Upon arrival in the Big Apple, we are welcomed by an Ayelet Tours representative who will be our guide an educator on our journey. One cannot visit New York and not think of food. In true Jewish fashion, we arrive hungry and stop for a nosh of bagels and schmear en route.

Our first stop is the at The Jewish Museum for a tour of exhibits such as "Idientity, Culture, and Community: Stories from the Collection," a three floor thematic installation centered around objects that trace the arc of Jewish life from a wide spectrum of Jewish experience: Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi, and more.

We continue to the magnificent Central Synagogue, one of the oldest synagogues in continuous use i New York and a cornerstone of American Reform Judaism. Here, we enjoy a conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, a national leader and inspiring voice in modern Jewish life, on the topic "Courage, Faith, and Leadership: Jewish Women Shaping the Future."

We then proceed to our hotel to check in and refresh. Tonight, we join together for a delicious welcome dinner at Malka, Chef Eyal Shani's modern Israeli restaurant, where tradition meets innovation.

We begin our day at Battery Park, for a scenic ride across New York Harbor, where the skyline gives way to two of America's most powerful symbols of freedom and opportunity. Our first stop is Liberty Island, home to the iconic Statue of Liberty, a towering emblem of hope, resilience, and welcome. Gaze up at Lady Liberty as she holds her torch aloft, just as she did for the millions who arrived here seeking refuge and new beginnings. Walk around the base or visit the museum inside the pedestal to learn about the statue's creation, symbolism and role as a beacon to generations of immigrants.

Next, we sail onward to Ellis Island, the gateway to America for over 12 million immigrants, including vast numbers of Jewish families fleeing persecution in Eastern Europe. Step into the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, housed in the restored Main Hall where hopeful newcomers once waited to be processed. Explore powerful, interactive exhibits that bring the immigrant experience to life through photographs, oral histories, artifacts and immersive displays.

We also search the Family History Center for ship manifests and immigration records-perhaps even tracing your own family's journey.

We return to mainland and head to lunch (on own) at the iconic Kat'z Deli, where we'll enjoy some good old fashioned Jewish food, including matzo ball soup and pastrami piled high on rye (OR go to Russ and Daughters).

After lunch, we continue your journey from past to present with a walking tour of the Lower East Side, once the heart of Jewish immigrant life. Along the way, we visit historic synagogues, former Yiddish theaters and old-world bakeries that kept tradition alive amid change.

We complete our day with a tour at the Tenement Museum, where costumed interpreters bring to life the struggles and resilience of Jewish families in the early 1900s.

Tonight, we hit the town for dinner at Reserve Cut, New York's premier upscale kosher steakhouse.

We complete our evening with a cultural experience such as a Broadway show.

This afternoon, gather at JFNA Headquarters for a special panel discussion featuring representatives from ORT, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAI) and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

This afternoon, we partake in a hands-on Jewish cooking workshop at a New York culinary studio such as Gefilteria. We learn to make iconic dishes like challah, shakshuka or rugelach while exploring how Jewish women (and men) have passed down culinary traditions through generations, then enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Later, we head to the airport filled with stories, flavors and new connections to Jewish life in New York. We land in Ft Lauderdale later this evening.