Day 11 - Central Israel - West Bank

Thursday, October 22

In spite of what you hear in the media, conditions in the Palestinian controlled areas of the central Israel highlands continue to improve, giving us an opportunity to visit some of the most important sites of Biblical history.

We will start with a visit to Shiloh. This was the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant for 200 years. It was here that the Prophet Samuel was raised. You will literally be able to stand in the location the Ark sat for all those years.

After this we will visit Mt Gerizim, the home of the Samaritans, overlooking Nablus. Samaritans still exist as a people and we will visit the site of their ancient temple, which also houses Roman and Byzantine ruins.

Next, we drive down the hill to ancient Shechem (tel-Balata & modern Nablus). This was a great crossroads of the early Old Testament. Abraham passed here, Jacob dug a well here, Joshua assembled the people of Israel here and challenged them:
"Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Finally, we will visit the church built over the site where we are certain Jesus talked with a women at a well in John 4.

If time allows, we may begin or end the day at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, a local shopping area in the newer section of Jerusalem.