Jewish National Fund VIP TECH TOUR May 27 June 3, 2018 Chair Dale & Jackie Danilewitz, Executive Director, Eastern PA & Southern NJ Professional Marina Furman Tour Guide Daniel Jacob
Sunday, May 27 Arrival / Tel Aviv Welcome to Israel! Upon individual arrivals, meet your arranged transfer and head to the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel s most cosmopolitan city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This evening, your journey will officially commence with a welcome dinner and activity at a local restaurant. Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv Tel Aviv
Monday, May 28 Tel Aviv Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading to a nearby IDF base to meet with Lt. Colonel Tiran Attia and soldiers from Special in Uniform, a unique initiative that integrates special needs youth into the IDF and prepares them for career placement following army service. The visit will be at the Palmachim Air Force Base, a heavily guarded Mediterranean base south of Tel Aviv, which serves a very important role for the advancement of Israel s technology in the field of air defense and to underscore the array of threats from rockets and missiles. Following lunch, continue to Google s Campus Tel Aviv and meet with Oleh Googlers who will shed light on the Israeli tech scene and working for one of the of the most important tech companies in the world. Proceed to the campus of Facebook Israel. Tour the offices, learn about Facebook s presence in Israel, and hear from Partner Engineer, Michael Hantler, who made aliyah to Israel with Nefesh B Nefesh. Enjoy dinner tonight with a special guest speaker. Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv Special in Uniform
Tuesday, May 29 North / Tel Aviv Streets of Zichron Ya akov Following breakfast at the hotel, begin the day at the offices of Maniv Mobility, Israel s first venture capital fund dedicated exclusively to the new mobility future and meet Managing Partner, Michael Granoff. Depart north and explore the historic Atlit Detention Camp. This unique heritage site is where thousands of Jewish immigrants were once imprisoned upon their arrival into Israel during the British Mandate. See the restored Galina ship, an exact replica of the actual ship that once carried 122,000 illegal immigrants in defiance of the British blockade to Israel. Proceed to Tishbi Winery in Binyamina, which overlooks the lush vineyards of the Tishbi Estate. Following a tour of the facility, enjoy a tasty wine-tasting and lunch. Adjacent to Binyamina is the charming village of Zichron Ya akov, one of Israel s first modern settlements. Take part in a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of Zichron Ya akov and hear of the town s history. Return to Tel Aviv and enjoy dinner and the evening at your leisure. Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv
Wednesday, May 30 Central / South Following breakfast, check-out from the hotel and depart south. Take a tour of the cyber security businesses in Be er Sheva, Israel s up-and-coming tech-hub and capital of the Negev. Following a falafel lunch in the area, visit the Be er Sheva River Park, the centerpiece of JNF s efforts to create a renaissance for the city. Hear how this urban renewal project has served as an anchor of tourism and recreation. See the Pipes Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge that links to the Old City of Be er Sheva, and the 12,000-seat amphitheater now the largest in Israel. Proceed to Mitzpe Ramon for early hotel check-in. Enjoy optional spa treatments and services * before having dinner at the Beresheet Hotel. Beresheet Hotel, Mitzpe Ramon *Additional cost not included in tour price. From left: Amphitheater at Be er Sheva River Park and Be er Sheva Tech Campus
Thursday, May 31 Mitzpe Ramon Have an early breakfast this morning before experiencing an exhilarating jeep tour ride through the Ramon Crater (optional). Discover the unique landscapes and hidden treasures of this one-of-a-kind geological phenomenon. Enjoy free time and a relaxing morning at the hotel before checking out. On the way to Jerusalem, stop at the Mccann Valley Digital Media Center, a digital advertising agency that is committed to the development of the Negev and Southern Israel. Have lunch in the area before arriving at the NETGEV Center in Hura, a co-working project for joint work spaces in the eastern Negev that encourages communication, technology and collaboration. The NETGEV centers will advance through courses and training technological subjects that enrich the community and enable the development of entrepreneurship and business relations. Enjoy dinner at a restaurant in Jerusalem with a special guest speaker. Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem View of the Mitzpe Ramon Crater
Friday, June 1 Jerusalem Machane Yehuda Market Following breakfast at the hotel, spend the morning on a comprehensive walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. Explore the Jewish and Christian Quarters in all of their history and wonder, hear the soft sounds of prayer and contemplation at the Kotel, and experience the activity at the Arab Shuk, before enjoying time on own to explore. Visit the famous Machane Yehuda Market and become immersed in the bustling energy of Jerusalem s shuk (Hebrew for market ). Take time to wander among the many stalls where local vendors sell delicious cheeses, pastries, spices, and more and enjoy lunch on own. This evening, enjoy a special Shabbat dinner at the hotel with Nefesh B Nefesh Lone Soldiers, who will share their personal stories of leaving their family, friends, and homes in order to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and discuss NBN s critical work and how JNF has played a key role in its success. Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
Saturday, June 2 - Shabbat Today will be at leisure in honor of Shabbat. Services will be offered at the hotel for those who are interested. Alternatively, consider participating in the following optional day tour: Masada & Dead Sea Tour * Spend the day at Masada and the Dead Sea. The bus will depart from the hotel early this morning and drive via the Judean Hills along the shores of the Dead Sea. Visit Masada, the mountain fortress built by King Herod where religious zealots made their final stand against the Romans. Take a cable car ride to the top of the Herodian Palace Complex and learn about the history of the Jewish fighters. Afterwards, proceed to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth. Enjoy lunch on own, float in the buoyant waters, and spend time relaxing at the beach. Enjoy the evening and dinner at leisure, experiencing Jerusalem at your own pace. Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem *Additional cost not included in tour price. From left: Masada, Dead Sea
Sunday, June 3 Jerusalem / Departure Following breakfast and hotel check-out, begin the day with a visit with Major (Res.) Alon Wald to Ammunition Hill, the site of the most pivotal battle of the Six-Day War. Walk through the battlegrounds and bunkers to follow in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought here. See the multimedia exhibit and movie that tells the story of this fierce battle and reunification of Jerusalem. End at JNF s Wall of Honor, which commemorates Jewish veterans from around the world. Stop at the headquarters of United Hatzalah, the largest all-volunteer Ambulance Service in the United States, providing premium quality pre-hospital emergency medical treatment and transportation at no cost to all who need it throughout the world. Continue to Neot Kedumim, Israel s Biblical Landscape Reserve. Following lunch, plant a tree in the soil with your own hands at the Harvey Hertz-JNF Ceremonial Tree Planting Center and contribute to JNF s ongoing afforestation efforts in Israel. Proceed to the campus of Bar-Ilan University and meet with Professor Gal A. Kaminka, Chair of Bar-Ilan s Robotics Consortium, as he displays the cutting edge technology that is emanating from the university. Proceed to Ayalon Institute a clandestine bullet factory that was established by the Haganah in 1945. As the largest bullet factory during that time, it produced 2.25 million bullets from 1946-1948, in complete secrecy. Tour the grounds of Ayalon, which played a major role in aiding the Jewish soldiers that fought for Israel s Independence. Our journey concludes with a farewell dinner before transferring to Ben Gurion Airport for return flights to the U.S. Trenches at Ammunition Hill