Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Amy and Eric Geboff are leading a trip to Israel, sponsored by Congregation Ohev Shalom, and the community is welcome to participate. The Ahavat (love of) Yisrael trip will take place June 12-22 and was given this name so that participants can fall in love with the land and understand why we need to support it.

The itinerary is subject to change based on the makeup of the group. This trip is for everyone. We have empty nesters to school-age families and everything in between! 

Here is just a taste of some of the things planned: Walk along the rooftops of the Old City of Jerusalem, walk through the Western Wall Tunnel underground and wade through the 2,700-year-old water tunnel built by King Hezekiah;

pack food at Pantry Packers for people who are hungry;

enjoy the Night Spectacular at the Tower of David laser and light show; climb Masada and hike through the fresh water springs and waterfalls at Nahal David in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve; float in the Dead Sea and visit Genesis Land, a biblical-style encampment; take a camel ride and experience biblical hospitality and enjoy a hafla feast

; visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Museum where children will have a special program different from adults;

shop in the incredible Machaneh Yehuda open air market in Jerusalem; enjoy a musical Jerusalem Kabbalat Shabbat; spend Shabbat morning at the Conservative Fuchsburg Center; on Shabbat afternoon, adults enjoy a guided walk through the streets of Jerusalem using the writings of Jerusalem’s poets and authors and children enjoy a Yemin Moshe scavenger hunt through the streets near the famous windmill;

Saturday night out for parents as children have a pizza and movie night with Madrichim (counselors);

swim in freshwater pools at the Gan Hashlosha Nature Reserve; lunch in Tiberias; on to Tzfat, center of Mysticism and home to artists’ colonies; visit one of the several synagogues and an activity at the Canaan Weaving Factory; spend two nights at a Kibbutz and learn about Kibbutz life where adults meet with second generation kibbutz members and children have an Israeli game night.

At Kibbutz Hanatan, children can go horseback riding;

aalk through the Tel Dan Nature reserve; travel through the Golan Heights and understand the security issues;

experience wine tasting, and a chocolate workshop on Kibbutz Ein Zivan; enjoy rafting or kayaking down the Jordan River and end the day with a night Jeep Safari to enjoy the natural habitat. 

Of course Caesarea, Tel Aviv and Jaffa! Go on an archaeological dig, Ayalon Institute and the munitions factory, collect produce for Leket that provides food for those who are hungry and visit Independence Hall.

Amy Geboff is the director of Youth and Family Education at Ohev Shalom and Eric Geboff is the executive director of JFS Orlando and a Hebrew school teacher at Ohev Shalom. Eric also majored in history with a focus on the middle east in college. As the leaders of the trip, the Geboff’s hope to create a family environment among participants that will offer lifelong memories and connections to each other and the land of Israel.

The Ahavat Yisrael Trip is being planned by Daat Educational Experiences.

For more information about the itinerary, pricing, travel contact Amy Geboff at 407-298-4650 or educator@ohevshalom.org.