Old City through its four quarters (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Armenian)

  • Visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

  • Visit to the Western Wall (Kotel)

• 12:15 Transfer by coach to Bethlehem

• 13:00 Light lunch at the Walled Off Hotel, founded by British contemporary artist Banksy

  • Visit to the hotel’s internal museum

  • Visit to the Church of the Nativity

Return to Jerusalem

• 19:30–20:00 Dinner at the home of Israeli friend Daniella WexlerAddress: Shai Agnon 11, Jerusalem (apt. 16, 9th floor)

• 22:00–22:30 Return to the hotel

Sunday, November 4 – Jerusalem and Israel Museum

• 07:00 Departure to the Old City

• Visit to the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif)

• Return to hotel for breakfast

• Visit to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane

• 12:15 Departure for the Israel Museum

• 13:00 Welcome by Susan Strul; lunch at the Modern CaféGuided tours of the main departments: Judaica, Archaeology, Ancient Art, Modern and Contemporary Art

  • 14:15–14:45 Shrine of the Book with Dr. Adolfo Roitman

  • 14:45–15:30 Billy Rose Sculpture Garden with Mira Lapidot

  • 15:30–16:00 Jewish Art and Life with Gioia Perugia

  • 16:00–16:30 Fashion Statements: Decoding Israeli Dress

  • 16:40–17:30 Israeli Art (Modern and Contemporary) with Aya Miron

• 17:30–18:00 Return to hotel

• 20:00 Dinner at the home of Eva and Edouard Sterngold, prominent contemporary art collectors and Friends of the Israel MuseumAddress: Harakavet 27, Jerusalem

• 22:00–22:30 Return to hotel

Monday, November 5 – Departure

• 08:30 Check-out and luggage loading

• 08:45 Departure for Yad Vashem

• 09:15 Visit to Yad Vashem

• 12:30 Free time at Mahane Yehuda Market for lunch

• 14:00 Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport with VIP assistance

• 17:25 Departure on Alitalia flight AZ813

• 20:15 Arrival in Rome Fiumicino

• 21:30 Departure to Milan Linate on Alitalia flight AZ2078

• 22:40 Arrival in Milan Linate

Tour guide: Mr. Davide Nizza, former Headmaster of the Jewish School of MilanLocal guide in Bethlehem providedAll guided tours conducted in Italian