October 26 - November 5, 2010

TUE. 26 OCT. 2010     Depart for our overnight flight to Israel.

WED. 27 OCT. 2010     Arrival in Tel Aviv. After Passport Control and Customs, we’ll make our way to our hotel to rest a little. Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv.

THR. 28 OCT 2010     After enjoying your full Israeli breakfast buffet, depart north along the Mediterranean Sea coast to Caesarea Maritime. Initially, a Phoenician site in the Persian period (6 to 3rd C BC), it became one of the most important cities in the Roman World. This is where Paul was imprisoned for two years before going to Rome. After a lunch break, we continue to Megiddo reputed to be Armageddon, the place of the last great battle between the Sons of Light and the son’s of darkness.

Drive east to the Sea of Galilee and check into our hotel overlooking the lake. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

FRI. 29 OCT 2010     Depart for Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Museum with excavations of the first century village. Walk through the city to visit Mary’s Well in the Greek Orthodox Church and then enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

We’ll stop by the Wedding Church in Cana to renew the wedding promises of our couples and learn about local customs. Finish the afternoon at the Jordan River to renew our baptismal promises.  Return to Tiberias  by boat  for dinner and overnight.

SAT. 30 OCT 2010     After breakfast, depart by boat across the Sea of Galilee for Capernaum. Visit the Synagogue and insulars of the city to learn of life 2000 years ago and see Peter‘s House. Stop at Tabgha to see a 4th century church built in the Byzantine manner over the place where we remember the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, and The Primacy where Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” Have lunch (included) before finishing our day on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the lake. We’ll stop in the beautiful gardens of the Italian sisters and you’ll have some quiet time before we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

SUN. 31 OCT 2010     After breakfast, depart The Galilee along the Jordan Rift for Jericho, legendary lowest city in the world and ancient oasis in the desert. See the archeological excavations of the original city. Going south, stop at Qumran to learn more about the Dead Sea Scrolls and where they were found. Continue south following the shoreline of the Dead Sea to Ein Bokek, spa center and area where you can experience ‘floating’ in the Dead Sea if you wish after we check into our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Ein Bokek.

MON. 1 NOV 2010     Relax and enjoy a late breakfast before we take the cable up Massada to visit King Herod’s famous fortress. Tour the extensive excavations and reconstructions before we depart to go up to Jerusalem.

Drive into New Jerusalem to Yad Vashem to remember the 6 million Jews who were killed during the Holocaust and then see the Great Menorah and the Knesset before visiting the Israeli Museum to see the Model of Jerusalem at the time of the destruction in 70 AD. and the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are preserved. Check into our hotel in Jerusalem which is just a couple of minutes walking from the Old City. Dinner and overnight In Jerusalem.

TUE. 2 NOV 2010     After breakfast, enter the Old City and walk through the Moslem Quarter to enter the Jewish Quarter and visit the Western Wall. Take time to place your prayer between the stones before going up on the Temple Mount to see the El Aska Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

Walk through the gardens and out to visit the beautiful Gothic St. Ann’s church with it’s perfect acoustics, and the Pools of Bethesda.

Drive east and enter Palestine again to walk in Bethlehem and enjoy a great lunch and then visit Christianity's oldest church, the Church of the Nativity. Stop at one of the famous olive wood stores to do some shopping before returning to Israel. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

WED 3 NOV 2010     After breakfast, we’ll start at the top of the Mount of Olives and walk down from the Mosque of Ascension to the Carmelite Convent of Pater Noster, to Dominus Flevit (with it’s great view over the city) and into the Garden of Gethsemane.

Drive around the Old City to St. Peter in Gallicantu, built over the high priest Caiphus’ House. On Mt. Zion, visit David’s Tomb and the Upper Room before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

                    FREE AFTERNOON in JERUSALEM to wander as you wish.. SPECIAL FAREWELL DINNER