Private Jewish Tour of Jerusalem

Tour Details

About the Tour

Category: Jewish Heritage
Duration: 5 hours
Location: Israel

Photos & Highlights

Examine the rich and complex history of Jewish people in Jerusalem
Led by a local guide or expert
Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, David's Tomb (Mount Zion), Various Jewish Synagogues, and The Davidson Center

Tour Description

On our private Jewish tour of Jerusalem, we’ll follow the 3000-year history of Jews in Israel as we walk through the Jewish Quarter and surrounding sites in the Old City. Together with a local expert guide, we will uncover the complex, intertwined narratives of the Jewish people and the ancient Holy City. We’ll visit the Jewish Quarter, David’s Tomb in Mount Zion, the Western Wall, and some notable synagogues. Over the course of our 5-hour itinerary, we will gain a deep understanding of Jewish heritage and the ancient and contemporary history of Jews in their ancestral and spiritual home. For those looking for an examination of Christianity and Islam as well, please see our Jerusalem in a Day tour.

Private Jewish Tour of Jerusalem

Our day begins at Jaffa Gate and our route may take a number of different directions depending on group interests. We may start with a scenic lookout over the both Old and New Citycity from the David Citadel, a fitting point to set the scene for the day. Our route will take us to David’s Tomb in Mount Zion, the burial place of King David,a sacred location for visitors. Our private tour will continue on to the Jewish Quarter, entering through the Zion Gate, which is riddled with bullet holes from the War of Independence in 1948. We’ll discuss the important history of the gate, the site where Jewish residents were forced out by the Jordanians, and later where the IDF forces entered to reunite the Old City with West Jerusalem during the Six Day War. Once through the gate, we’ll visit some Sephardic Synagogues, stopping to discuss the centers of religious life in the Jewish Quarter over the centuries before walking through the ancient Cardo. As our day draws to an end, we will visit one of the most important locations for Jews: the Western Wall. We’ll discuss the significance of the site, including the stories of the Temple Mount. Depending on the interests of our group, we may choose to visit the Davidson Center (at own expense), which holds an extensive range of archaeological artifacts from the Second Temple to Early Islamic periods.

After walking in the footsteps of former Jewish pilgrims and rabbis, we will emerge from the day with a comprehensive understanding of Jewish history and heritage in Jerusalem. We will have gained appreciation and insights into the waves of immigration in and out of the city, the stories of well-known Jewish figures, and current and past events in the holiest of cities.

FAQs About the Private Jewish Tour of Jerusalem

What is a private tour?

Our private tours are limited exclusively to travelers in your party. They are designed to provide a learning experience that is completely tailored to you and your traveling companions. Private tours give you more flexibility with scheduling (you decide when the walk best fits in your trip), the ability to tailor your itinerary (we'll work to match the itinerary to the interests and dynamics of your group), and more personalized time with your guide.

What happens if it's raining?

Our tours happen rain or shine. Our guides are great at adapting their route during changes of weather. Please bring an umbrella.

I would like to start later. Is this possible?

It is, although we recommend an earlier to make the most of cooler temperatures. Please let us know in your client notes when you would prefer to start.

What’s included in the tour?

The tour includes a local snack/refreshment and your entrances. Clients are expected to cover the cost of their own lunch.

Will we visit the Mishkenot Sha'ananim neighborhood?
Not on our standard tour. If you'd like to include the Mishkenot Sha'ananim neighborhood please let us know in your client notes. We will meet there instead and extend the tour by an additional hour to allow time to visit this site.

Can you arrange a car service for the day?

No. We will be spending our time inside the Old City, which is mainly pedestrian.

Is this tour possible for reduced mobility?
Yes, we can certainly adapt this tour for those with reduced mobility. Please let us know what your needs are in your client notes.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Noga

A native-born Israeli, Noga is a true expert on all things Tel Aviv, where she currently lives and works. With a background as a youth-movement teen leader, Noga served the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) in the education core, guiding soldiers on trips and tours throughout the country. After obtaining a BA with Honors in Education, Sociology, and Anthropology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Noga gained additional experience as a preschool teacher and also as a mentor to underprivileged youth at a boarding school. In 2014, Noga decided to get a tour guide certification, a combination of two of her biggest passions: her love for people from all backgrounds, and her passion for her country's history, society, religious background, culture, and cuisine. A true Tel Avivian, Noga loves telling stories about the city's glorious past as well as its contemporary hustle and bustle. She guides in Hebrew, English, and Spanish, and divides her time guiding tours in her home city, as well as all over the country. When not working, Noga loves traveling the world herself and, of course, enjoys city life in Tel Aviv, where she goes to the beach way too often.

Elisha

After completing military service, Elisha decided to pursue his passion for travel and backpacked around the world. He then lived for three years in Spain, where he learned Spanish. After coming back to Israel, he started his study of reflexology. Elisha has been working as a tour guide for the past four years all over Israel and his greatest passions are history, religions and politics. He currently lives in Israel with his two children.

Reut

Reut has been guiding for over ten years, leading tours and educational programs for all age groups. After military service, she went on two volunteer trips overseas. She first spent a year in Melbourne, where she led activities and seminars at a school in a local Jewish community, serving students from first grade through university. When she came back to Israel, she participated in Ein Prat Midrasha, a program focused on Israeli and Jewish studies. She also graduated with a degree in Middle Eastern studies from Hebre University. Alongside her university studies, she completed tour guide courses and began guiding groups across the country. She specializes in Israel’s archaeological sites and enjoys working with groups of all backgrounds to find individual connection points with Israel’s religion, history, art, technology, or food.

View more experts

1 Review – (5.0)

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

This tour was great and Segev was fantastic. Being local with links to all locals nationalities allowed him to put unique context to things we saw and discussed. He was a very good listener and adjusted things we would see accordingly. He is pleasant and knowledgeable. This was an exceptional experience.

Ron

Nov. 16, 2019