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Itinerary
Day by Day
- 2
Saturday
Istanbul, Tel Aviv, NetanyaToday we will arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our flight to Tel Aviv. Our guide, who will be with us throughout our time in Israel, will meet us upon arrival. We will board our bus and travel through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel on our way to the city of Netanya, on the Mediterranean, where we will check into our hotel for overnight.
- 3
Sunday
Netanya, Caesarea, Megiddo, Nazareth Village, TiberiasThis morning we begin our day at Caesarea, capital of the Roman procurators of Judea where we will visit the Roman port, the Crusader's Moat, the Roman theater and the aqueduct. Proceeding to Megiddo we will visit the excavations that unearthed 20 different civilizations. This is Michener’s “The Source”. Continuing down the road to Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus, we will stop at an overlook and view the entire valley. Our last stop will be at the Nazareth Village. Here we will go back in time 2,000 years and meet Bible characters from the time of Jesus. Then it will be on to Tiberias for our view of the Sea of Galilee and our check in at our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 4
Monday
Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Magdala"Hazor previously was the head of all these kingdoms." (Joshua 11:10). Thismorning our drive will take us to the northern limits of Jesus' travel as we view the sources of the Jordan River. We will cross the River Hatzbani to Dan, where we will combine a nature walk beside the Upper Jordan with views of the ancient ruins, topped by the Israelite high place that supported a golden calf (I Kings 12). A short drive will take us to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), dedicated to Pan, the Greek god of pastures, flocks and shepherds. Here Peter made his great profession of faith, recognizing Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God “ (Matthew 16:16). Driving along the foot of Mount Hermon, we will ascend onto the Golan Plateau for a magnificent view of upper Israel. On our return we will stop at Chorazin and then on to Magdala, home to one of the oldest synagogues in the country, dating back to the first century AD. Magdala was the home of Mary Magdalena, and was the fishing center where Peter would have brought his catch to be sold or processed. We will then return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 5
Tuesday
Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Jordan RiverThis morning we enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, returning to Nof Ginosar where we will see the New Testament fishing boat found below the sea. We will continue our morning tour with a visit to Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. We will stop in Tiberias where we enjoy our included St. Peter's fish lunch. Our last stop today will be at the Jordan River where we may have the opportunity to re-enact our baptism, and then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 6
Wednesday
Tiberias, Bet Shean, Jericho, JerusalemThis morning we travel via the Crusader fortress of Belvoir along the Rift Valley to Old Testament Bet Shean where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls. In New Testament time this location became the DecapolisCapital, Scythopolis, and was traveled by Jesus. There we will see the ancient theater, Circus Maximus and Cardo Maximo. We will then head down the Jordan River road and on to Jericho, the oldest walled city in the world, where we will enjoy our included lunch. Here we reflect on great biblical events, theconquest of Joshua and the temptation of Jesus. We will continue on to Jerusalem, where we will view this majestic city from Mt. Scopus, beforemaking our way to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 7
Thursday
Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Shepherd's Fields, Bethlehem"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace." (Luke 19:42) Our drive this morning takes us past the Chapel of Ascension and Paternoster to the Mt. of Olives for an orientation view of Jerusalem and the opportunity of a group photograph overlooking Jerusalem. We will then walk the traditional Passion walk, first descending to the church known as Dominus Flevit ("Our Lord weeps"). After viewing the Golden Gate, we will walk downhill to Gethsemane, where we take time to meditate on the Gospel text and view the Church of All Nations. We will board our bus and continue on to the Shrine of the Book and visit the Model City of Jerusalem.
"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord". (Luke 2:10-11). This afternoon we will drive south to one of the possible sites for Shepherds' Fields. We continue into Bethlehem itself, walking through the restored old town to the Church of the Nativity, visiting the manger and seeingthe cave of St. Jerome. We will drive back to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
- 8
Saturday
Jerusalem, Masada, Dead SeaToday we will drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We will see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we will proceed to Ein Gedi where time permitting we will walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert. In the afternoon we will continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We will have a stop for lunch (optional) and time to swim in the Dead Sea for those that want to, returning to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
- 9
Sunday
Jerusalem, Western Wall Tunnel, Southern Wall, Temple InstituteAfter breakfast we transfer to the Dung Gate, where we ascend to the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site of Islam, located on the traditional site of the ancient Temple Mount. Here the first and second Temples once stood. We will continue on the Western Wall Plaza to visit the Kotel Tunnel, going down to thefoundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where we are in location to the Temple in the time of Christ. We will continue along the tunnel as we proceed to the Gateway of the Priests entry to the Holy of Holies. We will continue to the Temple Institute where we will see the making of the instruments for the new temple. We will see how they are following the Bible for exact instructions. We will see a film explaining where the Rabbi believes the Temple and courts could be located. We will continue on to the Southern Wall excavations to examine the ruins near the south side of the Temple complex, including steps where we may be certain that Jesus and the disciples walked. Time permitting, we will descend to the Gihon Spring and walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel to the pool of Siloam. We will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 10
Friday
Old City, Via Dolorosa, Garden Tomb“He has risen!” (Mark 16:6) After breakfast we will transfer to the Dung Gate, where we ascend to the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, considered the third holiest site of Islam, located on the site of the ancient Temple Mount. Here the first and second Temples once stood. Just to the north we find the Pools of Bethesda (John 5) and St. Anne’s Church. The church is perfectly preserved from the Crusader period – with remarkable acoustics. Continuing on we will see Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (Behold the Man). We will then follow the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) through the bazaars as far as the Holy Sepulcher. After enjoying our included lunch we walk from the Christian Quarter along the Arab Souks through the Cardo Maximo and past the Armenian Quarter. Continuing on to Mount Zion we will visit the Upper Room and the Tomb of King David, and then proceed to the grounds of a church called Peter in Gallicantu, which affords the best view of early Jerusalem from the west. (Here, the Assumptions Fathers suggest, was the house where the High Priest Caiaphas interrogated Jesus). We will then board our bus to the Garden Tomb where we will end our day with a special visit and the possibility of having a private communion on the grounds outside the city walls. We will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 11
Monday
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, USAWe will transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for our flight home, filled with unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians on such a memorable tour will bring new meaning to our Bible reading for many years to come.
From Dulles