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•GuidedvisitstodiversesitessuchastheWesternWall,DomeoftheRock,SephardicSynagogues,ViaDolorosa,ChurchoftheHolySepulchre,Mt.Nebo,andJezzarPashaMosque

•WalkingtoursexploringIsrael’sandJordan’santiquities,guidedbylocalexperts&professionalTauckDirectors;modern-daydiscussionsincludinga“ProphetSharing”paneldiscussioninHaifa

•AcruiseontheSeaofGalileeaboardaworkingreplicaofa2,000-year-oldfishingboat;asoundandlightshowattheTowerofDavid

•AvisittotheprivatehomeandgalleryofrenownedartistIlanaGoorinJaffaforaprivateshowingofherworks

•GuidedvisittoBethlehemforatouroftheChurchoftheNativityandtheMilkGrotto;inPetra,aBedouin-styletraditionalfeastfeaturingasworddance

•Airporttransfersuponarrivalanddepartureasnoted

•31meals(13breakfasts,11lunches,7dinners);gratuitiestolocalguidesanddrivers,servicecharges,admissionfees,taxesandporterage

Tauck Value Includes:

A visit to the Dome of the Rock provides insights into Israel’s cultural and religious diversity

1. Arrive Tel AvivTour begins: 7:00 PM, InterContinental David Tel Aviv. A transfer is included from Ben Gurion Airport to the InterContinental David Tel Aviv, located on a beachfront promenade in a fashionable neighborhood, with sweeping views of the Mediterranean. Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner. Meals D

2. AncienT JAffA And Tel Aviv Your day begins with a Hebrew lesson, followed by a walking tour of Jaffa, the ancient Arab seaport at the heart of the modern city. This enclave is home to a diverse population of Jews, Muslims, and Christians, its winding stone streets and alleys a maze of galleries, antique shops, and restaurants. Visit the home and gallery of artist Ilana Goor, whose sculpture, furniture, jewelry and clothing designs are world-renowned. After lunch at a local café, a city tour reveals why Tel Aviv earned a UNESCO World Heritage designation. For the rest of the day, explore this hip city on your own. Meals BL

3. AncienT cAesAreA And HAifAJourney north for a walking tour of the ruins of Caesarea. Leave the sun-baked sands for the green foothills of Mount Carmel and the Baha’i Shrine and Gardens on the northern slope of Mount Carmel, featuring 19 terraces and immaculate gardens that lead to the golden-domed tomb of the Bab, messenger of the Baha’i

isrAel And JordAn

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825 www.tauck.com 43

MEDITERRANEANSEA JORDAN

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv

Caesarea

Haifa

AkkoSea ofGalilee

Nazareth

Masada

JerusalemDead Sea

Jaffa

Bethlehem

Petra

Amman

Maximum Elevation: 3,000 ft.

Jord

an R

iver

SYRIA

Faith, which teaches that no religion has a monopoly on the truth. Arrive at the lovely Colony Hotel Haifa in the city’s historic German Quarter; dine from a selection of restaurants. Meals BLD

4. Along THe seA of gAlileeTravel inland to the Sea of Galilee for a visit to the Galilee Boat, a 2,000-year-old fishing vessel discovered in the mudflats of Galilee in 1986. Board a working replica of the boat and sail the waters of Galilee on a guided tour to see how fishermen in Jesus’ time lived and worked; you’ll even have an opportunity to learn to dance the Horah! Stop in Nazareth for lunch at a local restaurant; this rural area contains many kibbutzim – farming communities which teach self-reliance, collective action, and civic responsibility. Return to Haifa, where guests can participate in a “Prophet Sharing” panel discussion, a unique opportunity to ask questions and share information about the major religions that coexist in this multicultural land. The evening is free. Meals BL

5. Akko, PlAce of MAny rulersThe walled city of Akko is where 13th-century Crusaders made their last stand against overwhelming Mameluk forces. Explore the old citadel, with its warren of streets and alleys, arches, towers, tunnels and underground chambers. Experience the tranquility of the 18th-century Jezzar Pasha Mosque, with its graceful minarets and stunning mosaics, built over the ruins of

a Crusader church. Lunch at one of the city’s best-known, most sought-after restaurants, Uri Buri, run by Chef Uri Yirmias; casual with understated elegance, his seafood is famous all over Israel. Next stop is Jerusalem; pause at the Mount of Olives before arriving at The David Citadel, a five-star hotel within walking distance of the Old City walls. Dine à la carte tonight at Scala, one of the best restaurants in Jerusalem. Meals BLD

“Having traveled professionally for 30 years, I have never been moved as intellectually and emotionally as I was in Israel and

Jordan. We meticulously planned this trip for years – so our guests’ lives are forever enriched.” – Matt Curran, Tauck Director (Development Team)

Something new every day, from the antiquities of Petra to authentic sailing vessels on the Sea of Galilee

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6. JerusAleM – ciTy of culTurAl diversiTyYour guided city tour begins along the Cardo; descend into the ingeniously engineered Sephardic Synagogues, built below street level during Ottoman rule in obeyance of a law that no Jewish temple could be higher than the surrounding houses. Following lunch at a café, your guided tour continues at the Western Wall, last remnant of Solomon’s temple, which held the Ark of the Covenant. The wide plaza before the wall is an open-air synagogue where Jews gather daily to pray and offer supplications to God, sometimes written on paper and stuffed into cracks between the massive stones. Meals BL

7. THe old ciTy / doMe of THe rockReturn to the Old City for a visit to the Dome of the Rock, a 7th-century Islamic shrine built on the Temple Mount. Its golden dome shelters the rock from which the Prophet Mohammed ascended to Heaven; for Jews, it covers the holiest spot on Earth, the Foundation Stone of Solomon’s inner temple. Retrace the steps Jesus took on the Via Dolorosa en route to the Crucifixion; the winding path ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which encloses the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. Visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, where a guide walks you through the images, survivors’ accounts, and artifacts that put human faces on the Holocaust. Join us tonight at the Tower of David for a spectacular sound and light show splashed across the tower walls. Meals BL

8. MAsAdA / deAd seA scrollsDepart Jerusalem for Masada, a mountain fortress which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a must-see destination. The ruins, reached by cable car, are 1300 feet above the Dead Sea. A

Jewish revolt against the Romans ended here in 73 AD; rather than surrender, the Jews committed mass suicide. Masada is as important today, a connection to the modern state as the place where Israeli soldiers swear their oath of allegiance. Return to Jerusalem and drive by Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered; back in Jerusalem, view the Scrolls themselves at the Israeli Museum. Meals B

9. BeTHleHeM / crossing inTo JordAnSpend time in Jerusalem or join us for a locally guided visit to the West Bank and Bethlehem. Tourism is the primary industry, but it is also home to fine art by local craftsmen with centuries-old skills. The 4th-century Church of the Nativity exterior is unassuming; inside, a silver star on the floor marks the spot where Jesus was born. Walk from Manger Square to the Milk Grotto, where the Holy Family took refuge. Return to Jerusalem, then on to Jordan for a two-night stay at a luxury resort and spa on the Dead Sea. Meals BLD

10. dAy Along THe deAd seA or JerAsHThe Dead Sea is the “Great Salt Lake” of the Middle East; visitors who come marvel at its dramatic landscape, float in its buoyant waters, or cover themselves in its mineral-rich, therapeutic black mud. Spend a relaxing day at the resort, enjoy the spa, or set off on an excursion to Jerash. Wander among the well-preserved city’s temples, arches, theatres, baths and city walls. Meals BL

11. To MounT neBo And PeTrADepart the Dead Sea for Petra; on the way, stop at Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out upon the “Promised Land.” You’ll also visit the Memorial Church of Moses to see its well-preserved ancient mosaics located inside the excavated Old Baptistery.

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825 www.tauck.com 45

14 dAys froM $4,990 Plus AirfAre(13 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches & 7 Dinners)

Begins Tel AvivJan 13, 27 Feb 10, 17, 24

Mar 3, 10, 24, 31 Apr 28 May 3, 12, 17Sep 1, 6, 8, 15 Oct 20, 25, 27

Nov 3, 10, 17, 24 Dec 1, 8

Go to www.tauck.com for up-to-the-minute space availability; additional departure dates may become available as these sell out.

Price Per PersonJanuary – March; November 17 – December

Double $4990 Single $6368 Triple $4652

April – November 16Double $5190 Single $6568 Triple $4852

International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on international air, in coach or business, for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).

Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before or after your tour and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.

fine HoTels / greAT locATionsNight 1,2 InterContinental David Tel Aviv Tel Aviv, IsraelNight 3,4 The Colony Hotel Haifa Haifa, IsraelNight 5-8 The David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem, IsraelNight 9,10 Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, Jordan

Dead SeaNight 11,12 Mövenpick Resort Petra Petra, JordanNight 13 Le Méridien Amman Amman, Jordan

Biblical history is everywhere en route, most notably in Madaba, where you’ll visit St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church to view a map from the 6th century detailing major biblical sites. Enjoy a lunch of traditional Jordanian specialties, and arrive at your hotel late afternoon where you can dine at your leisure. Meals BLD

12. Pink ciTy of PeTrA & Bedouin dinnerA short walk from your hotel lies the entrance to the 2,000-year-old city of Petra. Explore this incredible site’s tombs, temples and other structures on foot as well as by horse cart; lunch at the Basin Restaurant in the old city, and return by camel. Spend the afternoon at leisure at the hotel, then get set for tonight’s special farewell dinner! Join us this evening for a real taste of Jordan when we’ll dine Bedouin-style at a traditional feast. A dance troupe of Jordanian men, dressed in customary Bedouin garments, entertains with a performance of the Dabkeh sword dance for a look at centuries-old traditions. Meals BLD

13. AMAzing king’s HigHwAy To AMMAnDrive along the winding 5,000-year-old King’s Highway, through golden canyons and ancient villages, to Amman; it is one of the oldest continuously used roads in the world. Guests with early evening flights will be taken directly to Queen Alia International Airport while those departing late night or early the next morning will stay at Le Méridien Amman. Meals BLD

14. Journey HoMeTour ends: Amman. A transfer is included from Le Méridien Amman to Queen Alia International Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for check-in. Meals B

A kaleidoscope of images captured by camera, forever in your heart: (left to right) The Western Wall in Jerusalem, seaside Tel Aviv, Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, traditional sword dancers in Jordan, Baha’i Gardens in Haifa – and the most phenomenal meal at Uri Buri