Day 2: September 2, Friday – ARRIVE IN ISRAEL, JAFFA – TEL AVIV

Our representatives will meet you and walk you through customs. we’ll tour the charming alleys of the city of Jaffa and visit the square where the Church of Saint Peter resides. We will enjoy watching the sun set on the old city of Jaffa

We’ll then drive you to the hotel in Netanya  for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3: September 3, Saturday – CAESAREA, CARMEL, MEGGIDO (ARMAGEDDON), NAZARETH, TIBERIAS

This morning we drive north to Caesarea to visit the Crusader Fortress built upon the ancient city of Caesarea, named after Augustus Caesar, who imposed the tax that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.  Here we will visit an ancient Roman Amphitheatre, where the group can experience the acoustics of a structure built in the days of Christ. Continue to Mount Carmel where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets. Continue to Megiddo, Site of Armageddon.  Now  on to Nazareth, where Jesus spent the silent years of his life.  From Nazareth the road winds down to Tiberias and the beautiful Sea of Galilee.  Dinner and overnight in the Galilee.

Day 4: September 4 – SEA OF GALILEE, JORDAN RIVER, CAESAREA PHILIPPI

On this day, we will sail on the Sea of Galilee, visit the museum of the ancient boat at Kibbutz Ginosar, then onto visit Magdala, with its first century synagogue, a complete first century city and remains of a once prosperous fish processing industry. Complete with shops, marketplace, residential areas, and wharf, this is a city where Jesus himself visited and taught. Visit Capernaum, the town of Jesus, visit the Church of Multiplication in Tabgha (where the Lord performed the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes), and visit the Mount of Beatitutes (where Jesus taught “The Sermon on the Mount”).  We’ll continue to Caesarea Philippi where Peter confessed Christ: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16).  Return back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: September 5, Monday – YARDENIT, BEITH SHEAN, GIDEON SPRING, JORDAN VALLEY

 Today we bid farewell to the Galilee We’ll begin our day with a visit to Yardenit, the traditional baptismal site on the Jordan River. than drive south to  the city of Beit Shean – one of the earliest and most important cities in Israel from the time of the Canaanites.  It was here that the Philistines impaled King Saul’s body to the city wall – we view its magnificent excavations. Then on to Gideon’s Spring, where the Judge Gideon selected 300 warriors to go into the battle with him against the Midianites (Judge 7).  We continue down the Jordan Valley, past Jericho, the first city conquered by the Israelites in the Promised Land, to Jerusalem.

Day 6: September 6, Tuesday – JERUSALEM, BETHLEHEM

Our morning starts on the Mount of Olives with breathtaking panoramic view of Jerusalem.  The day continues with visits to the sites that will help us understand the Lord’s prophecy about Jerusalem: The Chapel of Dominius Flevit, where Christ Prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 18:41), The Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-53) and The Church of the Agony (Church of All Nations), the site where it is said that Judas betrayed Jesus.

In the Kidron Valley we’ll visit the tombs of Absalom, Zachariah We will proceed to visit the sites on Mt.  Zion: the Gallicantu Church, which was built over the ruins of the Palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest before whom Jesus was brought for trial (Mark 14:  53-65). We’ll visit the Tomb of King David, and enter into the Upper Room – the site that commemorates Jesus’ last meal with his disciples.  We end by visiting the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the birth place of Christ.

Dinner & overnight stay in Jerusalem.

Day 7: September 7, Wednesday – JERUSALEM

Our day will begin with an exciting tour to the site where much of the Bible was written, the City of David.  Here archeologists found King Hezekiah’s 2,700 year-old water tunnel, one of the wonders of early engineering, and the seal impression of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, possibly the scribe of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 36:10). Continue to the Pool of Siloam where Christ healed the blind man by sending him to wash his eyes (John 9).  In the Jewish Quarter, we’ll explore the Roman Cardo, the Madaba Map, the Western Wall and the Davidson Center.  We will view the Temple Mount, and we’ll hear about the traders driven out of the Temple by Jesus (Luke 19:45-48).   Continue to Bethesda where Christ healed the paralyzed man (John 5).  Our journey through the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross) stations will end by visiting the Church of Holy Sepulchre. We’ll walk through the old city market to the Damascus Gate to the Garden Tomb where we’ll take communion.

Dinner and overnight stay in Jerusalem.

Day 8: September 8, Thursday – LAZARUS TOMB, DEAD SEA, MASADA

After learning the amazing story of Lazarus, whom the Lord raised from the dead, we’ll continue to the Judean Desert.  Our first stop today will be next one of the St. George Monastery crosses, which offers an amazing view of the monastery.  This stop is important for understanding the water system of the Judean Desert and monasteries.  We’ll continue to Qumran to hear the amazing story of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery. We will try to answer questions such as: Who wrote the scrolls?  Who were the Essenes?  How did they live and why there?  Then to Masada to learn about the dramatic story of almost one thousand men, women and children who chose suicide rather than becoming Roman slaves.  We’ll visit the archeological finds and enjoy the palaces, bathhouses, walls and the remarkable view of the Dead Sea.  We’ll proceed to bathe in the Dead Sea and to enjoy the sun and the famous mud.

Afterwards, proceed to hotel for overnight stay in Jerusalem.

Day 9: September 9, Friday – SHILOH, JERUSALEM, FAREWELL DINNER

After breakfast we’ll depart the hotel, and drive to the ancient city of Shiloh, an ancient Smarian city mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Shiloh was the major Israelite worship center before the first Temple was built in Jerusalem. The Tabernacle was placed there, and Jews from all over the land came to worship at the location (Joshua 18:1).

We’ll then proceed to Israel Museum to view the miniature model of the city of Jerusalem as it appeared in the
time of the Second Temple, before the great rebellion and its subsequent destruction. Afterwards, we will get to see the Shrine of the Book, which houses the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls.

We will get to enjoy some shopping at the colorful markets of Jerusalem. We will end our trip with our farewell dinner.

Overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem.