Israel and Jordan

November 5-18

2018

International Study Mission

Dear NECA Travelers: This is the year! November 5-18, American Travel is offering a study mission to

Israel and Jordan. We’ll visit active construction sites and meet with counterpart contractors. Our local

guides will show us Israel in detail including Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem and much more. We’ve

selected four 5-star hotels and one 4-star adjacent to Petra, Jordan. Instead of staying in busy Am-

man, we’ve chosen the Kempinski Ishtar, on the shores of the Dead Sea. For previous Jordan travel-

ers, we are offering a new Petra experience-hiking an ancient Bedouin trail. And, we’ve offered an

option, November 15, to travel up later to Petra. Kindly read through the itinerary and send in the

reservation form! There is already

considerable interest in this tour!

Phebe & Geoff Robertson

American Travel Association

travelata@aol.com, 706-663-2171

International Study Mission Israel & Jordan

November 5 – 18, 2018

Monday, November 5 Departures from Home ▪ Individual departures for the overnight flight. Note The tour spends only 2 nights in Tel Aviv: you are wel-come to arrive earlier on Sunday (see Reservation Form). Tuesday, November 6 Arrival Tel Aviv R ▪ We are met at Ben Gurion International Airport and trans-ferred to the David InterContinental Hotel. ▪ Welcome Reception and overnight: David InterContinental Tel Aviv- Surrounded by stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, the SoHo of Neve Tzedek, and historic Old Jaffa, this modern luxury hotel is well situated. We are booked in Executive rooms. https://www.intercontinental-telaviv.com

Wednesday, November 7 Tel Aviv B,L,D ▪ The morning begins in eccentric Jaffa with a walking tour through the maze of narrow, cobblestone streets of the 4,000-year-old oldest port city in the world. We’ll visit the Visitors’ Center in Kedumim Square and its museum with exhibits on the history of Jaffa and archaeological treasures. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local café before coming back through Tel Aviv and the Bauhaus architecture of Rothschild Boulevard. Many Jewish refugees from Germany in the 1930s brought functional, modern design with them, and the plethora of square white buildings with curved balconies on every street earned Tel Aviv the nickname "The White City" and a UNESCO World Heritage designation. ▪ This afternoon we’ll visit an active construction site and meet with local contractors. ▪ Dinner and overnight: David InterContinental Tel Aviv

Thursday, November 8 Tel Aviv to Haifa B,L,D ▪ Today we drive north to see the impressive remains of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great and once the seat of Roman rule. We continue northwest to Acre for a visit to the Crusader Fortress and the Museum of the Underground Prisoner. Acre is a city of intrigue, where you can walk through labyrinthine alleys and streets. We’ll explore the remnants of the Crusader, Muslim and Ottoman conquerors. We’ll finish on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Haifa, the greatest harbor of Israel with a breathtaking panoramic view of Haifa Bay and of the beautiful Baha’i Gardens with its impressive Temples. Dinner and Overnight: Dan Carmel Hotel Haifa– Executive Bay rooms.

Friday, November 9 Haifa B,L ▪ This morning we experience a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visit Capernaum, where a 2nd cen-tury synagogue was discovered which threw light on the life of that community. Drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, a beautiful church with an octagonal dome that represents the 8 “Beatitudes” in the sermon preached by Jesus Christ to his disciples 2,000 years ago. Continue on for a visit to the Chateau Golan Winery, one of Israel’s most advanced. Overnight: Dan Carmel Haifa

Saturday November 10 Haifa to Jerusalem B,L,D ▪ Drive through the Jordan Valley to Beit She’an with its recently excavated amphitheater. Driving towards Jerusalem we stop for a breathtaking view of Jericho and the St. George Monastery, which is hidden in a deep canyon in Wadi Kelt. From here we head into Bethlehem, to visit the Church of the Nativity and the remains of ancient Bethlehem from the times of Christ (beneath the Greek Monastery). Dinner and Overnight: Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem– Grand Deluxe rooms.

Sunday November 11 Jerusalem B ▪ Today begins by ascending the Mount of Olives for a spectacular view of Jerusalem. Next is the Garden of Gethsemane, with the ancient olive trees believed to date back to the times of Christ. Entering ancient Jerusa-lem via the Zion Gate, we continue by foot into the walled city. In the Jewish Quarter we see the Cardo and the Western Wall, and also enjoy a panoramic view of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. At the Ar-chaeological Park at the Davidson Center, a movie presentation helps our education. Continue along Via Do-lorosa to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Overnight: Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

Monday, November 12 Jerusalem B ▪ This morning we’ll visit an active construction site and meet with local contractors. ▪ In the afternoon we’ll see the Israel Parliament (Knesset) and the Menorah (the symbol of the Jew-ish State) which was donated by the British people to Israel in 1956, showing 29 icons of Jewish History. Next is a tour of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum. This is the Jewish people’s memorial to the Six Million murdered in the Holocaust. The museum contains the world’s largest repository of information on the Holo-caust. Proceed to the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls plus a model of Jerusalem as it looked during the late Second Temple Period. Overnight: Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

Tuesday, November 13 Jerusalem to Jordan B,L,D ▪ First, we drive down to the Dead Sea, which is more than 400 meters below sea level; the lowest point on the earth. Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Ascend by cable car to Masada to marvel at King Herod’s desert fortress-palace and last strong-hold of the Jewish Zealots fighting Roman domination in 73 CE. ▪ From Masada we cross the Jordanian border at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge and continue to our ho-tel, the Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, located with it’s own beach across the water from Israel. ▪ Dinner and overnight Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea – Ishtar Deluxe Rooms with balconies

Wednesday November 14 Dead Sea & Jerash B,L ▪ This morning we travel North of Amman to visit the best preserved example of Roman civilization, the city of Jerash. Jerash, part of the Decapolis (the ten big Roman cities of the East) has been called the Pompeii of the East for its unique state of preservation. The city features theaters, churches, temples (Zeus and Artemis), a Nymphaeum and colonnaded streets. Then transfer to visit Gadara, Jordan's most dramatic antiquities sites-both for the many substantial ruins of black basalt and white lime stone and for the city's impressive setting overlooking the north Jordan Valley, the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias), the Yarmouk River gorge and the Golan Heights. Back at the hotel we take a dip in the restorative Dead Sea, floating buoyantly on its surface. Overnight: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea Thursday November 15 Madaba, Mt. Nebo to Petra B,L,D ▪ Depart to visit the mosaic city of Madaba, where the oldest map of the Holy Land exists on the floor of Saint George’s Church. Madaba in antiquity features many famous mosaics that exist in public and private buildings. After Madaba, a short drive brings us to Mt. Nebo, the alleged burial site of Moses overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Here Franciscans have built a structure that protects a 4th and 6th Century Byzantine church. Then proceed to Petra and check in at Petra Mövenpick Hotel. For those who enjoyed this day’s touring on a previous trip to Jordan, we have arranged a smaller bus to leave the Kempinski at 2pm to take you straight to the Mövenpick in Petra. Dinner and overnight Mövenpick Resort Petra –Junior Suites. Note—this is a good Petra web site: http://nabataea.net/royal.html

Friday, November 16 Petra B,L,D ▪ 2,000 years ago ancient Nabataeans carved Petra out of sand-stone cliffs. Petra is one of the world’s best-preserved biblical sites and one of the “Seven Wonders of the World.” We’ll walk through the Siq, a narrow, high-walled canyon that leads to the Treasury, which is most likely a royal tomb dating to the 1st cen-tury BC. The Treasury was carved by hand from the cliff face and is adorned with figures of eagles and deities. Continuing on foot we’ll explore Petra’s tomb facades, royal tombs, temples and oth-er ancient structures. Lunch will be at the Basin restaurant in the Old City from where we have the option of returning by camel. ▪ Tonight in “Little Petra” we’ll enjoy a Bedouin-style traditional feast accompanied by a local dance troupe of Jordanian men per-forming the Dabkeh Sword dance. Dinner and overnight Mövenpick Resort Petra Saturday, November 17 Wadi Rum to Ishtar Kempinski B,L,R ▪ Today finds us in the magical desert of Wadi Rum, home of “Lawrence of Arabia”. Upon arrival, we’ll take jeeps owned by the local Bedouins, for a trip into the moon-like landscaped desert. We begin at the visitor center and drive 10min to Wadi Rum village; next we visit Lawrence Spring named for T.E. Lawrence, of Lawrence of Arabia fame, who fought in the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Continue to Khazali Canyon an iconic feature in Wadi Rum. Khazali Canyon is an easy 20-minute walk that allows you to see many Nabatean inscriptions and drawings. Last visit is the sand dunes. Reception & Overnight: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea—Ishtar deluxe rooms with balcony

Sunday, November 18 Dead Sea B,L ▪ Morning guided city tour of nearby Amman which includes the Citadel, Archeological museum, Roman theater, Folklore Museum, Daret Al Funoun, walking through old markets that sell street food such as Shawermah, Falafel, and Humus. We might sample Knafah from Habeba and then have herbal tea at Ba-lat Al Rasheed Café and finish with a visit to King Abdullah Mosque. Afternoon at leisure again to swim in the Dead Sea before transferring tonight to Queen Alia International Airport and our flights home. Israel and Jordan tour package inclusions Deluxe accommodations: 2 nights– David InterContinental Tel Aviv, club level 2 nights- Dan Carmel Hotel Haifa, executive bay 3 nights- Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, grand deluxe 4 nights- Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea, deluxe 2 nights- Mövenpick Resort Petra, junior suites ▪ Hotel taxes and porterage ▪ Breakfast, lunch, dinner and receptions daily per itinerary ▪ Visits to active construction sites and meetings with electrical contractors ▪ Transfer from Ben Gurion International and to Queen Alia International Airports ▪ Entrance fees for churches, museums and historical sites per itinerary ▪ Services of an ATA tour director throughout ▪ Final Advice Memo and guide book Tour Cost $5,970 per person based on double occupancy single occupancy available on request Features not included - International airfare; items of a personal nature, such as laundry, telephone calls, meals and beverages not specified, international departure taxes, Jordanian Visa costs. Tour Notes 1) Dead Sea – Our stay at the Kempinski is a great opportunity to swim/float in the Dead Sea. If you’re unable to tour all of Jordan, we encourage you to stay 2 nights and make your return home from nearby Queen Alia Airport. 2) Room Upgrades - Please see Reservation Form for upgrade options. All costs are per room for the length of stay. 3) Petra Hiking Option—For those who have already seen Madaba & Nebo, you’ll be driven from the Kempinski to Petra Thursday afternoon. And, on Friday we’re offering everyone the option of hiking into Petra via an old Nabataean processional route known as the Al Madras Trail.

Reservations and Payment: Reservations are confirmed by American Travel Association (ATA), upon receipt of the Reservation Form and deposit. Reservations require a non-refundable $800 per person de-posit to accompany the Coupon. To insure your place, receipt of deposit is due in the office of ATA no lat-er than May 1, 2018. Final payment is due by September 5th. All payments must be made by check pay-able to American Travel Association or by Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card or American Express.

Cancellation: Land Package: Penalty on cancellations received between September 5th and departure will be 100% of the tour price depending upon the amount recoverable from the suppliers to whom pay-ment had been sent. Cancellation penalties are required to offset non-refundable hotel and supplier pay-ments made by ATA in advance of the tour. There will be no refunds once the tour has begun. Cancella-tions must be made in writing to ATA. To avoid discrepancies, ATA will not act on information given over the phone until written notice has been received. Trip can-cellation insurance is a must (see below). For Information Contact: Phebe or Geoff Robertson American Travel Association 2126 Piedmont Lake Road Pine Mountain, GA 31822 Phone: 706-663-2171 Fax: 706-225-2551 e-mail: travelata@aol.com or travelata2@gmail.com Weather: Israel is on the same latitude as Dallas, TX. We expect fall weather, with nighttime lows of 55 degrees and daytime highs of 75 degrees. Some rain is possible, noth-ing torrential. More weather/clothing detail will come in the final advice memo.

Health: The Participants represent that neither he nor she nor anyone traveling with him or her has any physical or other condition or disability that could create a hazard to him or herself or other members of the tour. This program involves walking over uneven surfaces and climbing stairs at locations that are not handicap accessible. A letter of explanation of any physical or mental condition which may require medi-cal attention or special equipment (wheelchair, for example) must be enclosed with the Reservation Form. Vaccinations: The CDC recommends considering a typhoid vaccination for travel in Israel and Jordan. Typhoid can be contracted through food or water. The CDC recommends this especially if you are an ad-venturous eater. ATA recommends budgeting for bottled water throughout but will endeavor to supply it where possible.

Airline Contract: The usual passage contract when the ticket is issued shall constitute the sole contract between the airline and the tour participant. Neither NECA or ATA shall be liable for airline cancellation penalties incurred by purchasing non-refundable tickets.

Trip cancellation insurance: Particularly since this tour involves disputed territories, we strongly en-courage obtaining trip cancellation insurance. Contact Allianz www.allianztravelinsurance.com either on-line or over the phone (800-284-8300). The airlines also have basic insurance options. Trip cancellation insurance is a good idea because it offsets non-refundable air, hotel, and operator charges. Please note the Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion in the Medical Conditions section. If one exists, you need to pur-chase the insurance within 14 days of your first payment. Allianz has a number of plans. For most, the Basic Plan is fine. However, everyone has different needs, which you should discuss with them. Also check with your insurance agent to see what is covered under your existing homeowners and medical policies. For example, suitcases and contents are probably covered under your homeowner’s.

Prices: The tour price is subject to change due to land cost increases and foreign exchange fluctuation. ATA reserves the right to change the price for such reasons or changes in the number of participants (24) upon which the tour costs are based. All prices are based on rates and tariffs in effect on March 15, 2018.

Responsibility: American Travel Association (ATA), the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and/or their employees or agents, act only on behalf of the own-ers and contractors providing means of transportation or other services such as hotels and restaurants to purchas-ers of this tour and their travel companions (Participants), subject to any and all items and conditions under which any transportation or any other services whatsoever are provided by such owners and contractors. ATA and NECA, their affiliates and their employees and agents (collectively ATA and NECA) shall not be liable or respon-sible to Participants for the acts or omissions of the afore-said owners, contractors and employees thereof supplying transportation or other services hereunder, including but not limited to breach of contract, intentional or negligent delay or bodily or property loss, injury or damages. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws of the country in which they’re provided. ATA and NECA shall not be liable or responsible to Partici-pants for any loss, injury or death, or other damages caused by or resulting from acts of God, fire, break-down or defects vehicles, machinery or equipment, acts of governments and other authorities, wars, strikes, riots, thefts, epidemics or quarantines, monetary crisis, diseases, terrorism or novel conditions. Participants shall have the responsibility to be aware of and determine the validity of any travel adviso-ries, which may exist. Unless the term "guaranteed" is specifically stated in writing on any invoice or res-ervation itinerary, ATA and NECA do not guarantee any of such suppliers' rates, bookings or reservations. The Participants' retention of air tickets, reservations or bookings after issuance shall constitute consent to the above terms and conditions. In addition, Participants shall be responsible for conveying the terms and conditions hereunder to travel companions. If, due to weather, flight schedules or other uncontrolla-ble factors, you are required to spend additional nights before or after the tour, participants will be re-sponsible for your own hotel, transfers, meals and related costs. Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility of the owners at all times. ATA and NECA reserve the right to cancel any itinerary or any part thereof and to make such alterations in the itinerary they deem necessary or desirable.

Travel Advisories/Warnings: The U.S. State Department has updated it’s travel warnings website, www.travel.state.gov. Please call, 1-888-407- 4747, or go online and check for the latest information for travel to Israel and Jordan. While you are there, we suggest enrolling in the STEP program https://step.state.gov/STEP/Index.aspx to receive the latest updates about our upcoming trip. ATA will continue to monitor and advise all travelers, however, it’s the responsibility of the Participant to become informed about the most current travel advisories and warnings. In the event of an active State Department Travel Warning or alert against travel to any of the specific destinations included in the tour, should the Partici-pant still choose to travel, notwithstanding any travel advisory or warning, the Participant assumes all risk of personal injury, death or property damage that arise out of the events like those advised or warned against.

Proof of Citizenship and Visa Requirements: A valid passport is required for travel that must be valid 6 months beyond the ending trip date. Make sure you have at least 2 blank pages. Visas are necessary for American citizens traveling to Jordan, not Israel. ATA will send Visa information upon receipt of your reservation.

Tax Deductibility: Current U.S. tax regulations allow deductibility for travel and subsistence expenses incurred in travel related to trade or business. It is the responsibility of the traveler to become familiar with and adhere to the specific reporting requirements imposed.

NECA Israel and Jordan International Study Mission - Reservation Form (If same same information from last year, give names and complete from Hotel Rooms down)

Name(s) as they appear on your passports Name ____________________________________________________________ Passport No. ____________________________ Date of Issue _______________ Birth date ___________________ If US Citizen, State of birth; otherwise Country ____________

Name ______________________________________________________________ Passport No. ____________________________ Date of Issue _______________ Birth date ___________________ If US Citizen, State of birth; otherwise Country ____________

* Please correspond to the following __ office __ home address: Company, if applicable ______________________________________________________

Street _________________________________________ Apt/Suite__________

City __________________________________ State __________ Postal Code___________

Cell Phone _______________________________ Fax _______________________

Other preferred Phone_____________________________________

e-mail __________________________________________________________

First or preferred name ____________________________________________

Emergency Contact Name/s __________________________________________ e-mail address _______________________________________________________ Phone # _____________________ Relationship _______________________

Hotel Rooms □ I/we prefer a king bed; □ I/we prefer a two-bedded room

Options □ I/we wish to arrive early in Tel Aviv on ____________________

□ I/we wish to take the late bus to Petra November 15

Upgrades □ David Intercontinental Tel Aviv-corner suite $325 for the stay

□ Dan Carmel Haifa-studio suite $345, for the stay

□ Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem-junior suite $655, for the stay

Movenpick Petra-we are booked in junior suites

□ Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea –offers a variety of suites, we can check, just let us know

Deposit A non-refundable deposit of $800 per person is due with the Reservation Form. Payments can be by

check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit cards. Enclosed is a check payable to American Travel

Association in the amount of $_________________

If you wish to wish to use Visa, MasterCard or American Express card:

Number ____________________________________________________

Expiration date _____________ 3 or 4 Digit Security Code _______________

Name on card ____________________________________________________

Billing address of cardholder if different from above ______________________________________________

I have read and understand the conditions set forth in this brochure. Reservations will

not be accepted without signature here _______________________________________________________.

Return form to: American Travel Association, 2126 Piedmont Lake Road, Pine Mountain, GA 31822,

email: travelata@aol.com, or Secure Fax: 706-225-2551