Jan 6: USA / EUROPE.
Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport
two hours prior to their departure to Europe. Dinner and
breakfast will be served in-flight.
Jan 7: EUROPE / TEL AVIV.
Upon our arrival at the Tel Aviv airport we will be met and
transferred to our hotel in a suburb of Tel Aviv - situated on
the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Dinner will be served at
our hotel. Weather permitting, we suggest a walk after dinner
on the beach.
Jan 8: THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA / CAESAREA / MOUNT CARMEL / HAIFA /
PLAIN OF ARMAGEDDON / TIBERIAS.
After a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast we will begin
the thrilling journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus.
At Caesarea by the sea we'll visit the Crusader's Castle, the
Roman Amphitheater and water duct, and the port from which the
Apostle Paul sailed to Rome. We will continue northward along
the Mediterranean coast to Mount Carmel where Elijah defeated
the prophets of Baal by the Brook Kishon. Time allowed to climb
Mt. Carmel. Stop in Haifa to visit Elijah’s Cave. Then we'll
visit Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon, Jezreel and Esdraelon.
Eastward we will arrive in Tiberias for dinner and overnight at
our hotel and get our first glimpse of the beautiful Sea of
Galilee.
Jan 9: CANA / NAZARETH / MT. TABOR / DEBORIYA / BETHSHEAN /
TIBERIAS.
Traveling westward across Galilee, we will visit Cana and
Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, where we will visit the Church
of the Annunciation (Luke 1:5-42) and Mary's Fountain (Luke
4:16-22), on our way to Mt. Tabor. (Psalms 89:12) and Deboriya,
the hometown of the Prophetess Deborah at the foothill of Tabor
(Judges 4 and 5). Visit Mt. Tabor by car, and then continue to
Bethshean. Return to Tiberias for some leisure and activities of
your own. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Jan 10: TIBERIAS / THE SEA OF GALILEE / CAPERNAUM / MOUNT OF
BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MT. HERMON / GOLAN
HEIGHTS / THE JORDAN RIVER.
This day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a
delicious breakfast we will depart from the Roman hot springs
resort city of Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of
Galilee to Capernaum (John 6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of
this first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matthew
4:13-17). Then on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus preached
the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7. Time to walk around the
Mount. On to Tabgha, the chapel dedicated to the multiplication
of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). We will then proceed to
Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's Confession (Matthew 16:16)
at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm 89:12), the
probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8)Spend some
time for walking around here. The continue to the present day
Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come together. We
will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the Sea
of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the
sea. We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan
River for an optional Baptism in the Jordan. Return to our hotel
for overnight.
Jan 11: JERICHO / MASADA / DEAD SEA.
Early morning departure south through the Jordan Valley to
ancient Jericho where the walls came tumbling down (I Kings
17:1-6 and II Kings 2:19-22) and a commanding view of the Mt. of
Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11) and Elisha's Fountain. Continue to
Masada and ascend by cable car or climb the walls to visit the
magnificent ruins of the fortress where from 70-73 A.D. the
Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean Revolt
against Rome and where the remains of storehouses, cisterns and
a sixth century Byzantine church are still on view. Continue
to our hotel at the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.
Jan 12: EIN GEDI / QUMRAN / BETHANY / JERUSALEM.
This morning we visit Ein Gedi - thanks to its location, hot
climate, and abundant water, Ein Gedi is a tropical oasis with
reserves of four springs - David, Arugot, Shulamit, and Ein Gedi
– which are literally the wellspring for a wealth of flora and
fauna, providing a stark contrast to the parched desert
environment all around. (In the winter, rainfall in the Judean
Hills can translate into torrential flooding in the David and
Arugot rivers. When there is a danger of flooding, hiking here
is prohibited.) Continue to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls
were discovered for a visit. See the remains of the Community
Center of the Essenes and the Caves of the Scrolls. On to
Jerusalem visiting on the way the Inn of the Good Samaritan
(Luke 10:25-37), and Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and
Lazarus (John 11:1-46). On to our Jerusalem hotel for
overnight.
Jan 13: JERUSALEM.
Visit the Church of All Nations which stands on the Rock of
Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matt. 26:36-57). See
the Pillar of Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the
Pinnacle of the Temple. We then drive to Mt. Zion where we
visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu on the site of
Caiphas' House, the Room of the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-20) and
the Tomb of King David. Continue to tour New Jerusalem: Hebrew
University, the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead Sea
Scrolls, Yad Vashem - the immensely moving memorial to the six
million martyrs of the Holocaust - and the Model City of
Jerusalem which depicts in miniature the Holy City as it
appeared in the first century. Visit Ein Karem and return to our
hotel for overnight.
Jan 14: JERUSALEM / MT. OF OLIVES / OLD CITY.
Today we drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of
Jerusalem, visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of
Ascension, then proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane. Crossing
the Kidron Valley, we pass the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and
St. James, then visit the Pool of Siloam and the Church of St.
Peter of Gallicantu (Caiaphas' House). Visit Hezekiah’s tunnel
and the David Museum. We enter the Old City this afternoon
through the Zion Gate and see the Cardo and the remains of
Nehemiah's Wall on the way to the Western (Wailing) Wall. Time
available to ‘walk the wall’ if you choose. Then a visit to the
Rabbinical Tunnel (by appointment). Then continue through the
Old City bazaars.
Jan 15: JERUSALEM.
Today begins with visiting an archeological dig and a chance to
participate. Continue to the Temple Area of Mt. Moriah. Visit
the El Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock which is built on
the ancient site of Solomon's Temple (Genesis 22:9-14) and over
the Rock of Sacrifice where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22)
and the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. We then
visit the Church of St. Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, Pilate's
Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the
Arch of Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man"). We follow the Via Dolorosa
(Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and end
our day in the Garden Tomb and Golgotha - Place of the Skull -
for a worship service before returning to the hotel for dinner
and overnight.
Jan 16: JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM.
This morning we visit the New City of Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the
Upper Room, the tomb of King David and Dormition Abbey. We enter
the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to visit the Wohl
Archaeological Museum, displaying the newly restored Herodian
Quarter. Remains of this area of Jerusalem date back to the time
of the Herodian Dynasty (37 BC to 70 AD). This afternoon we
continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, the
Manger, Crusader's Cloister and the Grotto of St. Jerome. We
then visit the cave in Shepherds' Field and view the Fields of
Boaz. En route to Jerusalem we see the Tomb of Rachel and other
antiquities before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Jan 17: TEL AVIV / NORTH AMERICA.
Early morning departure to the Tel Aviv airport for our flight
home—the end of a most enjoyable journey and educational
experience.
