RAMAH ISRAEL INSTITUTE
Sample Itineraries
Family Trip Itinerary
The following program is an example of an itinerary for a group visiting Israel during the summer. It is intended as a sample, as each itinerary is unique, customized to the needs and backgrounds of the group and reflecting the overall theme of each trip.
Day 1 – Bruchim Habaim-Welcome!
- Arrival in Israel and kick off your trip with orientation and a welcome ceremony
- Enjoy an evening in Jerusalem
- Spend your first night in Jerusalem
Day 2 – In the Footsteps of Patriarchs and Priests
- Explore the Kotel tunnels and see the sites of the First and Second Temple
- Relax and swim at the hotel
- Visit the Israel Museum
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 3 – Roots
- Games in the Jewish Quarter
- Experience an archaeological dig in Beit Guvrin
- Programming and hospitality at a local Masorti/Conservative synagogue.
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 4 – Foundations, New and Old
- Visit Yad Lakashish – a non-profit that offers creative work opportunities for the elderly
- Explore the Knesset Menorah
- Enjoy a camel ride and Bedouin hospitality In Kfar Hanokdim
Overnight in Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea
Day 5– Freedom Fighters or Fanatics?
- Hike up Masada
- Take a dip in the Dead Sea and splash in the fresh waterfalls of Ein Gedi
- Kabbalat Shabbat services in the Jewish Quarter or at the Kotel
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 6 – Shabbat in Jerusalem
- Services at local Jerusalem synagogues
- Walking tour of Jerusalem neighborhoods
- Free evening on Ben Yehuda Street
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 7 – 1948 to Today
- Visit Latrun, the Ayalon Institute, and Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall
- Swim in the Mediterranean
- Explore Old Jaffa
Overnight in Tel Aviv
Day 8 – Living as a Minority
- Begin the day at Beit Hapalmach in Tel Aviv
- Go to Beit Shearim, the home of the Sanhedrin
- Visit a Druze village in Northern Israel
Overnight in the Galilee
Day 9 – Mystics and Realists
- Explore Tzfat and Tzippori, one of Israel’s major archaeological sites
- Boat or swim the Kinneret
- Enjoy a celebratory dinner at Decks overlooking the Kinneret
Overnight in the Galilee
Day 10 – The Northern Border
- Hike and walk along Tel Dan, a picturesque trail along one of the sources of the Jordan River
- Experience the majestic views of the Golan Heights
- Kayak along the Jordan River
- Finish the day at a chocolate factory
Overnight in the Galilee
Day 11 – Layers of History
- Participate in a Ramah-designed activity in the Kinneret courtyard
- Experience a charming multi-media program at the ancient Bet Alfa
- Enjoy a refreshing dip in the natural spring water at Sachne. Return to Jerusalem via the Jordan River valley
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 12 – Those Who Made a Difference
- Visit Yad Vashem and Mount Herzl
- Enjoy a group dinner and Oneg
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 13 – This Shabbat, Next Shabbat
- Services at a local synagogue
- Hear a guest speaker discuss current events
- Engage in “This Shabbat, Next Shabbat,” an activity that encourages participants to reflect on their Israel experience and directly relate it to their lives at home
- End the trip with a closing ceremony
- L’hitraot!
Bnei Mitzvah Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change based on dates and availability
Day 1 – Welcome ברוכים הבאים
- Begin in Ne’ot Kedumim Biblical Landscape Reserve where we will plant a tree, try our hand at sheep herding, and deepen our understanding of the Land of Israel
- Walk through the windy streets of Old Jaffa
- Learn about the making of Israel as a modern state along the Independence Trail in downtown Tel Aviv
Overnight in Tel Aviv
Day 2 – The First Hebrew City
- Learn how to tie tzitzit in an activity with the Masorti Movement
- Explore the Machon Ayalon Underground Bullet Factory
- Stroll through the Nachalat Binyamin crafts fair and Shuk HaCarmel
- Discover the streets of Tel Aviv through an interactive Graffiti Tour and workshop
Overnight in Tel Aviv
Day 3 – Israel in Modern Times
- Visit Rabin Square
- Discover modern heroes of our nation at the newly remodeled ANU Museum
- Experience the interactive exhibits at the Holon Children’s Museum (Dialogue in the Dark and Invitation to Silence)
- Continue on to Jerusalem and enjoy a beautiful lookout over the city
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 4 – Bnei Mitzvah in Jerusalem
- Celebrate Bnei Mitzvahs in the Old City
- Visit the Davidson Center
- Experience a Virtual Reality tour of the Second Temple
- Explore the Jewish Quarter
- Visit the City of David and walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel
- Dinner and Bnei Mitzvah party
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 5 – Yizkor יזכור
- Tour Yad Vashem (Zoo alternative for children)
- Experience the vibrancy of Shuk Machaneh Yehudah
- Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 6 – Shabbat in Jerusalem
- Services at a choice of local synagogues
- Walking tour of local sites
- Optional pizza dinner at local legendary eatery Bardak
- Optional tour of the Western Wall Tunnels
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 7 – Masada
- Camel ride at Eretz Bereshit
- Ascend Masada and learn about the heroes of the era
- Lunch, swimming, and relaxation at the Dead Sea
- Drive south to Kibbutz Ketura
- BBQ Dinner at Ketura and orientation
Overnight in Kibbutz Ketura
Day 8 – Beauty of the South
- Short desert hike in the Eilat mountains
- Enjoy Snorkeling in the Red Sea at the Coral Beach Nature Reserve
- Desert Solo Experience including sliding down the Kasui Sand Dunes
- Dinner of a Middle Eastern fair and a campfire kumzits
Overnight in Kibbutz Ketura
Day 9 – Ben Gurion’s Vision
- Walking tour of Kibbutz Ketura, including algae factory and solar field
- Bike trip to Ketura experimental orchards for tour and tree planting
- Jeep tour in the Makhtesh Ramon crater
- Walk along the rim of Israel’s largest makhtesh
Overnight in Mitzpe Ramon
Day 10 – Start-Up Nation
- Hike into the canyon of Ein Avdat
- Visit Ben Gurion‘s hut and grave at Sde Boker
- Taste your way through the fields and greenhouses of Shvil Hasalat
- Final dinner at local restaurant
- L’hitraot!
Poland Journey For Adults Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change based on dates and availability
Day 1 – Departure to Poland
Day 2 – Beginnings
- Explore 1000 years of Jewish life and culture in the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery
- Tour the new POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
- Visit the only remains of the Warsaw Ghetto wall
- Dinner in a local restaurant
Overnight in Warsaw
Day 3 – The Shtetl: What Was Lost
- Drive to Tykocin and pray Shacharit in the refurbished Synagogue, before exploring the shtetl
- Continue to Lopuchowo forest to honor those murdered and buried in mass graves by the Einsatzgruppen – mobile killing units
- Finish the day at the infamous Treblinka Death Camp and the memorial, and pay our respects to the hundreds of thousands gassed there
- Dinner at restaurant
Overnight in Warsaw
Day 4 – Hope is the Last to Die
- Pray Shacharit in the Nożyk Synagogue
- Explore the haunting Majdanek Concentration Camp
- Drive to Krasnik and visit the crumbling double synagogue
Overnight in Lublin
Day 5 – Galicia: There Once Was a World
- Shacharit at Yeshivat Hochmei Lublin, one of the most important Talmudic academies
- Explore towns and shtetls in Galicia
- Visit Lancut and Tarnow, cities with rich Jewish history and beautiful architecture
- Visit Zbylitowska Gora, the Childrens Forest, where even babies were murdured for the crime of being Jewish
Overnight in Krakow
Day 6 – The Banality of Evil
- Visit to Auschwitz and nearby Birkenau (referred to as Auschwitz II)
- Return to Krakow and prepare for Shabbat
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at one of the synagogues in Krakow
- Shabbat dinner with members of the local community at the JCC
Overnight in Krakow
Day 7 – Shabbat in Krakow
- Shabbat Shacharit services at one of the synagogues in Krakow
- Tour the Old Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz
- Optional walking tour of the Wawel castle
- Final group dinner in a local restaurant
- Night tour of various sites in Krakow – Ghetto Plaza, remains of Ghetto Wall, Schindler’s factory
Overnight in Krakow
Day 8 – Returning Home and L’hitraot!
Morocco Experience Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change based on dates and availability
Day 1 – Depart for Casablanca
Day 2 – Casablanca, Meknes, and Fes
- Arrive in Meknes
- Visit the Mellah (old Jewish Quarter)
- See the magnificent Bab Mansour Gate
Overnight in Fes
Day 3 – Fes
- Tour the Jewish Mellah, cemetery, and Ibn Danan synagogue
- See the Royal Palace plaza
- Explore the winding alleyways of the Medina
- Learn about the traditional crafts of the city and visit some artisans
- Enjoy a panoramic viewpoint of the city from Borj Sud fortress
Overnight in Fes
Day 4 – Fes, Ifrane, and Erfoud
- Travel South, crossing the mid-Atlas mountain range
- Visit the Alpine town of Ifrane – Morocco’s “little Switzerland”
- Follow the canyon of the Ziz river into the desert
- Continue to the district of Tafilalt – origin of the Abuhatzeira family
Overnight in Erfoud
Day 5 – Erfoud, Todgha Gorge, and Ouarzazate
- Jeep ride into the Sahara Desert and watch the sunrise over the Merzouga dunes
- Visit the Jewish cemetery of Erfoud
- Walk along the Todgha Gorge with its majestic cliffs and rock formations
Overnight in Ouarzazate
Day 6: – Ouarzazate and Marrakesh
- Visit the picturesque Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou
- Cross the Atlas mountain range via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass
- Arrive in Marrakesh and get ready for Shabbat
- Kabbalat Shabbat at Gueliz synagogue with the Jewish community
- Dinner in a local Jewish Kehillah
Overnight in Marrakesh
Day 7 – Shabbat in Marrakesh
- Shabbat services at the Gueliz synagogue with the Jewish community
- Explore the night market at Jemaa el Fnaa square
Overnight in Marrakesh
Day 8 – Marrakesh
- View the Koutoubia Mosque from its surrounding gardens
- Tour the Jewish Mellah and Al Azama synagogue
- Visit the ornate Bahia Palace
- Explore the many alleyways and shops in the Souk
- Optional traditional folklore show
Overnight in Marrakesh
Day 9 – Marrakesh and Essaouira
- Visit an Argan oil cooperative
- Drive to the seaside town of Essaouira
- Tour the Mellah and local synagogues
- Explore the Medina and the Port
- Enjoy sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean
Overnight in Essaouira
Day 10 – Essaouira, Safi, El Jadida and Casablanca
- Drive north along the Atlantic coast
- Tour Safi – visit the Medina and tomb of Ouled Ben Zmirou and explore the pottery workshops
- Explore the Portuguese Fort and Cisterns in El Jadida
- Visit the Beth El Synagogue
Overnight in Casablanca
Day 11 – Casablanca, Rabat and Casablanca
- Tour the magnificent Hassan II Mosque and the Mellah in Rabat
- Visit the mausoleum of the modern Moroccan kings and see the unfinished Hassan Tower
- See the King’s Palace
- Explore the picturesque Kasbah of the Udayas
Overnight in Casablanca
Day 12 – Casablanca and Return Flight
- Visit the Neve Shalom school and synagogue
- Tour the Museum of Moroccan Judaism
- Depart Morocco
L’hitraot!
Eastern Europe Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change based on dates and availability
Day 1 – Arrival In Budapest
- Take a panoramic bus tour along Andrassy Avenue
- Stroll through Heroes’ Square, adorned with the impressive statues of kings and leaders stretching across a thousand years of Hungarian history
- Enjoy the beautiful sights and lights of the city on an evening cruise on the Danube
Overnight in Budapest
Day 2 – Jewish Life And What Was Lost
- Drive through the city from Pest to Buda and enjoy the panoramic views of Budapest
- Visit the largest synagogue in Europe, The Dohany Street Synagogue, and the Jewish Museum
Overnight in Budapest
Day 3 – Explore Budapest And Vienna, The City Of Music And Culture
- Stroll along the fashionable Vaci Utca (Vaci Street), Explore Margaret Island, an island in the middle of the Danube, overlooking the center of the city
- Visit Budapest’s urban City Park (Varosliget) and walk on the grounds of the Vajdahunyad Castle
- Stroll through the City Park Lake,and spend time in the Budapest Circus or the Municipal Zoo
- Learn about the Széchenyi Bath House or Gellert Bath House
- Enjoy a day cruise on the Danube River
Overnight in Vienna
Day 4 – The Austrian Empire And Its Jewish Roots: Faith and Architecture
- Take a panoramic orientation tour along the Ringstrasse
- Visit the Prater Amusement Park, Peter’s Cathedral, and Stephen’s Cathedral
- Explore the Jewish Museum of Vienna and see the collection of Klimt paintings at the Belvedere Palace
- Stroll through the Judenplatz, the main square of the Jewish community for nearly 500 years
Tour the Vienna Temple (Stadtempel), the only surviving synagogue from pre-WWII daysOvernight in Vienna
Day 5 – Explore Vienna, then to Prague
- Explore the Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, the former imperial summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs
- Indulge in the best of Vienna’s delights in the city’s most popular food market, Nashmarket
- Visit the Memorial to Austrian Holocaust Victims and learn about its excavations and the miraculous findings of the ancient synagogue of Vienna
- Kabbalat Shabbat services at a local synagogue
- Shabbat dinner with the local community
Overnight in Prague
Day 6 – Shabbat in Prague
- Short walking tour of Jewish sites
- Explore Prague on your own for the afternoon
Overnight in Prague
Day 7 – Memory & Continuity
- Visit Terezin, the town that was turned into the “model” ghetto and concentration camp
- Free time in the late afternoon to explore the city on your own
Overnight in Prague
Day 8 – The Glory Of Jewish And Non Jewish Prague
- Walking tour through Jewish Prague, including the Old Ghetto and the Precious Legacy Exhibit at the Jewish Museum
- Ascend to the Prague Castle for a guided tour of the Castle and a walk along the Golden Lane
- Walk through the Lesser Town and over the Charles Bridge, a historic bridge crossing the Vltava River
- Festive farewell dinner
Overnight in Prague
Day 9 – Return Home and L’hitraot!
Sephardic Heritage Experience Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change based on dates and availability
Day 1 – Madrid
- City tour of the famous sites of Madrid
- Explore the Prado Museum, the national art museum of Spain
- Tour the Royal Palace of Madrid, the official residence of the Spanish royal family, and the largest Royal palace in Europe
Overnight in Madrid
Day 2 – Toledo
- Visit the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Synagogue of El Transito
- Revitalize the synagogues through song and prayer
Overnight in Cordoba
Day 3 – Cordoba
- Explore Cordoba – the city of the Rambam and Yehuda Halevi
- Cross the Guadalquivir, walk on the Roman bridge, and enter the Old City and Jewish quarter
- See the statue of the Rambam and visit the synagogue named after him
- Tour the Mezquita, a cathedral that was once the great mosque of Cordoba
Overnight in Granada
Day 4 – Granada
- Visit the famous Alhambra Palace, the palace in which historic decision were made
- Explore the Ambassadors’ Hall, the Lions’ courtyard, the Hadasim courtyard, and the Nazarie Palace
- Walk in the beautiful Generalife gardens
- See the Gypsy Flamenco Zambra dance show at Sacromonte Cave
Overnight in Granada
Day 5 – Gibraltar
- Travel to Gibraltar, the British enclave known as “The Rock“
- Ascend the Rock and see the Monkey Colony
- Tour the stunning St. Michael’s Cave
- Prepare for Shabbat in Gibraltar
Overnight in Gibraltar
Day 6 – Shabbat in Gibraltar
- Shabbat services in one of Gibraltar’s four active synagogues
- Walking tour of the Jewish areas of Gibraltar – see the synagogues, schools, and Jewish community past and present
Overnight in Gibraltar
Day 7 – Seville
- Visit the Fort of Alcazar, a stunning former royal palace
- See the magnificent Cathedral of Seville
- Take a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter – also known as the Santa Cruz District – and stroll through the ancient lanes
- Free time to walk through the Plaza España Square and the Parque de Maria Luisa
Overnight in Badajoz
Day 8 – Badajoz, Castello de Vide
- City tour of Badajoz
- See the small town of Castello de Vide and the Jewish Quarter, with the oldest synagogue in Portugal, and learn about the ancient community there
- Drive up to Marvão, the city of the hilltop citadel, and experience the magnificent view
Overnight in Belmonte
Day 9 – Belmonte, Troncoso
- Tour Belmonte, the Jewish Museum, and local synagogue Bet Eliahu
- See the Jewish Quarter of Guarda
- Visit the synagogue and Jewish Museum in Troncoso
Overnight in Coimbra
Day 10 – Coimbra, Tomar, Sintra, Cabo de Roca
- Explore Coimbra University, including visits to the Library of King Joao and the Fountains of Love and Tears
- Drive to Tomar and see the ancient synagogue
- Visit the pink town of Sintra with its gardens and palaces
- Stop at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost extent of continental Europe, and enjoy the sweeping views of the Mediterranean
Overnight in Lisbon
Day 11 – Lisbon
- Tour of Lisbon sites in the Juderia – Jewish Quarter: The Alfama district, Avenue Liberdade and Rossio square
- See the beautiful Jeronimos monastery
- Visit the Shaarei Tikvah synagogue
- Final Dinner
Shalom and L’hitraot – Return home