Length: 35 Days
2009-2010 Grades: 9,10,11,12
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Travel to Holland, Belgium, France & England on Euro-Quest Western and then on to the Land of Milk & Honey for the classic Israel Journey experience. Spend a full five weeks of summer travel with BBYO Passport.

PART 1 / Euro-Quest Western

Tour the grand capitals of Western Europe – Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and London. Euro-Quest Western Europe is a two-week teen travel experience that visits world-famous sites like Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum, Buckingham Palace, the Champs-Elysees, and the canals of Amsterdam.

Along the way, we also include off-the-beaten-path experiences – a bicycling tour of windmills in the Dutch countyside, a visit to the Champagne region of France, and solemn reflections at the D-Day landing site on the beaches of Normandy.

As a BBYO Passport experience, Euro-Quest Western is also about connecting with the colorful history of the Jewish People in Europe. We visit centuries-old synagogues, spend a special Shabbat with the Jewish communities of London and Brussels, and confront the devastating effects of the Holocaust at the Anne Frank House and at Fort Breendonk.

PART 2 / Israel Journey

Fly from London to Tel Aviv for a once-in-a-lifetime summer in Israel. The Israel Journey is a three-week cross-country experience – from the Golan Heights in the north to the tropical Red Sea in the far south…and everything in between. Along the way, we walk in the footsteps of Jewish history, experience the vibrancy of modern Israeli culture, and connect with Israel’s colorful society.

The program includes visits to all of Israel’s most important sites – ancient Jerusalem, contemporary Tel Aviv, the Galilee, the Negev Desert and the heights of Masada. We also make time to experience Israel’s off-the-beaten-path charm -- enjoying a bonfire on the beach, taking part in an active archeological dig, sampling unique Middle Eastern cuisine, and participating in the re-birth of Israel by planting a tree in a new forest.

The Israel Journey experience is more than just a tour. It is also about debating the meaning of contemporary Zionism, exploring our Jewish identity from an Israeli point of view, delving into the intricacies of Middle Eastern politics, and connecting to our Jewish soul through a series of meaningful community service and spiritual experiences. Join us on the Journey.

Itinerary Snapshot

• WEEK #1 / Holland & Belgium
  Land in Amsterdam and the journey begins in this magical city of criss-crossing canals, the masterpieces of Van Gogh and the home of Anne Frank. In Holland, we also make time to explore the Dutch countryside, and learn how to make traditional cheeses. From Holland we head south to Belgium where we visit the diamond district of Antwerp, stop for a a moving visit at Fort Breendonk, the transit point to Auschwitz. We close out our first week with a relaxing Shabbat in Brussels, the headquarters of NATO, the European Union, and delicious Belgian chocolate!
  
  

• WEEK #2 / France & England
  Travel from Belgium to France via the picturesque countryside of Champagne. In Paris, we explore a city of world treasures, world class shopping, and world famous food. Walk under the Arc De Triumph, stroll along the Champs Elysses, tour the Palace of Versailles, and explore the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci at the Louvre Museum. On our way to England, we break for a solemn visit to the D-Day Normandy landing on Omaha Beach before spending the night at sea crossing the English Channel. Our experience caps off in London with visits to famous sites like Big Ben, the Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a special Shabbat in London meeting with local Jewish teens.
  
  
• WEEK #3 / Jerusalem & Mediterranean Coast
  Land at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and begin the ascent to Jerusalem where we will spend the first part of the week walking the Old City and exploring the history of our ancestors. From Jerusalem we head up the Mediterranean Coast to the Western Galilee where we spend our first Shabbat on the beach.

• WEEK #4 / Galilee, Golan Heights & Tel Aviv
  Travel eastwards through the Galilee as we learn about the mystics of ancient Safed (Tsfat), take in the beauty of the Golan Heights, learn about kibbutz life, and explore the greenest and most water-filled region of Israel. We close out week two with a visit to Tel Aviv, Israel's cultural capital and one of the world's most trendy cities. The middle Shabbat is a "Host Family Weekend" where participants can either stay with local friends/family or participate in a supervised alternative program (see note below).
  
  
• WEEK #5 / Eilat, Negev Desert & Jerusalem
  Head due south to Eilat, Israel's southernmost tip where we snorkel in the tropical Red Sea and learn about Israel's unique desert ecology. Continue on for a sunrise hike to Masada followed by an unforgettable float in the Dead Sea. The trip concludes by returning to where we started in Jerusalem with a somber visit to Yad Vashem followed by a moving Shabbat experience at the Western Wall.
  

Learn More

• Sample Itinerary
• Trip FAQs
• Program-Wide FAQs
• Why Israel
• Why Now
• Safety & Security
• Scholarship Info
• Register Now

Host Family Weekend

The Israel Journey itinerary includes a Host Family Weekend during the second Shabbat of the program in Israel. This is a perfect opportunity for participants to connect with family and friends in Israel. Participants without Host Family Weekend plans are encouraged to pair up with a friend on the trip. A supervised alternative program is also offered based in central Israel near the Mediterranean coast. The supplemental cost for the optional supervised weekend program is $275.

How the Connection Works

As a connected experience, participating in this program actually means combining two separate experiences. At the end of the first program there will be a "bonus day" of touring for those in the group who are also making the connection. This following day is a flight to the next destination country with plenty of time for rest and relaxation before starting afresh with a new group. Trip connections are always supervised, and they are planned to give teens a break between experiences. Note: The order of programs is as stated above for the June 28 departure date. The June 21 connected program travels to Israel first and then continues to Europe.

Sample Itinerary

We have provided the following sample itinerary to give you an idea of what this travel experience is all about. Keep in mind that the actual itinerary may vary from the schedule below. That said, this sample itinerary is meant to give you a taste of the overall program. A formal itinerary, including a list of accommodations and phone numbers, will be sent to you 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the program.

DAY #1 / Monday / Departure!
• Depart for Europe in the early evening from Newark
• Spend the night in the sky en route to Europe

DAY #2 / Tuesday / Welcome to Europe!
• Land at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam in the morning
• Tour of traditional Dutch windmills
• Learn about Dutch cheese-making techniques at Clara Maria Farm
• Bicycle tour of the Dutch countryside
• Bowling activity & icebreakers in Amsterdam
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands

DAY #3 / Wednesday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Orientation city tour of Amsterdam
• Explore the Jewish Museum and the “Portuguese Synagogue”
• Lunch and shopping time in Leidseplein Square
• Anne Frank House – Visit to the site of her hiding and diary entries
• Van Gogh Museum – View the masterpieces in his native Amsterdam
• Group night out strolling through the Leidseplein Square
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands

DAY #4 / Thursday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Walking tour of Antwerp old city center and Jewish quarter
• Diamantmuseum – Learn all about diamonds in Europe’s diamond center
• Fort Breendonk – Transit point to Auschwitz for Belgian Jews during the Holocaust
• Arrive to Brussels in the early evening
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #5 / Friday / Brussels, Belgium
• Visit to Belgiums’ Museum of Cocoa & Chocolate
• Lunch and shopping at “Grand Place” – The central square of Brussels
• Walk by the famous “Manneken Pis” fountain sculpture
• Visit to the European Union and NATO headquarters in Brussels
• Shabbat services at the Great Synagogue of Brussels
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #6 / Saturday / Brussels, Belgium
• Shabbat programming and lunch
• Walking tour of Brussels and relaxed afternoon at the hotel pool
• Evening: Group night out at Hard Rock Café
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #7 / Sunday / Travel to France
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Drive through the Champagne region of France towards Paris
• Tour of Paris’ stunning Notre Dame Cathedral
• Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
• Evening: Cruise down the River Seine for view of Paris at sunset
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #8 / Monday / Paris, France
• Shopping along the Champs Elysees
• Walk under the Arc de Triomphe in downtown Paris
• View Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #9 / Tuesday / Paris, France
• Walking tour of the Paris Jewish Quarter
• Visit to the “Vel' d'Hiv Round-Up” Memorial
• Meet with a survivor and learn about the Nazi occupation of Paris
• Explore the palace of Versailles – Home to French Royalty and Mary Antoinette
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #10 / Wednesday / Normandy, France
• Head north through the countryside towards the English Channel
• Recount the D-Day Landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy
• Spend a solemn moment at Normandy’s U.S. military cemetery
• Visit to Caen’s Peace Museum
• Enjoy a memorable sunset on the Normandy Beaches
• Board ferry for overnight ferry bound for England
• Overnight: At sea on the English Channel

DAY #11 / Thursday / London, England
• Arrive at Portsmouth, England
• Begin travel northwards to London
• Witness the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
• Stroll through London's Hyde Park
• Visit to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben
• Evening out at Piccadilly Circus
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #12 / Friday / London, England
• Relive the air raids on London in Churchill’s Imperial War Room
• Tour of the Tower of London – View the royal crown jewels
• Attend a local Shakespeare theater production
• Shabbat services & dinner with the local Jewish community
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #13 / Saturday / Shabbat in London
• Shabbat program in London • Relaxed afternoon and program wrap-up
• Final closing dinner and group night out in London
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #14 / Sunday / English Countryside
• Tour of castles and estates in the British countryside
• Campus tour of Oxford University
• Board overnight flight to Israel from London’s Heathrow Airport

DAY #15 / Monday / Arrive in Israel!
• Arrive to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in the early morning
• Breakfast and welcome celebration at Neot Kedumim Park
• Travel northwards along the Mediterranean Coast
• Check-in to beach side accommodations
• Relaxed day on the beach at Nachsholim
• Overnight: Kibbutz Nachsholim Guest House, Mediterranean Coast

DAY #16 / Tuesday / Ascend to Jerusalem
• Nature walk in the Carmel Mountains on the “Little Switzerland” trail
• Meet up with rest of group arriving in early afternoon
• Begin ascent to Jerusalem
• Jerusalem introduction and shecheyanu prayer at the Haas Promenade
• Explore King David’s Jerusalem at the “City of David” complex
• Walk through Hezekiah’s ancient water tunnel under Jerusalem
• Overnight: Neve Ilan Guest House, Jerusalem Hills

DAY #17 / Wednesday / Jerusalem’s Old City
• Enter the Old City from the Jaffa Gate
• Walk along the top of the Rampart Walls to the Zion Gate
• Explore the Jewish Quarter’s alleyways, tunnels & rooftops
• Tour of the Southern Wall excavations & Davidson Center
• Reflections at the Kotel – The Western Wall
• Experience layers of Jewish history on the Kotel Tunnel Tour
• Dinner at Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda Street pedestrian mall
• Overnight: Neve Ilan Guest House, Jerusalem Hills

DAY #18 / Thursday / The Exile
• Tzurim Valley – Take part in an active archeological excavation
• Crawl through the caves of the Bar Kochba Rebellion
• Begin traveling northwards along the coast
• Catacombs of Beit Shearim – Jewish life in Israel during the Exile
• Check into hotel in Nahariya on the Mediterranean
• Evening: BBQ party on the beach
• Overnight: Beit Kaye Guest House, Mediterranean Coast

DAY #19 / Friday / The Western Galilee
• Explore the ocean caves at Rosh Hanikrah
• Hike to the Montfort Castle in Nahal Kziv
• Tour of old Acco seaport and Crusader-era castle
• Return to Nahariya to prepare for Shabbat
• Kabbalat Shabbat service at local Reform synagogue in Nahariya
• Overnight: Beit Kaye Guest House, Mediterranean Coast

DAY #20 / Saturday / Shabbat on the Beach
• Shabbat program at hotel
• Relaxed afternoon at the beach
• Evening: Israel movie night – “Ushpizin”
• Overnight: Beit Kaye Guest House, Mediterranean Coast

DAY #21 / Sunday / The Return
• Learn Israeli martial arts on the beach with Budokan!
• Zichron Yaakov – The modern Zionist movement emerges
• Atlit Camp – The Holocaust and the migration to Israel that followed
• Travel eastwards to the Sea of Galilee
• View of the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee, from atop Mt. Arbel
• Overnight: Kibbutz Afik Guest House, Galilee

DAY #22 / Monday / Mystics of the Galilee
• Walking tour of mystical Tzfat – Birthplace of the Kabbalah movement
• Meet with Kabbalistic artist, Avraham Lowenthal
• Volunteer at an absorption center for recent Ethiopian immigrants
• Evening: Enjoy a traditional Druze feast in the village of Sajur
• Overnight: Kibbutz Afik Guest House, Galilee

DAY #23 / Tuesday / Water & Israel
• Nature walk to Tel Dan at the headwaters of the Jordan River
• Relaxed rafting down the upper Jordan River
• Bike riding through the Hula Valley Nature Reserve
• Kinneret Cemetery – The poets & pioneers of the Galilee
• Evening: Cruise on the Sea of Galilee with Israeli dancing
• Overnight: Kibbutz Afik Guest House, Galilee

DAY #24 / Wednesday / Perspectives from the Golan Heights
• Ascend the Golan Heights
• Water hike down Nahal Jilaboun canyon
• View across Israel and her neighbors from atop Mount Ben-Tal
• Meet with resident of the Golan at Kibbutz Merom Golan
• Relax in the natural hotsprings of Hamat Gader
• Evening: Israeli movie night – “The Syrian Bride”
• Overnight: Kibbutz Afik Guest House, Galilee

DAY #25 / Thursday / Multiculturalism in Israel
• Coexistence program at Givat Haviva
• Tour of Caesarea – the Roman amphitheater on the beach

Option A: Drop-off for Host Family Weekend in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Option B: Supervised alternative weekend (central Israel)

DAY #26 / Friday / Host Family Weekend
Option A: Host Family Weekend
Option B: Supervised alternative weekend (central Israel)
• Adam & Eve Ecological Village
• Latrun Armored Corp Museum

DAY #27 / Saturday / Host Family Weekend
Option A: Host Family Weekend
Option B: Supervised alternative weekend (central Israel)

DAY #28 / Sunday / The Negev Desert
• Rejoin as a full group and begin heading south to the Negev Desert
• Table-to-Table: Service project harvesting crops for the hungry
• Visit to the Weitzman Institute – Israel’s cutting edge technology academy
• Sde Boker – Ben Gurion’s grave and contemporary Zionism
• Trek on camelback thru the Negev Desert
• “Hafla style” dinner feast at Chan HaShayarot Bedouin Tent
• Evening: Bonfire party under the stars
• Overnight: Chan HaShayarot Bedouin Tent, Negev Desert

DAY #29 / Monday / Eilat and the Red Sea
• Travel southwards to Eilat
• Overlook to the Ramon Crater en route
• Beach time and snorkeling in the tropical Red Sea
• Tour of Timna Nature Reserve & Solomon’s Mines
• Dinner at Yotvata dairy farm restaurant
• Evening: Shopping at Eilat’s sea-side flea market
• Overnight: Eilat Guest House, Eilat

DAY #30 / Tuesday / The Desert Blooms
• Hike to Mount Zefachot for view of sunrise over the Red Sea
• Bus tour along Israel’s border with Egypt
• Desert ecology seminar at Kibbutz Ketura
• Travel northwards along the Arava Valley
• Evening: Israel Movie Night – “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan”
• Overnight: Inbar Hotel, Arad

DAY #31 / Wednesday / Masada and the Dead Sea
• Sunrise climb to Masada via the Roman Ramp
• Tour of the Masada desert fortress complex
• Descend Masada via the famous Snake Path
• Floating & beach time at the Dead Sea
• Swim under the desert waterfalls at Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
• Return to Jerusalem in the late afternoon
• Evening: Speaker – Geo-politics of Israel with Neil Lazarus
• Overnight: Agron Guest House, Jerusalem

DAY #32 / Thursday / Remembrance and Redemption
• Visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Mt. Herzl
• Visit to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament – Meaning of a Jewish State
• Hazon Yeshaya – Service project at a Jerusalem soup kitchen
• Shop for dinner at Mahane Yehuda marketplace
• Group picnic style dinner in a Jerusalem park
• Evening: Pre-Shabbat activity with Rabbi Ian Pear
• Overnight: Agron Guest House, Jerusalem

DAY #33 / Friday / Cosmopolitan Tel Aviv
• Travel to Tel Aviv – Israel’s cultural & financial capital
• Celebrate the founding of modern Israel at Independence Hall
• Shopping at Nahalat Binyamin street festival
• Walking tour of Jaffa seaport and artist colony
• Group beach time in Tel Aviv
• Return to Jerusalem in late afternoon to prepare for Shabbat
• Re-enter the Old City for Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel
• Overnight: Agron Guest House, Jerusalem

DAY #34 / Saturday / Shabbat in Jerusalem
• Option to attend Shabbat services at local synagogues
• Walking tour of Jerusalem neighborhoods
• Relaxed picnic-style afternoon at Jerusalem’s Independence Park
• Program wrap-up & closing session
• Late night bonfire party in the Jerusalem forest

DAY #35 / Sunday / Shalom!
• Return to airport for early morning flight to New York
• Arrive back to New York in the afternoon

Trip Q & A

This page contain's trip-specific FAQ's. For program-wide info, check out http://passport.bbyo.org/about/faq/

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