Israel the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1OOOthof the World’s population, can make claim to the following:
Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.
In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 Ethiopian Jews at risk in Ethiopia to safety in Israel.
Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin- 109 per 10,000 people- as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.
When Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, she became the world’s second elected female leader in modern times.
In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world.
In absolute terms, Israel has the largest number of startup companies than any other country in the world, except the U.S.(3,500 companies, mostly in hi-tech ).
When the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed in 1998, Israeli rescue teams were on the scene within a day- and saved three victims from the rubble.
Israel is ranked No. 2 in the world for venture capital funds behind the U.S.
Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship- and the highest rate among women and among people over 55-in the world.
Outside the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies.
Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant- absorbing nation on earth. Immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom and economic opportunity.
Israel has the highest average living standards in the Middle East. The
Income per capita in 2000 was over $17,500, exceeding that of the U.K.
Israel was the first nation in the world to adopt the Kimberly process, an international standard that certifies diamonds as “conflict free.’”
With an aerial arsenal of over 250 F-16s, Israel has the largest fleet of the aircraft outside of the U.S.
According to industry officials, Israel designed the airline industry’s most impenetrable flight security.
U.S. officials now look to Israel for advice on how to handle airborne security threats.
Israel’s $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined.
Israel has the largest raptor migration in the world, with hundreds of thousands of African birds of prey crossing as they fan out in to Asia.
‘Power Rangers” was produced by Haim Saban, an Israeli whose family fled from Egypt.
Twenty four percent of Israel’s workforce holds university degrees – ranking third in the industrialized world, after the United States and Holland – and 12 percent hold advanced degrees.
During the Gulf war, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra played a concert wearing gas masks as Scud missiles fired by Saddam Hussein felon Tel Aviv.
Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East.
Israel has the world’s second highest per capita of new books.
Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.
Israel has more museums per capita than any other country.
Israel has two official languages: Hebrew and Arabic.
Jerusalem – old and modern
We will start our tour with an amazing panoramic view of the Temple Mount from Mount of Olives including overview of valley of Kidron and tombstones from the Second Temple era. Then visit Mt. Zion and tomb of King David, enter the Old City through the Zion Gate and walk through the Jewish Quarter, the Crusader shops, the Byzantine Cardo. Visit the Burnt house and from there on to the Western Wall where we explore the southern excavation at the Davidson center.
Travel through the neighborhoods of early modern Jerusalem, passed the Knesset, the Supreme Court and the Government offices and visit Yad Vashem – Holocaust Museum. End the day in the hustle and bustle of the Mahaneh Yehuda market
Massada + Dead Sea
Start our day at Masada, built by Herod, defended by the Jewish Zealots and captured by the Romans after a three year siege.
You cannot leave the Dead Sea without taking a memorable dip in its salty,
buoyant and healing waters where you cannot sink and purchasing the famous Ahava natural cosmetics.
Finally you will stop at Qumran, perhaps home of the Essenes, and see where many of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
If time permits Visit Ein Gedi nature reserve with fresh water springs
Galilee
Visit the city Beit Shean, where King Saul fought the Philistines, and where, a thousand years later, a modern city was built, so well preserved that you can walk along the Roman streets
Around the Sea of Galilee, to visit the ancient synagogue at Capernaum
End the day with a visit to Safed, the city of mysticism and Kabalah.
Visit art galleries and ancient synagogues
Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Haifa
Overnight Galilee
Nazareth, Cana, Megiddo, Mt. Tabor
Overnight Galilee
Tabgha, Capernaum, Mt. of Beatitude, Dan, Banias, Golan Heights
Overnight Galilee
Ginosar, Jordan River, Bet Shean, Gilboa Mountains
Overnight Jerusalem
Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea, Qumran
Overnight Jerusalem
Jerusalem old city
Overnight Jerusalem
Jerusalem modern city, Bethlehem
Overnight Jerusalem
Bet Guvrin, Azeka, Mini Israel
Overnight Jerusalem
Jerusalem old city
Overnight Jerusalem
Jerusalem modern city
Overnight Jerusalem
Qumran, Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea
Overnight Jerusalem
Bet Guvrin, Soreq cave, Mini Israel
Overnight Jerusalem
Bet Shean, Bit Alfa synagogue, Safed, Tiberias
Overnight Galilee
Dan, Banias, Golan Heights
Overnight Galilee
Akko, Haifa, Caesarea
Overnight Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Jaffa
Overnight Tel Aviv
Jewish emphasis
We will start our tour with an amazing panoramic view of the Temple Mount from Mount of Olives including overview of valley of Kidron and tombstones from the Second Temple era.
Then visit Mt. Zion and King David’s Tomb.
Enter the Old City through the Zion Gate and walk through the Jewish Quarter, the Crusader shops, the Byzantine Cardo.
Visit the Herodian house or the Burnt house and from there on to the Western Wall (wailing wall) the last remnant of the ancient Jewish Temple that stood here over 2000 years ago, and the holiest place for Jews. Above and to the east of the Western Wall is the magnificent Dome of the Rock – the third holiest place in Islam. We will explore the southern excavation at the Davidson center.
Travel through the neighborhoods of early and modern Jerusalem, drive by the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, and stop to see the unique Menorah with the biblical emblems. passed the Supreme Court and the Government offices and visit Yad Vashem –Museum with a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, with impressive architecture and memorial halls.
Pilgrims
We will start our tour with an amazing panoramic view of the Temple Mount from Mount of Olives, where Jesus overlooked the city two thousand years ago.
Then to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he was betrayed by Judas.
Enter the Old City to visit the holy sight for the Jews, the Western Wall, where Jews over the centuries have wept for the Temple which was destroyed by the Romans.
Continue to the Via Dolorosa, which commemorates the path which Jesus walked bearing the cross, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where according to the tradition Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
Continue along the main Byzantine street, the Cardo, and exit the Old City through the Zion Gate.
Visit the traditional site of the King David’s Tomb, the Room of the Last Supper and the Dormition abbey. Continue to the modern city to visit Yad VaShem, the Holocaust Museum, then to the village Ein Karem where John the Baptist was born