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Visit the graves of spiritual ancestors such as Akiva and Maimonides. Or visit HaAri Mikveh, Luria's mikveh, the ancient, natural spring near Safed (and take a dip if you wish). This and more is on the itinerary for the Lag B'Omer trip scheduled from May 20 through 29.

Why Lag B'Omer? Goldberg explains: "Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the great mystics who is credited with writing the Zohar, is buried at Meron just outside of the ancient, mystical city of Safed. Tradition tells us that on Lag B'Omer, Rabbi Shimon died.

"So each year on Lag B'Omer, tens of thousands of Jews gather at his grave at Meron to honor his memory."

The gathering at Meron has, in fact, grown into a huge hilula (joyous celebration) that attracts Jews from across the spectrum, from fervently religious to secular, who identify with the mystical tradition. The hilula at Meron is unique because of its long history — recorded accounts of the festivities at Meron date back to the 16th century — and also because it draws both Sephardim and Ashkenazim.

On Erev Lag B'Omer, thousands of people converge on Meron to pray at Shimon's grave. A huge bonfire on top of the tomb building lights up the sky throughout the night to the accompaniment of klezmer music, dancing and much merriment. The merrymaking continues throughout the day, when a wedding between heaven and earth is celebrated.

While the great festival at Meron is the focal point of the 10-day trip, it is by no means the only destination of note. Following the two nights spent in Safed, the tour will move on through the Judean desert and up the Judean hills to enter the City of David, Jerusalem, where the group will spend four nights enjoying the ancient city's spiritual riches.

Daytime and evening excursions include personal meetings and study sessions with leading kabbalists, visits to the Dead Sea and the nearby Qumran Caves, where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found, climbing Masada (via cable car), where Jewish zealots took their courageous stand against the Romans, visiting Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and touring the biblical gardens at Neot Kedumim.

This trip is as much about self-discovery as it is exploring the land of Israel, and the guides are knowledgeable about obscure places of mystical importance that might otherwise go unnoticed. "Every visit to Israel is a powerful experience," says Goldberg.