"We hired David for our tour, and honestly, it was the best decision of our trip! " Read More...
I am a licensed tour guide, qualified for tours in English, Italian, French and Hebrew. Born in Haifa, living in Tel Aviv, in love with Jerusalem. My original profession was in the theater, as director and teacher. In addition I am an amateur cook and love good food and wine.
Let me present you with the rainbow of cultures in this country and their long history and let's travel together through the parallel worlds of this land. Come with me to unconventional tours where I can share the wonderful world I have discovered.
Please read and get inspired by my special tours, and we will build together a tour tailored to your interests and wishes.
THE JUDEAN DESERT
THE HISTORIC GALILEE
JERUSALEM, THREE RELIGIONS
MUSLIM JERUSALEM
THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST
THE DEAD SEA & MASADA
In this land, it's all about the stories. They open secret doors into hidden worlds. Come with me.
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The Way of the Cross
The Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) is the route Jesus Christ took, according to Christian tradition, bearing his cross, from his trial at Pilate's palace to Calvary. This is the highlight of any Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
We shall begin at the top of the Mount of Olives, then descend to the garden of Gethsemane, proceed into the Old City, follow the stations of the cross, up to the awe-inspiring Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Calvary (the hill of Golgotha) and the tomb of Christ. Along the route, we shall take a lunch break in one of the local restaurants. At the end of the tour, we will walk down to the Western Wall. Duration of tour: Approx. six hours
Judea Desert to the River Jordan
Day tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv
We will descend from the top of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, from a beautiful observation point above the desert at 805 m (2641 ft) and roll down in into the Judea Desert, enjoying stunning views of the desert and the Jordan Valley. It is a descent of 1240 m (4068 ft) into the lowest place on the planet at -430 m (1410 ft) underneath sea level.
It is a beautifully haunting wilderness where men of faith throughout history: Abraham, the prophet Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus escaped to for a vision of God. In some places, the desert looks like the surface of Mars, only with some biblical shepherds and their flocks crossing the roads. I will take you along these roads to see where hermits of all religions lived. They have left behind some magnificent monasteries and sanctuaries.
The tour is suitable for adults, young people and teenagers.
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A historical tour of Jerusalem, sacred to the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We will start the tour at Jaffa Gate, and drive to the top of the Mount of Olives. From there, one can observe the entire history of Jerusalem. We will proceed to the important places sacred to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism: the Western Wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Way of the Cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
In prior consultation, we could tailor the tour to suit your particular interests, in a Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish or secular orientation.
Jerusalem, three religions
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A tour from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem through the Judean Desert to Masada National Park, where King Herod built for himself a palace perched on a cliff, and where the last of the Jewish zealots fortified themselves against the Roman army, after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, until the tragic end.
Possible stops at Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, at the Ein Gedi nature reserve, or at one of the picturesque monasteries on the way. We will take a lunch break, then a drive to one of the Dead Sea beaches or a spa in one of the hotels, to float in the mineral salt water of this special environment. We will be back in the early evening.
It is an hour and a half drive from Jerusalem or two and a half hours from Tel Aviv. Please contact me for more details.
Dead Sea & Masada
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Sunset at Jaffa
Sunset at Jaffa
Jaffa & Tel Aviv
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The ancient city of Jaffa, melancholy and picturesque on the Mediterranean, with its 4000 year long history. It has re-emerged to become an up-beat cultural center for young Palestinians and Israelis alike, with top-rated restaurants and venues.
In Tel Aviv, a city with a spirit and pride of its own - we will visit the historic quarter with its quaint houses and through to the 1930's White City Modernist architecture ("International Style") part of the city with its bohemian cafes and locales. This part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Tel Aviv is renowned for its museums, art galleries, theater and dance venues, classical orchestras, gastronomical variety - from ethnic street food to top-notch restaurants, and a vibrant club scene. Tel Aviv is fun.
It takes pride in its liberal values, its artistic creativity, easy going atmosphere and its tolerance. It is becoming a world LGBT hub.
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The historic Galilee
The northern part of Israel is the Land of Galilee. This is a tour of this magical biblical land, that of the great battlefields of the of History: from Deborah vs. Siserah in the Bible, Saladin vs. the crusaders, the Mongols vs. the Mameluks, and Napoleon vs the Ottomans
This is also the Land of Jesus' life and ministry, where he preached with his disciples
You will see the great art, the impressive architecture of the northern churches and get to know chapters from history - which are less known, although thrilling. A trip to the hidden Galilee - from the historic ruins of Megiddo to Nazareth, Cana in Galilee, to the wonderful churches on the lake of Tiberias
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Along the coast of the Mediterranean
The coast of the Holy Land is a long curved line of sandy beaches. This is an area rich in Biblical and Crusaders history.
We'll start at the ruins of the Roman city of Caesarea, built by Herod in 25 BC. We will visit the restored Roman theater and also the Crusader town. From there we will continue to the city of Haifa on Mount Carmel, with its shrine of the prophet Elijah and the Church of Our Lady of Carmel. We shall also visit the Bahá'í Gardens and shrine.
From there we will continue to the ancient port city of Acre (Akko) with its long history, especially as the capital of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and an Ottoman center of importance. The architecture of the Crusaders restored in the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also, the Ottoman and Arab structures are very impressive. We'll conclude the tour in one of the fine restaurants of Acre.
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Sergei Courtyard, today - Sergei Palace Hotel.
The tour will visit the spectacular Russian properties scattered throughout Jerusalem from the end of the 19th century up to the present day. We will visit three of the five Russian centers in Jerusalem and its surroundings: the Church of Alexander Nevsky, the Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives and the Church of the Holy Trinity and Sergei Courtyard, in the Russian compound. An urban adventure on foot and public transport!
In addition to simple pilgrims, there were also young Russian intellectuals and artists who came to the Holy Land, some of whom became the country's greatest painters of their time, such as: Ilya Yafimovich Repin, Nikolai Andreevich Koshelev, Vasily Dmitrievitch Polenov and others. We will speak about them and see some of the masterpieces they left behind. We will also deal with some romantic and tragic figures such as Grand Duke Sergei and wife Elizabeta Fyodorovna as well as Princess Alice of Greece, the mother of Prince Philip of England, who are buried here.
The trip lasts about 5 hours and includes a lunch break(food and drink are not included in the price).
Water, comfortable clothes and walking shoes are advisable. We will be visiting religious institutions, so dress code is imperative.
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In the year 638 AD, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the second caliph, entered Jerusalem. Since then the city has been, for the most part, Muslim. For Muslims it is known as Alquds. It was the site of the Isra e Miraj (the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad).
In the 8th century, the Umayyad dynasty built the wonderful sanctuaries of al Aqsa, the esplanade of the mosques (Haram esh Sharif), and the citadel (Tower of David). The Ayyubids and the Mameluks built in the Middle Ages new palaces and madrassas buildings, which still adorn the esplanade of the Mosques and the old city.
In 1517, the Ottomans took over the city and built the walls and other iconic structures. Our route: the esplanade of the mosques (Temple Mount), the palaces of the Muslim quarter, (lunch break) the citadel, and finally, a walk on the Ottoman walls from the Jaffa gate to the Damascus gate. Duration of the tour: approximately 6 hours.
Alquds,
Muslim Jerusalem
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Do you know fine Israeli wines and our wonderful boutique wineries? Come and book this tour with a Mediterranean atmosphere, history, art and wine tasting! Stop for a wine-tasting at two excellent boutique wineries:
Kedma Winery, a one-woman project. Lina is an original and daring winemaker, who imported an ancient wine-making technique in pottery amphorae from her native country of Georgia.
Tzora Winery, which was one of the first quality boutique wineries, and is located in Kibbutz Tzora.
You are also welcome to buy exclusive wines at the wineries, which are hard to find in stores. The monasteries also produce special liqueurs from exotic local fruits and herbs! At the end of the trip, you could continue to one of the exceptional restaurants in this area privately, or bring your favorite food for an outdoor picnic and sip the wines you bought.
The Jordan Valley and Dead Sea from Mount Scopus, in various seasons.
The Jordan Valley from Mount Scopus in different seasons