Description
Israel Tour with Rev. Stan Pegram & Dave Walker - January 2025
We would like to invite you to tour the Holy Land with us in January 2025. One thing we can promise you is, this tour will change your life forever!
What's Included
Our tours are all-inclusive. Always.
Videos
Watch the experience
Itinerary
Day by Day
- 2
Friday
Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, TiberiasThis afternoon we will arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our flight to Israel. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us for the time we are in the Holy Land. Continue past Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel, to the famous Sea of Galilee in Tiberias where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 3
Saturday
Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Magdala"The Head of all those Kingdoms" (Joshua 11:10) The Sources of the Jordan.
This morning our drive takes us to the northern limits of Jesus' travel as we cross the River Hatzbani to Dan. Here we 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). Then a short drive to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), dedicated to Pan the Greek god of pastures, flocks and shepherds; here Peter made his great profession of faith, recognition of Christ Jesus (Matthew 16). Driving along the foot of Mount Hermon, we 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, one of the oldest synagogues dating back to the first century AD. Home of Mary Magdalena and was the fishing center where Peter would have brought his catch to be sold or processed. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 4
Sunday
Arbel, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, BethsaidaWe begin the day with a drive to Mount Arbel where we will climb to the top for the most fantastic view of the Sea of Galilee and Tiberias you could ever imagine. From here we’ll be able to see the Sea of Galilee plus Tiberias, Magdala, Capernaum, Bethsaida, the Mount of Beatitudes and more. It will be the most breathtaking view of the tour. We will then take.a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We’ll stop in the middle of the sea for a time of worship and hearing the Word. We dock at Ginossar where we view the New Testament boat found below the waters of the Galilee. This boat dates from the time of Jesus. Then we continue to Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha and Capernaum. Our included lunch today will be St. Peter's Fish (or an alternative will be available). After lunch, we’ll be visiting Bethsaida, the home of Peter, Andrew, James and John. Our last stop today will be at the River Jordan with transfer to the hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
- 5
Monday
Tiberias, Can, Sephoris, Nazareth, Bet SheanThis morning we drive to Cana - the village where Jesus performed the first miracle, turning water into wine, with the Wedding Church and the Church of Nathanael. We continue to Sepphoris with its beautiful mosaics and not far from Yodfat, where the Jewish General in charge of Galilee, Josephus, was defeated by the Roman armies and became their official historian. Next we proceed to Nazareth where we visit Mary's Well, before we ascend the Mount of the Precipice at the brow of Nazareth overlooking the Valley of Jezreel, synonymous with Armageddon.
This afternoon we continue to the Rift Valley to Bet Shean, where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls. We’ll walk through the ancient Roman Theater, Circus Maximus and Cardo Maximo. We’ll return then for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
- 6
Tuesday
Megiddo, Mount Carmel, Caesarea, JerusalemWe leave Tiberias for Jerusalem; on the way we cross the Plain of Jezreel to Megiddo to visit the excavations of over 20 different civilizations. Last stop of the morning will be a visit to Muhraka on Mount Carmel.
In the afternoon we visit Caesarea on the Mediterranean, the Roman aqueduct and port, Crusader's Moat, and the famous Roman Theater. Proceeding by way of Beot Horon and Gibeon to Mt. Scopus, we behold majestic Jerusalem, checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 7
Wednesday
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 then walk the traditional Passion walk. We descend to the church known as Dominus Flevit ("Our Lord weeps"). After viewing the Golden Gate, we walk downhill to Gethsemane, where we take time to meditate on the Gospel text and view the Church of All Nations. Enter the Old City and make our way to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, before we proceed to the Jerusalem Archeological Park where we see the Steps that entered the temple and the Southern Wall. It was here that Jesus would have taught the disciples. See a video that shows the temple as it was at Herod's (or Jesus') time.
"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 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 and visiting the manger and see the cave of St. Jerome. We drive back to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
- 8
Thursday
Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Shrine of the BookThis morning we will board our bus and head to Yad Vashem and see the Museum of the Holocaust. We’ll continue to the Israel Museum where we will see the model city of Jerusalem as it was at the time of the Second Temple, then visit the Shrine of the Book. You will have time to explore on your own before we continue on to visit the Friends of Zion Museum. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 9
Friday
Jerusalem, Valley of Elah, Free TimeThis morning we begin our day with a visit to the 911 Memorial. Leave Jerusalem to begin our day driving to Latrun and Emmaus, where Jesus appeared to two disciples and walked with them. On to Tel Beit Shemesh, a border city between Judah and Dan, Beth Shemesh was given to the Levites. Beth Shemesh was the most important Israelite city in the Sorek Valley as it watched both east-west traffic through the Sorek Valley and north-south traffic along the "Diagonal Route." Next we continue on to the Valley of Elah—the site of David's conquest of the giant Goliath. We return to Jerusalem where the afternoon will be free to explore on your own. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
- 10
Saturday
Masada, Qumran, Dead Sea, JerichoToday we 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 see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1,300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we proceed to Ein Gedi where time permitting we will walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert.
This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We will have a stop for lunch and time for those that want to swim in the Dead Sea. We travel to Jericho, the world’s oldest city. From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha’s spring and Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation. We will head up to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner.
- 11
Sunday
Western Wall, Southern WallThis morning we board our bus for our exciting tour to the famous Western Wall Tunnel. Here we will enter by the Western wall plaza and go down to the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a computer reconstruction that will demonstrate where we are in location to the Temple in the time of Christ. We 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 in the Jewish Quarter 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 Ark of the Covenant is found. We continue our walk 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 go 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. We’ll continue through the City of David to Hezekiah's Tunnel, making our way to the Pool of Siloam. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
- 12
Monday
Old City, Via Dolorosa, Garden Tomb“He has risen!” (Mark 16:6) After breakfast we 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 see Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (Behold the Man). We then follow the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) through the bazaars as far as the Holy Sepulcher. From there 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 visit the Upper Room and the Tomb of King David, and then 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 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. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
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