Day 1. Depart USA.

Today: Depart for Holy Land (Tel-Aviv) with complimentary meals and beverages served onboard your international flight.

Day 2. Arriving TLV – Nazareth .

On arrival in Tel Aviv proceed through Passport Control, meet our private airport assistant, and claim our luggage. Our group will meet straight forward with our guide. Proceed to our Hotel in Nazareth.
Dinner & overnight in Nazareth.

Day 3 . A day for North.

Route 90 north will take us on the same path Jesus walked on His way to Caesarea Philippi, and on that way we will pass by Hazor. It was the ancient northern gate of the Holy Land Kingdoms of old. Jesus passed by it calling for the Heavenly Kingdom rather than the earthly one.

We continuing further, we will make a stop to walk through the trails of Dan. It is a piece of paradise but ironically, it is there where the tribe Dan, who failed to inherit the southern shores, deviated to worship a golden calf. A few miles east will bring us to Caesarea Philippi that calls us to think on why Jesus had to ask His fundamental question on who He Is.

Later, we will ramp up to the Golan Heights where we will have our lunch at one of the local Druzes Restaurants (or houses) with a special traditional meal.

Afternoon will be a great time to have a look at the Bashan Area and Syria. On the route south-north before us, Jesus stopped Saul blaming him for persecuting the early Christians.

We then will drive to Katzrin and conclude the day at a winery where we will have a toast and taste a variety of a local cheese.
Evening: Dinner & Overnight Nazareth.

Day 4. Full day Nazareth.

Start our day journey with a walking tour in Nazareth. It is where the New Covenant started when the “Word was made flesh” - John 1:14. Begin with a visit to the Church of St. Gabriel and Mary’s Well to hear about the tradition of Virgin Mary filling her pitcher there. Continue to Nazareth Old City with various stops, among them an ancient wheat mill that was turned into a spices shop. We will proceed then to the Synagogue of Nazareth where Jesus studied and preached and to the House of Virgin Mary under the Basilica of the Annunciation. There we reflect on the event of the Annunciation and the life of Mary, then we will visit the “ Ghada cultural corner “.
This will be followed by a drive to The Nazareth Village and a tour that focuses on Jesus times Nazareth to get a closer understanding of the Lord’s childhood environment.

We continue up to the Nazareth Hospital to meet some of its representatives and listen to a brief about its history, current challenges and future aspirations (To be coordinated by Howard Good).

After dinner at the hotel, we end our day with an evening visit to Nazarene family houses where we meet local families and have an open talk about their lives and challenges. (To be coordinated by Bob Martin)
Evening: Dinner & Overnight Nazareth.

Day 5. The Sea of Galilee

This day our motor coach will lead us to the major area of the Lord’s Ministry around the Sea of Galilee. There we may catch on several Gospel readings reminding of what the Lord performed on the Mt. Beatitudes, Tabgha with its Peter’s Primacy’s Church as well as Capernaum. Right before lunch we will enjoy a boat ride.

Our lunch today will be in one of the Fish Restaurants around the Sea of Galilee with an assortment of flesh meze and local St. Peter’s fish (A whole fish or a filet). Other options are also available.

Our day will not end before visiting the Jesus’ time synagogue in Magdala. There we will discuss the life of Jesus’ time Jewish community and their living environment, next to miracles and lesions that took place there.
Evening: Dinner & Overnight Ein Harood.

Day 6. We Have to go Through Samaria

Today we will cross the Jezreel Plains south entering the Valley of Dothan. It was part of the ancient highway from the Gilead to Egypt. It is there where Joseph was kept in a pit until the Ishmaelites convoy bought him as a slave and sold him Egypt. It is also there where Jesus healed the 10 lepers.

Continuing further, a wonderful stop with a short walking tour in Sebastia (formerly Samaria) will take us through the ruins of the Ivory Palace of the Israelite Ormi Dynasty and as well as the Roman ruins of King Herod the Great.

Our lunch today will be very special: Musakhan is a bread topped with locally spiced onions and chicken. This will be served next to “Freekeh soup” (roasted green wheat soup) and a variety of salads in one of the local restaurants.

Further ahead is Shechem (Nablus), a colorful and vibrant Palestinian city situated in the valley between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, reminding of the various key Biblical events among them the vow made by the Israelites before inheriting the promised land. You will not miss the authentic Jacob’s Well under the Greek Othodox Church where Jesus met the Samaritan woman (John 4) asking her for a drink. Think why Jesus would ask for a drink from a Samaritan woman.

Our way will take you further south on the Patriarchs Highway towards Jerusalem, we will pass by ancient Shiloh. Shiloh was the location of the Dwelling of God among the Israelites and where The Tabernacle with the Ark of Covenant was placed for centuries. Then, we drive to Jerusalem and pass near Bethel, remembering on the Ladder to Heaven that Jacob has seen in a dream on his way to Haran.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.Important

Note: Driving through this route will be conditioned by a relaxed political atmosphere, as to be decided by the local tour guide.

Day 7. Jerusalem & Bethlehem

The historical events that took place in Jerusalem are almost endless and the Mt. of Olives is an ideal spot to start with and talk about them. Standing on the mountain on the eastern side of the city offers a stunning view of the city. This stop can be preceded by visits to the Ascension Chapel, The Pater Noster Church (The Teaching Grotto), and be the starting point of the Palms Sunday Triumphal Entry of the Lord to the city. A descend on the same path from the Mt. of Olives will bring us to the Dominus Flevit Chapel where Jesus wept on the city prophesying its destruction and our way will continue down to Gethsemane where we will visit the Garden and The Church of All Nations (or Church of Agony). It was that Thursday night when Jesus spent His last hours before He was arrested by the Sanhedrin guards.

Passing next to the Absalom Pilar and the Golden Gate of the Temple Mount and driving along the Kidron Valley south, the coach will take us south to Bethlehem - our Lord’s Nativity Place. Christmas stories took place there. We will make a stop in the Shepherds’ Field and ask why Father God has to invite them to celebrate His Son’s birth.

Our lunch today will be in the Tent Restaurant. A large Tent with traditional seating and local Palestinian cuisine. Meal is to be decided. We may spend some time shopping for souvenirs in Bethlehem as we normally encourage the local economy that is based mostly on pilgrimage.

In the afternoon, we will ramp up to The Church of Nativity that covers the Nativity Grotto and the Grotto of Jerome. Jerome was a monk who lived in the 4th century, and spent years there to translate the Bible to the Latin Language (The Vulgate) which most other Bible translations are based on.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 8. Jerusalem Old City

Today, we will ramp up early to the Temple Mount to be reminded of the many events detailed in the Gospel that took place in that area. Afterwards, we will make our devotional steps along the Via Dolorosa where we feel what carrying the cross means to each and every one of us. Then visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher with its various stations commemorating the steps of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord.

A free time in the old city market allows us to smell and taste various local and traditional crops and products that are brought to sales by village ladies near Damascus Gate.
Our lunch today will have an Armenian taste.

We will stop by the Bulghorji Restaurant in the Armenian Quarter to taste the Armenian “Sfeeha” - Armenian bread topped with a special recipe of minced meat.

An afternoon’s walk brings us to Mt. Zion and the Upper Room. There, Jesus offered His Flesh and Blood as a New Covenant of His endless love to mankind.
Continue our way down to visit the St. Peter In Gallicantu Church that is built over the Caiaphas House and the pit in which Jesus was kept during Thursday night. There, we will have the opportunity to reflect on His feelings and suffering when He was waiting for the next day’s crucifixion. The Western Wall is just a short walk far then ....

Day 9 Jericho and Dead Sea

A highly promising day involving a great and unique nature, long history, significant biblical events and leisure: Our “chariot” will take us down the hill to the Jordan Rift valley and then south along the Dead Sea shores to reach Ein Gedi. It reveals an oasis in the middle of nowhere with a flowing spring in a lush and green valley. We will hike up the trail to the upper fall and listen to the story of King Saul chasing the young David who was determined not to kill the God’s anointed King even when he could.
An opportunity to relax in the various natural freshwater pools cannot be missed, so do not forget your swimming suits.Then driving back north will lead us to Qumran, the site with the 14 caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found after 2,000 years, witnessing the authenticity of our Holy
Scriptures.

Our lunch today will be in Jericho. We will visit one of the local Palestinian Restaurants to experience its rich tastes and smell and our desert will be the local sweet date.

We will drive to one of the certified beaches and stretch our bodies to float over the salty waters of the Dead Sea and enjoy the sunset of this warm area.

Our journey in Jericho will take us along its streets passing by the Sycamore Tree and reminding us of the story of Zacchaeus as well as Bartimaeus (Luke 19 and 18 respectively). We will conclude our day with a stop in front of the Mount of Temptation and reflect on the enormously hard 40 days and 40 nights of fasting and the temptation of Satan to Jesus.

At the end of the day, we will drive back crossing the Judean wilderness again to Jerusalem.

Day 10 More of the Old City

Our day will start early with a walk through the isles of the city to the Bethesda Pools, reflecting on the healing of the paralyzed man (John 5), not to miss the Santa Anna Church that covers the birthplace of Virgin Mary and offers an ideal sound acoustics that will add a great echo to our hymn. The “Amazing Grace” hymn with soft female voices sounds different there …

We then continue to the Garden Tomb where we will have a guided tour within the garden followed by a designated room for reflection and Communion.

Our lunch today will be at Azzahra Restaurant and have a Pizza Celebrative Lunch

In the afternoon, we will ramp to the ancient wall of the old city from Jaffa Gate and walk on the wall up to Damascus Gate and view the old and the new city from a different perspective.

Day 11 Return home

The coach with its driver and guide will drive you back to the airport loaded with wonderful memories and tons of blessings from the Holy Land.