Contemporary Israel

Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport and transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Welcome dinner and introductory briefing on contemporary Israeli society with a local journalist or political analyst.

Explore Tel Aviv's founding story at Independence Hall, where David Ben-Gurion declared Israeli statehood on May 14, 1948. Walk through the UNESCO-listed White City to admire the world's largest collection of Bauhaus architecture. Visit the Rabin Memorial and Rabin Square. Explore the Carmel Market and vibrant Neve Tzedek neighborhood. Evening street art tour of Florentin.

Travel north to Haifa, Israel's most diverse city. Visit the Baha'i Gardens and learn about the Baha'i faith's presence in Israel. Explore the Wadi Nisnas Arab neighborhood and its community initiatives. Meet with leaders working on Jewish-Arab coexistence programs. Visit the German Colony and Haifa's thriving art gallery scene.

Visit a kibbutz in the Galilee to learn about the evolution of Israel's communal movement — from its socialist roots to its modern reinvention. Tour the kibbutz facilities and meet with members. Visit a Druze village in the Carmel region to learn about this unique community's culture and role in Israeli society. Evening lecture on Israel's ethnic and religious mosaic.

Drive to the Golan Heights for panoramic views from Mount Bental overlooking the Syrian border. Learn about the geopolitical significance of the region. Visit a former military outpost and hear about the strategic challenges of Israel's northern frontier. Explore the ruins of Gamla. Meet with residents who have built their lives in this contested area.

Travel south to the Negev Desert. Visit Be'er Sheva and learn about David Ben-Gurion's vision to make the desert bloom. Tour the Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute at Sde Boker. Visit a Bedouin community to learn about their traditions, challenges, and integration into Israeli society. Explore the ancient Nabataean city of Avdat.

Travel to Jerusalem. Tour the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) including the Chagall tapestries and the Wohl Rose Garden. Visit the Supreme Court building, an architectural masterpiece designed to symbolize justice and transparency. Afternoon at Yad Vashem to understand the Holocaust's central role in Israeli national identity and memory.

Explore the Old City through the lens of its diverse communities — Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian quarters. Visit the Western Wall and the Temple Mount area. Walk through the Arab market (souk) and meet with local business owners. Afternoon visit to East Jerusalem neighborhoods. Evening farewell dinner with a guest speaker offering their perspective on the future of Israeli society.

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your departure flight. Depart with a richer, more nuanced understanding of this complex and fascinating country.

No. We present multiple perspectives and arrange meetings with speakers from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. Our goal is to help your group understand the complexity of Israeli society, not to promote any single narrative.

Yes. As a Discovery Tour, the itinerary is fully customizable. We can arrange sessions with experts on topics such as Israeli-Palestinian relations, security policy, immigration, religious pluralism, economics, or media.

Absolutely. This tour is popular with university study-abroad programs and young leadership groups. We can adapt the content and speaker sessions to suit the academic level and interests of your group.

The standard itinerary does not include visits to the West Bank, but this can be arranged as a customization. We can organize visits to Bethlehem, Ramallah, or other areas with appropriate coordination and security.

The Classic Israel Discovery focuses on Israel's iconic historical and religious landmarks. Contemporary Israel focuses on the modern state — its politics, society, culture, and people. There is some geographic overlap, but the lens and emphasis are entirely different.