From what I understand the tour guides are not only extremely well trained, but many communicate with each other if there are issues. Our itinerary got changed because of the election. We are a group of Jewish war veterans, including the national commander for the US, so hopefully we will be fine. Let’s move on from the scare stuff please.
@jym626 you have an ambitious but wonderful itinerary and I expect your biggest problem will be your tour-mates!
I lived in Israel for my junior year in high school, and have been back several times since then, most recently in January 2018 for a family wedding.
Can’t wait to hear about your trip.
@privatebanker the majority of the country will not blink twice at casual dress for your wife…especially in the summer. As noted upthread, if you are entering a space where it matters (such as Al Aksa mosque), they will hand you something to wear - usually a sarong-type wrap to cover shoulders or shorts.
Thanks, @janjmom! I think you are right about the tour mates being the biggest challenge. A few have dropped out so I think we are “down” to 49. I was hoping they’d have 2 busses for the slower and faster moving, but alas… doesn’t sound like that will happen.
JYM, when I looked back at my pictures, I seemed to be wearing a denim skirt and a pretty royal blue skirt a lot. Short sleeve Ts. I noted that when I went to be bank, the male tellers wore Bermuda shorts. Men seemed to wear sandals everywhere. Having a pair made would be lovely.
@runnersmom. Totally get the reality of living there besides my niece my sister’s husband’s has many family members living there. But I just know to many people that think it’s what they see on CNN also. I suggest using a guide to hit all the great area’s and most will give great insight that you might not otherwise get.
Not to hijack the thread but I just discovered that Birthright has extended the free trip to age 32.
Now if only they’ll extend it to age 62. 
Well so far, so good, though I didn’t really sant to read this today: https://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Palestinian-Islamic-Jihad-reportedly-planning-attack-585428/amp
The sunset on the beach in Tel Aviv was beautiful today.
I looked it up - you’re only 130 miles or so from my son as the crow flies. 
And I tell my d about our trip plans. She says that’s interesting. She was just about to call me for permission to take (or apply for it is so popular, it seems) a class next fall which includes 10 days in Israel over winter break. Now I’m going to live on this thread.
And I said yes actually because of the advice I’ve received here. Thank you all. BTW.
Winter break is a great time to be in Israel! How nice that you are all getting there by different routes. You’ll have so much to talk about together.
Quick update. Yesterday was the Tzevet (IDF veterans organization) and the Haganah museum. Independence hall is closed for renovations. Then we went to Jaffa and the food and artists market.
So far today we have seen the Weitzmann institute, where DH’s uncle used to be a professor (highly recommend seeing this, especially if you are a science nut) and the underground bullet factory (also recommend this). We stayed on the beach in Tel Aviv. This was a nice bonus.
Underground bullet factory is a must @privatebanker , i wAs going to recommend that to you. @jym626 , we also did the Weitzman tour and applied physics playground.
Then today we went to Latroun (armored tank and Jewish war museum and bird sanctuary!) and on to Jerusalem.
Awesome. Been to all of that and yes the underground bullet place is amazing.
My son just found out he is being placed on an internship in Israel after two interviews. First to France for engineering study abroad then direct to Israel for the internship. Now… An excuse for me visit him in one or the other or both! ?.
Enjoy your trip and Thx for the update. Freshest food ever there.
We didn’t get to Latroun last time – that was the day we decided to do the Israel Museum instead. If we get back there, that’s on the list.
Envious, envious, envious!!! Please keep the trip reports coming - I’m enjoying vicariously and also the comments from others!
Yesterday was Bethlehem ( despite getting there early we stood in line for 2.5 hrs at the church of the nativity to go down to see the birthplace of Jesus. Then spent the afternoon at Yad Vashem, which is indescribable. The holocaust memorial shakes everyone to the core. The children’s memorial, in the dark with mirrors and candles, with the names, ages and country of origin of the 1.5 million killed is quite intense. Interestingly, the # of children killed in the hocaust is the same as the # of Jews who fought in WW II worldwide. It was particularly crowded because an entire air force base, as part of their educational corps and training (if I have that right) was there. Very crowded but we sure felt safe
We were supposed to go to the new national museum at the national cemetery but they just found the remains of a soldier lost in Syria in 1981 the other day and returned them back to Jerusalem for burial. The funeral, with dignitaries made security intense and a visit impractical. Dinner with a relative was special.
Today we are off to the old city of Jerusalem and the western (wailing) wall, Mt Zion, etc