4 weeks in July. Staying in an apartment in Yerushalayim. None of the kids except the oldest has been to Medinat Yisrael Reishit Tzemichat Ge'ulateinu previously. What are your suggestions for fun and educational things to do with the family? Links to websites such as http://www.showcaves.com/english/il/showcaves/Sorek.html and details would be more appreciated rather than "those stalactite caves".

Great stuff.

I've never been here, but my family went and loved it:
Mini Israel http://www.minisrael.co.il/home_en.html

Then there's monkey park which is great fun for kids, but maybe you are looking for something more Israel themed?
http://www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000057120.htm

Of course there are the kotel tunnel tours as well.

There's a crocidile farm somewhere, I think this is it:
http://www.hamat-gader.com/hamatInfo.php?s...&subLink=13

Oh, and I was going through the links on this webpage about the monkey park and it looks like they've got some other great stuff to do. I haven't heard of any of those places, but they sound really interesting...

i recommend the israel museum which also has heichal hasefer and a huge bait hamikdash model totally worth seeing. it was raining when we went but it was still really beautiful. http://www.imjnet.org.il/htmls/Home.aspx

there's also museon hertzel which came highly recommended to us but we really didn't see the big fuss. maybe younger folks (kids) will find it more amusing. http://ilmuseums.com/museum_eng.asp?id=16

Some of my favorites:

Tnuva Factory Tour  (IMHO #1 fun place in EY)

Givat Hakibutzim

At Givat HaKibbutzim in Rehovot, descend into the reconstructed underground munitions factory located under the kibbutz bakery. The kibbutz was established in order to hide the factory in British-controlled Palestine. It existed solely for surreptitiously manufacturing ammunition. Fifty-odd years later, the factory is a museum tucked into a section between Nes Ziona and Rehovot, where many of Israel's high-tech companies are located. What's remarkable about the factory is that it is underground. In order for the British not to notice the illegal operation, the kibbutzniks built and operated a bakery and laundry on ground level, directly over the factory that would operate only when the bakery and laundry were also working. In this way, the noise of the factory would not be noticed.

Ammunition Hill

Ammunition Hill serves as a memorial to all those who fell in battle for Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. One can easily understand why Ammunition Hill was the location chosen as a national memorial for the reunification of Jerusalem. The fighting that took place on the night of June 6, 1967 lasted four hours. In those few short hours 36 men lost their lives. One of the Six-Day War’s best-known folk songs — Givat Hatachmoshet — tells the story of the battle that took place on Ammunition Hill.

This site is more than just a memorial. There is also a museum, in the reconstructed bunker. The museum’s arched roof was built to resemble the buildings that were originally built on the hill by the British Army, before 1948

Ariel-Center for Jerusalem in the First Temple Period, Yad Ben-Zvi

The Burnt House

A luxurious residence of a rich Jew from the end of the Second Temple was burned in 70 CE.

Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

(Haifa)

U.Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art

(J'm)

Sholom Aleichem Museum

(TA)

Onsen- traditional Japanese hot springs in the Golan

A rare opportunity which allows you to touch your roots
Dig for a Day is a unique program designed for visitors of all ages

The Dig for a Day program runs three hours. The activity includes: digging, sifting, pottery examination and touring the National Park of Beit Guvrin with an exciting crawl through unexcavated cave systems.

Currently, Archaeological Seminars is digging at Tel Maresha, in the area of
Beit Guvrin, ancestral home of King Herod. Vast underground labyrinths
of man-made rooms are being systematically cleaned and give evidence of
underground industrial complexes dating from the Hellenistic period.
Remains of olive oil production, weaving installations, water cisterns and
baths confirm a high level of material culture. This site offers a wealth of
discoveries and practical experience for those who want to "dig" but have
limited time.

Over the last decade, thousands of people have participated in the Dig for a Day program and found it to be a rewarding and fun experience!



Price: $28 for Adults, $23 for Children (between the ages of 5-14)
Price does not include entrance fee to the National Park of Beit Guvrin:
12 shekels for children 23 shekels for adults.
Activity lasts approximately 3 hours.
Meeting Place: Beit Guvrin Gas Station (Delek)



Article:
http://www.slate.com/id/2181864/entry/2181865/
Website:
http://www.archesem.com/dig.asp?gclid=COPv...CFSBMGgodgl8UCg

When my momma came we went on a Jeep Expedition to Azazel... Unfortunately Azazel doesn't yet have a website.....

Wow... I never though anyone took that recommendation for face value...

Tsfat.

Tel Hazor is 15 minutes away: http://www.parks.org.il/ParksENG/company_c...?CNumber=336065 . My kids really liked it, but we went during Chol Hamoed when there was a guide from Shmurat Hateva.

Also highly recommended is Tel Dan: Tel Dan info. It's a political broo-ha-ha to get up to the proper place of karbanot, but you can get right up close to where Yeraboam's sacrificial site was. Banias is nearby.

Rosh Hanikra has a really nice presentation at the bottom of the cable cars. And then you can visit Nahariya, which is just a nice beach town. You could even take the train from there back at least to Lod area, maybe a transfer will get you to Malha. I love the train.

If you're into kever hopping, Rasbi at Meron, Rambam, Rebbe Meir, Shlah in Tiveria.

All of those are within an hour drive/cab ride from Tsfat.

Beit Hatfutzot (Museum of the Diaspora) http://www.bh.org.il

the Banyas/Golan Heights http://mosaic.lk.net/g-banyas.html

Ein Gedi/Dead Sea

Flour Caves/Red Canyon (assuming that by July the situation in the south normalizes)

Masada

Yad Vashem/Har Herzl

Kever Rachel/Maarat Hamachepala

***

It also depends on how old your kids are and what their interests are. When I went to Israel for the first time with my parents we did a wide variety of things, but your family might be more focused one particular type of thing(?).

Also, Artzeinu Tours is fantastic. Highly recommended. http://www.artzeinu.co.il/

Its right up in the list of fun activities along with kite flying in chermon, and jumping into and swimming in the kinneret.

9

On my next trip, instead of doing the traditional sight-seeing tours, I want to spend a day walking through the backstreets of me'ah shearim and similar neighborhoods. (not kikkar shabbos, the back streets)



I've never been to tnuva museum, need to keep that in mind if I ever get a chance to get there again.

ammunition hill is good for a calm, picnic, nice day - not


I loved that. (but no bathrooms for a while, so beware)

The City Tours bus might be a worthwhile tour if you want your kids to see a lot of yerushalayim.

I second the kever rachel and maras hamachpela...that was one of the most incredible experiences of my life hands down (especially maras hamachpela...saying elokei avraham, yitzchak and yaakov during shemona esrai takes on a whole new meaning when you're standing above where they're buried.

Try to do that in the late afternoon.

Any interest in taking them to Rebbes and Tishen?

mosheshmeal
.

You can visit R Moshe Sternbuch!!!

I went to a few Friday night tischen years ago in Meah Shearim - definitely an experience!
my husband and kids (aged 9 and 7 at the time) loved mini israel
neot kedumim, it's a biblical reserve you see the malachos for real, like grinding flour etc.
I hear the biblical zoo is nice.

My one (1) touring experience in Israel was visiting the burnt house. I was walking through the old city and happened into it. It is mind boggling, all the more because if I understand it correctly, there could be countless other such sites under every step you take.

Actually there is a second site that's part of the same museum called the Herodian Quarter. They sell package tickets for both sites.

Interesting. It's the kind of thing I'll have to check out if I ever go back to Israel. Which isn't likely, since if I could afford to go to Israel, I'd go to Orlando twice.

I highly recommend the Southern Wall excavation site. It's right near the Kotel (obviously) and you can actually see the indentations in the ground from the stones, you see the Shabbos corner (where they blew shofar), tons of mikvaos and since it faced south, the Moslems didn't desecrate it as much. You can walk up the actual steps leading to the sealed gates, etc.

I'm not sure if it's still open, but the Time Elevator (or is it Time Tunnel) is a fun thing to do. It's off King George and it's a nice "ride" through the history of Yerushalayim.


$650 (price includes tax) on Iberia with a stop in Madrid. Check out dansdeals.com for the details. I just paid $795 and I am going soon. Can't wait!

http://www.time-elevator-jerusalem.co.il/

I loved the time elevator. It's a ride that moves/shakes to a biblical-themed movie. A little short for what it costs, but highly recommended.

It's awesome. Gimme a call when you get here and I'll guide you.


M- what is the age-range?

• Bus #99 has a nice tour around link
• Nachal Yehudiya (Golan)- amazing hike. Some parts you climb down a ladder nailed to the mtn. and splash into the water at bottom (there's inner tubes if you need). Swim to the next piece of dry land and continue on. review link1
• Kids seem to love the Coca Cola factory in Bnei Brak link1 link2 link3
• Dead Sea (it's a blast painting each other with mud).
• Manara Cliffs (zip-lining, longest cable-car in the country, extreme alpine slide, rapelling [Israeli's call it snapelling], mtn. bike riding, wall climbing [man-made]) link1 brochure link2
• Bloomfield Science Museum link
• Rent an apt for 2-3 days in Tzfat and explore the environs.
• Caesarea link1link2link3 pics
• Snorkeling in Eilat
• Tower of David Museum link
• Shuk/Machane Yehuda
• Apolonia (Herzliya, on the water. Ancient fortress+ grounds to explore, still excavating nearby catapult stones
• Ir David- near Old City. Amazing excavations, still uncovering more everyday! Chizikayhu Hamelech's water tunnel (very fun, especially in summer). You can also help out on an archaeological dig right there. Segway® option too. link review
• Traktoron/dune buggy ride in the Judean desert. Sweeping views (they're jaw-dropping). Silence is deafening when your tour guide has everyone stop talking for 5 mins. Lots and lots of fun. Near Maale Adumim iirc. link
• Banyas
• Israeli Airforce museum- link
• Tubing down Jordan (sorry, no link to recommend)
• Latrun/Yad l'shirion- armored corps museum. link1 link2



another family's itinerary

Highly recommended!!



If you're looking for a historical activity with a cool factor, take your family through the tunnel built during Chizkiyahu hamelech's reign. I've been through twice. But it's not for anyone with claustrophobia.

Visit the Talmudic village at Katzrin, up north.

Have your kids look through Tanach and make a list of places they'd like to visit. My birthright tour guide carried around a tanach and quoted from it at appropriate places - ein gedi comes to mind, but also during the kotel tunnel tours. I'm sure there were more occasions, maybe when we crossed the Jordan. It's a very powerful feeling to be in the same places where our forefathers made history.

If your family likes military stuff, visit the tank museum at Latrun (it's near Mini Israel, I think). Diaspora stuff, the detainee camp at Atlit. That was pretty heavy. If you want other introspective places, try the cemetery at Har Hertzl, Yad Vashem (which I found less harsh than the holocaust museum in Washington DC), and Givat haTachmoshet.

There's also parallel tunnel that's dry and wider..water is more fun and it's done in the dark by candle or torchlight.

(just to clarify, the 99 bus that bigtoe's talking about and city tours bus that I'm talking about are one and the same)

Just the clarify you see the actual stones of the churban. Parts of the Bayis Shani that were toppled over the south side and remain exactly where they landed 2000 years ago! I get chills down my spine everytime I pass them.

Also, I recommend the western wall tunnel tour. Barnea Sullivan (that's probably spelled wrong) gives a tour that includes both (and the wohl museum) on Friday mornings. I recommended it and know you melech would enjoy his perspective on these things.

Also the Hevron Jewish Community gives amazing tours which you could find out more about on their website. http://www.hebron.com/english/tour.php

The tunnel tours are really cool. And the best part is that they're always discovering more and more things, so it's never the same. I went when I was 6, 12, and 18 (oh, cool, every 6 years) and each time it ended differently because they'd discovered more things. The second time they'd just discovered a mikva from the Chashmonaim, but we weren't allowed to see it because they'd just found it. When I was 18 and we went during shana aleph, we were allowed to see it. They also found some other passageway that now leads to one of the Arab vendors in the Arab shuk, but it went somewhere way back when.

When you go on that tour, you will NEVER look at the part of the kotel that we have access to the same again. Compared to how big it really is, we practically have nothing!

If you go to Eilat (I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet) you should go on the glass bottom boat...it's so much fun; you feel like you're under the water and you see the most stunning fish.

Har Habayis is open Sun-Thu from 7-10 and an hour around noon.....

Yes, but do know you can't just show up. You should consult a competent Rav about the proper preparations needed before going, especially women.

Wow, you guys put together a great itinerary.
Melech, as a talmid chochom why don't you pack some shiurim in as well? Any big talmiday chachomim you always wanted to meet? Any mchabrai sforim you always wanted to hear shiurim from or talk in learning with? Perhaps learn a seder in a place like the Mir with thousands of bochrim and yungeleight. Find out when Reb Noson Tzvi Finkel says shiur. He is amazing to watch. He is misgaber over his Parkinson's and says amazing shiurim. If you are in Bnei Brak go to Reb Chaim Kanievsky and ask him kashas. Bnei Brak is near Bar Ilan University and the Coke factory in case you are headed there.

I recently heard that the person who wrote "mosef rashi" in the MG chumash is still alive.

Feedback:

Thank you everyone so far for your amazing suggestions. Sounds like 4 weeks isn't going to be enough time! It's going to be hard choosing. Please keep the suggestions and advice coming.

Mosheshmeal: Regarding your question about a tisch. Maybe. I would take my oldest son maybe. But what about the females? Do they go to these things? Is there any point for them?
Also, if we were to go [unlikely unless the entire family can go], how does it work? Where would we go?

Motcha and KR: Regarding shiurim. Unlikely. I can't imagine I would get very much out of one, unless it were, for example, R. Ovadyah Yoseph speaking in Hebrew, and certainly not the kids. However, I would like to go to davening with the kids where these gedolim daven. How would I go about doing that? Do R. Ovadyah Yoseph or R. Moshe Shternbuch daven in places where a person like me could go?

Thanks!

I found that to be too American for my taste. It was fun, but not really the 'taam' of Eretz Yisroel that I would necessarily want for my family. (although it is fun)


I will plan on it (not that I have any plans yet )

BT's list is very good... I don't know if it is Tower of David or Ir Dovid, but at one of the places on motz"sh they have you be part of a 'whodunnit' show and it's excellent (I did it when I was 15 and remembered that part of history better than any other) and I enjoyed it. Although not sure hashkafically where it stands, and I don't remember that at all, just the gist of it.




I didn't know they're never the same. I told someone not to go because she was there about 5 years ago and wanted to do 'new stuff'...oopsies!!!!


Yes, women can go in ezras nashim. Each one is setup a little different, some are easier to see, some are not - but it's easy to spot the person they came with as that is the 'who here doesn't belong' guy ...it's fun!

I know that R' Ovadya Yoseph does, I will try to find out where over Shabbos.
(Alternatively, if you want a family member's cell phone number...)

Acre Prison http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/Acco.html

Independence Hall http://www.frommers.com/destinations/telaviv/A23854.html

Sussia (archaeological site; couldn't find a website for it)

the Knesset

Whats a person like you? That you wear a kipa sruga, I assume? I don't think that would make a difference to them. You came to ask a kasha or say a chidush. If you told Rav Shternbuch your on vacation in Israel and couldn't go home without meeting him because you learn his sforim I'm sure he'd be honored. I don't know about Chacham Ovadia but I know Rav Shternbuch is the Rov of the Gra shull in Har Nof and davens there.

Does he speak English?
So if I went there to daven during the week, it's possible I'd see him?

Yes, he was chief Rabbi of South Africa for years...

So he's on your hit list?

9

Don't forget to stop by Sderot to show your support for their situation.

why don't you go visit kfar tapuach? the kever of r'meir kahane, I went there my year in Israel on his yahrzeit.

I can just see the picture of Rav Shternbuch and Melech talking in the Yated

Oh, yeah, this is reallllly fun:


We all loved it, and you get to see AY from the sea, which is a really beautiful perspective. I'll try to find the number for the company that does the Tornado boats. I have it at home.

My school once took the girls to a meah shearim tisch on a shabboton. I didn't go, but the girls came back raving.

If melech really wants to go to a tisch and I'm staying in Yerushalayim the week he's here I will gladly take him. I recommend Toldos Ahron because they have the most "women friendly" setup. The ezras nashim is on top with a one-way mirror so they get a very clear view of what's going on (or so I'm told) without having to peek through a tiny hole as is done by other tishim. If we're are lucky mosheshmeal will join us as well.

I was at a Toldos Aron chasana (rebbes kid or grandkid) and the women had a pretty good view.
(BTW, the badchan pulled out a live chicken from a box.)
When the Toldos Avraham rebbe was in America my mom went to Shalash Shudas in Flatbush. She got friendly with the mishpacha in the ezras nashim. Turns out the daughters were looking forward to seeing the Empire State building etc... Sort of the flip side of our conversation.)
It looks from the posts like mele ch will have tons of stuff to do in Israel. I wish I did this stuff when I was there.

A few ideas from my own experiences. I don't want to find a website for each of these, but if you find any of them interesting I'll gladly tell you more. I'm sure many/most of these have been mentioned, but these are my takes.



Zionist stuff:
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but if you want to instill a sense of Zionism in your kids, you can't afford to miss Muzion HaPalmach (call ahead because you need reservations weeks in advance). It's not a museum per se, but a sort of walk through movie projected on multiple walls that takes you through the war of independence by following a fictional platoon of palmach soldiers. It's propaganda, of course, but beautifully constructed propaganda. It's hard to leave the building with dry eyes.

Akko is a bit far and not on most frum tourist's itineraries, but the Akko prison is chilling, and you can see the gallows where Jewish soldiers were hung by the british and enter the death row cells where the Etzel symbol carved on the wall by a prisoner is still visible. Not for little kids at all.

The Ayalon institute (underground bullet factory from 1948) is rather interesting, but the tour and spiel is a bit too long.

Har Bental is a set of outposts from the Yom Kippur war with a cool view of Syria, bunkers you can tour, and bizarre machine sculptures along the road for added fun.

Alon Shvut has a newish museum with a film explaining the history of Gush Etzion as well as a great surprise at the end. You can grab pizza in Efrat afterwards.

Masada - technically this is "ancient stuff" rather than "Zionist stuff" but as my tour guide last time pointed out, Masada was the site of the last Jewish sovereignty in Israel until 1948. It took us 1876 years, but we got it back! There's something incredible about Masada - the layers of history from Herod to the Sicarii, the still visible Roman encampments and ramp, the massively engineered waterworks - it's really worth a day in and of itself. If you can, hike the snake path early in the morning (it's not really doable during the day due to the heat) but kids can't really hike it.

Ancient stuff:

If you can get a tour guide who knows Biblical sites, it can be phenomenal. We went with a knowledgeable guide to the valley where David fought Goliath. There isn't a tremendous amount to see - it's just fields now - but a good guide will take out a tanach and bring the whole thing to life. (The relevant pesukim are actually on a sign at the lookout point.) Afterwards you can go into the streambed in the valley and pick out some good slingshot stones - really brings the story home.

Ir David is great - use one of their own tour guides, they know it best. If your kids aren't claustrophobic, do the water tunnels - but this is a big if.

If you've never been there, the Southern Wall excavations and museum/park are really worth visiting. The museum is ok - the ancient artifacts begin to blend into one another - but then they sort of let you loose to wander through ruins at the base of har habayit. You can see piles of stones from Bayit Sheii that pretty much drive home the word "churban" as well as walk up to the shaarei chulda gates of Har Habayis (filled in with stone, but still visible) up the special stairs designed to be easier to run up than to run down.

On the same theme, the tunnel tour next to the kotel is not to be missed for any reason. It's short (45 minutes) well located (it's in the kotel plaza!) and wonderful, plus you get a few moments to daven at the part of the kotel closest to the kodesh hakadashim.

The Talmudic village in Katzrin is great - it's partially reconstructed ruins of a full village from the talmudic period, including an ancient shul. You get a real feel of what life was like there that makes a lot of Gemara suddenly make more sense.

Tel Maresha at Beit Govrin - you get a cool tour of an archeological site and then get to dig for an hour in one of the caves - you will for sure find actual artifacts! The caves are actually ancient garbage dumps, and so they are chock full with stuff. There are arecheologists on hand (grad students) and they will tell you if something is significant or not, and if it is not they will often let you keep it. A really cool place overall, and great for kids of all ages - a real bonus is that they have thousands of pieces of 2000 year old pottery shards that they don't have any use for and are worthless, and at the end they let kids climb into the pile and take whatever they want. This was probably the highlight for my little brother - he really treasured those ancient shards for a while after we got back.

Ein Gedi. Go with a guide who will tell you about the biblical history of the place, otherwise it's just a nature park. The ancient synagogue is supposed to be cool but I haven't had a chance to visit it myself.

I have not yet had a chance to do the Tekhelet tour, but I have heard that both the factory tour and the marine tour (where you actually go find snails!) are excellent. This isn't ancient in the same sense as the rest of these things, except perhaps the archaeological part of the tour, but it's very cool if you wear tekhelet (I do.)

Other stuff:

Jeeping is fun, but go in the Golan, not the Negev. The Negev jeeping is sandy and there is little to see, while in the Golan you go through orchards and fascinating national park areas, and see all sorts of plant and animal life. Kids and adults will love this.

I'm a mild enthusiast of white water rafting, and the upper Jordan rafting is some of the best I've ever experienced. Not from a technical perspective - it's around a level 3 the whole time, which is mild - but because of the gorgeous scenery and because it's consistently fast water, rather than the long dull stretches and occasional rapids you find on most rivers of this class. Totally suitable even for little kids.

The museum of the blind - an all dark museum where you experience what life is like for the blind. My parents went and loved it, although they said kids might be scared because it's truly pitch black. There's supposedly a cool "twist" at the end, and if you know it don't ruin it (I don't - I plan to go myself next time).

If you are going around a yom tov, plan to visit one of the municipal celebrations. They aren't spectacular, but there's something very special about seeing official city festivals devoted to Sukkot rather than Christmas - it reminds me that Israel is home.

Israel museum is just fabulous in every way, but the absolute highlight is heichel hasefer where you can see the Dead Sea Scolls and the Aleppo codex (behind glass of course). I could spend a week there.

Things to avoid

The biblical zoo - a good zoo, not really biblical except for some halfhearted attempts to show each animal's place in Jewish history. There are better zoos in North America - this isn't worth your time unless you davka want a zoo.

The science museum/Einstein exhibit at Hebrew U - the science museum is really subpar and needs a massive renovation. The Einstein exhibit is cool - lots of personal letters and artifacts - but kids will be bored to tears.

Caesarea - another set of ruins with interesting history, but if you are going to do ruins, do Masada. There's an underwater museum here that is unique in the world and supposed to be great, but you need to be able to scuba dive to go.

Akko - I know I mentioned it above, but aside from the prison this is a crusader town with precious little Jewish stuff worth seeing.

Haifa - again, very little Judaic here.

Kfar Kedem - a "Mishnaic recreation" along the lines of Williamsburg Virginia, except awful awful awful. Avoid at all costs. It's a bunch of guys with donkeys in bad robes, with very little content to offer. There's another one like this as well - I don't remember the name and I don't know if it's any good, but I'd suspect you'd be better staying clear of it.

Golan Winery tour - actually sort of fun, but not much there for kids. Depending on the season the tour can be interesting or really boring - sometimes there's simply nothing going on but they give tours anyways.

Latrun - maybe it's better with a guide, but to me it was just a sort of boring tank museum. As a memorial it's an important site, but there just isn't much there to see or do.

Qumran I haven't gone myself, but I hear it's very boring. I really want to go see for myself though, since the place fascinates me.

Kotel Haqatan Just not that inspiring, maybe it's me. I prefer the regular kotel.

Beit Hatfutzot is a museum of replicas. All the real stuff (and I mean all of it) is actually in the Israel museum. Total waste of time.

I was lucky enough to see some kind of military graduation ceremony there. That was fun.


I can't believe I forgot this - The Temple Institute. I would not describe the emotional impact this had on me (especially since I went directly to the kotel afterward) even if I could.

Maybe. I went towards evening when it was closing. There wasn't much to see.



Really? I found it somewhat depressing. A nice idea, but they don't have the money to do it right, so many/most of the vessels are built only to b'dieved standards or are just for show. For example, they can't afford enough tekhelet to properly dye the bigdei kohen gadol, so it's just blue dye for show. (I asked one of the folks there and he told me that l'shitta they would use the murex trunculus t'khelet but at 50 dollars for a few strands of tzitzit the cost of dying an entire beged is beyond them).