In the Homeland of Jesus of Nazareth
12-day Christian Tour
Day 1. Today we meet in New York to begin our Spiritual Journey. We will board
our Jumbo Jet for an overnight flight to the land of our Lord. Several meals and
movies will be available during our flight, but do get some rest….because tomorrow
you will be walking where Jesus walked!
Day 2. Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport and checking through customs, we will be
met by our ITP representative and escorted to our private motor-coach. Touring
will begin immediately as we traverse the Mediterranean Sea on our way to our hotel
in Modern Tel Aviv . Overnight.
Day 3. Jaffa / Caesarea / Mount Carmel / Druze Villages
/ Acre
After a good night rest and hardy breakfast; we visit the
ancient Joppa (Jaffa) and the house of Simon the Tanner
(Acts 10: 9-16) also the place of the Miracle of the
resurrection of Tabita (Acts 9: 36-43). We then drive
North to Caesarea Maritima to visit the Roman Theater, Herod’s Palace, the Palace
of the Roman Procurator Pontus Pilate (Acts 23: 23, 26: 23). It is also here that
Peter was sent to convert Cornelius and his family (Acts 10: 20-48). We will be awed
by the massive Amphitheater and the Crusaders’ City and Harbor. From here we
proceed to Mount Carmel to visit Muhraka, where Elijah fought with the Prophets of
Baal. From the roof of this Monastery, we have a beautiful view of the Jezreel
Valley. We swing through a Druze village called Daliyat, before we proceed to Haifa
for a panoramic view of the city and harbor. We visit the cave where Elijah was fed
by the ravens. We watch the beautiful sunset on the Sea of Galilee as we arrive at
our hotel on the shore. Tiberias for overnight.
Day 4. Galilee
After awakening to a breat-taking view of the Sea and
Golan Heights from our room, we come down for a
marvelous breakfast. We walk to the peer to board a ship
for a ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on
the water (Matthew 14: 22-23). The ride will end at
Ginnosar where we see an Ancient Boat from the time of Jesus that was found
nearby. Drive to the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 7) where we shall visit the
heptagonal church that was built by the Italian architect Berluzzi. Proceed to
Tabgha, for a visit of the Church of the Loaves and the Fish (Matthew 14: 14-34).
Driving along the Northern shores of the Sea of Galilee we shall reach Capernaum,
the town of Jesus, where he lived in the house of Peter performing from there his
miracles and healings (Matthew 4: 13, Matthew 8: 14-15). Through the Golan Heights,
proceed to Banyas, the ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16: 13-20) one of the main
sources of the Jordan River.
Return to the hotel for overnight.
Day 5. Nazareth /Megiddo / Beit Shearim / Zippori
After breakfast, drive to Nazareth to visit the Church of
Annunciation (Luke 26: 28), then through the Jezreel Plain
on to Megiddo, named also Armageddon – the place where
the last battle of mankind is due to take place (the
Apocalypse of St. John) – where we shall visit the Museum
and this 5,000 year old city with the Gates from the times of King Solomon, the old
Canaanite temples and the water tunnel from the time of King Ahab. After the visit
proceed to Beit Shearim, an old Jewish cemetery and the site of the Jewish
Sanhedrin, and to Zippori, also a site of the Sanhedrin, and one of the richest cities
in the Northern part of the country with its beautiful mosaics. Return to the hotel
for overnight.
Day 6. Galilee / Beit Shean / Beit Alfa
After breakfast, drive to the Southern part of the See of Galilee to visit the
Yardenit Baptismal site. Proceed to the ancient town of Beit Shean with its new
excavations of the Roman and Byzantine periods, then to Beit Alfa with its ancient
synagogue with marvelous mosaics inside. Drive on to Gideon Springs, where Gideon
gathered the sons of Israel to fight the Medianates (Judges 7: 1). Proceed to
Jerusalem for overnight.
Day 7. Jerusalem—the Old City
After breakfast, ascend the Mount of Olives for a wonderful panoramic view of the
Old City of Jerusalem with the Temple Mount. Walking down the Mount of Olives, we
shall reach the Church of Dominus Flevit (Luke 19: 41-44) for the visit and proceed
to the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26: 36-
58), to see the old olive trees and visit the Basilica of the Agony. Driving through the
Kidron Valley, we shall reach the Dung Gate and enter the Old City to visit the
Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) – the holiest place for the Jews – walk a part of the
Via Dolorosa and, via the exotic bazaar, get to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Proceed through the newly rebuilt Jewish Quarter and the Roman Cardo to the
Mount Zion to visit the Tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Return
to the hotel for overnight.
Day 8. Jerusalem—the New City / Bethlehem*
After breakfast, drive to the Model of Jerusalem as it
was at the time of the Second Temple. Proceed to Yad
Vashem, the Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, and
then to the Synagogue at the Hadassa Hospital where are
the famous stained glass windows of Marc Chagall. Drive
to the Israel Museum with its Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea scrolls are
kept, then see the Menorah in front of the Knesset – the Israeli Parliament – and
proceed to Bethlehem * to visit the Church of the Nativity (Luke 2: 1-7). Return to
the hotel for overnight.
Day 9. Abu Gosh / Emmaus (Latrun) / Jerusalem
After breakfast, drive to Abu Gosh, the biblical Kiryat Ye’arim, from where King
David brought the Holy Shrine back to Jerusalem. Driving via Emmaus (Latrun) (Luke
23: 39-44) proceed to Beit Shemesh and the Elah Valley, where David fought with
Goliath. Return to Jerusalem via Ein Karem. Return to the hotel for overnight.
Day 10. Massada / Dead Sea
After breakfast drive via the Good Samaritan Inn (Luke 8: 25-37) to the mountain
fortress of Massada, stronghold of the Jews in the war against the Romans. Ascend
to the fortress by cable car to visit the palaces of Herod the Great with its Roman
baths and pools. Descend for a possible “dip” and “float” in the salty water of the
Dead Sea, the worlds lowest place. On the way back to Jerusalem, stop in Qumra—
the city of the Essens—where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in a cave by a
shepherd. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 11.
DAY AT LEISURE FOR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING AND PACKING.
Day 12. Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure flight.
.
Most cordially,
Shaya Jacoby
shaya@israeltravelproviders.com
1-877-856-3099
1-862-252-9186
);
