Contents
Day-By-Day Itinerary (Subject to Change)
Day 1: Monday November 16, 2026
Welcome to Israel!
3:00 pm Hotel check-in begins; arrival is at your convenience
Meet the ToI and Routes teams in the lobby to receive a welcome package and check in to the hotel.
5:20 pm Group will convene at the hotel lobby and depart to the opening dinner
6:00 pm Cocktail reception and opening Private Dinner at Cheder Prati with David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel. He is the author of “Still Life with Bombers” (2004) and “A Little Too Close to God” (2000), and co-author of “Shalom Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin” (1996). He previously edited The Jerusalem Post (2004-2011) and The Jerusalem Report (1998-2004)
9:30 pm Return to the hotel
Overnight: Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
Day 2: Tuesday November 17, 2026
Breakfast at the hotel
Start the week with a Israel 101 mini morning seminar-
8:30 am Israeli politics with ToI Political Correspondent Tal Schneider
10:00 am Israel update opening with Miri Eisin/Dan Feferman or similar
11:45 am Drive to Levinsky Market
12:30 pm Tasting Tour Lunch in the Levinsky Market with Harry Rubenstein
3:00 pm Cultural Program with ToI Culture Editor Jessica Steinberg
Return to the hotel
7:00 pm Free evening and dinner on your own in Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
Day 3: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Geopolitics and minorities in the north with ToI diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman
Breakfast at the hotel and Check Out
8:00 am Depart for Northern Israel
10:00 am Introduction with ToI diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman at Bir Elmakhsur and meeting with a representative from the Bedouin community
11:15 am Continue North
12:00 pm Lunch at Ein Camonim
2:00 pm Overview from Misgav Am with Lazar Berman
Israel’s complex ties with Lebanon
3:00 pm Drive to an overview of Syria
4:00 pm Overview from Mt. Bental with Lazar Berman: Bitter foe, potential partner?
4:45 pm Drive to Majdel Shams
5:15 pm Visit Majdel Shams and meet Naela Eldin, who lost her daughter during the Hezbollah attack on the soccer field in July 2024
6:00 pm Drive to Yesod Hama’ala for dinner
7:00 pm Home Hospitality Dinner in Yesod Ha’Maaleh
10:00 pm Drive to the hotel and check in
Overnight: Edmond, Rosh Pina
Day 4: Thursday, November 19, 2026
A day along the Lebanese border with ToI reporter Diana Bletter
Breakfast at the hotel and Check Out
9:00 am Depart hotel
9:30 am Understanding Life on the border with Marcel Vaknin at overview to Lebanon from Dovev
11:00 am Geopolitical overview of the northern border from Mt. Adir and introduction with ToI reporter Diana Bletter
1:30 pm Home hospitality Druze Lunch at Hurfeish
Drive to Jerusalem
6:30 pm Check in to the Theatron hotel
Dinner on your own in Jerusalem
Overnight: Theatron Hotel/Leonardo Boutique, Jerusalem
Day 5: Friday, November 20, 2026
Breakfast at the hotel
8:30 pm Meeting with Author Yossi Klein Halevi at the hotel
Yossi Klein Halevi is an American‑born Israeli author and journalist; senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute; author of “Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation” and “Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor”; Times of Israel, NY Times and Wall Street Journal op-ed contributor.
11:00 am Visit The City of David and walk the Pilgrim road
Walk in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims along the newly opened Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, a remarkable Second Temple-period street uncovered through years of archaeological excavation. Stretching from the Pool of Siloam toward the Temple Mount, this historic route offers a unique opportunity to experience Jerusalem as it was nearly 2,000 years ago.
1:00 pm Hummus lunch in the Old City
3:00 pm Return to the hotel and prepare for Shabbat
4:45 pm Drive to the Old City
(Shabbat begins at 4:02 pm)
Shabbat experience at the Kotel
7:00 pm Private Shabbat Dinner at the Jerusalem House of Quality
Return to the hotel
Overnight: Theatron Hotel/Leonardo Boutique, Jerusalem
Day 6: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Breakfast at the hotel
Option 1: Day at leisure
Option 2: Walking tour of the Old City – Four Quarters/Three Religions/One City
Lunch on your own
4:00 pm Meeting with Author Matti Friedman at the hotel
Matti Friedman, a Canadian‑Israeli journalist and award‑winning author known for his New York Times, Times of Israel and Tablet magazine contributions, is a former AP correspondent stationed across the Middle East and beyond. He now lives in Jerusalem and writes deeply nuanced works on Israeli history and conflict.
Havdala
5:15 pm Meeting and discussion with ToI Deputy Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan at the Hotel
Evening at leisure
Overnight: Theatron Hotel/Leonardo Boutique, Jerusalem
Day 7: Sunday, November 22, 2026
A day in the south with ToI Political Correspondent Tal Schneider and ToI Military Correspondent Mannie (Emanuel) Fabian for a military overview, honoring the Oct. 7 victims, and a look at community rebuilding.
Breakfast at the hotel
7:45 am Depart to the Gaza Envelope
9:45 am Meet ToI military reporter Mannie (Emanuel) Fabian for a military overview of the Gaza envelope from Black Arrow view point/Sderot VR.
10:45 am Drive to Kfar Aza/Sderot/Givat Kobi
11:15 am Visit one of the Gaza envelope communities affected by October 7th
1:30 pm Lunch at local foodtruck
Travel time
2:45 pm Women’s courage on October 7th: visit the Nachal Oz Observers memorial monument with ToI Political Correspondent Tal Schneider
3:30 pm Drive to the Nova festival massacre site
4:00 pm Visit the site of the Nova Music Festival Massacre site and meet Shalev Biton, Nova Festival Massacre survivor, and Younis Algrenawi, who risked his life to save those fleeing from Hamas terrorists
5:30 pm Drive to Jerusalem
Dinner on your own in Jerusalem
Overnight: Theatron Hotel/Leonardo Boutique, Jerusalem
Day 8: Monday November 23, 2026
Breakfast at the hotel and Check Out (load luggage on the bus)
8:30 am Briefing with ToI Senior Analyst Haviv Rettig Gur
Haviv Rettig Gur is The Times of Israel’s senior analyst and host of the ‘Ask Haviv Anything’ podcast
10:00 am Meeting with Dr. Tal Becker
Former Legal Adviser of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; senior member of Israeli peace negotiation teams in successive rounds of peace negotiations; represented Israel before the International Court of Justice; Times of Israel op-ed contributor
11:30 pm Free time and lunch on own in Jerusalem
4:00 pm Program Summary with ToI Founding Editor David Horovitz at the hotel
David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel. He is the author of “Still Life with Bombers” (2004) and “A Little Too Close to God” (2000), and co-author of “Shalom Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin” (1996). He previously edited The Jerusalem Post (2004-2011) and The Jerusalem Report (1998-2004)
5:15 pm Drive to final dinner
6:00 pm Private Farewell Dinner at Sea Dolphin restaurant
8:30 pm Group transfer from dinner to the Ben Gurion Airport
9:30 pm Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport for departure flights
!שלום ולהתראות
Shalom U’lehitraot!
Rates (Land Only)
$7,985 USD
Price per person sharing a double room
$ 1,815 USD
Single Supplement to reserve a room for individual occupancy
Accommodation
Tal by the Beach, Tel Aviv
2 nights
Edmond, Rosh Pina
1 night
Theatron Hotel/Leonardo Boutique, Jerusalem
4 nights
Featured
Included
- 3 nights’ accommodation at the Royal Beach Hotel Tel Aviv
- 1 night accommodation at the Isrotel Gomeh Hotel, Sea of Galilee
- 3 nights' accommodation at the Mamilla Hotel, Jerusalem
- Daily breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
- 8 days of touring with a select Tour Educator (Guide)
- 8 days of touring in a deluxe air-conditioned bus
- 8 days with a professional field coordinator
- Entrance fees and program fees as per the final itinerary
- Program booklets for all participants
- Water on the bus (One bottle per person, per day)
- Porterage at hotels
Excluded
- International Airfare
- Individual Airport Assistance and transportation upon arrival and departure from / to the airport
- Insurance of any kind
- Personal extras: Including, but not limited to, items of personal nature such as laundry, extras charged to hotel rooms, drinks and alcohol, insurance coverage for any risk, liability or otherwise
- Value Added Tax (“VAT”). VAT is currently not applicable to tourists if they are not Israelis. Should laws change you will be notified accordingly, and VAT will be added to your final invoice.
Guidelines for Payment and Cancellation
Payment policy:
- Payment 1: A deposit of $500 is due upon registration per registrant. This amount if fully applicable to the total price of the tour package.
- Payment 2: A Second payment of $3,000 per registrant is due no later than August 21, 2025. If you register on or after this date, you will be required to pay the full $3,500 upon application.
- Balance due in full no later than September 21, 2025, at which time payment is due in the amount equivalent to the Full Amount less the total amount actually paid by you prior to this date. For each registrant separately, the Full Amount is comprised of the total of:
- the Price of the Package plus
- the Single Supplement if applicable plus
- the charges for any supplemental services you may have requested.
- Supplements for additional services are due upon confirmation of the selected services
Please note that the second and third payments will be automatically charged to the same credit card used for the deposit. An email will be sent to you regarding these charges before being processed.
▪ Please note that a 3.7% processing fee is charged to any amount paid by credit card (other than the initial $500 deposit).
▪ Payment via Bank Wire Transfer is also accepted.
Cancellation policy:
All cancellations must be made in writing and addressed to: orly@routestravel.com . The applicable cancellation fee is determined based on the date when Operator receives written notification of Customer’s request to cancel Customer’s booking. The term “all amounts owed for the tour’ includes the basic Tour Price, Single Supplements, where applicable, and the cost of any additional services requested.
- Until July 24, 2025 any deposit paid is fully refundable
- From July 24 – August 21, 2025, inclusive, $ 500 becomes non-refundable
- From August 21 – September 21, 2025, Inclusive, $ 2,500 becomes non-refundable
- From September 21 – October 16, 2025, inclusive, $ 3,500 becomes non-refundable
- After October 17, 2025 the entire cost of the program becomes non-refundable
Non-Operation of Tour:
Please note that the rates above are based on a minimum of 20 Tour participants. In the event the number of registered participants is less than 20 on September 16, 2025, the Operator will consult with the Tour Sponsor (TOI) with a view to exploring if there is a solution to operate the Tour with less than 20 participants or alternatively at a later date. However, Operator reserves the right and at Operator’s sole discretion to cancel the Tour and refund amounts received from each participant.
Travel Protection
More than ever, Travel Insurance is a vitally important feature of any planned travel and safeguards against unexpected developments
Travel protection offers many great benefits and peace of mind when traveling. One of the many benefits is, to insure the travelers trip cost, in the event a traveler needs to cancel the trip, due to unforeseen medical illness of the insured or of an immediate family member.
The other key benefit included here is medical expense coverage, given that the majority of our health insurance plans, lack coverage for accidents/illness occurring outside of the US.
In addition to trip cancellation and medical expense coverage, other benefits protecting the travelers during their journey are , trip delay , trip interruption, lost or delayed luggage upon arrival in destination, medical evacuation, 24/7 emergency assistance and much more.
To receive a quote and for any travel insurance questions you may have, please reach out to Liana DiCurzio at Traveland. Her email is Liana@traveland.net please be sure to mention that you are traveling with ToI/Routes Trips
We highly recommend reaching out for an insurance quote, as soon as possible after making the very first initial payment, as some benefits and plans such as the Cancel For Any Reason plan (CFAR), are time sensitive, and are only available for purchase within 13 days of the very first trip payment
VAT (Value Added Tax)
Israeli VAT not applicable to non-Israeli tourists for a variety of services and is therefore not included in our prices. In this connection, please note the following:
- Should any members of your group be either holders of an Israeli passport or residents of Israel, they are subject by Israeli law to Israeli VAT (Value Added Tax) which is 18%, a tax which is not included in the above prices since non-Israeli tourists are exempt from this tax on key services. If we are informed of the participation of Israeli citizens/residents in advance, we can bill accordingly from the outset. Otherwise, any Israeli passport holders and/or residents regardless of where they reside, will be charged VAT by the hotel reception.
- With respect to tourists, although current regulations continue to exempt them from VAT on key services, this could change at any time, in which case VAT would have to be added by law to the services provided.
Any questions? Contact us at Orly@routestravel.com
If the trip is oversubscribed at the time of your registration, please fill in your information on the registration form, and you will be added to the program waiting list
