Upgraded! and Recommendations...

I'm happy to report an upgrade to our lodging in Jerusalem. Thanks to another traveling group that grew larger than expected, we were moved from the Sheraton Plaza in Jerusalem (a 4-star hotel) to the beautiful Inbal Hotel (a 5-star hotel). For those of you who might have been to Israel in years past, you might remember this as the "LaRomme" Hotel.

We're only about 5-1/2 weeks away from departure and the excitement is building. I know I've started shopping for my travel items. Found a good score at Harmon Drugs for those interested. In the first aisle...with all the travel-sized products, I found 3-packs of Tide detergent specifically for traveling. The package is designed for washing just a few items in a sink with warm water. I recommend purchasing these since we don't really know what laundering facilities will be available to us.

For what it's worth, I also recommend purchasing CHEWABLE tablets of Immodium, Pepto, and other stomach remedies. Since we ARE traveling to another country with different seasonings, spices, etc, one never knows how a body will tolerate the unique foods. BE PREPARED!

Our Itinerary

I thought this would be a good time to share with everyone a preview of all the places we plan to visit along the way...

Our itinerary is packed from morning until evening with lots of learning, exploring, fun activities, and delicious food. Here are the highlights of our trip:

Thursday, June 28 Departure -- Evening departure from JFK to Israel.

Friday, June 29 Welcome to Israel! Arrival in Israel...Travel to Jerusalem...Shehechiyanu and Kabbalat Shabbat at the Western Wall...Overnight in Jerusalem.

Saturday, June 30 Shabbat Shalom! Services at the Hebrew Union College...Lunch with Rabbi Uri Regev of the World Union for Progressive Judaism...Free afternoon...Havdallah atop Yemin Moshe overlooking the Old City walls...Dinner at Minaret Restaurant...Overnight in Jerusalem.

Sunday, July 1 The Old City Archeological experience sifting for finds from the Temple Mount at Emek Tzurim...Mount Zion...Jewish Quarter...Hurva Synagogue...Cardo...Roman ruins and shopping area...Southern excavations...Davidson Center...Western Wall Tunnel Tour...Dinner and Shopping along Ben Yehuda Street. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Monday, July 2 Dead Sea Area Masada (option to hike up)...Ein Gedi Waterfall...Time to float in the Dead Sea...Free evening...Overnight in Jerusalem.

Tuesday, July 3 New Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital...Chagall Windows...Yad Vashem...Valley of the Lost Communities...Mount Herzl Cemetery...Overnight in Jerusalem.

Wednesday, July 4 The Jordan Valley Beit Shean Roman excavations...Visit to an Ethiopian Absorption Center...Swim in the hot springs of Gan Sachne...Overnight at Kibbutz K'far Blum Guesthouse.

Thursday, July 5 The Mystical North Meet with Kibbutz representatives to discuss communal living in Israel...Visit to Safed where we see the H'ari and Caro Synagogues as well as the amazing artists' quarter...Hike the Jordan River source at Tel Dan...Jeep tour up to the Golan...Har Bental viewpoint into Syria...Kayak down the Jordan River...Dinner and overnight at the Kibbutz.

Friday, July 6 The Northern Coast Explore the Grottoes of Rosh Hanikrah...Visit Akko with its crusader fortress...Home hospitality in a Druze Village...Kabbalat Shabbat on the Beach in Tel Aviv...Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Saturday, July 7 Shabbat Shalom! Day at Leisure in Tel Aviv - enjoy the beach, the weather, and the city life! ...Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Sunday, July 8 Tel Aviv/Return Home Tel Aviv overview...Ayalon Institute - Secret Bullet Factory...Rabin Square...Independence Hall...Free Time...Farewell dinner at Maganda Restaurant in the Yeminite Quarter...Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for flight home.

Monday, July 9 Arrival Home -- Exhausted! with memories that last a lifetime!