Israel

Day 1 (Oct 20 Tue) FLIGHTS TO ISTANBUL. Tour participants depart on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul (non-stop) from one of the following airports: Seattle, LAX, Houston, Chicago, New York JFK, Washington DC.

Day 2 (Oct 21 Wed) FLIGHT TO TEL AVIV. Our international flights arrive in Istanbul, where we take a connection flight to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. We go through customs and meet our Israeli guide, and overnight at Metropolitan Hotel.

JESUS IN NAZARETH AND GALILEE

Day 3 (Oct 22 Thu) MEDITERRANEAN COAST AND GALILEE. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on the biblical backgrounds and passages that are relevant to our day’s tour. We drive along the Mediterranean Coast to the large archaeological port city of Caesarea Maritima that was built by Herod the Great and named for Caesar Augustus. It was in Caesarea that the apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years (Acts 24:27) before being sent to Rome for his trial (Acts 26:30-32). We drive to Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus. We visit the Church of the Annunciation, which is the traditional site of the house of Mary and where the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would give birth to the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38). We then drive to Galilee for dinner and overnight at Ron Beach Hotel on the Sea of Galilee.

Day 4 (Oct 23 Fri) WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE GALILEE. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on the biblical backgrounds and passages relevant to our day’s tour. We drive to the excavated site of Capernaum, the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (Matthew 4:13- 16). Archaeological excavations uncovered a first-century house church, which was identified as Peter’s house. In the AD 400s an octagonal church was built over the house, and in AD 1990 a modern church was built on top and is known today as Saint Peter’s Church. Jesus lived at Peter’s house, which was often full of people (Matthew 8:14-17). Near the church is a white limestone synagogue built over the black basalt first-century synagogue where Jesus ministered. We then drive to visit the Mount of Beatitudes—the traditional location where Jesus taught the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13- chapter 7). It was also where he chose his 12 apostles (Matthew 10:1-4) and gave them the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). We visit the Church of the Beatitudes, which sits uphill from the ruins of a small church and monastery dating to the late AD 300s. From the Mount of Beatitudes there is a beautiful view of the four-mile long fertile plain of Gennesaret where Jesus ministered to large crowds of people. We then drive to the Cove of Tabga, where seven mineral springs flow into Lake Galilee. The warm springs attract fish and was a favorite fishing area during the time of Jesus. It is likely here that Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John (Matthew 4:18-22) to follow him. We visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish and the Church of the Primacy of Peter that commemorates Jesus feeding his disciples after his resurrection (John 21:1–14). We then drive to the excavated town of Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). Magdala has a first-century synagogue where Jesus taught and there are remains of a prosperous fish processing industry. We visit a modern church dedicated to the women of the Bible. Dinner and overnight at Ron Beach Hotel.

Day 5 (Oct 24 Sat) CAESAREA PHILIPPI AND EAST SHORE OF LAKE GALILEE. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on the biblical backgrounds and passages that are relevant to our day’s tour. We drive to see a first- century fishing boat called the Jesus Boat that was discovered in Lake Galilee in 1986. We then take a boat ride on Lake Galilee. We then drive to visit Caesarea Philippi in northern Galilee. It was the capital of the region of Herod Philip at the headwaters of the Jordan River. Herod the Great built a white marble temple here to the Roman emperor Augustus. It was here that Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 16:13). Caesarea Philippi is located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, which is probably the mountain of Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). We then drive to the fishing town and plain of Bethsaida that is located 2 miles east of the Jordan River’s entrance into Lake Galilee. Bethsaida was the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip. It was on the spacious plain of Bethsaida where Jesus fed the 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-21). We then drive to the archaeological site of Kursi National Park located on the eastern shore of Lake Galilee at the foothills of the Golan Heights. A large church and monastery built in the AD 400s was excavated here. It is likely here that Jesus cast demons out of wild demonized men and sent the demons into a herd of pigs that ran into Lake Galilee and drowned (Matthew 8:28-34). We then drive around the southern end of Lake Galilee to Ron Beach Hotel.

DEAD SEA, MASADA, AND DEAD SEA SCROLLS

Day 6 (Oct 25 Sun) FROM GALILEE TO THE DEAD SEA. After breakfast we drive down the Jordan River Valley to the baptismal site of John the Baptist on the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized. This is where Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:14–17). The nation of modern Jordan is located across the river. We then drive down the west coast of the Dead Sea to the Masada National Park and visit Masada. Dinner and overnight at the Herbert Samuel Hotel.

Day 7 (Oct 26 Mon) FROM THE DEAD SEA TO JERUSALEM. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on our day’s tour. We drive to Qumran National Park and visit where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We then drive to Jericho (Jesus’ temptations, Matthew 4:1-11) and up the steep road through the Judea wilderness to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at Grand Court Hotel.

JESUS IN BETHLEHEM AND JERUSALEM

Day 8 (Oct 27 Tue) BETHLEHEM AND JERUSALEM. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on the biblical backgrounds and passages that are relevant to our day’s tour. We drive to Bethlehem, where we visit the Shepherd’s field (Luke 2:8-12). If we have time we will visit the Church of the Nativity built over a cave where tradition tells us that Jesus was born. Returning to Jerusalem we enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate to King Herod the Great’s Palace, where the Roman trial of Jesus took place before Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:1-2). We walk through the Old City to visit the Upper Room (location of the Passover meal, Matthew 26:17-19),  and then walk down the hill to the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus. It was also the location of the palace of High Priest Caiaphas, where the Jewish trial of Jesus took place and where he was condemned to crucifixion (John 18:12-14, Matthew 26:57-58). We then walk down the hill by the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6-7) and enter the Old City to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount. We will also see the excavated Huldah Gates, the primary entrance into the Temple during the time of Jesus. Dinner and overnight at the Grand Court Hotel.

Day 9 (Oct 28 Wed) JERUSALEM. After breakfast Dr. Jackson will share on the biblical backgrounds and passages relevant to our day’s tour. We drive to the top of Mount of Olives, where we have a beautiful view of the Temple Mount. The Mount of Olives is a north-south ridge and is located on the east side of Jerusalem. It is separated from the Old City by the Kidron Valley. This is where Jesus ascended to heaven (Luke 24:50- 51).We then walk down the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsamne and visit the Church of the Nations (Matthew 26:36). This walk follows the route of Jesus on the Palm Sunday. During our walk we see the golden onion domes of the Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, and the tear-drop shaped roof of the Dominus Flevit Church (Latin “Lord Weeps”). The Church represents where Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44). The bus will pick up our group and drive us to the Jaffa gate. We will walk through the Old City to the Church of Holy Sepulcher (also called the Church of the Resurrection). This is the authentic area of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. We will then depart the Old City and walk to Gordon’s Calvary and the Garden Tomb—the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion, tomb, and resurrection. Here we will take communion together. Dinner and overnight at the Grand Court Hotel.

FREE DAYS

Day 10 (Oct 29 Thu) JERUSALEM MUSEUM AND FREE DAY. After breakfast we visit the Second Temple Model and the Shrine of the Book that contains the Dead Sea Scrolls. Everyone will be dropped off at the Old City of Jerusalem for a free day. You will walk back to the hotel on your own for dinner and overnight (Grand Court Hotel).

Day 11 (Oct 30 Fri) JERUSALEM FREE DAY. After breakfast we have a free day as couples or in small groups. Suggestions: Shop, Via Delorosa, Yad Vashem Museum, and the Western Wall Tunnel. Everyone will walk back to the hotel on their own and prepare for an early departure the next morning. Dinner and overnight at the Grand Court Hotel.

DEPARTURE

Day 12 (Oct 31 Sat) DEPARTURE AND TOUR ENDS. After breakfast we drive from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Airport to fly to Istanbul and then to USA. Those participating in the Turkey Tour will fly to Istanbul and then take a domestic flight to Antioch.

• Roundtrip international flights on Turkish Airlines from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Houston, or Atlanta.
• Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
• 1 night at Leonardo Gordon Beach (or similar)
• 3 nights at Ein Gev resort on the Sea of Galilee (or similar)
• 1 night at David Resort & Spa Dead Sea
• 5 nights at Grand Court Jerusalem (or similar)
• Daily buffet breakfasts
• 10 dinners at hotels
• Entrance fees to sites as per itinerary
• St. Peter’s Fish lunch at the Sea of Galilee
• Arrival & departure transfers
• Transportation by private Bus (total 7 full day touring and 1 half day touring on October 29)
• English-speaking licensed guide throughout (Orna Eylat)
• Boat tour on the Sea of Galilee
• Personal headsets (whispers)
• Service charges & local taxes
• Tips for guide and drive

• Personal extras
• Beverages during meals
• Insurance of any kind
• Bus on October 30