Jerusalem panorama from the Mount of Olives

Nehemiah's Trip

Israel, November 4-10 · last updated October 22

Before you leave

By Oct 27-28 date to confirm

  1. Reserve The Setai Sea of Galilee for Sunday + Monday nights (Nov 8-10) - Nehemiah to book Breakfast included, served 7:30-11:00 · hotel dinner 19:00-21:00 · rooms: standard about $625 · Villa Golan with pool about $886 · Kinneret Villa with pool about $1,016 · villa with jacuzzi about $1,277 per night (approx, billed in shekels) Hotel website Map
  2. Car rental - Shuvox WhatsApp Shuvox
  3. Book the apartment not chosen yet See the Apartment section below

Choose one not chosen yet

  1. Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Terminal 3 Map
  2. Pick up the rental car - Shuvox WhatsApp Shuvox
  3. Breakfast at Deli Garden (at the Botanical Gardens) Map
  4. Jerusalem Botanical Gardens Map
  5. The apartment - check in and nap not chosen yet See the Apartment section above
  6. Old City tour - Star Car (small cars tour, First Station) Map
  7. Dinner at David16 Map
  1. Breakfast at Kadosh Cafe Sun-Thu 7:00-midnight · dairy, Jerusalem Rabbinate · walk-ins only Map
  2. Ancient Shiloh (Mishkan Shilo) About 1 hr drive each way · Sun-Thu 8:30-17:00, last entry 1.5 hrs before closing · self-guided visit 1.5-2 hrs · 39 NIS · info 02-5789111 Map
  3. Lunch at Halo Teiman (Yemenite) Sun-Thu 11:00-24:00 · meat, Rabbi Machpud · 02-6522525 Map
  4. Mamilla promenade + Jaffa Gate stroll Mamilla Jaffa Gate
  5. Dinner at Chulent & Mood - Chef Eli Davis Thursdays only, 14:00-02:30 · meat, Rabbanut Mehadrin · busiest 21:00-24:00 · 052-600-4087 Map
  1. Shacharis at the Kotel Map
  2. Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Friday breakfast served 6:30-10:30 Map
  3. Old City tour with Rabbi Kraus start time - confirm with the Rabbi Call WhatsApp
  4. Machane Yehuda market Friday 8:00 to about 15:00; stalls start closing around 14:00 · busiest day of the week Map
  5. Back to the apartment - Shabbos prep Park the car for Shabbat by about 15:15
Open: Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel and the Friday night meal at the David Citadel (Shabbat dinner, reserve ahead) - waiting for Ari's confirmation that these stay in. David Citadel map
  • Shabbos morning meal at Yoyli Kraus details to confirm
  • Rest at the apartment
  • After Havdalah (17:23) - Motzaei Shabbos kevarim: Kever Dovid (King David's Tomb, Mt Zion) - open all night on Motzaei Shabbos Kever Dovid Kever Rochel (Rachel's Tomb, Bethlehem) - open 24 hours except during Shabbos; private cars pass through Checkpoint 300 directly to the tomb, about 15-20 min from Mt Zion; confirm access on the day Kever Rochel
  • On the way down - Genesis Land (Eretz Bereshit), Alon, about 30-45 min from Jerusalem Biblical experience: camel ride to Abraham's tent, pita baking, desert views · Sun-Thu 8:30-17:00 · about 110 NIS per person, camel rides 35-60 NIS · book ahead 02-9974477 Map
  • Beach option 1 - Kalia Beach (north Dead Sea, closest - about 45-55 min from Jerusalem) Open every day, winter 8:00-17:00 · paid entry · natural mud, lifeguard, showers Map
  • Beach option 2 - Ein Bokek / Hamei Zohar free beaches (south, about 2 hrs) Free · lifeguard winter 7:00-16:00 · includes a separated beach for men and women (near Hamei Zohar) Ein Bokek Separated beach

Food options (your pins in Kfar Adumim, on the way - 15-20 min from Kalia)

  • Pizza Moshe - dairy, wood-tabun pizza Kosher, Rabbanut Maale Adumim · 15:00-23:00 · 076-8615227 Map
  • HaMa'ashanah shel Yoel (Yoel's Smokehouse) - smoked meat, Kfar Adumim industrial zone Kosher meat, Rabbanut Binyamin · Sundays 14:00-22:30 · 073-8013187 Map
  • HaKnaanit (Canaanite) - kosher desert chef restaurant, meat, Kfar Adumim junction Kosher meat · Sun-Thu 13:00-23:00 · about 15 min from Jerusalem Map

Kosher food near the beaches

  • Kalia: the kibbutz dining room is kosher (Jordan Valley Rabbinate) - breakfast only midweek; the Sulti restaurant and beach bar at Kalia beach are not kosher
  • Ein Bokek: hotel dining rooms are kosher; Ranch House (Isrotel Nevo) - kosher steakhouse, Sun-Thu 18:30-22:00, book ahead through Isrotel

Dinner Decks or Pearls - pick one

  • Decks, Tiberias (the pin you sent) Mehadrin kosher meat, on the water at the Lido · Sun-Thu 12:00 until the last customer · 072-3932108 Map
  • Pearls (Pearls Flame), Baratz 3, Upper Tiberias Grill, kosher mehadrin Badatz Eida Haredit · Sun-Thu 13:00-23:00 · 04-673-3555 Map

Then the hotel

  • The Setai Sea of Galilee, Ramot - two nights (Sunday + Monday) Breakfast included, 7:30-11:00 · about 15 min from Tiberias · Nehemiah to book (see Before you leave) Hotel website Map
  1. Breakfast at Beit HaUgot (the place you sent), Montefiore 20, Tzfat Dairy cafe, kosher mehadrin (Tzfat Religious Council) · opens 9:00 AM · about 50-100 NIS per person · 077-466-7806 Map
  2. Mikveh HaAri, Tzfat The organized mikveh opens about half an hour before sunset for 3 hours (about 16:15 in November); the men's spring mikveh by the old cemetery is open during the day - cold spring water, bring a towel · 35 NIS · confirm 054-8457552 Map
  3. Tour of Tzfat Old City Options: self-guided - Ari Ashkenazi synagogue, Abuhav synagogue, artists' quarter, old cemetery · or book a private guide Old City Ari shul
  4. Meron - Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's tomb (about 15 min from Tzfat) Visitor compound winter 8:00-16:00, last entry 15:00 · the tomb itself is accessible around the clock Map
  5. Back to The Setai Sea of Galilee (second night) Hotel dinner served 19:00-21:00 · breakfast 7:30-11:00 Map
  6. Dinner - options Decks, Tiberias: mehadrin kosher meat, on the water at the Lido · Sun-Thu 12:00 until the last customer · 072-3932108 Decks Oved BaKfar, Or Yehuda (the pin you sent): kosher meat shipudiya, Or Yehuda Religious Council · Sun-Thu 12:00-midnight · note: about 2 hrs from Tzfat, 10 min from Ben Gurion Airport Oved BaKfar Or eat at the Setai (dinner 19:00-21:00)
  1. Breakfast in the hotel Served 7:30-11:00
  2. Morning options open - pick Olam HaMayim ("World of Water") beach, Gdud Barak Rd next to the Lido, Tiberias: water sports on the Kinneret - boat sails, tubes, banana boats, jet skis, tornado boats, seating areas · open 24 hours, closed Shabbat · prices by activity, book 050-4015355 · with a pregnant wife, a gentle boat sail fits - skip jet skis and banana boats Olam HaMayim Ya'ar Shveitz (Switzerland Forest), above Tiberias: KKL scenic forest drive (6 km, fine for any car) with lookouts over the Kinneret, Golan and Hermon · free entry · picnic areas and playgrounds · easy and gentle - lookouts by the car · no food in the forest Ya'ar Shveitz Tabor Winery, Kfar Tavor - on the way south: kosher · tastings with a cheese board · Sun-Thu 9:00-17:00 · book ahead 04-6760444 · about 25 min from Tiberias Tabor Winery Dalton Winery, Dalton (near Tzfat): kosher · Sun-Thu 9:00-16:30 · 04-9527107 Dalton Winery Gentle alternatives: Hamat Tiberias hot springs or a Kinneret boat ride from the Tiberias promenade Hamat Tiberias Boats
  3. Dinner place to confirm
  4. Ben Gurion Airport flight time to confirm About 1.5 hrs from the hotel Map