ARRIVAL IN BEN GURION AIRPORT – TRANSFER TO TEL AVIV

Upon arrival to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, you will receive your entry visa imprinted on a blue ticket. This blue ticket is your entry visa into the country and you are to keep it with you throughout the whole trip. Once you exit the airport, our representative will meet and escort you to board your modern deluxe bus and to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Hotel check-in, dinner and overnight.

TEL AVIV – VALLEY OF ELAH – HEBRON – DEAD SEA

After breakfast and check-out, we will depart for the coastal line along the biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel and the Philistines kingdom. We will pass by Zorah, the birthplace of Samson, and Bet Shemesh where the Israelites received back the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. We will then go down the Valley of Elah and stop at the foot of Tel Socoh, recalling the encounter between David and Goliath. We will continue to Hebron where we will visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs Abraham, Joseph, Isaac and Jacob. We will then proceed south toward the Negev, Israel’s ancient biblical borders with Egypt. We will pass by Arad and recall the account of King of Arad blocking the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt. At the end of the day, we will drive to our hotel on the Dead Sea. Check-in, dinner & overnight.

MASADA – EIN GEDI – DEAD SEA

Early morning we will check out from hotel and 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 and see the remains of fortifications, waterworks, synagogues temples and palaces. 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. There will be time to share Psalm 142 and have a chance to hike to the head of David’s Spring that leads up to a beautiful waterfall fringed in fern. You will also have some free time late in the afternoon to enjoy the hotel spa and a dip in the relaxing and healing Dead Sea lukewarm waters. Return to hotel on the Dead Sea, dinner & overnight.

QUMRAN – BET ARABAH – JERICHO – SEA OF GALILEE

After breakfast and checkout, we will travel along the shores of the Dead Sea to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally discovered and understand the importance of the discovery. We will also see the buildings that formed the public center of the Essenes. 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. Then we will continue our drive to Jericho where we will have lunch. After lunch, 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 and remind ourselves of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus. In the late afternoon, we will drive to our hotel on the Sea of Galilee, dinner & overnight.

CARMEL – MEGIDDO – NAZARETH – SEA OF GALILEE

We will start the day with a visit to El-Muhraqa on top of Mount Carmel. El-Muhraqa means the place of burning, possibly related to the burnt sacrifice. We will reflect on the contest between Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), brainstorm on the reasons why Prophet Elijah chose that place for the contest, and think about the lessons learnt from the story. We will continue to Tel Megiddo, containing 26 stratified layers of civilizations and overlooking the Valley of Jezreel, which many believe to be the legendary Armageddon. There we will meditate on the future end-of-days battle between the forces of good and evil (Revelation 16), and the Second Coming of Christ recounted in the Book of Revelation. In addition to the visit to Tel Megiddo, there will be other sightseeing options including the City Gate built by King Solomon, the stables and palaces from the time of Ahab and the impressive water system dating back to the 9th century BC. After enjoying the view of Tel Megiddo, we will 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. Return to hotel on the Sea of Galilee, dinner & overnight.

CAESAREA PHILIPPI – CAPERNAUM – TABGHA – PETER'S PRIMACY – MT OF BEATITUDES – BOAT RIDE – SEA OF GALILEE

There is nothing more stirring than a sunrise on the Sea of Galilee as we wake up on this day. We will start with the drive to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter made the good confession of Christ as “the Son of the living God.” Today’s sites include 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. Later on the day, we will visit Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. We will the visit the site known as “Peter’s Primacy” where Jesus appeared to His disciples for the third time after His Resurrection. We will then proceed unto the hilltop overlooking the Sea of Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes, scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. We will enjoy the view of the enchanting gardens, the Church and Monastery, and reflect on Jesus’ sermon in which He taught the masses, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” There will be time for reflection and worship. Our day will end with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of a boat from the time of Jesus. Return to hotel on the Sea of Galilee, dinner & overnight.

CAESAREA MARITIME – BETHLEHEM – SHEPHERDS' FIELD – JERUSALEM

In the morning after breakfast and check-out, 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 amphitheater, Herod’s Palace, the hippodrome, the port, and the aqueducts. We will then travel to Bethlehem where we will begin our tour 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. Arrival in Jerusalem, hotel check-in, dinner & overnight.

JERUSALEM (WHERE IT ALL BEGAN) – WAILING WALL –- SOUTHERN WALL EXCAVATION SITE – CITY OF DAVID – HEZEKIAH'S TUNNEL – MOUNT ZION

Our day will begin with a visit to the famous Western (Wailing) Wall of Jerusalem. You will have the opportunity to pray at the Wall. Next, we will visit the Southern Wall Excavation Site where we will stand at the southern entrance to the Herodian Temple. Here we will see the ancient boulders of the Temple and sit on the steps where Jesus undoubtedly taught. We will also visit the City of David, the ancient part of the city that dates back to the Old Testament. After seeing the excavations, there will be an optional walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Flashlights and water shoes will be needed. Hezekiah’s Tunnel (II Chr. 29–32) is a 1,720 foot tunnel that ends at the new excavations of the Pool of Siloam (John 9). After our stop for lunch, we will proceed to Mount Zion where we will visit the Cenacle that commemorates the Upper Room in which Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, and see King David’s Tomb. 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, a life size replica of the one that stood at the temple. Return to our hotel for dinner. Return to hotel in Jerusalem, dinner & overnight.

TEMPLE MOUNT – POOLS OF BETHESDA – MOUNT OF OLIVES – ISRAEL MUSEUM – YAD VASHEM

This morning will start with a visit to the Temple Mount, 3rd holiest place for the Moslem world, where Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock now stand. It was here where the Jerusalem Temple stood – the location of Solomon Temple at the time of Christ, rebuilt by Ezra and enlarged at the hands of Herod the Great during the lifetime of our lord Jesus Christ. We will walk along its esplanade reclaiming Jesus teaching at its courts.

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 start with a drive to Mount of Olives where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Pprayer 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). The Garden of Gethsemane will also be in view. In the afternoon, 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. The day will end with a visit to Yad Vashem Memorial. You will have a guided tour in Israel’s official memorial of the victims of the Holocaust. We will remember the 6 million Jews murdered at the hands of the Nazis during WWII which lead to the miraculous re birth of the state of Israel "'Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!" Ezekiel 16:6. Yad Vashem is a Hebrew expression that literally means “a monument and a name.”

SAINT PETER IN GALLICANTU – ECCE HOMO – HOLY SEPULCHER – GARDEN TOMB

In the morning, we will drive to the eastern slope of Mount Zion to 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 by Caiaphas. This will be followed by a visit to Ecce Homo, a Latin expression that means “behold the man.” The words were uttered by Pontius Pilate when he presented a scourged Jesus bound and crowned with thorns, and dressed in purple garment to the hostile crowd. We will see as well the Stone Pavement called Lithostratos and have some time for prayer and meditation. Then we will start the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross), see the Stations of the Cross, and walk through the markets of the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, known by the locals as the Church of Resurrection. Here is the site of Calvary and the Tomb of Christ. In the afternoon, we will go on a 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 our hotel in Jerusalem, farewell dinner & overnight.

DEPARTURE FOR TEL AVIV AIRPORT

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