En Gedi, Israel

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That's a big sandbox!

Arrived!

Over Europe!

Over the Atlantic -

They are on their way!

Israel Tour Itinerary

Sunday, May 28 Our adventure begins with an overnight transatlantic flight from Chicago to our long-awaited destination—Israel!

Monday, May 29 We arrive in Israel and transfer to our hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea where we can relax in our room, float in the warm waters of the Dead Sea, swim in the hotel’s fresh water pool, or take advantage of the hotel’s spa facilities. Just after dinner we will have a brief orientation meeting.

Tuesday, May 30 Dead Sea • Masada • En Gedi • Qumran We begin our journey by focusing on the wilderness—areas traversed by the young shepherd David. We will depart early for Masada, where a ride on a cable car will take us to the summit for a tour of the magnificent ruins of Herod’s lavish palace/fortress where Jewish zealots made their final stand in their revolt against Rome. We will then drive to the oasis of En Gedi to relive one of David’s historic encounters with King Saul. In the afternoon we will stop at Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and then return to the hotel to enjoy the luxurious facilities one last time.

Wednesday, May 31 Jericho • Bet She’an • Jezreel Valley This morning we drive from our hotel on the Dead Sea past the ancient city of Jericho, the lowest city on earth. Continuing on up the Jordan Valley we will come to Bet She’an where we will have a time of worship together. We will also have an opportunity to walk through the remarkable restoration of the Roman ruins that sit in the shadow of the hill where the Philistines once displayed the bodies of King Saul and his son Jonathan. Driving up the Jezreel Valley we will stop at En Harod, the spring where Gideon chose his 300 men. We will then drive past Mt. Tabor—where Deborah and Barak led the forces of Israel to victory—before arriving at our hotel in the Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Thursday, June 1 The Sea of Galilee • Mt Arbel Following in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples, we board a boat for a time of worship on the Sea of Galilee. Afterward we visit Capernaum, the city of Jesus, and walk the streets that witnessed so many of His miracles. Then we will head to the ruins of Chorazin, a city condemned by Jesus for its lack of faith. Crossing the Jordan River to the other side, we will stop at Kursi, the site where the demons entered the swine after being cast out of the demoniac. Our day ends at Mt. Arbel, where we will walk to the summit for a breathtaking panorama of the Sea of Galilee before returning to our hotel.

Friday, June 2 Hazor • Dan • Caesarea Philippi Half of our group will begin their day by heading to the Mount of Beatitudes for a time of worship overlooking the Sea of Galilee while the other half of our group will end their day here. For the remainder of the day, we will follow the route of the old International Highway between Egypt and Mesopotamia. We journey north past the Old Testament city of Hazor on our way to the ancient city of Dan. A beautiful nature preserve provides a refreshing backdrop as we visit the northernmost city of ancient Israel, and see the spot where wicked King Jeroboam set up a golden calf. After a short ride we will come to the New Testament city of Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Peter made his great confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Driving up to the Golan Heights, we will focus on modern Israel’s struggles with Syria and Lebanon and discover why this region is so strategic. Then we will return to our hotel for our final night in the region of Galilee.

Saturday, June 3 Megiddo • Mount Carmel • Caesarea • Jerusalem We begin our day by driving to Megiddo—biblical Armageddon—for an awe-inspiring view of the Jezreel Valley. A short ride from there will bring us to the place of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Leaving Mount Carmel, we will travel to historic Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast where we will gather to worship in a 2,000-year-old open-air theater. We will then explore other key parts of this biblically significant city before journeying on to Jerusalem, which will become the base of operation for the remainder of our trip. Special Bonus: Because of recent agreements between Israel and the authorities in Bethlehem, we are planning on traveling to Bethlehem for a special banquet. Though we will not be able to visit the Church of the Nativity, we will still have an opportunity to visit this special city and share a wonderful meal at a unique restaurant.

Sunday and Monday, June 4–5 Jerusalem Our Jerusalem experience begins Sunday morning with a worship service on the Southern Steps of the temple, a place where you can actually say, “I walked today where Jesus walked.” Each bus will then begin its own individual tour of the many sites in Jerusalem, including:
A panoramic vista of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and opportunity to walk down this historic hillside to visit Dominus Flevit, the traditional spot where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night He was betrayed.
The model of Herodian Jerusalem, which provides an excellent picture of the city as it would have looked in the time of Christ.
Yad Vashem, Israel’s unforgettable memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.
The Western (Wailing) Wall and the site of the original City of David.
The traditional Upper Room where Jesus met with His disciples.
The Jewish Quarter, Hezekiah’s city wall, and the Cardo. The Pool of Bethesda and the Via Dolorosa, ending with a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
A life-changing tour of the Garden Tomb. We will also gather Monday evening for a worship service at our hotel.

Tuesday, June 6 Beth Shemesh • Elah Valley • Bet Guvrin • Beersheba We bid a temporary goodbye to Jerusalem to take a one-day journey to the western slopes of Judea. We will visit the city of Beth Shemesh in the Sorek Valley where Samson struggled with the Philistines, and then we will drive to the Elah Valley to relive the battle between David and Goliath. Traveling further south we will visit Bet Guvrin to see some remarkable ruins in the region where the prophet Micah once lived and ministered. Eventually we will come to the ancient city of Beersheba, the southernmost town of ancient Israel where Abraham built an altar to the Lord.

Wednesday, June 7 Jerusalem We will end our final morning in Jerusalem by holding a memorable communion service at the Garden Tomb. Our afternoon is free for exploring on our own, shopping, relaxing, or packing. After our final dinner and meeting together at the hotel we will drive to the airport for our late-night flights back to the United States.

Thursday, June 8 We return to the United States with heart-changing memories of our time together in the land of Israel.