Knowing the ethnicities in Isreal

The ethnic experience is the encounter with “the other”. Meeting with Druze, Bedouins, Muslims, Christians and other groups with unique Traditions and Cultures living in Israel. During our Excursions we will visit the Villages and get to know the People and their Religion, their History and their Traditions. Let's taste your cuisine, visit your neighborhoods and make new friends. The following is a selection of tours and activities that you can consider while traveling to Israel:

- Traditional Arabic Cuisine Workshop: we organize workshops in local houses, guided by local citizens. Buy the product at the local market and cook traditional food with your hosts.

- Visit the local Churches and Makem (religious sites), stroll through Historic Villages while visiting Traditional Houses and meet the Families (Hospitality).

- Traditional Dance and Music Workshop in the village: the Typical Debka Dance and its Traditional Instruments Darbuka and Udd.

- Participate in the Harvest of Olives and the Festival, knowing the importance of Olive for the Community.

1. Druze
2. Tarshicha
3. Circassian
4. Bedouins

1. Druze and Christians in Galilee

The tour starts in the village of Rame, where we meet our local guide. We will travel towards the village of Kfar Beit Jann. On our way we saw Makem de Bhaaldin (Drusos). We continue to the heart of the old village, its narrow streets and its old houses. We will visit a Druze House of Prayer and then hear about its people today, their traditions and their beliefs. We will end our visit by visiting the Davor Visitation Center, a local cosmetics factory. After lunch we will continue our journey to “Gush Chalav”, a Christian village, which will provide us with a historical view of the Maronite Catholic Church, the similarities between Hebrew and Aramaic and we will hear about the Aramaic Language Revitalization Project in the world and in the country. We will walk through the alleys between the houses, churches and tombs of the city.

* Instead of “Gush Chalav” we can visit Pekiin Village, Eleazar Cave, son of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, the Fountain of the Village and the Local Synagogue.

* Vegetarian meal included in the price, (stuffed grape leaves, rice with lentils, typical bread, salads and seasonal fruits).

2. Tarshicha
Tarshicha-Hurfeish-Bet Jann

Meeting point: In the village of Tarshicha where we will meet our local guide. Tarshicha reveals an encounter between the old and the new, between ancient traditions and modern life. The visit will reveal a Mosaic of Human History and Politics of the City. We will visit the local Church and its Christian believers and discuss the relationship between the State and its Arab minority in Israel. Possibility to visit the Sufis, a group within Islam. We will proceed to the Druse village of Hurfeish. Stop for a panoramic view at the Sacred Place of the Prophet Nabi Sablan. We will visit a 250-year-old house in the heart of Hurfeish Village, to visit the Arts Center where 35 religious women gather to spend time together, knit and embroider, just as they learned from their mothers and grandparents. The meeting is the result of a cultural and social tourism initiative that promotes the status of Druze women and strengthens integration into the labor market, preserving their traditional crafts and allowing them to help in the domestic economy. After lunch we will proceed to Beit Jann to visit the historic city center, its narrow streets and its old houses. We will visit a Druze House of Prayer, we will hear about its people today, its traditions and its beliefs. We will end our visit by visiting the Davor Natural Cosmetics Factory.

* Vegetarian meal included in the price, (stuffed grape leaves, rice with lentils, typical bread, salads and seasonal fruits).

3. Circassian
Haifa and the Circassian Minority in Galilee

We will start our day by visiting the Ahmadiyya Mosque, an Islamic religious movement founded in Punjab, British India, in the 19th century. We will continue to the Bahai Center where we will visit its fabulous Persian gardens and learn about its faith. Typical lunch (Shwarma / Falafel) in the Christian Quarter Wadi Nisnas, symbol of the coexistence between Arabs and Jews. We will continue to Galilee to visit the Circassian minority, who were displaced during the Russian conquest of Causasus in the 19th century. We will visit the local museum about the history of this community and end our day by tasting its typical food.

4. Bedouins
Bedouins, Men of the Desert

We will travel to the southern region. Visit to the Joe Alon Museum, the only museum in Israel entirely dedicated to Bedouin culture. Bedouins, former desert nomads, acquired a modern lifestyle, the result of cultural, social and economic changes. Their habits have changed, their dress and old Bedouin customs are slowly disappearing. The museum's goal is to register and preserve, before they disappear completely. We will continue our journey to the Mitzpe Ramon region where we will visit a Bedouin village not recognized by the authorities. Meeting with Bedouins to talk about their Challenges, the relationship and the preservation of their customs, old and new. Possibility of accommodation in Bedouin Tent (Accommodation, Camel Ride and Typical Dinner).

AVAILABILITY: ALL WEEK.