The day has arrived and we depart OMA on an overnight journey to Israel.

Today we arrive at in Israel at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, where we will be met by our guide. Time permitting, we visit the ancient town of Jaffa where Peter had his vision on the roof top of the house of Simon the Tanner. Overnight Tel Aviv area. Daniel or similar. D.

We travel towards Caesarea Maritima (entrance included), where we will have a brief visit to this magnificent city with Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader ruins. Here we will elaborate on the story of the baptism of Cornelius, the first gentile convert to Christianity, and on the travels of Paul — those events that led Caesarea Maritima to become the springboard of Christianity to the West. We continue to Mount Carmel (entrance included) and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal, discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. We travel to Nazareth where we climb the Mount of Precipice, the brow of the hill on which the city was built. There we will reflect on the rejection of Jesus by his family and friends in Nazareth, and enjoy views of the Valley of Armageddon. We depart for the Sea of Galilee area, passing Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle. Overnight Sea of Galilee area. Caesar or similar. B, L, D.

This morning we drive to the Golan Heights, we pass Kursi, where Jesus healed a demon-possessed man and reach Peace Vista where we enjoy a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee and the road to Damascus. Our journey proceeds to Caesarea Philippi (included), where Peter made his famous confession of Christ. We return to the Sea of Galilee area and enjoy a St. Peter’s fish lunch. Then we visit Capernaum (entrance included), Jesus’ Galilean ministry base, where we will see the synagogue and the home where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Our last stop of the day will be to the Jordan River where you will get a chance to be baptized in the same river as Jesus. Overnight Sea of Galilee area. Caesar or similar. B, L, D.

We visit the ancient boat museum containing a recently-discovered 2000-year-old fishing boat (entrance included). We sail on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of that boat (included). We visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where we will discuss the Sermon on the Mount, and Tabgha, where Jesus appeared to his disciples for the third time after his resurrection. We leave the area of Galilee, following the Jordan Valley Road south to Bet Arabah, where John the Baptist was baptizing on the Jordan River. After lunch (included) we visit the Tel of Jericho (entrance included) with its ancient ruins, pointing out what possibly could be the foundations of the ramparts that Joshua and the Israelites brought down. Overnight Jerusalem. Olive Tree or similar. B, L, D.

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 travel to the Israel Museum (entrance included), where we will visit the Second Temple Period Model of Jerusalem, a 1:50 scaled model of the city from the 1st century AD, followed by a visit to the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on exhibit, in addition to the archeological section where many artifacts are displayed. We will pay special attention to those items that relate to Bible history. After lunch (included) we travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We begin with a visit to the Shepherds’ field where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus. These fields are also the setting of some of the events of the Book of Ruth. We travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the actual place where, according to ancient tradition, Our Lord was born. Overnight Jerusalem. Olive Tree or similar. B, L, D.

We begin our day visiting Masada (entrance and cable car included), the fortress built by King Herod the Great and made famous by the Zealots in 73/74 AD with their standoff against the Romans. We visit the fortress and see the ruins that are considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We then continue to Ein Gedi, the oasis in the desert where the meeting between David and King Saul took place and where many of the psalms were written by David. We visit Qumran (entrance included), the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a Bedouin boy 1947. There we will see the caves and other buildings where the Essenses, the group of Jews who wrote the scrolls, lived. In the afternoon free time will be given at one of the Dead Sea beaches, and you will have an opportunity to float (conditions permitting). Overnight Jerusalem. Olive Tree or similar. B, L, D.

After breakfast we will ascend the Temple Mount, discussing its connection to both the Old and New Testaments. On to visit St. Anne’s Church (entrance included) and the nearby Pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place. (John 5) We walk the Via Dolorosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After lunch we visit the Western Wall, a section of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and Judaism’s holiest site. We then visit the Southern Wall Excavations where ruins of the retaining walls of the Temple Mount are still visible. We will gather at the teaching steps, the main entrance to the Temple where rabbis met and taught their disciples. Overnight Jerusalem. Olive Tree or similar. B, L, D.

We begin our day with a visit to the Upper Room, the traditional place of the Last Supper, followed by a visit to nearby location of the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas (entrance included). We visit the Garden Tomb (entrance included), where we will worship together and celebrate the Lords’ Supper. The balance of the day will be spent at leisure in Jerusalem. Your flight home may depart late tonight or the following day. If the following day and and overnight is required, overnight Jerusalem. Olive Tree of similar. B, L, D.