Day 1 – FRI 2nd FEB Departure to Tel Aviv – Arrive United Airlines Check three (3) hours prior to departure 

Day 2 – SAT 3rd FEB Arrival and Overnight Galilee – Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, you will be met by your guide and drive north along the shores of the Mediterranean to ancient Caesarea, where Paul lived for two years before being taken to Rome for trial. Visit the Roman Theater, Crusader’s Moat, Byzantine Churches, and the Aqueduct. Continue driving via the ancient caravan routes to Megiddo, one of King Solomon’s chariot cities, and visit the remarkable excavations, including the site’s famous well and Solomon’s Stables. Next, drive through the fertile Jezreel Valley to visit Gideon Spring at base of Mt. Gilboa. Proceed to Tiberias, our home for the next three nights.

Day 3 – SUN 4th FEB  Tiberias – Enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias to Kibbutz Nof Ginosar. A special time to worship on the boat. Take a look at the perfectly intact 2,000-year-old boat recently uncovered on its shores. Proceed to Capernaum, home of Our Lord, during His ministry & after visiting the Synagogue where He taught, drive on to Tabgha, the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Then go to the Mt. of the Beatitudes to visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount. 

Day 4 – MON 5th FEB Golan Heights – Depart for Golan Heights and visit the Banias Spring, which rises from under a cave and is one of the sources of the Jordan River. It was here near Banias at ancient Caesarea Philippi where Peter made his confession of faith in Jesus. Mount Bental can be found in the middle of Golan Heights towards the Syrian border, and it is one of Israel’s famous mountain peaks to visit, partly due to the fabulous panoramic views of the Golan but also because it was the site of a battle fought during Israel’s war for the Golan. We will drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Phillip.

Day 5 – TUE 6th FEB Tiberias – Drive along the Horns of Hattin, where Saladin defeated the Crusaders in 1187 and ended the 80-year-old Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. Next, continue to Nazareth to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Church, Mary’s Well and the Promenade. Then proceed to Haifa and ascend Mt Carmel for a panoramic view of the city and the bay. Finally, we’ll visit the site of Elijah’s Sacrifice at a shrine called Muhraqa. We then travel to the Jordan River to renew our baptisms. 

Day 6 – WED 7th FEB Tiberias / Petra – Depart Tiberias and cross Sheikh Hussein Bridge, the Israel-Jordan border into Jordan. Upon arrival in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, meet our Jordanian guide and drive to Mt Nebo, the site from which Moses saw the Promised Land and died. From here, drive to  Petra, one of the most magnificent sites in the Middle East and one of the Seven Wonders. The “Rose Red City” of Petra is carved into the sides of a deep gorge, and the only entrance is through the “Siq,” a narrow slit in the rock enclosed by beautiful limestone cliffs. Riding on horseback (optional) between the 100-foot cliffs, we will see a remarkable sight: temples, tombs, and dwellings chiselled right into the limestone walls. Overnight in Petra. 

Day 7 – THU 8th FEB Petra / Jerusalem – Depart Petra, drive to Allenby Bridge, the Jordanian Israeli border, and cross back into Israel. Meet our guide, proceed to Jericho, and visit the ruins of the ancient city that Joshua conquered. From the top of the ancient “tel,” we’ll have an excellent view of Elisha’s Fountain and the Mt of Temptation. Then make our way to Jerusalem over winding roads and via the Good Samaritan Inn. We will travel to Jerusalem, our home, for the next five nights.

Day 8 – FRI 9th FEB Jerusalem – Following breakfast, we will drive to the summit of the Mt of Olives for a spectacular view of the “Golden City.” Visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of Ascension. Walk to the Chapel of Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and foretold its destruction. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, which commemorate the Agony in the Garden. Drive through the Kedron Valley to see the Tombs of Absalom, Zacharia, James and the Gihon Fountain. By way of the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), proceed to the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book exhibit, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed and a scale model of Jerusalem as it was during the time of Jesus. We will visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum, before returning to our hotel.

Day 9 – SAT 10th FEB – Jerusalem – Walk through the narrow cobble-stoned streets of this historic center. Sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of the “Ecce Homo.” Follow Our Lord on the Way of the Cross to visit Golgotha and the Tomb of the Risen Savior. Communion Services at the Garden Tomb. Return to Jerusalem and drive to Haas Promenade and enjoy a panoramic view of the Old and New Cities. Continue a few miles south to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and the cradle of Christianity. Visit the Church of the Nativity, the Manger, the Shepherds’ Field, and the Fields of Boaz. Communion Services at the Garden Tomb.

Day 10 – SUN 11th FEB Samaria / Sabastia – Drive north through Samaria, a land rich in Old Testament history. Passing Shiloh, where the Ark of Covenant was kept and through the beautiful Levonah valley, referred to in Judges as the Valley of the Dancers. See the twin peaks of Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal, known in the Old Testament as Mt. Blessing and Mt Cursing. Stop at Jacob‘s Well, hewn out of solid rock and over 100 feet deep, it is the place where Jesus met the Samaritan woman and many visitors drink the water from this very well from which Jesus drank. Then to Sebastia where you can enjoy a local lunch before exploring this fascinating site that is rarely visited. Under Herod it was a major city as evidenced by the impressive remains. It is here that Salome danced for Herod and asked for the head of John the Baptist as a reward. The Byzantines built a large Basilica and monastery in his memory. The site is undeveloped but fascinating and atmospheric. Return to Jerusalem. 

Day 11 – MON 12th FEB Jerusalem – The Western or Wailing Wall is considered the most sacred site for prayer for the Jews. We will visit the Western Wall Tunnel and explore the underground rooms and narrow passageways. See the Temple Institute Museum and then enter the restored Jewish Quarter and walk along the excavated Cardo, once the main street of ancient Jerusalem. Next, we will walk to the Pool of Siloam, and David’s men climbed through the excavated tunnel to invade Jerusalem. We then drive along the walls of the Old City to Mt. Zion. Stand in the Upper Room where Jesus ate the Last Supper with His disciples. Then, survey Dormition Abbey, St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Jesus three times and King David’s Tomb. The remainder of the day will be free to discover this fascinating city on our own & then ransfer back to our hotel for overnight.

Day 12 – TUE 13th FEB Jerusalem / Dead Sea / USA – Check out from the hotel then drive to Masada through the Judean Wilderness and along the Dead Sea (the lowest place on earth). An exciting ascent by cable car will take us to the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. We’ll then head to Ein Gedi, where we will walk through the oasis, a beautiful green spot in the middle of the desert. Then proceed for a swim in the Dead Sea’s salty, mineral-laden, and unsinkable waters. Next, stop at Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Return to Jerusalem. This evening, a special Middle Eastern dinner will be arranged in your honor. drive to the Airport Tel Aviv Airport for our return flight home. 

Day 13 – WED 14th FEB Arrive Newark NJ

May Israel remain in your heart forever! Shalom!