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The day has arrived, and we board our ground transfer which will take us from Grace Community Church to Tampa International Airport (TPA). Once at TPA, we will begin our overnight journey to Israel.
Today we arrive in Israel at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. Time-permitting, we will drive by the ruins of the ancient port of Joppa, where Jonah set sail for Tarshish. Crowne Plaza. D.
Overnight Tel Aviv
After breakfast, we drive by the ruins of the anicent port of Joppa, where Jonah set sail for Tarshish (if we have not already done so on the previous day). Next, we travel towards Caesarea Maritima, where we visit 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 – events that led Caesarea Maritima to become a springboard of Christianity to the West. Our next stop is Mount Carmel, where Elijah confronted the false prophets of Baal. In the afternoon, we visit Tel Megiddo, where we take in beautiful views of the Armageddon Valley, as well as Nazareth, where we will climb Mt. Precipice to discuss the rejection of Jesus by the inhabitants of his hometown. We then drive toward the Sea of Galilee, passing by Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle. Ramot Resort. B, D.
Overnight Sea of Galilee
After breakfast, we begin the day sailing on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of a fishing boat used in the 1st Century AD. We also visit Capernaum, Jesus’ Galilean ministry base, where we see the Synagogue and the house of Peter’s mother-in-law, in addition to other ruins of the village. We will see Peter’s Primacy, where Jesus restored Peter after his three denials. We continue on to the Mount of Beatitudes to discuss the Sermon on the Mount and then to Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene. Our final stop will be the Jordan River, where you will get a chance to baptized. Ramot Resort. B, D.
Overnight Sea of Galilee
This morning, we visit Mt. Arbel, which provides a panoramic view stretching from the Golan Heights to the Jordan River Valley. We then drive to Tel Dan, where we will see the site of Jeroboam’s altar, and Caesarea Phillipi, the site of Peter’s confession “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” in Matthew 16. We make our way to the Quneitra Overlook, where we can look into Syria. We will visit Kursi, where Jesus sent the demons into the herd of swine. Ramot Resort. B, D.
Overnight Sea of Galilee
Today, we leave the area of Galilee, following the Jordan Valley Road south to Beth Shean, 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 continue south to the Tel of Jericho, with its ancient ruins, pointing out what possibly could be the foundations of the ramparts that Joshua and the Israelites brought down. We drive by Qumran and end the day floating on the Dead Sea. Noga by Isrotel Collection. B, D.
Overnight Dead Sea
This morning we visit Masada, taking a cable car up to the fortress built by King Herod the Great and made famous by the Zealots in 73/74 AD during their standoff against the Romans. We visit the fortress and see the ruins that are considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We continue to Ein Gedi, the desert oasis where David had his encounter with King Saul and where he wrote many of the psalms. We have lunch at Genesis Land, where you will have the opportunity to ride a camel and experience a recreation of life in the time of the patriarchs (lunch and camel ride included). We visit the Mount Scopus Overlook for a breathtaking view of Jerusalem and end our day with a stop at the Western Wall, a section of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and Judaism’s holiest site. Herbert Samuel. B, L, D.
Overnight Jerusalem
This morning, we travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We visit the Shepherds’ Field, where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of some of the events of the Book of Ruth. After lunch, we travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the actual place where, according to ancient tradition, Jesus was born. We will also have time for Olive Wood shopping before driving to the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath. Herbert Samuel. B, D.
Overnight Jerusalem
We begin our day at St. Peter in Gallicantu, the church which commemorates Peter’s denial of Christ and which is believed to be the site of the House of Caiaphas. We see a pit where Jesus would have been held after his arrest. Next, we take in views of Jerusalem from the Belvedere Overlook before heading to the Upper Room, where we remember the events of the Last Supper. Next, we visit the Mount of Olives and end our day with prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on the night before his crucifixion. Herbert Samuel. B, D.
Overnight Jerusalem
We start the day at the City of David, the original location of ancient Jerusalem, where we explore the origins of the city, going back 3,000 years in history. We walk through the dry, Canaanite Tunnel, which was created by the Canaanites for irrigation purposes around 1800 BC. We visit the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a blind man (John 9). We visit the Southern Wall excavations of the Temple Mount and gather at the teaching steps, where we remember the events of Pentecost. In the afternoon, we will visit the Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. Herbert Samuel. B, D.
Overnight Jerusalem
Today we visit the ruins of ancient Shiloh, once the location of the Tabernacle. We take in views of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which played an important part in a ceremony of covenant renewal between Israel and the LORD. Mount Gerizim became a place of worship for the Samaritans. We visit Jacob’s Well, the site of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, and end our day at Sebastus. Herbert Samuel. B, D. *Today’s itinerary is subject to the political situation at the time of travel.
Overnight Jerusalem
Today, we walk the Way of Cross, through the Jaffa Gate, to the Praetorium (according to Kathleen Kenyon), and ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and of the open tomb. Overnight Herbert Samuel. B, D.
Overnight Jerusalem
Today, we will make our way to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, where we will begin our journey home. When we arrive back at TPA, we will board a bus that will bring us back to the church.
