Gil Travel Group

JDC On Wheels to Hungary and Romania, June 2019

Delight your members with a Women’s mission to Amsterdam

How wonderful would it be to spend one of the most memorable moments in a young Jewish person’s life in the country of Jewish history and tradition? How amazing would it be to have a bat or bar mitzvah tour in the land where so many have gone through this important ceremony, and in some of the most special places for Jews all around the world? Israel has such massive significance for generations upon generations of youth who’ve had their Bar/Bat Mitzvah here, surrounded by the people they love, together creating the most special of memories.

Herod the Great is a king known for many things, good and bad, but he had a great gift for architecture. 

Here’s a tour option for those who want to ‘taste’ the culture! All across Israel, you’ll find a myriad of cuisines, each with a great number of tasty dishes that speak of the country’s culture and history. It’s really easy finding popular spots with hearty meals that you simply must try, as they’re on every turn in every city, town, and village in Israel, but here are some of our recommendations for culinary hotspots to visit.

Pretty much everything in Israel is special. Even valleys are not simply valleys. Many of these charming natural areas have both historical and religious importance, and they tell the travelers many vastly interesting stories. There are quite a few truly beautiful valleys to visit, but for this special ‘tour’, we’ve chosen four particularly interesting sites in Israel. Let’s visit each.

Did you know that there’s an entire ancient village under the sea in Israel? It’s a magnificent Stone Age village whose inhabitants gave their best to protect it against the rising sea levels, going as far as to build what archeologists find may have been the world's first – hence, today’s oldest – defense wall. This Neolithic wall is up to 7,000 years old, but it could not stop climate change, and the villagers eventually lost the battle.

The Bar and Bat Mitzvah mark a special transition in a life of young person, proudly celebrated with family and friends in love and joy, when many beautiful memories are made. And what more fitting place on Earth to have the ceremony than in Israel? We can choose to travel as a family and ex[eroemce a private bat and bar mitzvah tour to this breathtaking land. The tours come with a unique experience of Israel, its very long and fascinating history, culture and tradition. What’s more, we can have these tours perfectly tailored to make our young ones’ dreams come true, whether they’d like a traditional ceremony in one of Israel’s historic cities and sites, or they wish an alternative celebration in a contemporary place.  This is an opportunity to begin forging a Jewish identity and ties to Israel that will last a lifetime. 

Masada is a site that all the travelers ought to visit at least once in their lives. Regardless if you’re a fan of history, of architecture, ancient stories, ancient religions, archeology, or the most amazing views, Masada has all of that and much more. This stone fortress situated in a desert, on an isolated plateau, is today an Israeli national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a home to a long, rich and unique history and the lives of the people living 2,000 years ago – their struggles and their accomplishments. Let’s take a closer look.

There have been Jews in the capital of Austria for nine centuries. The communities have formed and grown here, built their synagogues, houses, buildings, schools, and hospitals, and taught their children about Jewish culture and tradition for generations. The area in Vienna that was inhabited by this community is known today as Judenplatz (Jewish Square), and it has a great historical significance that you can learn about by visiting it.  At the turn of the 20th century, Vienna became one of the greatest centers of Jewish culture on the continent, but during the Holocaust, the community was almost annihilated. However, their resilient nature helped them to slowly recuperate after the war and reestablish their homes in this metropolis. Let’s see four of many old and new sites you ought to visit if you wish to learn about Vienna’s Jews.