Memory in Jerusalem
A day tracing how modern Israel remembers, from the Holocaust at Yad Vashem to the nation’s founders on Mt Herzl.
Part of Classic Israel: a week across the country →
The shape of the day
This day is about memory, and how a young country holds it. We move between the places where Israel remembers its dead and tells its national story, and the market and museum where that story is still being written.
We spend the morning at Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust, and at neighbouring Mt Herzl, the national cemetery where the country’s leaders and fallen soldiers are buried, named for Theodor Herzl, the visionary of the modern state.
We change tempo at the Machane Yehuda market, the culinary heart of the city, for lunch and the noise and colour of Jerusalem getting on with life.
We finish at the Israel Museum, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book and a vast model of Jerusalem as it stood in the Second Temple period, which ties the day’s threads together.
Sites we visit
- Yad Vashem
- Mt Herzl
- The Machane Yehuda market
- The Israel Museum
Who it’s for
This day suits anyone who wants to understand modern Israel, not only the ancient sites: how it remembers the Holocaust, how it tells its national story and how it lives day to day.
It moves between heavy and light by design. I build the focus around what interests you most, and leave time to take Yad Vashem in properly rather than rushing it.
FAQ
Is it suitable for children?
The minimum age for Yad Vashem is 10, but honestly I think 14-15 is more appropriate for the main museum (although you know your children best).
For 10-14 year olds I suggest focusing on the gentler memorial spaces or the Children’s Memorial, and weighting the day towards the market and the museum.
Another option is to split the group, with younger children going to a parallel age-appropriate activity while the others are at Yad Vashem.
How much walking is it?
There’s quite a lot of walking and standing today, between the different museums, the market and Mt Herzl.
It’s not particularly strenuous but can be tiring, so we build in breaks as needed. Wear comfortable shoes, and I recommend a hat too.
Can we go deeper on the Holocaust, or on 1948 and the founding of the state?
Absolutely. I always tailor itineraries to your interests.
Tell me what you most want to understand and I’ll build the day around it.
Does it pair with the Old City?
Very well: this is the modern, national Jerusalem, and the Old City is the ancient one, so the two make a natural pair over a couple of days.
Make this itinerary yours
Tell me who’s travelling, your dates and where you want to focus. I’ll put together a personalised proposal.
For urgent bookings, send me a WhatsApp
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student