Day 1 – Monday October 23 – DESTINATION ISRAEL
6pm Meet at Houston International Airport at the Turkish Air check in counter for the 8:55pm overnight nonstop flight to Istanbul. Meals served on board.
Day 2 – Tuesday October 24 – TEL AVIV
Arrive in Istanbul at 4:50pm. Leave Istanbul at 6pm on the flight to Tel Aviv. Arrive in Tel Aviv at 8pm meet your tour guide. Drive to Jaffa (Joppa) where Peter stayed with Simon the Tanner (Acts 9:43, 10:9-23). See the harbor on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, where Jonah boarded a ship to run away from God (Jonah 1:1). 1 night ~ Leonardo hotel Natanya (Dinner)
Day 3 – Wednesday October 25 – GALILEE & GOLAN
Travel along the Mediterranean shore through the Plain of Sharon on the old coastal road known in Roman times as the Via Maris, which linked Egypt and Babylon. Stop at Caesarea Maritima the Roman capital and the largest port in the Mediterranean, built by King Herod the Great. Here Pontius Pilate had his seat, Cornelius lived and was baptized (Acts 10), Paul embarked to Tarsus (Acts 9:30) and Philip preached (Acts 8:40). Visit the Roman Theatre, the Hippodrome, the Crusader City and the aqua ducts. Continue north. View the Burned Place (Muhraka) on Mt Carmel where Elijah challenged the 400 false prophets of Baal. Drive along the Jezreel Valley to Megiddo. Visit one of King Solomon’s fortified city kingdoms (1 Kings 9:15; 10:26) – with 21 layers of impressive ruins, where the book of revelations will come to life at the site of the epic Armageddon. (Breakfast & dinner) 2 nights ~ Leonardo hotel Tiberias
Day 4 – Thursday October 26 – GALILEE
Travel North to Dan visit the nature reserve and ancient site including a mud brick gate from the time of Abraham (Genesis 14: 14). Continue to Banias to visit Caesarea Philippi the Northern extent of Jesus’ Ministry, where Jesus asked, “Who do men say I am?” Travel onto the Golan Heights stop to reflect on current events and the ferocious battle that took place Oct 1973 in the Valley of Tears. Enjoy a fish lunch on the “other side”. Following the tradition of the “fishermen” disciples, sail on the Sea of Galilee with time for meditation and prayer. View the famous ancient boat from the time of Jesus. Visit sites central to Jesus’ Ministry – starting at the Church of the Primacy of Peter (Tabgha) on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Continue to Kfar Nahum Capernaum center of Jesus’ Ministry in the Galilee and the site of many of his miracles (Mark 2:4; Matt.8:5; 9). See the remains of St Peter’s (mother in law’s) home and the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught and worshipped (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:31) and the Mt Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the famous “Sermon On the Mount” (Matt.5). End the day at Yardenit for Baptism ceremony. (Breakfast, lunch & dinner)
Day 5 – Friday October 27 – ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM
Start the day visiting Beit Shean where the bodies of King Saul and his sons were placed on the walls by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:10) – later known as Scythopolis, capital of Decapolis. For those who are able to, jog up to the ancient Tel and view the impressive archaeological dig from the (Tel) hill top. Drive through the Jordan Valley, where the desert now blooms with flowers and vegetation of every description (Isaiah 35:1-2) en route to the Dead Sea, lowest point on earth. Stop at Qasr Al Yahud the traditional spot where the baptism of Jesus took place. Ascend through the Judean Desert Wilderness to the Holy City – golden Jerusalem. Stop on Mount Scopus for your first view of Jerusalem of Gold and to recite a Psalm of Ascent. For those interested there is an opportunity to go to the Western Wall to witness the reception given “the Sabbath Bride”. 6 nights ~ Dan Boutique Hotel Jerusalem (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 6 – Saturday October 28 – JERUSALEM
Start the day at Yad Vashem – national memorial and Museum of the Shoah, pay tribute to the six million victims of the Holocaust in Europe during the Second World War. At the Israel Museum visit the Shrine of the Book, home of
the Dead Sea scrolls and the Model of Ancient Jerusalem describing the city from the Second Temple Period, the time of Jesus. Travel across the city. View the Old and new city from the Mt. of Olives and then follow in the footsteps of Jesus and the Galileans walk down the hillside on the route of Palm Sunday via Dominus Flevit to Gethsemane. Visit the Church of All Nations with time for reflection and prayer in the Olive orchard. Continue to Mt. Zion stop to see the steps that Jesus might have walked on at St Peter in Gallicantu. (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 7 – Sunday October 29 – OLD JERUSALEM
Visit King David’s City including: warren’s shaft, Hezekiah’s or the Canaanite Tunnel and the Pool of Siloam. Enter the Old City to visit the Southern Wall Archaeological Park with impressive excavations along the South Western Wall of the Temple Mount and stand on the very same ancient steps that Jesus and the disciples used 2000 years ago to enter the House of God. Stop at the Western Wall (Kotel) Judaism’s most sacred site, then walk back in time through the Western Wall Tunnel Excavations. Visit the pools of Bethsaida at St Anne’s church where Jesus healed the paralytic man. Continue to the Monastery of the Sisters of Zion to visit the Lithostrotos perhaps the very place where Jesus was tormented and disrobed by Roman soldiers. Continue through the colourful Suk (markets) and stop to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 8 – Monday October 30 – OLD JERUSALEM
Stop at the Garden Tomb – remember the resurrection and worship with Holy Communion. Stroll through the Suk (market place) in the Old City en route to the Jewish quarter. Stop at the Broad Wall (Isaiah) then view some of the archaeological windows into the past from the first and second temple periods in the Roman/Byzantine/Crusader Street called the “Cardo.” Visit the Herodian Mansions to learn more about quality of life in Jesus’ day in the Holy City. Then stop at the Temple Mt Institute to see replicas of the instruments used in worship on the Temple. Spend the remainder of the afternoon shopping and exploring the Old City. For those who would like to – end the day at Herodion a fabulous 2000-year-old desert fortress possibly the site of King Herod the Great’s tomb. (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 9 – Tuesday October 31 – THE DEAD SEA AND THE JUDEAN DESERT
Travel through the Judean Desert to Abraham’s tent for an unusual Biblical desert experience – with camel rides and tribal hospitality. Continue along the shore of the Dead Sea – the lowest point on earth. Visit Qumran site of the “Cult of the Judean Desert” – perhaps the Essenes of Jesus’ day, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in a nearby cave. View the oasis at Ein Gedi where we remember David fleeing the wrath of King Saul en route to the Southern Alter with time for reflection and prayer. Drive north to Masada – visit ruins of King Herod’s mountaintop fortress, later the last stronghold of the Jewish revolt against Rome (73 C.E). Ascend and descend by cable car. Stop for a unique experience – “float” in the Dead Sea – you cannot sink! (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 10 – Wednesday November 1 – JERUSALEM
Spend a day at leisure in this fascinating city. Return to places of interest / visit one of the many Museums (modest fee required); or shop in the old or new city; or dabble in archaeology at Emek Zurrim a salvage dig in Jerusalem where you can “dig up your past.” Enjoy a farewell dinner in the hotel. Meet for debriefing. (Breakfast & dinner)
Day 11 – Thursday November 2 – BACK TO THE USA
Transfer to Ben Gurion airport for your Turkish Air flight to Houston via Istanbul. Depart Tel Aviv at 8:30am on the flight to Istanbul. Arrive in Istanbul at 12:20pm. Leave Istanbul at 2:45pm on the direct non-stop flight to Houston (meals served on board). Arrive in Houston at 8:20pm.
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