Day 5 - GOLAN HEIGHTS, CAESAREA PHILIPPI, TEL DAN, BEIT SHEAN, JERUSALEM Today we travel north to the Golan Heights <strong>and</strong> view the area from a special lookout. Then on to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed Jesus as “the Son of the living God.” We will have a short hike/walk to Tel Dan where we will see the gate of Jeroboam <strong>and</strong> Gideon Springs. We’ll visit Beit Shean, one of the best preserved Decapolis Roman cities. There, the bodies of King Saul <strong>and</strong> his sons were hung from the city walls after they were defeated by the Philistines. We then ascend to the majestic city of Jerusalem in time for dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ Our feet are st<strong>and</strong>ing within your gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:1-2). Day 6 - MT. OF OLIVES, PALM SUNDAY ROAD, GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, JEWISH QUARTER, TEMPLE MOUNT, CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, SOUTHERN STEPS, BETHLEHEM We begin the day on the beautiful Mt. of Olives to behold the breathtaking panorama of the Holy City. Our pilgrimage will proceed down the old Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove, <strong>and</strong> the Church of Agony, where tradition holds that Jesus prayed before his arrest. We will enter Jerusalem through the Zion Gate <strong>and</strong> walk to the holiest site in the whole Jewish world: the Western (Wailing) Wall of Herod’s temple. Beyond the wall lies the 35-acre temple area purchased by King David, on which now st<strong>and</strong>s El-Aksa Mosque <strong>and</strong> the magnificent Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in Islam). From the temple area, we make our way to St. Stephen’s Gate to walk the Via Dolorosa—including St. Anne’s Crusader Church, the Pools of Bethesda, the Pavement (where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate), the Ecce Homo Arch, <strong>and</strong> the ancient Cardo (market). We continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed by some to be the place of Jesus’ crucifixion <strong>and</strong> burial. A short walk takes us to the original steps that Jesus walked on as he entered the temple area. We conclude our day with a visit to Bethlehem, passing by Rachel’s tomb on the outskirts, <strong>and</strong> visiting the Church of the Nativity <strong>and</strong> Shepherd’s Field. We will have dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight in Jerusalem. After dinner we return to the Western Wall to walk the Rabbi’s Tunnel. Day 7 - MASADA, EIN GEDI, QUMRAN, DEAD SEA Today we drive to the Wilderness—the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea region is a decent of 4,000 feet in 13 miles. Our first stop will be at Masada, where we will take a cable car to the fortress built by King Herod. Here we survey the ruins of fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples <strong>and</strong> palaces. From here we drive to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul. A short drive takes us to Qumran <strong>and</strong> the settlement of the first-century sect known as the Essenes, authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Afterward we follow the road south along the western shore of the Dead Sea (the lowest spot on earth) <strong>and</strong> stop for a short swim/float. Time <strong>and</strong> conditions permitting, we’ll include a short visit to Jericho. Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight in Jerusalem. 6 • Trust. Experience. Integrity. Excellence. Day 8 - SHRINE OF THE BOOK, MODEL CITY, HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL, GARDEN TOMB Today we visit the Shrine of the Book Museum, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. You will be fascinated by the 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem as it would have appeared in Jesus’ time. Next we drive to Hezekiah’s Tunnel—an ingenious water delivery system to the pool of Siloam—for a walk through the tunnel; bring water shoes <strong>and</strong> a flashlight <strong>and</strong> be ready to get wet if you go. Of great interest will be our visit to the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu—built over the site of the High Priest’s home where Jesus was tried, <strong>and</strong> where Peter denied the Lord. Afterward we visit Golgotha <strong>and</strong> the Garden Tomb for worship <strong>and</strong> communion. Overnight in Jerusalem. Day 9 - JERUSALEM Today is without a planned schedule. It’s a special opportunity to collect your thoughts <strong>and</strong> revisit the places of most interest to you. We will suggest several options including the Rockefeller <strong>and</strong> Hebrew Museums displaying a wealth of archeological treasure. Return for a last look within the walls of the Old City for souvenirs, where bargaining is a must. Farewell dinner <strong>and</strong> evening transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our return flight back home. Day 10 - ARRIVE USA We arrive back to the USA in the morning. The close of an unforgettable tour, we take home wonderful memories of the Old <strong>and</strong> New Testament, a renewal of our faith, <strong>and</strong> a greater underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the life of our Lord. “ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, <strong>and</strong> all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52: 8-10 11-Day <strong>Israel</strong> Ladder-of-Faith Tour Featuring both Old <strong>and</strong> New Testament Sites Day 1 - DEPART USA Tour members depart USA for our overnight flight to <strong>Israel</strong>. Enjoy the in-flight meals <strong>and</strong> entertainment, <strong>and</strong> rest in order to be refreshed upon arrival <strong>and</strong> begin our adventure—walking through the pages of the Old <strong>and</strong> New Testaments. Day 2 - ARRIVE TEL AVIV, VALLEY OF ELAH, DEAD SEA We arrive at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport in the afternoon. The tour company’s personal representative will meet us, help us get our luggage, <strong>and</strong> make our way through customs <strong>and</strong> immigration, <strong>and</strong> take us to our deluxe motorcoach to meet our expert guide <strong>and</strong> driver. Our guide will escort us throughout our tour, helping us gain a deeper underst<strong>and</strong>ing of <strong>Israel</strong>’s history, archaeology, culture, <strong>and</strong> modern life. We start off heading south to the Wilderness regions, with our first stop in the Valley of Elah, where David faced the giant Goliath. Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight will be in Ein Bokek, a resort area by the Dead Sea. Our journey into the Scriptures has begun! Day 3 - DEAD SEA, MASADA SOUND & LIGHT SHOW This is a day of exploration of <strong>Israel</strong>’s southern, desert regions. We visit the Negev, where Moses led the children of <strong>Israel</strong> after their failure at Kadesh Barnea. We’ll see the Wilderness of Zin <strong>and</strong> various places in the Wilderness in the Dead Sea area. Along the way we will experience Bedouin hospitality similar to that of Abraham’s day. The desert was a training ground for the patriarchs <strong>and</strong> for <strong>Israel</strong>, <strong>and</strong> we’ll consider how the Exodus <strong>and</strong> Wilderness experiences foreshadowed the life <strong>and</strong> work of Jesus. We return to the Dead Sea for a float on the water. After dinner at our Dead Sea lodging, those interested can take an excursion to experience Masada’s Sound & Light Show (additional cost). Day 4 - DEAD SEA, MASADA, EIN GEDI, QUMRAN, RIVER JORDAN, GALILEE Heading forward in history today, we begin with a tour of Masada, Herod the Great’s impressive mountain fortress where Jewish zealots made their last st<strong>and</strong> against their Roman conquerors in AD 73. Back to the Old Testament, we visit the oasis <strong>and</strong> springs of Ein Gedi, David’s hiding place from Saul. Then we head to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating from the second century, were found. We’ll then pass by Jericho (stopping if time & conditions permit) <strong>and</strong> travel up the Jordan Valley to Beit Shean, a city dating back to the Canaanites but now known for its remarkable restored ruins from the days of the Decapolis in the Gospels. Our “long” day of sightseeing (both in terms of history <strong>and</strong> the length of the country) ends at the Jordan River where those who wish to be baptized may do so. Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Day 5 - TEL DAN, CAESAREA PHILIPPI, GOLAN HEIGHTS “Galilee” of the Gentiles will come alive today, as we head north to Tel Dan, the northernmost point in ancient <strong>Israel</strong>—one of the two places where Jeroboam erected a calf for the northern tribes to worship. From this ancient city we’ll make our way to Caesarea Philippi, a site of idol worship, from Baal in the Old Testament to the Greek god Pan during the New Testament times, <strong>and</strong> the place of Peter’s great confession of Christ as “the son of the living God.” We’ll view the Golan Heights from a special overlook, <strong>and</strong> have lunch in a Druze village, before returning to the shores of Galilee for possible further exploration! Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight in Tiberias. Day 6 - SEA OF GALILEE BOAT RIDE, CAPERNAUM, MT. OF BEATITUDES, BETHSAIDA, NAZARETH VILLAGE, ZIPPORI Today we continue to explore the Galilee. We’ll see a boat from Jesus’ day <strong>and</strong> take a ride on the Sea of Galilee. We visit Capernaum, the village of much of Jesus’ ministry; the Mount of Beatitudes, for a time of reflection; the site of the multiplication of loaves <strong>and</strong> fish; <strong>and</strong> Bethsaida—all bearing witness to the ministry of Jesus. We’ll have St. Peter’s fish for lunch (additional cost) <strong>and</strong> then head toward Cana, where those interested will have an opportunity to renew their marriage vows. A short drive takes us to Nazareth, where we see a re-creation of a first-century village. We’ll also visit Zippori, the major cultural center near Nazareth <strong>and</strong> explore the possible links between this place <strong>and</strong> Jesus’ early years. Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight in Tiberias. Day 7 - MEGIDDO, CAESAREA MARITIMA, JERUSALEM We head to Megiddo, overlooking the Plain of Jezreel—Armageddon. We will then see the beautiful Monastery of St. George on the Wilderness cliff. We then travel to the coast, where we visit Caesarea Maritima, the Roman capital <strong>and</strong> port for the province, where both Herod <strong>and</strong> Pilate lived. It is also the place where the gospel came to the Roman centurion Cornelius, opening the door of faith to Gentiles everywhere. We’ll explore the ruins of Herod’s day, a Crusader fortress, <strong>and</strong> an aqueduct that brought water to the city. We then make our way to the true heart of the l<strong>and</strong>—Jerusalem. Dinner <strong>and</strong> overnight in Jerusalem. Days 8 & 9 - JERUSALEM, MT. OF OLIVES, PALM SUNDAY ROAD, GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, WESTERN WALL, DOME OF THE ROCK, SOUTHERN STEPS, VIA DOLOROSA, BETHLEHEM Jerusalem beckons <strong>and</strong> we will answer! Based on open times <strong>and</strong> accessability, we’ll see all the important sites in Jerusalem. On the beautiful Mt. of Olives we behold the breathtaking panorama of the Holy City. Our pilgrimage will proceed down the old Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove, <strong>and</strong> the Church of Agony, where tradition holds that Jesus prayed before his arrest. We will enter Jerusalem through the Zion Gate <strong>and</strong> walk to the holiest site in the whole Jewish world: the Western (Wailing) Wall of Herod’s temple. Beyond the wall lies the 35-acre temple area purchased by King David, on which now st<strong>and</strong>s El-Aksa Mosque <strong>and</strong> the magnificent Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in Islam). From the temple area, we make our way to St. Stephen’s Gate to walk the Via Dolorosa—including St. Anne’s Crusader Church, the Pools of Bethesda, the Pavement (where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate), the Ecce Homo Arch, <strong>and</strong> the ancient Cardo (market). We continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed by some to be the place of Jesus’ crucifixion <strong>and</strong> burial. A short walk takes us to the original steps that Jesus walked on as he entered the temple area. Of great interest will be the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu—built over the site of the High Priest’s home where Jesus was tried, <strong>and</strong> where Peter denied the Lord. In the City of David, we’ll see the excavations of David’s palace <strong>and</strong> much more, offering the chance to go through Hezekiah’s Tunnel—an ingenious water delivery system to the pool of Siloam—bring water shoes <strong>and</strong> be ready to get wet if you go. One evening we’ll walk through the Rabbi’s Tunnel at the Western Wall <strong>and</strong> see the very foundations of that structure. We will also visit Bethlehem, where we’ll see the Church of the Nativity <strong>and</strong> if time permits, make a visit to Bethlehem Bible College where we’ll see the only training ground for evangelical believers in the Palestinian territory. Dinners <strong>and</strong> overnights in Jerusalem. Day 10 - JERUSALEM Our last day in Jerusalem. We’ll take a morning trip to see a scale model of the city from Jesus’ time, <strong>and</strong> the Shrine of the Book Museum, where parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. We’ll then go to Yad Vashem, the <strong>Israel</strong>i memorial for victims of the Holocaust. We’ll return to our hotel for lunch <strong>and</strong> some free time, <strong>and</strong> then make our last stop—a trip to the Garden Tomb, where we will reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus through a time of communion. From here, we’ll leave for a farewell dinner <strong>and</strong> then transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our late night flight home. Day 11 - ARRIVE USA We arrive in the USA in the morning. In the days ahead, we’ll reflect on what we’ve seen <strong>and</strong> marvel at how much we have grown in our underst<strong>and</strong>ing of our faith. imagine <strong>Tours</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> • We Go Beyond. 7