l’kidem (encounter) israel 2019

TORONTO

Departure from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Air Canada flying non-stop from Toronto to Tel Aviv departing at 4:50pm from Terminal 1.

TEL AVIV / JAFFA

Arrive in Tel Aviv at 10:15am where our tour guide will meet us. We start with a tour of Jaffa that affords us a breathtaking view of the city of Tel Aviv. At this picturesque port city of winding alleys, art galleries and craft boutiques here King Solomon had the cedars of Lebanon rafted for the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem. You will view the spot of the House of Simon the Tanner. In Tel Aviv we will visit the home of the first Prime Minister of Israel David Ben Gurion. After our tour we will be transferred to our hotel in Tel Aviv. Balance of the day will be at leisure. Walk along the Mediterranean promenade to see the sunset before dinner. Dinner and overnight at the Metropolitan Hotel, Tel Aviv

CAESAREA / MT.CARMEL / MEGIDDO

We drive north along the Plain of Sharon, the Mediterranean and the old coastal road- the Via Maris which linked Egypt and Babylon as we journey towards Galilee. We stop at Caesarea the incredible fortress city built by King Herod the Great. Here, Pontius Pilate had his base; where Cornelius lived and was baptized (Acts 10); where Paul embarked to Tarsus (Acts 9:30) and where Philip preached (Acts 8:40). Visit the Roman Theatre and the Hippodrome. We drive to Haifa and ascend Mt. Carmel the site where the prophet Elijah fought the 400 false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:30). We will stop for an incredible panoramic view of Haifa. We visit the Haifa Home for Holocaust survivors. We turn inland and proceed to Megiddo, one of King Solomon’s walled fortified cities (1 Kings 9:15; 10:26), with ruins of 20 levels of civilization. From here, the Books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we read about the final Battle of Armageddon while viewing the Plains of Jezreel. Continue to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gev on the Sea of Galilee

JESUS’ MINISTRY IN THE GALILEE

We start the day with a visit to the ancient boat museum of a boat from the time of Jesus found in the Sea of Galilee by fishermen from Kibbutz Nof Ginossar. We continue for a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Drive to Capernaum, the centre of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and the site of many of his miracles (Mark 2:4; Matt.8:5; 14-7; 9; 1-7; 17:18). We will see the remains of Peter’s house and the synagogue site where Jesus taught and worshipped (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:31). Drive to Tabgha and visit the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. Visit the Church of the Primacy Traditional site where Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection Continue to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered what is perhaps the most famous sermon ever preached – “The Sermon On The Mount” (Matt.5). Continue to the Primacy of Peter the traditional site where Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. Visit to Magdala the newly excavated site to see the 1st century synagogue where Jesus taught. Continue to Bethsaida- An ancient fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is known as the birthplace of three Apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip. Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gev on the Sea of Galilee

UPPER GALILEE / GOLAN HEIGHTS

We will drive north stopping at Hazor one of the largest Archaeological sites in Israel. Hazor was the last and largest city that the Israelites destroyed by fire. King Solomon built here a horse-chariot city. Continue to Tel Dan one of the most important sites for the archaeological and historical recovery of ancient Israel. The city of Dan represented the norther border of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. We drive to the Golan Heights and visit Banias, one of the sources of the Jordan River and the site of ancient “Caesarea Philipi”, where Peter made the confession of faith in Christ (Matt; 16:16). On the Golan Heights we will visit one of the bunkers from the Six Day War in 1967 at Har Bental. Return to your Guest House via the east side of the Sea of Galilee stopping at Kursi to see the place where the demons entered the swine and entered the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gev on the Sea of Galilee.

GALILEE / JERUSALEM

We start the day driving to Nazareth, via Cana to the boyhood town of Jesus. We will visit Nazareth Village depicting a village from the time of Jesus. We stop at Mount Precipice, the traditional site of the cliff that an angry mob attempted to throw Jesus off of after his bold proclamation in the Nazareth synagogue. It offers a panoramic view of the Valley of Armageddon and Mt. Tabor. We drive to the Tree Planting center in the Galilee for a chance for each one to plant a tree in Israel. We continue southward to Beit Shean, where we will walk through the incredible excavations of the largest ongoing archaeological dig in the land of Israel with its Roman theatre, colonnaded Roman streets, mosaics and Roman bathhouses. It is also the city where the body of King Saul and his sons where nailed to the walls by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:10). We then drive through the lush Jordan Valley to Jericho for a visit before ascending to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at the Ramada Hotel, Jerusalem

MASADA/ DEAD SEA / EIN GEDI / QUMRAN

We drive to the lowest point on earth the Dead Sea that is over 1300 feet below sea level to the Baptismal site on the Jordan River, Qasr El Yahud. We will then turn south and drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada. You will take a cable car to the summit of this magnificent fortress built by King Herod the Great and the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots. After descending this mountain by cable car we travel to the shores of the Dead Sea where you will have time to take a float in the saltiest body of water in world. We will stop at the oasis of Ein Gedi to view the waterfalls in the desert. Continue to Qumran, where a young shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 in the cave that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Dinner and overnight at the Ramada Hotel, Jerusalem

OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

We start the day at the Old City to the Davidson Centre to visit the archaeological park of the excavations along the Western and Southern Walls of the Temple Mount of Jerusalem. We continue to the City of David and see the new excavations and the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Drive to Yad Vashem, for a visit to Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust commemorating the six million Jews who perished. Visit and walk through the newly opened Museum, visit the Children’s Memorial, walk along the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles for those who risked their lives to save Jewish lives. Continue to the Israel Museum and visit the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest manuscripts of the Bible ever found. Visit the model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple Period as it looked from the time of Jesus. Dinner & overnight at the Ramada Hotel.

JERUSALEM / ELAH VALLEY

We will drive to the top of the Mount of Olives, for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Tracing the footsteps of Jesus, we will stroll down the Palm Sunday Route on the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. From here, we proceed by bus across the Kidron Valley, past the Tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and James and proceed to Mt Zion to visit the traditional site of the Upper Room, King David’s Tomb and the Church of St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, built on top of the High Priest Caiphas’ house. Visit to the Garden Tomb or Gordon’s Calvary for a communion service We finish the day driving out of Jerusalem to the Valley of Elah described in the Bible where the Israelites were encamped when David fought Goliath. Dinner & overnight at the Ramada Hotel, Jerusalem

JERUSALEM / SHILOH

We enter the Zion Gate and walk to the to the Jewish Quarter. Walk along the Roman/Byzantine Street called the “Cardo” to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest spot. We continue our walk along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Chapel of the Flagellation, Pools of Bethesda, St. Anne’s Church to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We pass through the colourful bazaars, alleyways to the Jaffa Gate to meet the bus. We finish the day with a visit ancient Shiloh. Shiloh was the religious capital of Israel during the times of the Judges, and spans 4,000 years of continuous settlement starting from the 18th century BC (Middle Bronze II). Shiloh was an assembly place for the people of Israel and a center of worship. Its sacred area in Shiloh housed the Ark of Covenant, Table of Showbread, Altar of Incense and Golden Lamp stand. Dinner and overnight at the Ramada Hotel, Jerusalem

TORONTO

Depart Tel Aviv at 11:55am on Air Canada flying non-stop to Toronto. Arrive in Toronto at 5:00pm at Terminal 1.