as our guide who had lived in Israel & spoke Hebrew & Arabic - we did a side trip to Jordan. He is now a BYU professor. We figured out all the logistics. We were invited to Jimmy’s house for a traditional Palestinian dinner that he & his wife & MIL made for us. We met with a Jewish man in a settlement on the West Bank & lots of experiences that could be had by a small group & a guide that had lived amongst the people & understood the culture. Your wife has the right idea. We hate big tours & avoid them like the plague. Sounds like a great rest of the year.