Our journey of a lifetime begins with a departure from Cleveland on United. We will be served dinner and breakfast en route.

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion airport, we will be helped through customs and security. We head for Caesarea Maritima, the majestic seaport, built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus.* Overnight Tel Aviv area. Carlton or similar. D.

*Note: The visit to Caesarea Maritima depends on the flight’s arrival time.

After breakfast we marvel at the Ramon Crater, where we learn about the Wilderness wandering of the ancient Israelites. We proceed to Beersheba, the ancient home of Abraham, to see the ruins and archeological site. After lunch, we head for Timna and the Wilderness Tabernacle before we cross the border from Eilat into Aqaba and head to our hotel for dinner, relaxation and overnight. Overnight Aqaba. Al Manara or similar. B, D.

In the morning, we depart Aqaba and drive to Petra, the ancient Nabatean capital and “Rose Red City half as old as time.” We’ll see the spectacular “city of the dead,” with its famed gorge, ancient streets, temples, dwelling places and tombs carved in solid rock. Our visit includes a two-mile walk through the famous Siq (the natural gorge) to arrive at the Treasury. We can see Roman temple ruins of the Roman city, the Nabatean Judgment Hall, palace tombs, famous Urn Temple and the Roman Amphitheater. A climb of several hundred steps to the “high places” might appeal to the adventurous. We leave Petra and head to the Dead Sea. Overnight at the Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa. B, D.

After breakfast, we move to Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood to view the Promised Land. We then visit the baptismal site where John baptized Jesus at Bethany Beyond the Jordan (John 1:26-28). After lunch we spend the afternoon relaxing at our hotel or floating in the Dead Sea. Optional spa treatments are available at our hotel where we enjoy dinner and overnight. Overnight Dead Sea. Dead Sea Marriott or similar. B, D.

Early in the morning, we cross the King Hussein Bridge into Israel and head for the Tel of Jericho – a favorite spot for archaeologists. We enjoy an excellent view of the Mount of Temptation. Jericho is an excellent location to buy world-famous Hebron pottery. Following a stop for shopping and lunch, we depart for Gan HaShlosha, near Gideon’s Spring, which feeds the Jordan, for our baptism. We conclude the day at the incredible ruins of Beit Shean, featuring eighteen layers of civilization where Saul and his sons were nailed to the city wall (1 Samuel 31:10). Overnight Sea of Galilee area. U Boutique Kinneret or similar. B, D.

We begin the day with a memorable boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Our bus climbs into the Golan Heights where we arrive at the base of Mt. Hermon. Banyas, the Caesarea Philippi of the Bible, is a main water source for the Jordan River. Here Peter made his great declaration about Jesus (Mk. 8:27ff). After lunch, we follow some of the stories in Mark 4-6 about the ministry of Jesus. Our stops include the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. We move on to Chorazin with its extensive ruins, then Capernaum, our Lord’s hometown for two years (Matt. 4:13), and marvel at multitudes that were attracted to the miracles performed by Jesus. We stop at Magdala to see the remnants of a 1st Century synagogue which likely was visited by our Lord. Overnight Sea of Galilee area. U Boutique Kinneret or similar. B, D.

An early walk along the shore provides a spectacular memory of sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. We begin the day by climbing the path to Mt. Arbel for a farewell to and majestic view of the lake. We turn to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, to visit the Church of the Annunciation, experience Nazareth Village, and see archaeological ruins from the 1st Century. We move on to the Tel of Megiddo, the site of one of Joshua’s victories, which dates to 4,000 B.C. We look down on the Valley of Armageddon, where this period of world history concludes with the final battle (Revelation 16:16). We conclude the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum, for sobering reminders of the atrocities of the Nazis against the Jews in World War II, before settling into our hotel in Jerusalem. Overnight Jerusalem. Inbal or similar. B, D.

We head to the Mt. of Olives for a panoramic view of the Old We catch an early bus to the Temple Mount, home to the temples of Solomon and Herod and the current location of the Dome of the Rock, the Mosque of Omar, originally built in the 6th Century, and the Al Aqsa Mosque, used by Muslims for prayer. We visit the Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the lame man (John 5). We walk the Pilgrim’s Path and visit the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, walking among Herodian stones and the Southern Steps from the 2nd Temple period. We spend time at the Western Wall and descend into the Western Wall Tunnels for a remarkable look at the ancient stones beneath the city. We enter the Jewish Quarter to visit the Temple Treasures Institute that reminds us of preparations being made for the construction of the 3rd Temple. In the afternoon we visit the Israel Museum where we find a model of 1st Century Jerusalem. Overnight Jerusalem. Inbal or similar. B, D.

We head to the desert and enjoy a stop at Masada, where Jewish zealots met their fate at the hands of the Roman army. We move on to Ein Gedi, the desert oasis where we recall the worship of David in Psalm 46. We visit Qumran, the home of the Essenes and the location for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We then visit Bethany, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11). We conclude the day with a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed the night before His crucifixion. Overnight Jerusalem. Inbal or similar. B, D.

We leave Jerusalem and visit Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, built over the site of our Lord’s birth. We visit the Shepherd’s Fields and reflect on the appearance of the angels to announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-18). We visit the Herodium, the majestic man-made mountain outside of Bethlehem, where King Herod’s grave was recently discovered. We head to Hebron to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs, the burial site of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah. We conclude the day in the beautiful village of Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist. Overnight Jerusalem. Inbal or similar. B, D.

We arrive back in Cleveland early this morning, returning home filled with life-changing memories of what it was like to walk in the footsteps of Moses and Jesus during our visit to the Holy Land.