Several team members, including Rick Ricart, Zach Ricart, and Caleb Oliver, recently returned from our special trip to Israel (April 1-9, 2024). We dubbed this a “Solidarity Trip” as a way show our support for the people of Israel following the October 2023 incidents. As our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the people of Israel, our best plan of action moving forward was to ensure our current and future clients that Israel is once again safe, and that tourism for 95% of the country has resumed (pending a few exceptions along the Israel-Lebanon border).
Exploring Israel with Leaders:
Our group of 14, including 11 valued leaders, kept the size intimate for easy navigation and maximizing sites visited. We covered many highlights:
- Tel Aviv: We began with a day in Tel Aviv, experiencing the bustling city life and meeting our land operator to discuss upcoming trips.
- The Galilee: We explored the Sea of Galilee, Golan Heights, Tiberias, and neighboring regions. We also visited key sites like Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes, Mount Arbel, the Primacy of St. Peter, and Magdala!
- Jordan River: Several of our group members took this an opportunity to re-commit their faith with a baptism in the Jordan River.
- Jerusalem: This included a stop in Nazareth along the way. We walked the (very empty) Via Dolorosa, scaled the Tower of David, and reflected at the Garden Tomb in Golgotha.
- Dead Sea: We took a rejuvenating float in the Dead Sea.
- Bethlehem: We ventured into the Palestinian-controlled city of Bethlehem.
Connecting with the People:
You might have even seen our live (and frequent) updates on our social media (Facebook and YouTube)! While our primary focus was on the people of Israel and our group, we wanted to be able to share a brief snapshot of our experiences with our friends and family back home:
- Meeting Local Families: In the Galilee, we stayed at a kibbutz (a communal village) and spent evenings with families displaced from the Golan Heights due to the conflict. Hearing their stories and offering prayers for peace was a moving experience for our group.
- An Unexpected Encounter: Near Caesarea Maritima, we met a friendly American family who had immigrated to Israel some years ago. This was a heartwarming reminder of the diverse population of the Holy Land.
New, and Not-So-New (Alternative) Sites:
While we tried to stay with our typical 10-day “highlights” program, we wanted to show our group a few of our newer, alternative sites they could take their groups:
- Korazim: This ancient synagogue is believed to be where Jesus taught. During excavations, they discovered that many of the physical settings here directly linked with the geographical signs from the scripture.
- Hippos-Sussita: This archaeological site might be the “city on a hill” mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount. Additionally, this is considered the traditional site for the “Miracle of the Swine”.
- Tower of David: While not a new site, this one received a major facelift during the COVID-19 lull and was magnificent to see the new models and artifacts on display.
Safety and the Return of Tourism:
The largest question we received with the days leading up to our trip was “Will this experience be safe?” which directly went together with what we’ve been hearing about whether tourism has resumed to Israel or not.
- The Sites: While we were fortunate to essentially have a private tour of Israel, our group members were awestruck by the sheer lack of people in the streets and at the sites. Places like Jerusalem, which are normally flooded with tourists, were much scarcer than in previous years.
- The Hotels: Some of the hotels do have varying numbers of evacuees depending on the region, many of them are resting around 10-20% capacity with the mentality that this will decrease to about 5-10% come the late Summer, and even less come the Fall.
- Ultimately, Safety: This is the biggest question, and we’ve opted to save it for last. Safety is our number one goal, and we wouldn’t send groups if we personally did not feel that it was safe to travel abroad. With that said, our flight was great, our hotels had their traditional patrols and guards, and even at the sites there were your occasional checkpoints. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and many times you didn’t even realize the military influence around you unless you truly went looking for it. Never once did we hear anything that frightened us or saw something out of the ordinary. Had the sites not been as vacant, you likely wouldn’t realize the country had just undergone conflict 6 months prior.
Lastly, we even visited Gaza:
You probably re-read that last title, huh? We did indeed visit Gaza, or at least the region around it. Contrary to the news, this was probably where we felt the safest (of all places!). While there was a large military presence (to be expected) there was no overbearing pressure or “looming negativity” as many anticipated. Quite the contrary, at lunch we were greeted by a group from the local paper thanking us for coming to visit the city, and Israel as a whole. The whole intention of traveling this far south was for three key stops:
- Kfar Aza: This was one of the kibbutz broadcasted on the news over the last 6 months. In order to enter, we passed through a security checkpoint and had to be guided by one of the local residents (coincidentally, their Director of Emergency Services). We traveled through the different districts here as we heard the depiction of what happened on the fateful eve of October 7th. We were able to see (and enter) just a few of the homes, filled with pictures and descriptions of the horrific acts. Our guide showed us the different parts of the town and exactly how these events unfolded, and then concluded by showing us their plans for the future as they rebuild, so those that wish to can come back home.
- Re’im Music Festival Grounds: This was equally as distressful as the kibbutz, however this was the site where the terrorist group began their ground assault on the unknowing Israeli citizens who were simply celebrating peace of all things. Here lies a memorial site, in honor of those who had passed at the hands of the radical group, Hamas. Throughout the grounds there were different places where you could read a brief biography about each festivalgoer, including the few stories of the survivors.
- Route 232: As many know, this was the main highway in which many civilians attempted to escape, simply to have fallen into a trap. Alongside Route 232 lies an automobile graveyard in which the cars found along this highway have been collected in remembrance of these horrific acts.
While we didn’t want to make light of the situation by any means, we wanted to visit these areas to simply pay our respects and remind ourselves that these events unfortunately did occur.
In conclusion, our Solidarity Trip to Israel proved to be a powerful and eye-opening experience. While the recent conflict left its mark, the spirit of the Israeli people remains strong. Tourism is steadily resuming across most of the country, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality of Israel. We returned feeling confident in the safety of travel and hope you’ll consider joining us on a future trip to this unforgettable destination.
