Holy Land Tour Fall 2015

OCTOBER 12-25  2015

Israel has been one of the most important crossroads of the world for 40 centuries and numerous cultures and civilizations have left their mark on this ancient land. But more than that, Israel is the birthplace of faiths that have enveloped the world. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam find their roots in this land. Moreover for us Christians, Israel is the land where our Savior and Lord lived his earthly life.

A trip there is more that just a tour. It can make the pages of the Bible come alive for you as walk the places where Jesus walked, gaze upon the vistas He would have seen, and come into contact with the land that touched His imagination - just as it will touch yours. In addition to seeing some of the greatest historic sites in world history, you will spend time in daily devotions, worship, and communion.

We invite you to join members and friends of EllensburgPresbyterian Church on a once in a lifetime tour of the Holy Land in the Fall of 2015.

Below is a day by day listing of the places we plan to tour. If you have any trouble viewing this site, it's probably because of all the pictures. Try viewing one day at a time by using the links to the right.If you are interested in joining us, please take time to read the "Additional Information" post near the bottom and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Most of these photos come from my previous trips. Almost all the pictures in the blog can be clicked on for a higher resolution view.

Join us as we visit the crossroads of the world and walk in Jesus footsteps.
Pastor Al Sandalow at St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai

PS: Here is a link to the PDF brochure of the tour; just click and select "Download" at the bottom of the page - Tour Brochure

Day 1 - Seattle to Israel (Overnight)

Monday, October 12

Most of us will start the day early, with a flight from SeaTac airport to Tel Aviv, probably via JFK. Others who are not starting the trip in Washington state will likely meet us at JFK. We may stay the previous night in a motel near SEA-TAC.

Day 2 - Arrive Israel

Tuesday, October 13
Arrive Tel Aviv and Joppa

Upon morning arrival at Tel Aviv, proceed through passport control to claim baggage and meet our guide. Board our private bus to visit Joppa/Jaffa (Book of Jonah). We will recount the story of Peter in Joppa (Acts 9-10).

After this, we travel north along the Mediterranean Sea to the seaside town on Netanya where we will spend the night and have time to stroll the shoreline. 

Day 3 - Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, & Megiddo

Wednesday, October 14

Drive north to Caesarea Maritima with its magnificent harbor, theater and aqueduct constructed during the reign of Herod. It was here that Peter explained the way of salvation to the Roman Centurion Cornelius. 
 

Next we ascend Mt. Carmel, site of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Ba’al. 

 

Drive to the mound of Megiddo, har megiddo in Hebrew, which gave its name to “Armageddon”. Visit the ruins from the time of Israel's kings and descend their impressive water tunnel, the inspiration for James Michener's book "The Source". If time allows, we'll visit a rolling stone tomb on the way.

Finally, if time allows, we will stop at En Harod, the site of Gideon’s victory over the Midianite during the time of the Judges.

 Continue to our hotel along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 - Central Galilee

Thursday, October 15

This morning travel to Nazareth, visiting Mary’s well (the chief spring of the ancient village),  where Mary would have drawn water and done her family’s laundry and walk through the present-day bazaar, over the site of the ancient village, to the Church of the Annunciation. 

Today we will also visit Nazareth Village - a re-creation of a 1st century Jewish village and have lunch there.

Continue to the viewing ridge, from which one sees the site of the ancient village on one side and the Jezreel Plain and Mt. Tabor on the other.  

Then drive to nearby Sepphoris, the only city in the midst of Galilee at the time when Jesus was growing up — today a rich archaeological site of fantastic mosaic floors. 

Brief stop at modern Cana, commemorating Jesus’ transformation of water into wine and a visit to Mt Tabor round out the day. 

Day 5 - Sea of Galilee Circle

Friday, October 16
Jesus probably spent more time around the Sea of Galilee than anywhere else in his three years of ministry. Today, Jews call this lake the Kinneret. We'll literally walk in Jesus' steps today.

As we head north from our lodging, our first stop will be at Migdal, the home of "Mary of Migdal", or Mary Magdalene. In Jesus' day, this was a prosperous fishing village. Today, the town has finally been excavated and we will stop to see the site of synagogue that Jesus almost certainly visited.

Next, we will stop at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar, see the “Jesus Boat,” a first century fishing boat found buried in mud and exposed in the lake bed during a drought in 1986. It is now displayed in a museum. Some time today, we will take a boat ride across the lake in a larger replica of this boat.

Next, one of the great highlights of the area: The town of Capernaum. Matthew tells us:
"Leaving Nazareth Jesus went and lived in Capernaum" (Matt 4:13). Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen living in the village. Matthew the tax collector also dwelt here.

Here we will see a 4th century Synagogue, built on the foundation of the first century synagogue that Jesus preached in. We'll also see ruins of a house that may have been the home of Peter and the place Jesus lived when in Capernaum.

Near Capernaum, we'll visit two sites that remember events in Jesus life: The Mount of Beatitudes church, where we remember the Sermon on the Mount. Then, we walk down the hill to Tabgha to visit the Church of the Loaves and Fishes and the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy by the shore.

 We'll round out this busy day with visit to Chorazin (a town cursed by Jesus for not responding to the miracles he did there). 

We'll visit Kursi, the possible place where Jesus healed a man plagued by a legion of demons. 

Day 6 - North Jordan River

Saturday, October 17
Today we visit the far north, driving along the Rosh Pinna Road. First we stop at "Et-Tell", possibly the location of Biblical Bethsaida.

We head north to ancient Hazor, the most important town in northern Canaan when the Israelite's conquered the area in the 13th century BC. Visit the ruins of a palace probably built and visited by King Solomon.

Close by is Tel Dan. We will visit the high place where Jeroboam son of Nebat set up a golden calf when Solomon's kingdom was split in two and a city gate almost 4000 years old.

We continue to Caesarea Philippi (now called Banias), a source of the Jordan at the foot of Mt. Hermon—where Peter confessed his belief that Jesus is the Christ. We'll use the crystal water that emerges of the spring for anyone who wishes to renew their baptism in the waters of the Jordan.

We will return to our hotel via the Golan Heights, with a view toward Damascus.

Day 7 - South Along the Jordan

Saturday, November 1 Today we leave the Sea of Galilee and head south through the Jordan valley. Our first stop will be one of the most amazing archaeological sites anywhere: Bet She'an.

Bet She'an (aka Scythopolis), was a non-Jewish city in Jesus' time. We will climb the "tel" and view the setting where Israel's first king Saul and his sons were hung on the city wall when they were killed in battle. We'll walk the magnificent Roman and Byzantine ruins: theatre, bathhouses, ancient rest rooms, market areas, colonnaded streets.
Next, we drive south through the Jordan River valley to Jericho, the first city in the Promised Land conquered by Joshua and the Israelites and one of the oldest cities in the world. We'll ascent the 'tel' and imagine what it was like to be encircled by the Israelites.

Or, watching Jesus from a Sycamore tree.

We next travel a short distance to Qumran, located at the northern tip of the Dead Sea, to see the remains of the Essene community. It was here that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in nearby caves.
Finally we travel to the shores of the Dead Sea. We'll have time for you to take a "float" in the waters that are 36% salt.

PS: Camels are known to hang around Jericho and love tourists and bananas.