Our journey begins when we depart the U.S.A.

Welcome to Israel! Upon arrival at the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, we will be met and escorted to our motorcoach to begin our adventure in the land of the Bible! Time permitting, we will include a tour of Jaffa. Dinner and overnight are in the Tel Aviv area.

Today we will start at the Mediterranean and end up at the Sea of Galilee. We begin the day at Caesarea Maritima, the port city of Herod the Great. It was here that Peter proclaimed the Good News to the Centurion. Wander the ruins of the theater, hippodrome, aqueduct and more. Next, we visit Mt. Carmel, where Elijah defeated the prophets of ba’al. At Megiddo, we see the layers of more than 20 ancient cities that have been excavated. The Tel overlooks the Valley of Jezreel (Armageddon). We continue to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus to see the Church of the Annunciation, Mary’s Well, Sisters of Nazareth Convent, the House of Joseph & Mary. We also stand on the Mt. of Precipice, where Jesus was rejected by those in the synagogue. Our final stop of the day will be Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast. We continue to our next hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight by the Sea of Galilee.

Today we explore the Galilee! We start off with a drive north to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. At Tel Dan, we take a short hike to see the alter of Jeroboam. On the Mt. of Beatitudes, we reflect on the Sermon on the Mount. Nearby we visit Tabgha, the traditional site of the Feeding of the 5,000. Then we explore Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ early ministry. We also get to share in a very special time of worship on the water as we set sail across the Sea of Galilee. If time permits, we will stop at Chorazim and Kursi before returning to our Galilee hotel for dinner and overnight.

We start the morning at Beit Shean, one of the best-preserved cities of the Roman Decapolis. We stop at Gideon’s Spring and continue to Shechem (modern day Nablus) and remember Jesus meeting the woman at the well. Next, we visit Shiloh, where the Tabernacle was built. We continue south and see the walls of Jericho, then visit the Qasr Al Yahud Baptismal Site on the Jordan River, where it is likely Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and we will have an opportunity to be baptized here. We continue to our Dead Sea hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we take some time to float in the salt and mineral laden waters of the Dead Sea. Later this morning we visit Masada, the spectacular mountaintop fortress of Herod the Great, famous as the last stand of the Jewish rebellion against the Romans. Next is Ein Gedi, the oasis where David hid from King Saul. At Qumran we learn about the Essenes, the first century sect who authored the Dead Sea Scrolls. We travel north through the wilderness of Wadi Kelt and stop to look out to see St. George’s Monastery. We make our way up to Jerusalem and take in our first look of the Holy City from the Haas Promenade. We check-in to our Jerusalem hotel for dinner and overnight.

We start our day on the Mount of Olives where we take in a remarkable view of the city from the East. We walk down the Palm Sunday Path, stopping at the Church of the Ascension and ending at the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane. We enter the Old City via the Lion’s Gate and walk the Via Dolorosa including stops at St. Anne’s Crusader Church, Pools of Bethesda, the Pavement (where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate), and the Ecce Homo Arch. This walk takes us to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We also explore the ancient Cardo. On Mt. Zion, we visit the Upper Room to reflect on the Last Supper and then visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

We start early this morning to visit the Temple Mount (conditions permitting) where the Jewish Temple once stood. The site is now home to the golden Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. The site is the 3rd holiest site in Islam. We then make our way to the Jewish Quarter to see the Temple Institute for a detailed explanation of the rebuilding of the Temple. We will pray alongside the Jewish faithful at the Western Wall, and explore the Southern Wall Excavations, including the Davidson Center & Southern Steps – some of which remain from the time of Jesus! We will also go underground into the Rabbi’s Tunnel beneath the Western Wall for a unique perspective of the history of the Temple. Then we gather at the Garden Tomb for communion and worship. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

This morning, we visit the City of David excavations, including a unique walk-through Hezekiah’s Tunnel. (Bring a flashlight and water shoes. Those who wish to remain dry may walk through Hezekiah’s Shaft). We then visit the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. This afternoon we visit Bethlehem – the birthplace of Jesus. We will gaze out over the Shepherds’ Fields and enter the Church of the Nativity. We return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

We enjoy some free time this morning in Jerusalem to explore, shop on our own, or visit Yad Vashem (Israel’s Holocaust memorial and museum). Then we make our way to the Israel Museum to the Dead Sea Scrolls displayed in the Shrine of the Book exhibit and the 1:50 scale model of first century Jerusalem. We visit the Valley of Elah to see the brook where David slew Goliath. After our Farewell Dinner in Jerusalem, we transfer to the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport for the return flight. Extension passengers will overnight in Jerusalem.

We return home today at the end of an unforgettable tour with a transformed faith and memories to last a lifetime!