Planning an Israel family vacation presents an exciting opportunity for children and teens to learn about culture and history. Israel offers a unique atmosphere of culture and adventure to give younger family members an educational experience that is not only informative, but fun.

Susan Blum, manager of the Israel Department at Gil Travel, a leader in Israel tours and Jewish heritage travel since 1974, shares insight into how an Israel vacation can be fun for all ages, especially children and teens.

Choose An Israel Tour Guide That Has Experience With Children.

According to Blum, choosing the right tour guide can play a major role in the overall quality of the tour. "Some guides have more experience with children than others, but across the board the tour guides in Israel are the most renowned in the world. Many of our guides have taken psychology courses to better relate to and interact with children," Blum reports. "We make a strong effort to match each guide with the type of people on a particular tour, in order to find the guide that is most suitable to each group’s age range and interests."

Incorporate Adventure Into Your Family Tour To Israel.

"Jewish heritage travel is packed full of history, and we aim to present the information in a way that is interactive and fun for children," Blum says. "Of course, not every group wants to dive into the water or go for a plane ride, but for those that do have an adventurous side, Israel offers many exciting opportunities to experience extraordinary adventure."

Just some of Blum’s favorite educational Israel adventures include:

• A donkey ride at Kfar Kedem, where travelers can actually hitch a plow to one of the donkeys and work the land or put their shoulder to the wheel of an ancient grindstone to prepare the whole-grain flour.

• A jeep ride up the Golan Heights, one of Israel's most beautiful and controversial regions.

• A chance to pet the kangaroos at Gan Guru.

• A swim in the Gan Hashlosha water springs.

• A trip to the new Jerusalem Zoo and Wohl Archeological Center

• A (surprisingly affordable) plane ride over the Dead Sea.

• Bike riding in the Hula Valley

Have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah In Israel.

"Celebrating your special day at a historic place, as part of an Israel tour, strengthens your family’s ties both to each other and to Judaism," Blum explains.

"We have guided countless families in arranging for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Israel," she reports. "From helping find a Rabbi for the ceremony to arranging all the details of the celebration, we’re experienced in every aspect of Bar or Bat Mitzvah planning. We also incorporate community service projects, or Mitzvah Projects, into Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tours of Israel."

According to Blum, Gil Travel can connect families with community organizations and service projects based on each Bar/Bat Mitzvah child’s interest. Some of the agency’s favorite community service opportunities in Israel are with the following organizations:

Etgarim: A non-profit organization that was founded in 1995 to help children, adolescents and adults rehabilitate themselves physically, mentally and socially, through challenging sports and outdoor activities.

The Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association (INTRA): A non-profit organization committed to teaching equine skills and horseback riding to people with a wide variety of disabilities.

Ofanim: An organization dedicated to bringing supplemental education to the poorest and most under-served communities in Israel. Created in 2004 by Haim "Emil" Dahan, Ofanim now operates 6 high tech mobile classrooms that literally "drive education to Israel."

In addition to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Blum emphasizes that Gil Travel is experienced in providing complete planning services for all types of occasions. "We can also plan anniversary parties, wedding vow renewals and any other special family celebrations in Israel," she says.

For more information about Jewish heritage travel, please visit Gil Travel at http://www.giltravel.com or call 1-800-223-3855.