wilmar’s journey to israel 2024

TORONTO

Day 1 – Monday
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

Day 2 – Tuesday
Arrive in Tel Aviv at 10:15am where our tour guide will meet us. We will have a short visit to Jaffa that affords us a breathtaking view of the city of Tel Aviv. At this picturesque port city of winding alleys, art galleries and crafts boutiques, 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. We continue to our hotel in Tel Aviv for check-in.  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

Day 3 — Wednesday
We begin the day driving 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, the Hippodrome, the Crusader City. We then travel north towards 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 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 the Lake House Hotel, Tiberias
 

JESUS’ MINISTRY IN THE GALILEE

Day 4 – Thursday
After breakfast we begin the day at 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. 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). Visit the newly excavated town of Magdala the town of Mary of Magdalena.  We will drive north of 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). We finish the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. 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 Lake House Hotel, Tiberias

JERUSALEM

Day 5 – Friday
We start the day with a visit to Yardenit, the Baptismal Centre on the Jordan River. We proceed to Nazareth, the boyhood town of Jesus. We will visit Nazareth Village depicting a village from the time of Jesus. 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, where the desert now blooms with flowers and vegetation of every description (Isaiah 35:1-2) before ascending up the Judean Wilderness to the Holy City of Jerusalem.  Dinner and overnight at the Royal Hotel, Jerusalem

OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

Day 6 - Saturday
We start the day at the top of the Mt. 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. Continue to Mt Zion to visit the traditional site of the Upper Room (Room of the Last Supper), King David’s Tomb and the Church of St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, built on top of the High Priest Caiphas’ house. We walk to the Zion Gate and enter the Old City of Jerusalem through this gate and walk through the Armenian Quarter to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest spot. Visit the Western Wall newly excavated tunnels viewing parts of the original walls from the time of the Second Temple.  We continue our walk along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Pools of Bethesda, St. Anne’s Church. We pass through the colourful bazaars, alleyways and market places and reach the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for a brief visit. Walk through the alleyways of the Old City and exit from the Jaffa Gate where our bus will be waiting for us. We finish the day with a visit to the Garden Tomb or Gordon’s Calvary for a communion service before returning to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Royal Hotel, Jerusalem.
 

JERUSALEM/ BETHLEHEM

Day 7 – Sunday
This morning visits the Davidson Center to visit the Southern Wall excavations. Continue to the City of David and explore the excavations from the time of King David and see the Pool of Siloam. Drive to Yad Vashem, 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. We finish the day with a short drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus and the oldest church in the Holy Land.
Dinner and overnight at the Royal Hotel, Jerusalem
 

QUMRAN/ MASADA/ DEAD SEA

Day 8 – Monday
Depart Jerusalem and drive to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea. We will stop at Qumran for a visit where a young shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 in the cave, which you will see. These scrolls are the oldest scriptures of the Bible ever found.  Continue south 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. You will walk around this historic ruins you will see the palaces, bath houses, swimming pool, the oldest synagogue in the world on this mountain in the middle of the desert. 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. Return to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at the Royal Hotel, Jerusalem

JERUSALEM

Day 9 - Tuesday
After breakfast, enjoy a day of leisure. Perhaps re-visit the Old City for shopping in the bazaars.  Visit many of the Museums that Jerusalem has to offer that you did not see on the tour, shop in the largest indoor shopping mall in Israel or just relax at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the Royal Hotel, Jerusalem

TEL AVIV / TORONTO

Day 10 – Wednesday
After breakfast we transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight back to Toronto. We depart with Air Canada flying non-stop to Toronto departing at 11:55am and arriving in Toronto at 5:00pm at Terminal #1.