Published on September 21, 2013 by IBMT
If your daughter has her Bat Mitzvah on the horizon you may have heard of travel companies that put together packaged trips to Israel. With so many to choose from, how will you choose the perfect company? Here are four questions that should help you choose the perfect tour for your family and daughter.
What Is A Bat Mitzvah Tour?
These tours and package holidays to Israel are to all family members, not only the B’nai Mitzvah girl (the child coming of age). These tours cater to all guests from younger siblings to grandparents and offer spectacular holidays for the entire family. Most tours are quite similar and include non-stop flights on Israel’s national airline EL AL to Tel Aviv and 5-star accommodation throughout the 12-day or 15-day tour. Most tours will begin in Jerusalem and focus on the Old City and a walk through the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall Tunnels and the Time Elevator which presents the 3,000-year history of Jerusalem. Different companies have different ways of celebrating the Bat Mitzvah day itself so it’s important that you choose a tour that focuses on the areas and places that most interest you, your family and your daughter.
Can You Find Personal Recommendations?
One of the most reliable ways to find a great tour company is to ask friends, family and colleagues for recommendations. If you don’t know anyone who has been on such a tour, you could ask at your local synagogue or even post an open question on an online forum. If you want to book a tour through a travel agent, you could check whether they are affiliated with a national association such as ASTA in the United States.
How Long Have Your Tour Guides Been With You?
This is a great question to ask a tour company as it’s the tour guide who will make or break your tour of Israel. A reputable tour company will readily share with you the names and experience of the guides they have working for them. It’s a great sign if a tour guide has been with a company for a long time. This shows that the guides are knowledgeable, professional and well-evaluated by tourists. It also indicates that the tour company is a good, reputable employer that a professional guide is proud to work for. An awesome tour guide will have the skills to include both young children as well as grandparents and will become part of the family during the tour. They will meet you at the airport and stay with you every day. You will learn so much about Israeli customs, traditions and history that you could never expect to acquire elsewhere.
How Many Families Are Grouped On Each Tour?
These tours work by grouping different families together to see Israel in a whole different light. You may be apprehensive about going on a tour with families you have never met before but it’s a beautiful bonding experience and you’ll make friends for life. You may never have thought it possible, but families ranging in ages from 9 to 99 can share in the magic of Israel’s rich history and the wonder of the Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. If you prefer fewer families on each visit, this is one factor to check before you book!
