The group departs for Tel Aviv, Israel.  Dinner served on the overnight flight from the US.

Our flight arrives at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) where we are greeted by our guide and assisted with arrival procedures. Dinner and overnight beside the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

Dinner

Today we depart for the Galilee enjoying stops at the extensive ruins of Caesarea Maritima, an ancient port city, built by King Herod and later becoming the seat of government of the Roman governors, and where Peter proclaimed the Good News to the Roman centurion (Acts 9 & 25). We continue to Megiddo (the valley of Armageddon) and Mt. Carmel, where Elijah prayed, and God defeated 450 prophets of Baal with fire from heaven (1 Kings 18). We end our journey at “Nazareth Village”, a re-created village offering detailed explanation of life during the time of Jesus. Leaving Nazareth, we take a short ride to Mount Precipice, the traditional site believed to be where an angry mob attempted to throw Jesus off the cliff after his bold proclamation in the Nazareth synagogue. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee.

Following breakfast, we travel north into the Golan Heights to the ancient site of Caesarea Philippi (Banias), where Jesus asked His disciples “who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27-30).  We soon will enjoy a short hike through the beautiful nature reserve of Tel Dan (named for the tribe of Dan) where we will see remains of the 5000 year-old ancient city including the Canaanite Gate, the ritual site which recalls the sacrifice of golden calves during the reign of Jeroboam, and the beautiful Dan Springs fed by the snow from Mt. Hermon.   Returning to the Sea of Galilee area, we visit Capernaum (Mark 1: 31-38), the base of Jesus’ early ministry, the home of Peter, and the site of many healings. We will take a short drive to the Mt. of Beatitudes to enjoy a time for prayer and meditation as we reflect on Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5: 1-15). We make at stop at Peter’s Primacy on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where we remember the resurrected Jesus preparing breakfast for His disciples and telling Peter to “feed My sheep”.  In the afternoon, we board a replica “Jesus Boat”, a fishing boat of the kind used by the disciples of Jesus, for our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We end our day at the Yardenit- a baptismal site on the Jordan River for baptisms.

Leaving Galilee this morning, we will travel through the Judean Wilderness passing by Jericho, the most ancient city in the world on our way to the Dead Sea for the night! After passing by Jericho, we head to Bethany Beyond Jordan for a short visit. This site is believed to be the location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.  We then continue south along the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi, a lovely oasis in the desert and believed to be where David hid from King Saul- cutting off a piece of his garment.  We continue along the Dead Sea to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

We begin our day with a visit to Masada, the fortress built by King Herod and site of the last Jewish resistance against the Romans in 73 AD. Ascending the area by cable car, visitors can survey the ruins of the fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples and palaces.  We return to our hotel on the Dead Sea for a time of rest and the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast, we begin our journey to Jerusalem with stops at Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were written over 2000 years ago and discovered in 1947.  Continuing north, we soon ascend to the magnificent city of Jerusalem.  Before checking in to our hotel, we will visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu and Caiaphas’s House followed by the Upper Room, where Jesus shared His last meal with His disciples.   Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.                                                  

We begin our day on the beautiful Mt. of Olives to behold the breathtaking panorama of the Holy City. Our pilgrimage will proceed down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove, and the Church of All Nations, where tradition holds that Jesus prayed on the night of His betrayal (Matt. 26:36, John 18:1).   Entering the Old City of Jerusalem through the Zion Gate, we walk to the most holy site of the Jewish people, the Western (Wailing) Wall of Herod's temple. Beyond the wall lies the 35-acre temple area purchased by King David (2 Samuel. 24:18-25). On this site now stands the golden Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all Islam) and the El-Aksa Mosque. From the temple area, we make our way along the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) the road which Jesus walked after being sentenced by Pontius Pilate– including stops at St. Anne's Crusader Church, the Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-15), the Pavement (where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate), Ecce Homo Arch, and the ancient Cardo-reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We end our day with a visit to Bethlehem visiting the Church of the Nativity-the birthplace of our Lord and Shepherd's Field, where the angel of the Lord proclaimed the Good News of the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:8-18).  Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. 

Following breakfast, we return to the Old City and enter through the Dung Gate to await entrance to the Temple Mount,one of the most important religious site in the Old City as well as one of the most contested sites in the world!  The 35-acre area for the Temple, purchased by King David (2 Samuel. 24:18-25), lies beyond the Western Wall. This is the site of the First (957 BCE) and Second (516 BCE) Temples as ordained by God.   On this site now stands the golden Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all Islam) and the El-Aksa Mosque. Following our time on the Temple Mount, we will visit the City of David-excellent archeological remains of David’s period and that of the Kings of Judah (2 Samuel 5: 8-10).  Enjoy the fun experience of walking (potentially wet!) through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the 2,700-year-old water tunnel dug during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:30) and remaining as one of the wonders of early engineering.  Our walk ends at the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man by spitting on the ground.  (A flashlight and good water shoes will be helpful should you choose to walk through Hezekiah’s tunnel.)  To complete our day, we will drive to the Israel Museum to visit the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. Additionally, the 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem, as the city would have appeared in Jesus' time, will fascinate you! We end our day at the lovely and quiet Garden Tomb for a time of worship, reflection and communion. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem                                                                                          

Following breakfast, we check out of the hotel by 11:00 AM and depart for airport for return flight to USA.           
                    
Breakfast