Our State was Born  Tuesday 5 October

Explore the history of the development of the State of Israel as a young democracy at The Yitzak Rabin Center.  Two parallel stories come together in this unique museum:  the history of the State and Israeli society weave together with the connecting thread of Yitzak Rabin’s biography. 

The center has 180 documentary films, 1500 still photos and hundreds of pieces of memorabilia.  Individual audio devices enable the visitor to go at his/her own pace.

Our next stop is the Palmach Museum, (the Hebrew abbreviation of Plugot Mahatz – פלוגות מחץ) an experiential museum, covering the Palmach legacy through the stories of individuals and groups. Visitors to the museum join the group of young Palmach recruits from its establishment, and advance through the story of the Palmach until the end of the War of Independence.
The presentation is extremely innovative. There are no displays or documents but rather an account of a fascinating personal story accompanied by three-dimensional decor, films and various effects incorporating documentary material.

Early Bird Cost: NIS115    After 1/8/2010: NIS 125   Optional Lunch NIS 44  

Depart from Kikar: 8.00am

Return: 4.30pm

An optional light sandwich lunch is available at “The Green Corner Cafe” in The Yitzak Rabin Center

Photography Field Trip – Zichron Ya’akov 10.00am - 4.00pm Tuesday 19 October

Spend a day in beautiful Zichron and improve your photography with Tom Langford.

In Zichron there is plenty of opportunity to try different types and styles of photography: Nature, wildlife, people, architecture.

During the day there will be a lunch break, and we will finish in a cafe for coffee and have time looking at some of the pictures taken with helpful feedback.

Cost: Members NIS 80

Modern Jewish Revival In Ancient Philistia   Wednesday 20 October

Our guide Hughie Auman will introduce us to the little-known area of Ashdod.

At the Bnei Darom Olive Oil Visitors Center, we will find out about Cold Press Olive Oil production.

The Pioneer Museum was established in the Gaza strip on the night of Yom Kippur 1946. Kibbutz Kfar Darom was resettled in the dunes near Lachish Creek after the battles of 1948, becoming Moshav Shitufi Bnei Darom.

At the Bnei Darom Synagogue there are  two unique Torah Scrolls.  One was carried by the last person to leave Kfar Darom in 1948. The other, a 400 year old deerskin Sefer Torah, was the last Torah Scroll to be rescued from Lebanon by the Israeli Paratroopers in Operation Peace for the Galilee.  It had been used by the Jews of Sidon. In Nir Galim we will visit the Testimony House (Beit Edut) dedicated to Religious Zionism in Europe prior to the Holocaust.  We will see the Memorial Exhibits, Art and Sculptures and unique matchstick models of Synagogues from pre-Shoah Jewish Communities.

The Port of Ashdod is Israel's largest  modern port and we will see its operational capabilities. At the Ashdod Museum we will see the display of the "Philistines of Biblical Ashdod" and the modern art with unique photo opportunities.

As we drive through Ashdod (which was built on sand dunes), we will view Israel's fastest growing, modern, planned city which has the third largest Haredi community in the country.

Our last stop of the day is at Ad Halom (Until Here) Battlefield & Bridges, where the young, brave IDF infantry and IAF pilots stopped the Egyptian column, thereby preventing an invasion of Tel Aviv.

Early Bird Cost: NIS200      After 7/9/2010: NIS 210      Optional Lunch: NIS 40

Depart from Kikar: 7.45am  Return: 6.30pm

Optional Kosher self-service meat lunch at Kibbutz Yavne

Neot Kedumim and AACI Memorial Ceremony   Monday 25 October

We will join AACI members from around the country to visit the Neot Kedumim Biblical Landscape Reserve where our theme for the day will be Between Succot and Chanukah in the Heart of the Modi'in Region

We will learn how the cave-studded, mountainous Modi’in region helped Yehudah Maccabee in delivering the many into the hands of the few.  Our visit is in the middle of the olive harvest and we will hear about the production of olive oil in biblical times and why, after the cleansing of the Temple, there was difficulty in obtaining a supply of olive oil to light the Menorah. Optional Activity: Plant a tree at Neot Kedumim.

Our day will conclude at the AACI Memorial Forest near the Sha’ar HaGai junction. The National AACI Memorial Ceremony is held each year to honor the memory of those North Americans, AACI members and members of their families who have fallen while in service to the State of Israel or as victims of terror. 

We will honor the memory of Steve Averbach z"l  who was seriously injured in a suicide bombing 7 years ago and succumbed to his wounds in June of this year.  Our featured speaker Barbara Sofer, is Israel Director of Public Relations and Communications for Hadassah and a regular columnist for the Jerusalem Post. Her talk is entitled "There's No Need to Airbrush Our Heroes”.

Early Bird Cost: NIS 80   After 1/10/2010: NIS 90    Optional Lunch NIS 65 

Optional Tree planting NIS 40

Depart from Kikar: 8.00am   Return: 6.00pm

An optional kosher dairy lunch is available at Neot Kedumin or you can bring your own picnic lunch