Jerusalem, Israel Overview
A heartbreaking, inspiring deep dive into the stories, culture, cuisine, sites, and people of the so-called “Holy Land”—Israel/Palestine. Your journey will visit many places and meet with different organizations and people. We will learn not just about the history of this place, but we will encounter the complexity of the modern reality, in all its joy and horror, crossing lines of difference, deep divides, and seeing an impossible reality that we at Telos believe we have a responsibility to confront—even if we have different ideas on how to resolve it. We’ll enter Palestinian and Israeli homes, wind our way back and forth over the “Green Line,” and sample the most extraordinary cuisine and hospitality on the planet.
Welcome Dinner
The first night we will get to know each other and enjoy the best of the delicious local cuisine.
Historical Overview
Location : Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel
Whether you're an expert on the Israel/Palestine or you're new to this topic, we'll spend some time exploring a multi-narrative history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to ground us for the upcoming experiences throughout the trip.
Tel Aviv-Jaffa Tour
Location : Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel
We'll walk around old Jaffa and Tel Aviv to hear multiple narratives of the same city from the beginnings of early Zionism in the Jewish neighbourhood of Neve Tzedek to the Palestinian experiences of local Jaffa residents.
Meeting at the American Embassy
Location : Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel
We'll have a meeting at the American embassy in Tel Aviv to gain an insight into the U.S relationship with Israel and the role Americans play in this conflict.
Dinner with leading Israeli writers
We'll have the chance to meet some of Israel's leading writers over a unique home hosted meal in Jaffa.
Briefing with former Israeli Generals
Location : Jaffa, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
We will meet with former Generals in the Israeli military to better understand the Israeli perspective on the need for security, and how it relates to the conflict today.
Israeli community on Gaza border
Location : Netiv HaAsara, Israel
We will meet with an Israeli activist that advocates for another way out of the conflict while living in the closest community to the Gaza border.
Bedouin Women in Negev
Location : Lakiya, Israel
The Bedouin are a nomadic group that originate from the Negev/Naqab desert area. We will meet with Bedouin women and learn about the challenges these communities face, and finish with a visit to an organization that creates beautiful weaved products.
Dinner with Palestinian Artists & Writers
Location : Lakiya, Israel
Palestinian artists and culture-shapers will join the group over dinner to meet and share about their work.
Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
We'll visit Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial and take a guided tour with a local Israeli in order to better understand this dark period of history and the important role Holocaust trauma plays in Jewish Israeli society today.
Israeli Knesset visit
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
We will have the chance to visit the Knesset (Israel's parliament) and meet with an Israeli politician to discuss the conflict and official Israeli perspectives.
Dinner with Israeli civil society
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
After our arrival in Jerusalem we'll share a dinner with Israeli guests from different areas of civil society. This is a great chance to get to know locals and ask questions about their perspectives.
Visit Israeli Settlement
Israeli settlements are a controversial topic in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We'll discuss the recent political history of settlements and then visit an Israeli settlement to better understand the perspectives of these communities.
Hebron Tour
The ancient and holy city of Hebron can be understood as a microcosm of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where it is the touching point of tension and violence.
Meet with Palestinian political leaders
We'll meet with a political representative of the Palestinian Authority to understand some official perspectives and hear stories about life in the West Bank.
Brewery Tour
We'll visit a Palestinian brewery to taste some delicious beer and hear about the challenges of owning a business in the West Bank.
Palestinian Refugee Camp
We'll meet with a Palestinian refugee who will give us a walking tour of the refugee camp and share their personal story as we learn about the perspective of Palestinian refugees, which is a central issue in the conflict.
Machane Yehuda Market Tour
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
We'll have a guided tour of the Machane Yehuda Market, stopping at different vendors to try local delicacies. Walking around the "Shuk" (market) on a Friday morning is an exciting experience, full of the sights and sounds of people buying their fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, coffee and everything else before the city shuts down for Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest).
Old City Tour
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
A local Jerusalemite will guide us through the magical old city of Jerusalem, sharing the history and stories of the different people that have inhabited this holy place. On the tour we will visit many beautiful and interesting places including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian quarter.
Western Wall at Sunset
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
We'll visit the Western Wall which is the holiest site in Judaism due to it's proximity to Temple Mount. On Friday night at sunset, we'll experience groups of Jews coming to pray, sing and dance at the wall to welcome in the Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest).
Shabbat dinner with a Jewish family
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
The group will be welcomed into a local Jewish family's home to share a Shabbat meal.
Palestinian Sustainable Farm
We'll visit a Palestinian sustainable farm and hear from the family about their approach to non-violence and peacemaking.
Meeting with Bereaved Parents
Our last meeting of the trip will be with a joint organization of Israeli and Palestinian bereaved parents who have lost a direct family member to the violence of the conflict and instead of choosing revenge advocate for reconciliation.
Final Processing and Wrap Up
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
We'll take some time as a group to reflect on our experiences and wrap up the trip before heading to our final group dinner!
Farewell Dinner
Location : Jerusalem, Israel
On our final night together we'll share a special farewell dinner before departing for the airport.
