Home > Connect > Israel Engagement > WHC Israel Family Trip 2026
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This August, join Washington Hebrew Congregation’s Cantor Susan Bortnick for the trip of a lifetime as we spend 11 days exploring the hustle and bustle of Tel Aviv, the lush beauty of the Sea of Galilee, and of course the sacred history of Jerusalem.
You’ll stay in some of the finest accommodations Israel has to offer and will experience everything from Masada and the Dead Sea to Yad Vashem and the Old City, plus many more along the way.
And if you’ve ever wanted a b’nei mitzvah in the Holy Land, whether you’re 13, 83, or anything in-between, that opportunity is included, at Ezrat Israel in Jerusalem!
The trip is open to everyone, so invite your family and friends (even if they’re not WHC members) to come along.
So sign up today! A $500 per person deposit holds your spot, with final payment due May 4.
Depart on your flight to Israel.
Overnight: Flight
Arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Our representative will be on hand to assist with all formalities and ensure your journey has the smoothest of starts.
Meet your J² Expert Educator who will accompany you on this journey of education and inspiration.
Stop at the Haas Promenade for a traditional shehehiyanu blessing of thanksgiving.
Check into the hotel.
Opening dinner with Cantor Susan R.A. Bortnick and your Expert Educator.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
Explore the City of David, the core of ancient Jerusalem, the place where Jerusalem’s story truly begins.
Take a walking tour through Jerusalem’s Old City and the Jewish Quarter and experience the center of Jewish life, history, and holiness. Among the highlights will be:
A climb to the rooftops to see and discuss the ties and tensions between the different faith groups and communities of the Old City. From this one spot, we’ll look out over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, venerated by Christian groups as the burial place of Jesus; the golden Dome of the Rock, which is sacred to Islam; and the Jewish Quarter’s famous Hurva Synagogue.
The Cardo, the main street of Roman-controlled Jerusalem and its spectacular Byzantine-era columns.
King Hezekiah’s “Broad Wall,” a massive wall built to protect Jerusalem from invasion 2,700 years ago.
Hurva Square, the center of modern-day life in the Jewish Quarter.
No visit to Israel is complete without experiencing the Kotel(Western Wall), widely considered Judaism’s holiest site. Each year, over one million notes containing prayers and wishes are placed in the cracks of the wall. We’ll discuss the wall’s historical and contemporary importance and experience its unique atmosphere.
Going Under, Going Deeper: Explore the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Kotel, and examine important archaeological discoveries that are revising our understanding of daily life in ancient Jerusalem.
Explore the colorful and ethnically diverse Mahane Yehuda market of Jerusalem.
Return to the hotel for pool time.
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before setting out to explore the Dead Sea region.
As Low as It Goes: We’ll drive to the Dead Sea Basin, 1412 feet below sea level and the lowest place on earth. The desert, the landscape, and the views are breathtaking.
How Fast Can This Thing Go? Take a camel for a test drive as you ride into the heart of the desert.
The Last Stand: Take the cable car to the top of Masada with its extraordinary views and fascinating archaeological remains. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is where Jewish rebels are believed to have made their final attempt to resist Roman invaders (c 74 CE). We’ll learn about Masada’s importance as a symbol of Jewish defense and discuss its influence on modern Israel.
We’ll drive by Qumran, where a separatist Jewish sect from the Second Temple period created an isolated community and where the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most ancient and important religious manuscripts in existence, were discovered.
The Sea of Salt: Float into happiness at the Dead Sea. Not much can live or swim in what is the saltiest piece of water in the world, nine times saltier than the ocean, but the weightless feeling of floating is great fun.
Kids: Two by Two the Animals Went into the Ark: The Biblical Zoo is one of Jerusalem’s loveliest places. It has a great collection of animals with a special focus on creatures mentioned in the Bible. It includes 62 acres of open areas where the animals live, a zoo train if you don’t feel like walking, a petting zoo, and other activities to keep all ages enthralled.
Adults: Visit Yad Vashem, the national memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
Celebrate with pride and togetherness as we gather at Azarat Israel, the pluralistic section of the Kotel, for a meaningful and inclusive Bnei Mitzvah ceremony. As the sun begins to set over Jerusalem’s golden stones, our young people will step into Jewish adulthood surrounded by tradition, community, and love. Mazal Tov!
After the ceremony, we’ll take a peaceful walk along the ramparts of the Old City, taking in breathtaking views of Jerusalem at dusk — a perfect blend of history, beauty, and spirit.
Conclude with a joyful celebration dinner, where we’ll come together to eat, laugh, and make memories — honoring this important milestone and the journey we’ve shared.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Check out of the hotel.
Perhaps it’s the combination of mysticism and art, and maybe it’s the mountain air in Israel’s highest city; entering Tsfat, there is a sense of something uniquely Jewish but not quite of this world. Here, you’ll:
Visit the Ari synagogue and share in the inspiration and innovation that moved Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Holy Ari) and his fellow mystics. In Tsfat they developed the Kabbalah, the esoteric insights of Judaism and created Kabbalat Shabbat, the prayers sung on Friday evenings to welcome the arrival of the Sabbath.
See the Caro synagogue, built originally, like the Ari, in the 16th century. It is where Rabbi Joseph Caro, one of the greatest of all Jewish legal authorities, taught and lived. Hear the story of how he was visited here by a maggid, an angelic messenger, who revealed secrets of the Torah.
Walk through the cobbled streets and alleyways to the Artists’ Colony with its galleries, shops, and studios.
Enjoy the lookout from the Baha’i Gardens.
Check into the hotel and prepare for Shabbat.
Visit the Or Hadash Reform Congregation in Haifa for a dialogue with the rabbi and local congregants.
Home Hospitality Shabbat dinner/communal Shabbat dinner with local congregants OR festive Shabbat dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Haifa
Go on an off-road jeep tour of the far north and the border with Lebanon.
Experience the World’s Steepest Cable Car at Rosh Hanikra! Take a thrilling ride down the cliff to explore the breathtaking sea grottos.
Sunset hike from Rosh Hanikra to the Achziv Beach follwed by swiming time at the beach
Cherish Shabbat and mark its passing (until next week) with a havdalah ceremony by the beach.
Walk through the 2,000-year-old water tunnel at Park Alona, the water source for ancient Caesarea.
Drive along the coast to back in time to Caesarea, one of the Land of Israel’s most important cities during the Roman Period. Explore life 2,000 years ago with its ancient theater, palace, and bathhouse.
Drive to Tel Aviv.
Experience the dynamism of Jewish life at the ANU Museum of the Jewish People, dedicated to telling their story and representing their diversity, highlighting the creative works and cultural riches of a variety of communities in different periods of history until the present day.
Stop at the Jaffa lookout for an introduction to Tel Aviv.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Get your hands dirty on a real archaeological dig at the amazing Beit Guvrin Caves — a hands-on adventure for all ages! Discover ancient treasures, crawl through underground passageways, and experience the thrill of uncovering history together.
Adults: The Nova music festival next to Kibbutz Re’im was meant to be a weekend of joy and celebration. 364 of the festival goers were murdered; 40 men and women were taken hostage by the Hamas. The memorial was established by the families and friends of the murdered. It bears tribute and call on all of us to work so that such horrors will not be repeated.
Kids: Visit Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, named after Mordechai Anielewicz, and spend time exploring the bee hive and honey-making journey.
Return to Tel Aviv.
ALTNEULAND: DREAMS & REALITIES IN TEL AVIV
Tue. Aug 11, 2026
Founding Fighters: Walk in the footsteps of the young men and women who fought for the Palmach, Israel’s elite pre-State military force. The Palmach Museum is an experiential museum that allows you to follow the lives and fates of extraordinary individuals from their enlistment to battle in the War of Independence.
From Hebrew City to Hebrew State: Walk along the Independence Trail and embark on a remarkable journey that begins with the founding of Tel Aviv in 1909 and ends with the establishment of Israel in 1948.
Calling Boutique-Loving Hipsters: Browse your way through Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv’s arts and crafts market, before we check out the hustle and bustle at the Carmel Market.
Late checkout of the hotel.
Festive farewell dinner.
Transfer to Ben-Gurion International Airport and check in for your flight.
Arrive in the U.S.
Cost is $4,889 per person, sharing double room; $6,464 per person, single room
Child age 2-12 reduction when sharing parents’ room: $852
B’nei Mitzvah students taking part in the Western Wall ceremony*: $3,389 per student ($1,500 discount, thanks to WHC’s Israel Quest Fund)
*See Day 5 itinerary details.
Hotels
Cancellations
All cancellations must be in writing, effective from the day received. No refunds are issued for cancellations received after the tour departs. Airline penalties could be equal to the total cost of the ticket.
Cancellation made 90 or more days prior to departure incur the loss of the deposit. Cancelations made 89 to 46 days prior to departure incur the loss of 50% of the full trip cost. Cancellations made 45 days or less prior to the departure incur the loss of 100% of the full trip cost.
Luggage is the responsibility of the passengers and the airlines. Lost luggage claims are the passenger’s responsibility to notify the airlines directly.
Must be valid six months beyond trip return date. Please email ASAP a copy of your passport with a photo.
The sequence of activities in the itinerary may change or be reversed and some may be omitted due to circumstances beyond our control. Pricing is subject to change until the trip is paid in full.
Find answers to frequently asked questions at https://www.j2adventures.com/faq/. You are also invited to join us for an interest meeting taking place Monday, November 17, 6:00 pm, at Temple.
