Day 1

Depart USA to Tel Aviv

Day 2

Arrival in the Holyland where you will be met by a representative to assist you through customs and provide transfer to your hotel in the Galilee: Evening introduction and orientation. Overnight Galilee.

Day 3

Caesarea/Carmel/Megiddo(Armageddon)/Nazareth/Tiberias
We proceed to visit the Crusader Fortress built upon the ancient city of Caesarea, named after Augustus Caesar, who imposed the tax that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.

Day 4

Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee/Jesus Boat + Kibbutz Tour/Bethsaida (House of the Fishers)/Golan Heights (Caesarea Philippi)/Mt. of Beatitudes/Capernaum/Tabgha

Today we rise early and board our boat for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. We visit the Jesus Boat, then we have a short tour of the kibbutz, exploring this exciting way of life so similar to the earliest Christians. We continue on to Bethsaida, "House of the Fishers" and the village which was home to Phillip and other disciples of Jesus mentioned on numerous occassions in the New Testatment.

We then take the road through the Golan Heights where we will hear the explanations of the strategic and political significance of this area. On the Golan Heights we will visit Caesarea Philippi at Banias, which is the Site of the Transfiguration. Return to the Sea of Galilee area where much of the Galilean Ministry took place. Here were the homes of the disciples James, Simon, John, and Andrew. Near here, Jesus gave the Beatitudes and taught in the synagogue on many occassions and performed many miracles. The group will pray together at the Mt. of Beatitudes. We then proceed to visit Tabgha where 5,000 were fed by Jesus who performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Visit Capernaum, and end a magnificent day with dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 5

Beit Shean/Jordan Valley/Jericho/Authentic Site of Jesus Baptism/Valley of the Shadow/Lazarus' Tomb/Bethany/Yad V'shem/Jerusalem

We proceed thorugh the city of Beit Shean - one of the the earliest and most important cities in Israel form the time ofthe Canaanites. It was here the Philistiens impaled King Saul's body to the city wall - we view it's magnificent excavations. We continue through the Jordan Valley to Jericho, visit the first city conquered by the Israelites in the Promised Land. We visit the authentic site where Jesus was baptized in the Jordan near Jericho (subject to receiving Army permission to enter); we view the Mount of Temptation and continue via the old road through the Judean Desert, andpassing the Monastery of St. George, we make a stop at the "Valley of the Shadow" (Wadi Kelt_ for a few moments or personal prayer, then proceed to Jerusalem via Inn of the Good Samaritan, the Tomb of Lazarus and Bethany. Visit Yad V'shem, the memorial tothe Holocaust and 6 million Jews murdered by the  Nazis. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 6

Hills of Jerusalem/City of David/House of Caiaphas/Mt. Zion/Upper Room/Bethlehem/Jerusalem

This morning we start the day at the Mt. of Olives for an introduction to Jerusalem. Ascend the mountains of Jerusalem from Scopus to the Mt. of Olives for an outstanding and breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate; see the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, cross Mount Moriah, viewing the Tombs of Asbalom, Saint James and Zacharia. Travel around the temple pinnacle to the City of David and on to the house of Caiaphas at Saint Peter in Gallicantu. Continue to Mount Zion, the Upper Room and Tomb of King Daivd. Drive to Bethlehem by way of Rachel's Tomb and visit the Church of the Nativity and see the Shepherd's Field. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 7

Old City of Jerusalem/ Pool of Bethesda/Praetorium/ Fortress of Antonia/ View of Temple Mount/Western Wall/Via Dolorosa/Church of the Holy Sepulchre/Jaffa Gate/Garden Tomb

Ener the Old City through St. Stephen's Gate; Visit the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus cured an invalid man; continue to the Praetorium, site of the public trial of Christ, and his condemnation, and view its ancient remains in the Fortress of Antonia, seat of the Roman Procurator; proceed to the Temple Mount to view the Mosque of Omar and visit the Western Wall, a sacred site for the Jewish People. Continue through the picturesque market street past the Citadel of David and exit through the Jaffa Gate, passing the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the way. End the day with quiet prayer at the Garden Tomb. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 8

Qumran/Dead Sea/Massada/Ein Gedi

An exciting morning descending to the Plains of Jericho and Arava. Viewing St. Jerome's Monastery, Beth Arava and Mt. Nebo. Then on to the Dead Sea, lowest spot of earth, and Qumran, center of the Essenes. Visit the ancient caves of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Continue south to Ein Fascha, viewing across the saltiest sea in the world the fortress where John the Baptist was beheaded. Via an ancient ferry boat station and the desert where ibex roam at Ein Gedi, David's hideout from Saul, and on to the mighty fortress Masada, last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Masada is a  symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish People, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the Roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery. Those who wish to do so may swim (float) in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Return to Jerusalem, where we will visit the Tayelet, enjoy its magnificent view of the city from west to east. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 9

New Jerusalem/Scale Model of Biblical Jerusalem/Cardo Maximo/Temple Institute/Burnt House/Steps of Ancient Temple

Begin the day in the new part of Jerusalem by visiting a scale model of the city set in New Testament Times, including the Second Temple. Continue via the Knesset (Israeli Parliment) and downtown Jerusalem, to Old Jerusalem's reconstructed Jewish Quarter. See the Ancient Cardo Maximo and confirmation of historic sites of yesteryear, amongst which is the Burnt House. The Burnt House is the actual remains, "caught in a time capsule," of a house buried "as is" (food implements on the table, the skeleton of a woman's arm holding onto the stair banisters) in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, which brought an end to the 2nd Temple Period in 73 A.D. Visit the Temple Institute where religious Jews are preparing for the Third Temple. Here we will visit the famous Rabbi's Tunnel, running along the base of the Western Wall. (Owing to the enormous demand, and limited access to this fascinating site, our visit may take place at any time of the day or night during our stay in Jerusalem.) End the day with a visit to the Southern Steps, the archaeological reconstruction of the Temple Steps where Jesus walked so often. Our informal Farewell Dinnner and Presentations takes place starting at 6 p.m., after which we depart for the airport and our overnight flight back to the U.S.A.

Day 10

Arrive home early this morning