Duration: 12 Days
Dates: June 20, 2022 to July 1, 2022
Departure City: San Francisco, California (SFO)

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Detailed Itinerary

Monday - June 20 (Day 1): Leave the USA on an international flight to Tel Aviv

Tuesday- June 21 (Day 2): Arrival Tel Aviv – Jaffa – Hotel Tel Aviv
Arrive in Tel Aviv and board a new, climate-controlled motor coach where our guide will greet us and give us an orientation of the land as we travel towards Jaffa. There we will consider the vision of Peter (Acts 10) and start following the sequence of events that lead to the opening of the gates of the early church to Gentiles. As we look at the very place where Jonah ran from the Lord, we will also reflect on our own walk with God. Check into our hotel in Tel Aviv and enjoy Dinner (D).

Wednesday – June 22 (Day 3): Caesarea Maritima – Mount Carmel – Megiddo – Nazareth – Sea of Galilee
After a buffet breakfast, we depart the hotel on route to Caesarea Maritima (included), where we will visit the magnificent city with Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader ruins. Here we will elaborate on the story of the baptism of Cornelius, the first gentile converts into Christianity (Acts 10), and on the travels of Paul — those events that led Caesarea Maritima to become the springboard of Christianity to the West. We will then continue to Mount Carmel (Muhraqa included) and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18), discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. We then travel to Megiddo (included), and explore the Tel that goes back in history to 4000 BC, looking at ruins from the times of King Solomon and King Ahab. Overlooking the Armageddon Valley, we will also discuss the reasons why we believe this will be the setting for the final battle between good and evil mentioned in Revelation 16:16. We travel to Nazareth where we will climb the Mount of Precipice, the brow of the hill on which the city was built (Luke 4). There we will reflect on the rejection of Jesus by his family and friends in Nazareth. In addition to discussing Jesus’ boyhood, we will also consider the life and times of Deborah (Judges 4). We check into our hotel on the Sea of Galilee for the next three nights and enjoy another dinner together. (B, L,D)

Thursday – June 23 (Day 4): Bethsaida – Mt. of Beatitudes - Capernaum – Boat ride
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with a breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee from the Peace Vista lookout, where we will be able to see the entire lake. From this view we will consider why Jesus chose to begin delivering His message from there. We then travel to Bethsaida (included), the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, this is one of three cities that make up the Gospel Triangle and the location where Jesus spent two of His three years of public ministry. We then proceed to the Mount of Beatitudes and discuss the Sermon on the Mount, finishing the theme that was started earlier that day. You will even get to hear our guide recite the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, the common language that Jesus Himself spoke. During our lunch (included) break you will have the opportunity to try St. Peter’s fish, commonly eaten by people in Jesus’ day. We will then visit Capernaum (included), Jesus’ Galilean ministry base. There we will see the house of Peter’s mother-in-law, in addition to other ruins of the village. We will stand in the ruins of the ancient synagogue where Jesus was confronted by the demoniac. We end our day with a visit to the ancient boat museum (included), containing a recently-discovered 2000-year-old fishing boat. We will then sail on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of that boat. We return to our hotel. Dinner included (B,L,D)

Friday – June 24 (Day 5): Tel Dan – Tel Hazer – Caesarea Philippi – Jordan River
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with traveling to the northern boundary of Israel and begin with visiting Tel Dan (included), the northern extremity of Biblical Israel. Then we will continue to visit Tel Hazer (included), where we will view the ruins of the largest Canaanite city and the only place that Joshua burned. This is one of three cities mentioned in the Book of Kings as part of the building activities of King Solomon. We will visit the location of the altar where the golden calf was placed by King Jeroboam. There we will discuss the downfall and idolatry of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. We will move on to the Dan Stream, the largest tributary of the Jordan River and possibly the place where Psalm 42 was written (“As the dear pants for the water brook, so my soul pants for Thee...”). We will then continue to Caesarea Philippi (included), where we will visit the ruins of the pagan altars and consider the confession of Peter in Matthew 16 (“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Lunch is (included). We will drive further north to the border with Syria where we will consider the dramatic conversion and life-transformation of Saul of Tarsus: The Apostle Paul. We then travel to the baptismal site of Jesus on the Jordan River. You will be offered the opportunity to be baptized in the waters of the Jordan in an available location picked by your host and guide. We then spend the evening in our hotel on the Sea of Galilee. Dinner included. (B, L, D)

Saturday - June 25 (Day 6): Beth Shean – Jericho – Dead Sea
After a buffet breakfast, we leave the area of Galilee, following the Jordan Valley Road to Beth Shean
(included), the capital of the Decapolis. There we will see the ruins of the Roman and Byzantine cities. We will also discuss the demise of King Saul and his sons, whose bodies were hanged on the walls of Beth Shean. We will then continue traveling south to the actual location where John the Baptist was baptizing on the Jordan River. Jericho will be our next stop, where we will visit the Tel of Jericho (included) with its ancient ruins, pointing out what possibly could be the foundations of the ramparts that Joshua and the Israelites brought down. After lunch (included) we travel to our hotel spa on the Dead Sea where you will have the chance to enjoy the facilities in the hotel. You will also be able to experience floating in the Dead Sea. Before you spend a relaxing evening, dinner will be served at the resort. (B, L, D)

Sunday – June 26 (Day 7): Masada – Ein Gedi – Qumran – Jerusalem
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day visiting Masada (entrance & cable car included); the fortress built by King Herod the Great and made famous by the Zealots in 73/74 AD with the standoff against the Romans. We visit the fortress and see the ruins that are considered a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. We then continue to Ein Gedi, the oasis in the desert where the meeting between David and King Saul took place (I Samuel 24) and where many of the psalms were written by David. After lunch (included) we will visit Qumran (included), the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a Bedouin boy back in 1947. There we will see the caves and other buildings that the Essenes, the group of Jews who wrote the scrolls, lived. We then get ready to enter the Holy City of Jerusalem. Beginning with an orientation of the city and“a Genesis Welcome "from Mount Scopus, the overlook of the city. We then check into our hotel, where we will stay for the remainder of our time in Jerusalem. Dinner included. (B, L, D)

Monday– June 27 (Day 8): Mt. Of Olives – Israel Museum –Bethlehem
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with an orientation over the holy city from the Mount of Olives, pointing out important locations within the Old City, connecting them with Biblical stories and prophecies about the return of Jesus. We will then walk down the Palm Sunday Procession road to the Garden of Gethsemane, where the passion of Jesus began. Each of us will be given some personal time in a private section of the Garden. Head to the Israel Museum (included) where we will visit the Second Temple Period Model of Jerusalem, a 1:50 scaled model of the city from the year 66 AD. We will also visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on exhibit, in addition to the archaeological section where many artifacts are displayed, we will play special attention to those items that relate to Bible history. Then we travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We begin with a visit to the Shepherds fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. Lunch is (included). We will then travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the actual place where Our Lord was born. Time will then be given to shop for olive wood and other items. We return to our hotel. Dinner included. (B, L, D)

Tuesday – June 28 (Day 9): Western Wall Tunnels – Temple Mount – St. Anne – Antonia Fortress – Southern Wall Excavations
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day entering the Old City and a visit to the Western Wall Tunnels (included). We will ascend the Temple Mount, discussing its connection to both the Old and New Testaments. We will also discuss why it is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Leaving the Temple Mount, we will visit the Church of St. Anne’s (included), a perfectly intact Crusader church. It is a wonderful place to gather and sing a song (sometimes with fellow Christians from all over the world). There, we will also visit the pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place (John 5). We will then walk the Via Dolorosa (The Way of Suffering), the actual path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress (included) to the crucifixion site. We will also visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jesus’ tomb. After lunch (included) in the Old City. We will visit the Southern Wall excavations (included) where ruins of the retaining walls of the Temple Mount are still visible. We will then gather at the teaching steps, the main entrance to the Temple where Rabbis met and taught there. We then return to our hotel. Dinner included. (B, L,D)

Wednesday – June 29 (Day 10): Bet Shemesh – Bet Guvrin –Valley of Elah
After a buffet breakfast, we travel to the Shphela (the Judean Low Lands), disputed territory between the Israelites and the Philistines. Here we will consider the story of Samson (Judges 13-16). We then continue to Tel Bet Shemesh, where the Ark of the Covenant was brought after being returned from Philistine captivity (1 Samuel 6). We then visit Bet Guvrin (included) (Maresha), with its underground caves that had various functions. After lunch (included), we will visit the Valley of Elah where the confrontation between David and Goliath took place. (You will be even be able to gather five smooth stones from the creek.) We then return to our hotel. Dinner included. (B.L.D)

Thursday – June 30 (Day 11): Hezekiah Tunnel – Caiaphas house – Yad Vashem – Garden Tomb
Breakfast at hotel. Start our last day in Jerusalem, we begin our day with a visit to the original location of the city of Jerusalem, going back in history 3000 years. We will also visit Hezekiah’s tunnel (included), a 1749- foot-long tunnel that was dug by King Hezekiah as he prepared for the Assyrian King Sennacharib’s invasion in 701 BC. Those interested in walking the foot deep water tunnel will have the chance to do so. We will visit the Upper Room, the place of the Last Supper and also the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas (included). We will then visit the Jewish Quarter. After lunch (included), we visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. We end our day with a visit to the Garden Tomb, where we will worship together and celebrate communion. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight. (B.L.D)

Friday – July 01 (Day 12): Flight back home
Today, we travel back home with unforgettable memories. (B)