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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
The Birth of Judaism:
[Date]
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
Study Tour Led by
David Kraemer
Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian
(Director of The Library)
The Jewish Theological Seminary
Introduction
In many respects, the classical Rabbinic period is the most important period in
Jewish history, at least as far as Jews living in subsequent centuries are
concerned. This judgment is offered for one very simply reason: Judaism as we
know it is the Judaism of the rabbis. It is they—partially through interpretation of
their inherited tradition and partially through their visionary chutzpah—who
formulated the practices and beliefs that would substantially define Judaism
from their own day to the present (or, at the very least, until recent modernity). If
we want to understand Judaism, therefore, we must try to understand the visions
of its founders, the rabbis of the 1st-6th centuries.
The Judaism of the rabbis began in the Land of Israel. Emerging from a Judaism
centered on the Temple in Jerusalem, and responding to the destruction of that
Temple, the rabbis forged a future that was centered on Torah—Written and
Oral—and its interpretation. Gathering mostly in cities in the Galilee, the rabbis
began to spread their influence to the institutions that would now form the
center of Jewish life—community and synagogue.
By the end of Late Antiquity, they had developed an ideology and set of
practices that would give Jews a reason to be Jewish for centuries to come.
In the course of this tour, we will seek to understand the emergence and unique
features of this "new" Judaism. In Jerusalem and Qumran, we will examine the
range of Jewish practice and belief that prevailed before the wars with Rome,
and thus before the emergence of rabbinic Judaism.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
We will then turn an eye to the earliest expression of rabbinic Judaism, as forged
in the Galilee and recorded in the Mishnah, and ask about its "sense" in the
context in which it took shape. In ancient synagogues and burial grounds, we
will reflect on emerging Jewish practices, considering the unique contributions of
some of the great rabbinic masterworks, the Midrashim and the Talmud of the
Land of Israel (the Yerushalmi. At the end of this tour, you should have gained a
greater understanding, not only of the history of Judaism and its literary
expressions, but of the Judaism we continue to live—in one way or another—
today.
The Itinerary
Jerusalem
Tuesday, June 21st – Day One – Departure
Fly to Israel from Newark Liberty International Airport.
Wednesday, June 22nd – Day Two – Jerusalem
Afternoon:
Landing in Israel mid-day, we will bus to Jerusalem and check-in to
our hotel, where, after dinner, Professor Kraemer will orient you to
the tour and begin to articulate the questions we will try to answer:
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
Who were the rabbis? How did they transform Judaism? How did
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they make the survival of Judaism possible?
Evening:
After orientation, we will enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner.
Meals:
Dinner
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
Thursday, June 23rd – Day Three – Jerusalem
Morning:
After breakfast, we will have our first Learning Session with Professor
Kraemer: BEFORE THE RABBIS: JERUSALEM OF THE TEMPLE (2ND TEMPLE
ARCHAEOLOGY). To understand the contribution of the rabbis, it is
essential to understand what Judaism looked like before they
began to shape it, before the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
On this first full day of our tour, we will explore the archaeological
sites that surround the Temple Mount, trying to imagine ourselves as
Jews in Jerusalem when the sacrifices were still being offered. A visit
to the Davidson Center in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park
which will help us go back in time to imagine the city as it was in
the late Second Temple period.
Afternoon:
We will enter the Tunnels near the Western Wall. We will go the
remains of a home that belonged to a wealthy priest, and explore
the remains of the affluent upper city on Mount Zion (in today’s
Jewish quarter).
Evening:
Following our strenuous exploration and before dinner on your own,
you will have a chance to rest and reflect.
Meals:
Breakfast
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Qumran
Friday, June 24th – Day Four – Qumran and Jerusalem
Morning:
After breakfast, enjoy your second Learning Session with Professor
Kraemer: BEFORE THE RABBIS: SECTARIANISM, QUMRAN. We will then
descend from the Judean Hills to the Dead Sea region of the
Negev. Judaism before the rabbis was characterized by the
spread of sects—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and others.
To understand them and their ideologies, we will descend to the
Dead Sea and visit Qumran, the probable site of the settlement of
one such sect.
Afternoon:
We will then return to Jerusalem, to the Shrine of the Book, to
consider what we can learn about the complexity of late Second
Temple Judaism from a contemporary library.
Evening:
After time to relax, we will enjoy a Shabbat Dinner together.
Meals:
Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Saturday, June 25th – Day Five – Shabbat in Jerusalem
Morning:
After breakfast there is free time to attend one of the local
synagogues.
Afternoon:
The theme for the day will be Before The Rabbis: The Early
Christians. We will unpack this theme by taking a walking tour of
Christian sites. Of course, among the most important groups that
developed in Judea before the destruction, a group that then
adapted and grew after the destruction, was the early Christians.
After a morning during which participants can attend synagogue
or relax, as they see fit, we will take a walking tour following the
footsteps of Jesus, considering his life and teachings (along with
those of Paul) along the Via Dolorosa and into the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre.
Evening:
At leisure.
Meals:
Breakfast
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
Sunday, June 26th – Day Six – Jerusalem
The Destruction of the Temple and Its Aftermath (Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus and
the Mt. of Olives, Jaffa Gate and Roman encampment, Yohanan ben Zakkai
stories).
Morning:
After breakfast and our third Learning Session, THE MEANING AND
EXPERIENCE OF THE DESTRUCTION, we will try to re-live and feel the
consequences of the destruction. We will begin at Jaffa Gate and
consider the defenses of the city, and the Roman legion that
spearheaded the conquest. From there, we will bus to Mount
Scopus and the Mount of Olives, imagining the Temple in ruin and
reflecting on the message of the Yohanan ben Zakkai stories,
suggesting that the Judaism of the Temple would be replaced by a
more robust, less destructible alternative.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Afternoon:
The remainder of our last day in Jerusalem will be devoted to rest
and relaxation (and, if you want, shopping), in recognition of the
fact that you will need to recover your energy for the remainder of
our journeys.
Evening:
At leisure to enjoy the cultural and culinary delights of the City of
Gold.
Meals:
Breakfast
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
Caesarea
Monday, June 27th – Day Seven – Beit Guvrin and Caesarea
Hellenism and Its Influence (Beit Guvrin, Caesarea; stay in area of Caesarea).
Throughout this period, both before and after the destruction, the land Jews
called their own was pervaded by the culture of Hellenism, both Greek and
Roman. Neither the rabbis nor others were impervious to these influences, so to
understand Judaism in this period, one must understand this culture.
Morning:
After breakfast, we will explore this culture, we will leave
Jerusalem and descend to the coastal plain, first exploring Beit
Guvrin and environs, where we will find burial sites, caves, and a
subterranean “city,” all of which are testimony to Hellenistic culture.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Afternoon:
After lunch on your own, we will head up the coast to Caesarea,
whose remains leave no doubt of the power of this culture in the
centuries that concern us. We will reach our guest house in the late
afternoon
Evening:
At leisure.
Meals:
Breakfast and Lunch
Overnight:
Nof Ginosar
Tuesday, June 28th – Day Eight – Sephorris, Beit She’arim, and the Galilee
The Rabbis at Home (Sephorris/Tzipori, Beit She’arim; stay in Haifa area). There is
no better way to learn about someone than to visit them at home, and the
home of the early rabbis was the Galilee. In fact, the city in which the author of
the Mishnah (Rabbi Judah the Patriarch) made his home, Sephorris, is excavated
and open for all to see, are significant parts of his grave site, the caves at Beit
She’arim.
On this day, we will do our best to understand Rabbi Judah based upon the
places where he was at home (in life and after death). What must someone who
lived and died in places like this have been like?
Morning:
In Sephorris, we will walk the roads and explore both the public
and private buildings of the city in which R. Judah the Patriarch
lived. We will see that this was a cosmopolitan city, one flowing
with cultural currents from throughout the near east. In other words,
the Mishnah, and rabbinic Judaism with it, wasn’t born in cultural
isolation. It was fully in conversation with the world around it. We will
consider the implications of this realization for our Judaism.
Afternoon:
In Beit Shearim, we will explore the largest Jewish burial site in
antiquity; the one in which R. Judah the Patriarch and his family are
“buried.” We will see that Jewish burial during the rabbinic period
was very different than what we assume Jewish burial to be (to
begin with, it wasn’t actually a burial at all), and we will see the
unmistakable evidence of Roman culture, even in the way the
rabbis and other Jews of their time were prepared for the next
world.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
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What does all this mean for our understanding of the Judaism to
which the rabbis gave birth? During our visit, Professor Kraemer will
conduct our fourth Learning Session on JEWISH AND ROMAN BURIAL
PRACTICES AND THEIR COMPARATIVE SIGNIFICANCE.
Evening:
At leisure.
Meals:
Breakfast
Overnight:
Nof Ginosar
Hamat Tiberius
Wednesday, June 29th – Day Nine – Galilee, Beit Alpha, and Hamat Tiberius
The Growth of the Synagogue. Central to the future of Judaism after the
destruction of the Temple would be the synagogue reimagined. At first, the postdestruction synagogue was not a rabbinic institution, but the rabbis realized the
potential importance of this institution, and they worked hard to gain influence
where they could. By exploring several Galilean synagogues—those of Beit
Alpha, Hamat Tiberius, and others—we will discover what Judaism looked like
before the rabbis became dominant, and how the direction of the Jewish
community changed when rabbinic leadership began to take hold.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
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What do we learn from synagogues that are characterized by zodiac mosaics in
the very center of their floors, zodiacs that feature not only images of humans
and animals (contrary to the 2nd commandment?), but even images of God—
the Roman sun god! And what do we make of the fact that these synagogues
were constructed at precisely the same time that “Roman” (= Byzantine =
Christian) law forbade the construction of new synagogues? These visits will allow
us to address some of the biggest puzzles of the development of Judaism during
the early rabbinic era.
Morning:
After breakfast, we will set out and head east. We will visit the
synagogue at Beit Alpha.
Afternoon:
After lunch on your own en route, we will visit Hamat Tiberius.
Professor Kraemer will present an on-site fifth Learning Session on
WHAT WAS THE SYNAGOGUE BEFORE THE RABBIS? WHAT DID IT
BECOME? We will arrive to Safed in the late afternoon.
Evening:
Evening at leisure in Safed.
Meals:
Breakfast
Overnight:
Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed
Thursday, June 30th – Day Ten – Galilee
The Galilee and Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount (Capernaum); the Rabbinic
legacy (Tiberius Maimonides’ tomb). Today we travel through time, first going
back to visit the Galilean sites associated with Jesus’s life and then jumping
centuries into the future to consider the long-term influence of the rabbis. To
bring the gospels to life, we will read the Sermon on the Mount on the actual
mount, then spend time at the Sea of Galilee imagining miracles with fishes and
other such events.
Morning:
After breakfast, we will head out and focus on Christian sites in the
Galilee including Capernaum. Dr. Kraemer will present an on-site
sixth Learning Session: THE APPEAL OF JESUS TO LATE SECOND TEMPLE
JEWS.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Afternoon:
After lunch on your own, we will visit Tiberias and then the tomb of
Maimonides where Professor Kraemer will conduct an on-site
seventh Learning Session on THE CRYSTALLIZATION OF RABBINIC
JUDAISM.
Evening:
Enjoy a fish dinner together in Ein Gev.
Meals:
Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight:
Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed
Safed
Friday, July 1st – Day Eleven – Safed and Jerusalem
The Rabbinic Legacy II (Safed and Rabbinic Mysticism). Before leaving for
Jerusalem, we will spend some hours in Safed, exploring the mystical forms of
rabbinic Judaism that became so popular in later centuries. How would the
rabbis of old have felt about the Kabbalah? How would the Judaism of the study
house be influenced by the cosmic vision of Jewish mystics?
Morning:
After breakfast and our eighth Learning Session on RE-WRITING THE
CREATION STORY: THE MYSTICISM OF ISAAC LURIA, we will drive
back to Jerusalem.
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Afternoon:
Arrive to Jerusalem in the late afternoon.
Evening:
We will enjoy Shabbat Dinner, where we will eat and sing, and
reflect upon how nearly all of these practices are a product of the
creativity of the rabbis whom we have been studying.
Meals:
Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight:
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem
Saturday, July 2nd – Day Twelve – Shabbat in Jerusalem and Departure
Shabbat in Jerusalem
Morning:
Shabbat at leisure in Jerusalem. Shabbat is a time of reflection, and
there will be much to reflect upon after our strenuous days of
exploration. Go to a synagogue, roam in a park or through the
quiet streets, and consider what Judaism became when the
Temple could no longer anchor our vision.
Afternoon:
On this last Shabbat in Jerusalem, we will have our final Learning
Session on THE LEGACY OF THE RABBIS in the late afternoon and
study the rabbis as radical visionaries, paying special attention to
the spread of rabbinic religion beyond the boundaries of the
biblical Holy Land, into Babylonia and beyond.
Evening:
After a Wrap-up Session and a Farewell Dinner, we depart for BenGurion Airport and the flight back to the U.S.
Meals:
Breakfast and Dinner
Sunday, July 3rd – Day Thirteen – Arrive In the U.S.
This Itinerary is subject to change.
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The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
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The Scholar
David Kraemer, Ph.D., is the Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian
(Director of The Library) at The Jewish Theological Seminary, where
he has also served as Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics for many
years. As Librarian, David is at the helm of the most extensive
collection of Judaica—rare and contemporary—in the Western
hemisphere. David holds degrees from Brandeis University and The
Jewish Theological Seminary. He is a prolific author and
commentator as well as an instructor of adult learners.
His books include The Mind of the Talmud (1990), Responses to
Suffering in Classical Rabbinic Literature (1995), and The Meanings of
Death in Rabbinic Judaism (2000), among others. His most recent
book is Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages (Routledge,
2007, 2009).
For Questions and To Register
For Travel Questions and Registration:
For Other Questions:
Fallon Robinson, Travel Consultant
Gil Travel Group
800-223-3855
[email protected]
Moshe Margolin, Director
Jewish Explorations
866-898-0037
[email protected]
The Registration Deadline is March 4, 2016
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
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Special Features

Professor David Kraemer will present nine Learning Sessions during the
course of the study tour.

Dr. David (Dudu) Ha Cohen will serve as our local licensed guide during
the study tour.
Educational Materials

Professor Kraemer will compile a Pre-Departure Bibliography and
Sourcebook for use during the study tour.
Prices (Per Person)
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT*
REGULAR PRICE
BY DECEMBER 31, 2015
BY MARCH 4, 2016
LAND ONLY
FULL PACKAGE
LAND ONLY
FULL PACKAGE
$3,445
$4,745
$3,595
$4,895
*PAYMENT BY CHECK REQUIRED
THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 4, 2016
Based on a minimum of 20 participants.
$500 deposit required upon registration.
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SINGLE ROOM
SUPPLEMENT
$1,095
Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
The above prices include:
Airfare (Complete Package Only)
DATE
FLIGHT
FROM/TO
DEPARTURE TIME
ARRIVAL TIME
JUNE 21, 2016
EL AL 28
EWR / TLV
1:30 PM
7:OO AM ON JUNE 22ND
JULY 3, 2016
EL AL 27
TLV / EWR
12:30 AM
5:40 AM
The experts at the Gil Travel Group stand ready to help with your flights from
departure locations other than JFK.
Hotels
DATE
NIGHTS
HOTEL
CITY
JUNE 22 TO 27
5
DAN PANORAMA
JERUSALEM
JUNE 27 TO 29
2
NOF GINOSAR
GINOSAR
JUNE 29 TO JULY 1
2
RUTH RIMONIM
SAFED
JULY 1 TO 2
5*
DAN PANORAMA
JERUSALEM
* INCLUDING LATE CHECK-OUT
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Meals
DATE
MEAL
JUNE
22
WELCOME DINNER
JUNE
24
EREV SHABBAT DINNER
JUNE
30
FISH DINNER AT EIN GEV
JULY 1
EREV SHABBAT DINNER
JULY 2
FAREWELL DINNER
PLUS HOTEL BREAKFASTS EACH DAY
Also Includes:
Sightseeing & Transportation – Guide
9 days of sightseeing including entrance fees to all sights on itinerary, via a
deluxe air conditioned motor coach with English speaking guide plus 1 walking
tour in Safed. Group arrival and departure transfers are included.
Porterage
1 piece of luggage per person at each hotel and airport.
Other Special Features



Gil Travel document kit
Special Gil Travel gift bag for each family
Bottled Water on the bus
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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Package
Does Not Include:
Travel Insurance
Provided exclusively by Travelex, purchased through Gil Travel.
Insurance can be purchased at:
http://www.giltravel.com/israel-travel-resources/israel-travel-insurance.html
Tips
Tips to the guide and driver are not included. They are at your discretion. Based
on our experience, here are our suggestions:
$8 per person per day for guide
$6 per person per day for driver
$1 per person per night for the chambermaid
Cell Phone Rental
For group cell phone rental, please visit our website at
http://phones.giltravel.com/
Meals
Lunches and dinners not included in itinerary as well as beverages and items not
listed on group menus.
Personal Expenses
All those expenses individual to each passenger including souvenirs, laundry
services, valet service, phone calls.
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The Birth of Judaism:
The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel
June 21 to July 3, 2016
[Date]
Schedule of Payments
$500 deposit per person due with application.
Balance due 60 days prior to departure – Friday, April 22, 2016.
Early Bird Discounts
Early Bird Discounts are available to those registering by December 31, 2015.
Payment by check is required for the deposit and balance.
Deviations
Any passenger deviating from the group flights will not be entitled to the group
airport transfers. We will be glad to reserve a private car transfer for him/her
from/to airport.
Cancellation Policy






Cancellations must be received in writing.
Cancellations received up to March 11, 2016 – forfeit $100.00 per person
plus any cancellation charges (if any) from suppliers/airlines.
March 12 – April 22, 2016 – forfeit $350.00 per person plus any cancellation
charges (if any) from local suppliers/airlines.
April 23 - May 7, 2016 – forfeit $1,800.00 per person
May 8 – May 21, 2016 – forfeit $2,000.00 per person
May 22, 2016 to departure – no refund
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| Re p r o du cti o n w i th ou t pe r mi s si on i s p ro hi bi ted by l aw .
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