ARRIVAL IN BEN GURION AIRPORT – TRANSFER TO TEL AVIV

Upon arrival to Ben Gurion Airport. After passport control and once you exit the airport, our representative will meet and escort you to board your modern deluxe bus to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Time permitting, we will make a short visit to the Church of Saint Peter in Jaffa. The Church stands on a hilly spot where Peter had a vision on the rooftop of the house of Simon the Tanner, imparting to him that all the creation of God is clean and that it is worthy to receive salvation through Jesus Christ.
Hotel check-in in Tel Aviv. Dinner and overnight.

CAESAREA MARITIMA – MOUNT CARMEL – MEGIDDO – NAZARETH – SEA OF GALILEE

In the morning after breakfast, we will set out to explore the magnificent city of Caesarea Maritima where we will see the impressive archaeological remains of the Roman and Byzantine Empires that once dominated the city. It was at Caesarea that Peter came to understand that the Good News was not for Jews only, but for the whole world. Here he baptized the Roman Centurion, Cornelius (and his family), the first gentile convert to Christianity according to Acts 10. Saint Paul set sail for Rome from Caesarea, an event that eventually brought Christianity to the western world. We will have a guided tour in Caesarea that includes a visit to the Roman amphitheatre theatre, Herod’s Palace, the hippodrome, the port, and the aqueducts.
After our visit to Caesarea Maritima, we will proceed to El-Muhraqa on top of Mount Carmel. El-Muhraqa means the place of burning, possibly related to the burnt sacrifice. We will ascend to the summit of Mount Carmel for a great view over the northern Kingdom of Israel and Phoenicia recalling the encounter between the God of Israel and Baal.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).

We will then continue to Tel Megiddo “Armageddon” where we will visit the site referred to in Revelation 16:15, meditate on the future end-of-days battle between the forces of good and evil, and the Second Coming of Christ recounted in the Book of Revelation.
We will then drive to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the hometown of Mary where Jesus lived as a child. The Church of the Annunciation stands atop the house of Mary where Angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced she was going to be with a child and call him Immanuel. In Nazareth, we will also visit the Upper Basilica, the nearby archaeological museum, and the archaeological remains of Nazareth from the time of Jesus. Later in the day we will visit the Mount of Precipice, also known as the Mount of Precipitation, the brow of the hill on which the ancient city of Nazareth stood (Luke 4). There we will enjoy the panoramic view of Jezreel Valley and reflect on the rejection of Jesus by His family and friends in Nazareth.
Our last visit of the day will be to Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed His first miracle changing water into wine at the request of His mother [John 2:1-11]. From Cana, we will then drive to our hotel on the Sea of Galilee.

SEA OF GALILEE

We will start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, followed by visit to the Ancient Boar Museum that houses a 2000-year-old fishing boat found buried in mud on the shores of Galilee. The boat provides a good example of how fishing boats looked like during the time of Jesus.
Then we will visit Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene, and see the 1st century synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue discovered on the shores of Galilee with a stone-carved replica of the Temple and Menorah.
We will then carry on to the Valley of the Doves and travel along the ancient road that leads from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee along the Via Maris.
We will then take a short drive to Capernaum, biblical village and hometown of Jesus. Capernaum is closely associated with Jesus and His ministry as described in the Synoptic Gospels. There we will see the house of the mother-in-law of Peter and an ancient synagogue that dates back to the time of Jesus and where much of His teaching took place.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
At noon, we will drive to Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. We will then visit the site known as “Peter’s Primacy” where Jesus appeared to His disciples for the third time after His Resurrection.
Later we will continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. We will enjoy the view of the enchanting gardens and reflect on Jesus’ sermon. We will also have time for prayer and reflection.
The last visit of the day will be to the Yardenit Baptismal Site on the River Jordan where you will have the opportunity to review baptismal vows.

BETH SHEAN – BET ARABAH – JERICHO – DEAD SEA

Immediately after breakfast and check-out, we will depart for Beth Shean, the capital of Decapolis, where we will see the archaeological remains of the Roman and Byzantine cities. We will visit the Disney Land of Archaeologists and Tel Beth Shean on which the bodies of King Saul and his children where hung (1 Samuel 28 – 31). After visiting the Roman city, we will carry on to Ein Harod passing Mount Gilboa (2 Samuel Ch. 1 – David lamentation over Gilboa).
Then we will travel south to Jericho, stop en route in Bet Arabah and see Qasr el-Yahud, known also as Gilgal, where the ancient Israelites crossed into the Promised Land. It is also the place where Prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven and where our Lord Jesus was baptized.
We will visit Tel Jericho, the old town of Joshua, from where we will see the location of the city of Jericho. Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The Mount of Temptation will also be in sight. We will make a tour in the city of Jericho and visit the Sycamore Tree Site reminding ourselves of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
After Jericho at around 15:00, we will depart for the hotel at the Dead Sea. Hotel check-in.
The rest of the afternoon will be leisure time to enjoy the spa in the hotel and have a dip in the relaxing and healing warm waters.

DEAD SEA – MASADA – EIN GEDI – QUMRAN – JERUSALEM

This morning we will depart for Masada where we will visit the fortress built by King Herod the Great and made famous by the Zealots in 73/74 AD with the standoff against the Romans. In the fortress, we will see the archaeological remains inscribed into the list in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will also have a dramatic ascent by cable car to Masada mountaintop.
From Masada, we will move on to Ein Gedi, an oasis in the desert where the meeting between David and King Saul took place (I Samuel 24) and where David wrote some of the psalms. (Time for sharing – Psalm 141 – the prayer of David in the cave).
We will then drive to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally found and the buildings that formed the public center of the Essenes.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
After lunch, we will start our ascent up to Jerusalem, passing the Good Samaritan Inn. Upon arrival to Jerusalem, we will have our welcome into the city of Jerusalem – Genesis welcome.

TEMPLE MOUNT – SAINT ANNE’S CHURCH – TEMPLE MOUNT – POOLS OF BETHESDA – ISRAEL MUSEUM – BETHLEHEM – SHEPHERDS’ FIELD

We will start the day at 07:40 with a visit to the Temple Mount, the location of Solomon Temple, rebuilt by Ezra and enlarged at the hands of Herod the Great during the lifetime of our lord Jesus Christ.
Please note that due to security reasons the only items visitors can carry into the Temple Mount are a mobile phone, a small camera, a notebook and a bottle of water. Groups with professional cameras, iPads, backpacks, purses, any religious symbols such as the Bible or crosses as well as Swiss penknives and clippers are not allowed entry into the Temple Mount premises.
We will then visit the Pools of Bethesda where the healing of the paralyzed took place (John 5). We will also have the opportunity to praise the Lord with hymns in the nearby perfectly intact Crusader Church of Saint Anne.
We will drive from the hotel to the Israel Museum where we will see a replica of the city of Jerusalem as it looked in the 1st century AD. We will also see the Shrine of the Book housing some of the Dead Sea scrolls found in Qumran.
At around noon we will drive to Bethlehem.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
After lunch, we will begin our tour in Bethlehem at Manger Square, which stands in front of one of the oldest of Christian churches, the Church of the Nativity. We will enter the Church and go down to the Grotto of the Nativity, which marks the spot where Jesus was born. Beneath the Altar, there is a silver star with the Latin inscription: HIC DE VIRGINE MARIA JESUS CHRISTUS NATUS (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary).
In the late afternoon, we will depart for the cave at the Shepherds’ Field where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cave has soot marks of the fires that the shepherds lit to keep warm while watching over their flocks. The field is also the setting of the Book of Ruth.

WAILING WALL – WESTERN WALL TUNNELS – MOUNT OF OLIVES – UPPER ROOM – JEWISH QUARTER

We will start the day with a visit to the Wailing Wall, also called the Western Wall, a section of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount and the holiest site of Judaism. We will also walk in the Western Wall Tunnels and reflect on the massive stones that once formed the western exterior retaining wall of the Temple.
Later, we will drive to Mount of Olives where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer and which is commonly believed to be the spot from where Jesus ascended to heaven. We will enjoy the panoramic view of the golden city of Jerusalem. We will walk along Palm Sunday path and stop at Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept over the City of Jerusalem. We will then carry on along the Jewish cemetery that overlooks the Eastern (Golden) Gate – known as the Thrones of Judgment (Psalm 122).
We will go up Mount Zion and visit the Cenacle that commemorates the Upper Room in which Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, and see King David’s Tomb.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
In the afternoon, we will go into the Old City of Jerusalem, pass through the Armenian Quarter into the Jewish Quarter, where we will see the Roman Cardo, King Hezekiah broad wall, Hurva Synagogue and the Golden Menorah.
We will end the day at the Southern steps, walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and stand at the southern steps where Jesus would have taught and from where Peter gave his sermon after the Pentecost.

SAMARIA

This day we will make an exciting excursion to Samaria in the north visiting Shiloh where the Ark of the Covenant stood for one generation, then see Wadi Luban where we will recall the Women of Shiloh dancing at the time of the harvest. The climax of the day will be a visit to Jacob’s Well, which was dug by Jacob himself and where Jesus encountered the Samaritan women. We will then drive up Mount Gerizim and see the Samaritan Temple and Samaritan village, which is still active until today.

GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE – SAINT PETER IN GALLICANTU – ECCE HOMO “JUDGMENT PAVEMENT” – GARDEN TOMB

This day will be dedicated to recall the Passion of Christ. We will start at the Garden of Gethsemane where amid the 2000-year-old olive trees we will see the Rock of Agony on which Jesus prayed and the nearby Gethsemane cave where Jesus often spent the nights and where He was arrested at the hands of the High Priest guards.
Then we will visit the House of Caiaphas and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where we will see parts of the streets where our Lord was hauled by His captors. We will have a chance to visit and pray at the dungeons where Jesus was locked up overnight.
Then we will proceed to Jaffa Gate and visit the Citadel of David from where we will also see the site where Jesus was brought in front of King Herod.
Lunch. (We would ask that each guest take care of their personal meal).
In the afternoon, we will visit to the Garden Tomb, a peaceful spot where we can solemnly remember Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection. We will see the Calvary and the empty Tomb, and celebrate the Holy Communion service in the Garden, experiencing the climax of pilgrimage at the empty Tomb.
Return to hotel in Jerusalem.
Farewell dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

DEPARTURE FOR TEL AVIV AIRPORT

Breakfast, hotel check-out, and transfer to airport for flight home.