Hebrew by Heart: A Language Journey from Vermont to Israel
Overview
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure that brings Hebrew to life, right where it was born! Explore, connect, and experience Israel in the language of its people.
Join us in Israel for a fun and exciting Hebrew Immersion Journey.
In this unique program, offered in partnership with the School of Hebrew, you’ll travel through Israel speaking, hearing, and living entirely in Hebrew. Each day includes an hour of interactive, level-based Hebrew learning, followed by immersive touring and cultural encounters that make the language come alive.
You’ll connect with Israelis from every walk of life, taste foods from the many cultures that shape modern Israel, and visit bustling markets, boutique wineries, Arab and Druze villages, kibbutzim, and moshavim. You’ll wander both iconic sites and hidden corners, uncovering the stories, flavors, and rhythms that define this extraordinary country. Along the way, you’ll learn, laugh, share meals, and even cook together, all in Hebrew.
To participate, your Hebrew should be at an intermediate or advanced level.
Modern Hebrew program at the renowned Middlebury Language Schools in Vermont.
- Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport
- Begin together at the Caesarea Aqueduct, overlooking the Mediterranean, marking this moment with Shehecheyanu and the words of Hannah Senesh
- Share an intimate Druze lunch in the village of Julis, hosted by Chef Basma Hameed
- Continue to the hotel, check in, and settle into the rhythm of the journey
- Gather for a festive welcome dinner and orientation
- Step into Hebrew through movement with an Israeli dance session
- Overnight: North
- Begin the day with breakfast followed by a Hebrew learning session
- Travel to Tsfat and wander its ancient alleyways, where mysticism and memory are woven into the stones
- Enter the Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue and the Karo Synagogue, spaces shaped by centuries of prayer and Kabbalistic thought
- Witness the sacred art of Hebrew writing with a sofer stam and try your hand at forming the letters yourself
- Savor a Yemenite lachoch tasting with local cheeses in the Artists' Colony
- Take part in a hands-on experience with Adama LaAdam, connecting learning with action and community
- Return to the hotel for dinner and time together
- Overnight: North
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Travel along Israel's northern border with Alma Center experts, gaining insight into the landscape and lived reality of this region
- Visit Kishor Winery, where vineyards and community come together. Walk the grounds, taste the wines, and enjoy a relaxed Galilean lunch
- Explore the ancient city of Akko, moving through layers of history and culture. Discover the exhibits at the Treasures of the Wall Museum
- Gather for a hands-on cooking experience at Beit Elfarasha, preparing and sharing a meal together in a beautifully restored Ottoman home
- Return to the hotel and unwind
- Overnight: North
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Check out of the hotel
- Meet Uri Mayer-Chissick and step into a world of food, history, and healing through a hands-on exploration of local ingredients and traditions
- Continue to Tel Aviv and check into the hotel
- Head out in the evening to explore Tel Aviv's vibrant culinary scene, choosing from its many lively neighborhoods
- Optional: take in a performance and experience the energy of Israel's cultural life
- Overnight: Tel Aviv
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Step into the story of the Jewish people at ANU Museum, exploring identity, history, and connection across time and place
- Walk through Trumpeldor Cemetery with a local musician, weaving together memory, story, and song
- Move through the Carmel Market and Nachalat Binyamin, where color, flavor, and creativity fill the streets
- Continue to Old Jaffa, wandering its ancient alleyways and taking in sweeping views of the Mediterranean
- Welcome Shabbat on the beach at sunset, as the city slows down and the horizon glows
- Gather for Shabbat dinner at the hotel
- Overnight: Tel Aviv
- Begin the day at a relaxed pace with breakfast
- Enjoy a slow morning, with time to rest or join local services
- Take time for lunch at leisure
- Stroll through Neve Tzedek and along Rothschild Boulevard, where Tel Aviv's story unfolds through architecture, culture, and everyday life
- Gather for a learning session with Rachel Korazim, entering the world of Israeli poetry, memory, and voice
- Mark the close of Shabbat with Havdalah overlooking the Mediterranean
- Enjoy dinner at leisure
- Overnight: Tel Aviv
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Check out of the hotel
- Step into Ethiopian Jewish culture at Beit Ambosa, sharing a meal and hearing stories of journey, identity, and home
- Visit the Nova Festival site, standing together in a place of memory, reflection, and recent history. Continue to the Sderot Police Station Memorial, pausing to honor lives lost and the resilience of community
- Return to Tel Aviv for an evening at leisure
- Overnight: Tel Aviv
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Check out of the hotel
- Visit Abu Gosh and meet a local voice, gaining insight into shared life and community. Enjoy a relaxed lunch in the village
- Arrive in Jerusalem and gather for a Shehecheyanu moment overlooking the Old City, taking in the weight and beauty of arrival
- Check into the hotel
- Come together for a Moroccan-inspired dinner, reflecting the richness of Jerusalem's diverse traditions
- Overnight: Jerusalem
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Walk through the City of David and continue along ancient pathways that lead toward the Western Wall
- Explore the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, where the physical remains of history bring the past into the present
- Stand together at the Western Wall, a place of prayer, memory, and connection
- Take time for lunch at leisure in the Jewish Quarter
- Wander through the Quarter, along the Cardo and past the Hurva Synagogue
- Enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, encountering another layer of Jerusalem's sacred story
- Enjoy dinner at leisure
- End the evening with the Light Show at the Tower of David, where history unfolds across stone and sky
- Overnight: Jerusalem
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Ride the Jerusalem Light Rail through the city's diverse neighborhoods, witnessing its many worlds side by side
- Taste your way through Machane Yehuda Market, where each stop tells a story through flavor and people
- Gather for dinner at Tmol Shilshom, a beloved literary café filled with warmth and character
- Overnight: Jerusalem
- Begin the day with breakfast and a Hebrew learning session
- Check out of the hotel
- Visit the Knesset during an election year, gaining a window into Israeli civic life
- Step into the story of Hebrew's revival at the Academy of the Hebrew Language
- Continue to the National Library of Israel, where texts, ideas, and history come together
- Enjoy time for lunch and last moments of exploring
- Visit the Museum of Tolerance, engaging with questions of identity, coexistence, and shared future
- Gather for a farewell dinner and closing reflection
- Transfer to the airport for your journey home
Included
- 10 nights’ accommodation / 11 days of touring
- Touring via deluxe air-conditioned coach
- 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners
- All educational programming and entrance fees
- Wireless audio guide system
- Porterage
- Water bottles on the bus
- Tips for local service providers including guides, drivers and wait staff
Not Included
- Air Travel
- Travel Insurance
- Tips for housekeeping
- Personal expenses