I believe in slow travel. I'm definitely NOT a tour person. Everything about Via Sabra blew my previous conceptions of what an organized tour could be.The Dual Narrative Tour covered the 2 or more narratives that co-exist in Israel/Palestine that of Jews, Muslims, and Christians living together with power differences that can't be ignored . From Bethlehem to all Jerusalem from Hebron to Matat, from Akko to Tel Aviv we met many stunning Israeli and Palestinians who are dedicated to peace. Our 2 main guides, Karmit and Emili shared their perspectives on living in one of the most complex areas of the world. We had opportunities to visit Sinsila, a bee keeping economic development program for Palestinian women to produce income from honey, bees wax, and herbs.
We met with Dr. Rachel Karazim at Yad Vashem for a distinctly Israeli take on the
Holocaust. We lunched with Palestinian hosts in Bethlehem. We witnessed the difference in living conditions between Israelis and Palestinians in Hebron. We began shabbat with Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum at her synagogue, Kehilat Zion. Imagine my surprise to see Orthodox Jews sitting alongside priests to hear Rabbi Tamar speak. In Tel Aviv, we celebrated kabbalat shabbat on the main pier withpeople who had driven in from Bar Sheva to people passing by. It was a trip of many liftetimes.

Via Sabra organized a tour for two synagogues called "Multiple Narratives," focusing on the many different narratives within Israel, whether they be political, religious, artistic or cultural. We met with an incredibly wide array of Israelis and Palestinians, representing multiple religions and ethnicities. We ate incredibly well, often in people's homes, and we had two smart, caring, and energetic guides -- one Israeli and Jewish, the other Palestinian and Christian. Can't recommend enough.

What a fantastic trip and new way to experience Israel. A great combination of local market tours, fireside chats with locals in different areas from military, chefs, cookbook authors, combined with historical sights, fantastic hotels, and of course delicious meals throughout as part of the Bringing Israel Home tour. Orit, Nurit and Avigail were amazing local guides explaining everything throughout our day and market tours. Avihai and Tali made sure every detail was taken care of as we made our way through different cities from Tel Aviv, Mitzpe Ramon, and Jerusalem. We also had chef Michael Solomonov with us the entire trip. I would highly recommend traveling with Via Sabra.