Duration: 10 Days
Dates: October 23, 2022 to November 1, 2022
Departure City: Detroit, Michagan

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure to Tel Aviv
Today, we board our international flight to Tel Aviv.

Day 2 – MON (24OCT): Arrival Tel Aviv – Jaffa – Herzeliya
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 on the coastal plains of the Mediterranean Sea. (D)

Day 3 – TUE (25OCT): Caesarea Maritima – Mount Carmel – Megiddo – Nazareth
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 two nights and enjoy another dinner together. (B.L.D)

Day 4 – WED (26OCT): Mt of Beatitudes – Magdala - Peter's Primacy - Capernaum – Boat ride
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day on the Mount of Beatitudes and discuss the Sermon on the Mount. We will then visit the Primacy of Peter, where Jesus appeared to the disciples the third time after the Resurrection. We will then visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene. During our lunch 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 (included) on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of that boat. We return to our hotel. Dinner included. (B.L.D)

Day 5 – THU (27OCT): Tel Dan – Caesarea Philippi – Jerusalem
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. 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.” 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 proceed south to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. (B.L.D)

Day 6 – FRI (28OCT): Western Wall Tunnel – Davidson Centre – City of David – Israel Museum
After breakfast, we will enter Jerusalem through the Dung Gate, and walk to the holiest site in the whole Jewish world, the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) of Herod’s temple. At this point we will enter the Rabbinical Tunnel (included) where we get as close to the temple as allowed without being on the Temple Mount. Here you will see the foundation stones of Herod’s wall surrounding the Temple Mount. When we exit the Rabbinical Tunnel we will make our way from the temple area. We will continue visit to the Southern Steps (included), the main entrance to the Temple and the Teaching steps where Rabbis such Gamaliel used to teach. We will then visit the City of David, the original location of the city of Jerusalem and explore the origins of the city, here you will have the option to walk in water through Hezekiah’s Tunnel (included) on to the Pool of Siloam (flashlights and water shoes needed). We will then to the Valley of Elah where David defeated Goliath. From there we will go to the Israel Museum (included), including a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem at the time of Herod the Great and the Shrine of the Book Museum, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem (B.L.D)

Day 7 – SAT (29OCT): Masada – Ein Gedi – Qumran – Tel Jericho
After a buffet breakfast, we will descend down to the Dead Sea and the wilderness of Judah. Our first stop will be Masada (included), where we will ascend high upon the wilderness mountain by way of the cable car to the fortress built by King Herod. Here we survey the ruins of the fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples and palaces. Following the road north along the western shore of the Dead Sea, we will stop at Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul (I Samuel 24). Continuing north, we will stop at Qumran (included) and the possible settlement of the first century sect known as the Essenes, the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. From there we will go to the city of Palms, Jericho the oldest existing city on earth. Here we will see Tel Jericho and the Mount of Temptation. If it is available on our way back to Jerusalem we will stop at the Wadi Qelt. The Biblical Valley of the Shadow of Death. Back to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight (B.L.D)

Day 8 – SUN (30OCT): Temple Mount – St Anne’s – Mt. Olives – Bethlehem – Shepherds Fields 
Beyond the Western Wall of the Temple Mount lies the 35-acre temple area purchased by King David (2 Sam. 24:18-25). On this site now stands the magnificent Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all Islam) and the El Aksa Mosque. We will proceed to St. Stephen’s Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne (included), which is also the site of the Pools of Bethesda (John 5). Then we continue for with an orientation of the City of Jerusalem form the Mount of Olives. We will then visit Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity where Our Lord was born and Shepherd’s Fields. Time will be given for shopping. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B.L.D)

Day 9 – MON (31OCT): Garden of Gethsemane – House of Caiaphas – Via Dolorosa – Garden Tomb
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will follow the Passion of Christ. We begin our day on Mt. Zion where we will visit the Upper Room, where Jesus spent those last momentous hours with His disciples before His passion, and it was also here where the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on Pentecost. We will then go to Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove, and there visit the Church of Agony, where Jesus prayed and was arrested (private time will be given in the private section of the Garden). We will then cross the Kidron Valley on foot to go to the house of Caiaphas (included), where Jesus was tried and where Peter denied Our Lord. We then walk the Via Dolorosa to the Sisters of Zion Convent (to see the Pavement where Jesus stood as he was being tried by Pilate) and the Ecce Homo Arch (included), and then follow the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Late in the afternoon we will visit the Garden Tomb (included) and celebrate a communion service. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B.L.D)

Day 10 - TUE (01NOV): Departure
After breakfast, we head to the airport to board our flight back home with unforgettable memories. (B)