Israel Tour

You’ll depart from the U.S. on your flight to Israel arriving at Ben Gurion Airport the next afternoon.

We’ll meet you and board an air-conditioned bus to make a heart-warming trip up to Jerusalem. We’ll visit the shepherds’ fields (the biblical location of Jesus’ birth), then we’ll make our way to the promenade for a magnificent panoramic view of both the Old and New Cities. Then we’ll spend the night in the first of the deluxe hotels.

Today we’ll visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, which will make us aware of the persecution faced by the Jewish people over the centuries. At the Shrine of the Book, we’ll have the opportunity to view the Dead Sea Scrolls. We’ll also see the giant Menorah, the symbol of the state of Israel, as well as listen to an explanation about the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. A visit to the Second Temple model will give you a perspective of Jerusalem at the time of Christ. We’ll end this day by going to the Western Wall.

We begin the day with a special meeting hosted by Meno Kalisher, who is the pastor of the church that Jimmy DeYoung helped to establish in Jerusalem. He will be discussing evangelism and being a believer in Israel. Then we’ll head up the Mediterranean Coast to Caesarea, built by Herod the Great, where Gentiles were first converted to Christianity. From Caesarea we’ll go up to Mt. Carmel, the site of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. We’ll then visit a replica of the village of Nazareth at the time of Jesus and if time allows we’ll stop by Cana of Galilee, the site of Jesus’ first miracle. We’ll stay the night on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Our Lord spent almost 30 years of His earthly life in the Galilee region and we will trace His footsteps, beginning at Capernaum, the headquarters for His ministry. We’ll then visit Caesarea Philippi in the area where the transfiguration took place. Traveling through the Golan Heights we’ll get a better understanding of the ongoing conflict between Syria and Israel. We’ll have lunch on the Sea of Galilee, where the menu will include St. Peter’s fish. As we travel across the Sea of Galilee to Beth Saida on the “Jesus Boat” we’ll study the story of the feeding of the 5,000 and see the Mount of Beatitudes. Our day will end at the museum at Nof Ginnosar where the 2000 year-old Jesus boat is on display.

We start this morning traveling through the Jezreel Valley on our way to Megiddo. With Bible in hand we’ll visualize the Battle of Armageddon. On the way we’ll visit one of the most interesting archaeological digs in Israel, Beth She’an. Further down the Jordan Valley we come to Gilgal, the site where Joshua and the children of Israel first camped as they entered into the Promised Land.

As we make our way through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, we’ll stop at Qumran, the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We will take a quick hike up to the waterfalls of En Gedi, where David hid from King Saul. A highlight of our trip will include a visit to Masada. The history of this magnificent fortress is moving. Make sure you bring your bathing suit because just before returning to Jerusalem we’ll have an opportunity to swim in the Dead Sea.

Early this morning we’ll start on the Mount of Olives and make our way down to the Temple Mount, walking the same route that Jesus would have taken on His Triumphal Entry. There will be a Third Temple seminar at the Temple Mount area, the site of the First and Second Temples. We’ll visit a special section of the Western Wall, the location where Jewish men are studying in preparation to be priests in the next temple. We’ll also visit the Temple Institute where they are making preparations for the Third Temple. In the afternoon we will go to the Garden of Gethsemane, then stop at Pilate’s Judgment Hall, walk the Via Dolarosa, and end our journey at the Garden Tomb.

Today we can sleep late and then get up for a day of light touring. In the evening we’ll meet for a farewell banquet to say goodbye to those not continuing on to Eilat and Petra. The banquet will be a gourmet delight and give us the opportunity to reflect on the highlights of our trip. After the banquet, those returning to the U.S. will leave for Ben Gurion Airport to board the plane for the return flight to the U.S.

Today we arrive back home in the U.S.

*This itinerary is subject to change.