AACI STUDY TRIPS TO KIBBUTZ KETURA IN THE SOUTHERN ARAVA WITH OPTIONAL 1-DAY TOUR TO PETRA, JORDAN

BUS 1: NOVEMBER 29 – DECEMBER 1, 2022
BUS 2: DECEMBER 5-8, 2022, ITINERARIES IDENTICAL.

Anticipated trip highlights include visits to:

Moreshet Tzon Barzel Museum (The Iron Heritage Museum) in Kibbutz Tze’elim – a historical gem with a spectacular display of art engraved in steel. The museum houses an incredible collection of metal works produced by a family of Jerusalem craftsmen: reliefs, medals, symbols and stories from the days of the Mandate, the Underground and the struggle for independence, from before the establishment of the State of Israel until the present day.

Timna Park tour and explanation of new archeological findings – Located in the Negev Desert, the park has a beautiful desert setting and has historic and geologic importance. Comprising a horseshoe-shaped valley, surrounded by steep cliffs, the park is home to the world’s first known copper mine.

Kibbutz Neot Smadar Art Center – The Art Center was designed and constructed by the people of Neot Semadar over 15 years. Towering above its surroundings, this unique building houses diverse workshops such as: jewelry, pottery, stained glass, paper, weaving and woodwork.

The Leopard Temple of Uvda – In the Uvda basin in the desert of southern Israel sits a mysterious 7,000 year old Temple. Perhaps most intriguing is the primitive montage adjacent to the Temple comprising mosaics of small stones, forced into the ground, to portray “connect-the-dots” versions of leopards.

My Eilat: History of Eilat Museum – The Eilat museum tells the history of the city of Eilat, highlighting milestones over the years. Photographs and displays in the museum include the ink flag being raised in Eilat after the city was liberated in 1949, the new port being opened along with the Straits of Tiran in 1956, and the peace agreement with Egypt in 1982.

Off-Grid Technology Village – The village, located at the Arava Institute’s Research and Visitors Park on Kibbutz Ketura, is dedicated to bringing off-grid technologies into developing markets using strategic partnerships in target countries. The Off-Grid Village showcases an innovative ecosystem that incorporates inexpensive and rapidly deployable structures to demonstrate and validate off-grid product solutions for energy, water, and agriculture needs.

Ancient Judean Date trees – In the oldest known germination of a seed in the world, Dr. Elaine Solowey sprouted a male date palm, named Methuselah, from a 2,000-year-old date seed found during the excavations of Masada in the mid-1960s. Recently, Methusalah has been bred with kindred female date palms to produce the same variety of dates eaten commonly in ancient Judea, where it was valued as much for its delicious flavor as for its medicinal properties.

PLUS:

Expert Presentations on “What is Sustainable Agriculture”; “Energy, Water, Food – Can They Be Linked?”; and “Agrivoltaics Israel”
Evening Programs – Israel IQ Trivia; “Ketura at 50 – Then, Now and Onward”; Festive Banquet and popular Sing Along with guide Bill Slott

SPECIAL FEATURE: Optional Full Day Guided Tour of the Picturesque Remains of the Ancient Nabatean City of Petra in Jordan (extra cost)

Declared one of the 7 “New” Wonders of the World, even though this fascinating city is ancient, Petra, also called “The Lost City”, was carved into stone by the Nabatean people between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106. During that period, it was also the capital of the Nabataean empire and a bustling trading center. Much of the city was destroyed by severe earthquakes and it remained uninhabited for over five centuries until it was rediscovered in 1812 by Johann Burckhardt, a Swiss explorer who was seeking Aaron’s grave. Excavations began in 1929 and new discoveries are still being made. (Minimum of 20 participants and added cost required) – Itinerary subject to change