Remembering Chris

A Tour of Israel

from

Experiencing Israel / Homeschool Travel

October 6 – 17, 2021

 

OPTION OF PETRA

October 17 – 21, 2021

 

SEE SLIDE SHOW

 

 
Day 1  – Wednesday, October 6: Welcome to Israel, Samaria

We have finally arrived in the Promised Land after an overnight flight from home. We are met at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and escorted to our transportation. We begin our journey by visiting Israel’s Independence Museum where we will relive the founding of the modern nation after more than 2,000 years in exile. We now visit the world’s oldest port city, Jaffa, (Joppa) where the prophet, Jonah, tried to flee from God’s command and where Peter saw his vision that prepared him to share the good news with Gentiles. We drive east across Israel to biblical Samaria where we will see both the ancient and the modern as we are on our way to dinner and our orientation meeting. Dinner and overnight in Ariel

 

Day 2 – Thursday, October 7: Samaria

OPTION

We will wake you up in the middle of the night to reenact a unique biblical experience, announcing the New Moon. We bring wood with us and, climb up The Sartaba Mountain, where we light a signal fire in order to announce the new moon. In biblical times there were watchers who awaited a signal to light their fire, creating a chain reaction, taking the signal from one mountain to another all the way from Jerusalem to Babylonia, where most of the Jewish people lived at the time. The Sartaba was the second mountain from Jerusalem.  (This was done on one of our first tours)

 

After a little rest we will have breakfast and travel to the Mountain of Blessings (Mt. Gerizim) which stands across from the Mountain of  Curses (Mt. Ebal) where the remnants of the Samaritan people still live today. From here we can look over the Valley of Alon Moreh, the first location mentioned in  the Bible in the Promised Land. Here Abraham first beheld God’s promised inheritance. After lunch at a local army base we continue the day with a site which has been voted “One of our favorite sites we visited while in Israel”: Shiloh, Israeli’s first capitol and the location where Joshua placed Moses’ Wilderness Tabernacle and where it stood for the next 369 years. Leaving Shiloh, we have the unique privilege of being invited to visit the Orthodox Jewish Community (and home) of our Tour Operator for some snacks, no ordinary “tour” will ever offer this kind of special blessing!.  Dinner and Overnight in Ariel

 

Day 3 – Friday, October 8: Northwestern Galilee

After breakfast we continue along the cost to one of King Herod’s most amazing architectural feats: Caesarea by the Sea, Here Cornelius lived and was baptized, here Paul embarked to Tarsus and was imprisoned for 3 years before being sent to Rome; Philip, the evangelists lived with his daughters; and, the gospel was first preached to Gentiles and here Pontius Pilot ruled. We will explore the ruins of the ancient Roman and the Crusader cities; sit in the amphitheater, walk the floor of the great Hippodrome where chariot races were held and stop at the amazing remains of the Roman Aqueduct, which has been beautifully preserved under the sand dunes for 2000 years. This is our day to join the prophet, Elijah, as he challenges the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. We will retell the face-off between the prophet, Elijah, and the 450 prophets of Baal. From our vantage point on the mountain, we take in nearly the entirety of the Valley of Armageddon. We now travel to Rosh Hanikra, with beautiful grottos, situated on the Lebanese border at the extreme northwestern corner of the country. We will take “the world’s shortest cable car” to the fabulous sea-level grottos and the historic tunnels carved into the soft rock. Dinner and Overnight at our guesthouse in Shlomi

 

Day 4 – Saturday, October 9: Across the Galilee

We start the day at Keshet Cave (one of Chris’ favorite places) one of the most awesome views in the entire Western Galilee. This is a rare treat as this location is known only to locals and rappelling enthusiasts and is not a usual stop for visitors. Keshet Cave has been called ” one of the 100 places to visit before you die.” We continue east to Zippori, known as the “Jewel of the Galilee” in the days of Jesus. (Chris used to say: that it is very possible that Joseph and Jesus both helped build this town) with its beautiful mosaic floors. Then we travel to Caesarea Philippi (where a most important biblical event took place and where we will learn what “the gates of Hell” actually were). This is one of our traveler’s favorite places to visit and it will also be  yours! Dinner and overnight at our Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee

 

Day 5 – Sunday, October 10: Sea of Galilee

This is our morning to encircle the Sea of Galilee and become intimately acquainted with the towns and areas of Jesus’ ministry as written in the Gospels. We will start the day on the Sea of Galilee in a recreation of a fishing boat during the time of Jesus. Then we follow Jesus where He traveled, ministered, and taught in the areas around the Sea of Galilee. We will visit Capernaum, a main center for Jesus’ teachings where Peter’s house has been discovered along with the synagogue where Jesus taught; Tabgha, the traditional site of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes and the Mount of Beatitudes, where we can stand at the site of the Sermon on the Mount and wonder at the natural amphitheater. We get ready for our dinner of fish cooked on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at our Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee

 

Day 6 – Monday, October 11: Into the Desert

After breakfast we will spend time rafting the Jordan River. We detour a little to Gideon’s spring where Gideon the Judge chose 300 devout men for his night battle against the Midianites. We head south along the Jordan River Valley to the lowest point on the face of the Earth, the Dead Sea, passing Beit Shean where the Philistines hung the body of King Saul, On the way south we will discuss many of the people of the Bible: David’s flight from his son, Absolom; Jacob wrestling with an angel; the death of Elijah; the hometown of Elisha; Mt. Gilboa, and the death of Saul and his sons; and many more. Across from Jericho, home of Rahab the harlot, and the location where Joshua entered the Land after 40 years in the Wilderness. We will discuss the wonderful stories that took place out of both Old and New Testaments. For any wishing to be baptized at the same location in the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus, we will make time for this experience. At Ein Gedi we will climb the cliffs where David cut off part of Saul’s cloak. We’ll experience a small slice of heaven as we hike along a waterfall oasis whose beauty exudes vibrant, colorful hues. We pass Qumran where in 1949 the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Next is a swim (float) in the Dead Sea. We continue to Mount Sodom and discuss the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. We end our day entering a Bedouin encampment and being treated to their famous hospitality which will include the history of the Bedouin people and a camel ride into the desert. After a wonderful Bedouin supper, we all bed down in a Bedouin hut. Dinner and sleeping in a Bedouin tent in the Negev Desert

 

Day 7 – Tuesday, October 12: Dead Sea

We awake before sunrise and hike Masada’s siege ramp to watch the sun rise from behind the Mountains of Edom, across the Dead Sea. We will attempt to understand why King Herod would build such a fortress and we will discover how the Romans finally captured it, only to find a great surprise awaiting them, back to our encampment for breakfast before we drive west to the archaeological site of ancient Beersheba. We will walk the streets where Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, and Esau grew up and see the well Abraham dug 4,000 years ago still exists today. Before ascending to Jerusalem, “the City of Gold”, we stop at the valley of Elah, the site of young David’s battle with Goliath. After recounting the story, we will visit the brook from which David found his 5 smooth stones, bring your collection bag in order to find our own 5 smooth stones to take home with us. We begin our Jerusalem Experience atop the Mount of Olives, , with its  expansive view of the entire Ancient/Modern city. overlooking the City From here we will be introduced to all the areas Jerusalem: Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, the City of David, and Mount Zion. Dinner and overnight at our Guesthouse in Jerusalem

 

Day 8 – Wednesday, October 13: Jerusalem

Our day starts with the City of David, the original Jebusite site of Jerusalem which David made his capitol 3,000 years ago and where most of the Old Testament was written. along the recently  discovered ruins of the palace of the kings of Judah, including Kings David and Solomon. One  of Jerusalem’s greatest adventures is walking through King Hezekiah’s underground water  tunnel, the ancient world’s greatest water project. Upon leaving the tunnel, we will see the  recently discovered Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed a blind man. Recently opened is the underground passageway to the Temple’s Southern Walls where we can walk on the street that Jesus walked. We enter the Old City, where everyday life and customs within narrow, crooked streets have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. In the reconstructed Jewish Quarter we can see the Ancient Cardo and the Hezekiah’s Broad Wall, a testament of the past. Along the way, we will meet some friends at the Shorashim Gift Shop who will answer many of our questions about Jewish life and we will have some really great shopping opportunities! One of the most amazing archaeological sites in all Israel: the Western Wall Tunnels, we will venture below the modern neighborhoods right to the very paving stones that were there in the time of King Solomon, King Herod and Jesus. Dinner and Overnight at our Guesthouse in Jerusalem

 

Day 9 – Thursday, October 14: Jerusalem

This morning we hope to be able to ascend the Temple Mount and to stand on the platform built by King Herod. This piece of land is the most holy place to the Jewish people. For a special treat (which has become one of the most requested of all the places we visit), our group will work alongside archaeologists as we find ancient treasures from beneath the Temple Mount itself. Our groups have found everything from ancient coins to Herodian mosaic tiles. We continue to Israel’s Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem, the museum that commemorates those who perished during the Holocaust in World War II, one of the most moving experiences in Israel. Our last stop of the day is the Friends of Zion Museum brings stories of love and heroism to the world. Visitors meet the biblical figures, academics, businessmen, and military officials who, through their faith, have forged an everlasting bond between the Jewish and Christina people. Dinner and Overnight at our Guesthouse in Jerusalem

 

Day 10 – Friday, October 15: Shabbat in Jerusalem

After breakfast at the guest house we stroll through Machaneh Yehudah, the wonderful outdoor market where native Jerusalemites buy their food. The sights and smells of everything from fish to fresh-baked bread will stir your appetite. There will be time for some shopping and then as the sun sets we make preparations to welcome the Shabbat with prayers and dancing at the Western Wall. As we enter the Old City, look around you and notice how people from all corners of the world enter through the various Gates with one purpose in mind, to welcome the Shabbat Bride at Judaism’s holiest site on earth. On the way to our Shabbat meal, we stop at an unique place which was Abraham’s first connection with biblical Mount Moriah. We then share a Shabbat dinner with a Christian couple who minister to Israel’s “Lone Soldiers”, known (in Hebrew) as the hyalim bodedim. Now is the time for your special talents because we will have a talent show in front of our hosts. This special treat is an exclusive experience for our travelers only. Dinner with soldiers, overnight in our Guesthouse in Jerusalem

 

Day 11 – Saturday, October 16: Jerusalem of Jesus

Jesus spent much of his time in and around Jerusalem. We will visit the biblical sites of His ministry that still exist today: The Garden of Gethsemane and the Pool of Bethesda. We will walk the traditional Via Dolorosa and eat lunch in the Arab Quarter of the Old City. We then walk through the Arab Market to the Garden Tomb.  We stop in the Valley of Ben Hinnom where we will discuss why this little valley was so important both in the days of the Old Testament and in Jesus’ day. After Shabbat, and as Jerusalem again comes to life after sunset, we will take time to shop along Ben Yehudah Street, Jerusalem’s outdoor shopping mall. Dinner and overnight at our Guesthouse in Jerusalem.

 

Day 12 – Sunday, October 17

We start the day at the Israel Museum, one of the foremost museums in the world, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and a huge model of Second Temple Jerusalem. Say goodbye to Jerusalem as we drive west in order to play the role of biblical Ruth as we glean a field for the poor of Israel. We continue to the Ayalon Institute where we will see a “bakery” and a “laundry” actually a total surprise at this stop. In the evening we will share our final dinner and share with one another our impressions of the our time together. We will now say our “goodbyes” as we are taken to the airport for our trips home.

“How was your trip to Israel?” Your trip will be so memorable answering this question will not be so easy!

 

PRICES FOR LAND PACKAGE IN ISRAEL:

2 people per room: $1,758.00 per person

3 people per room: $1,638.00 per person

4 people per room: $1,574.00 per person

 

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 35

 

HOTELS:

2 nights at the Eshel Hashomron Hotel in Ariel

1 night at the Shlomi Guest House in Shlomi

2 nights at the Karie Deshe Guest House on the Sea of Galilee

1 night at the Bedouin Encampment

5 nights at the Beit Shmuel Guest House in Jerusalem

 

MEALS:

12 dinners

12 breakfasts

 

QUOTE INCLUDES:

• Meeting and assistance at the airport
• 12 days of a private English speaking licensed guide
• 12 days in an air-conditioned private vehicle
• Transfers to and from the Airport
• All entrance fees as per itinerary
• 12 days of sightseeing with a private English speaking licensed guide
• All entrance fees as per itinerary
• Tips for Driver and Guide (NOT INCLUDED IN MOST TOURS)

 

QUOTE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Expenses of a personal nature
• Flights
• Airport taxes, border taxes, visa fees
• Any meals and beverages not mentioned in this offer
• Expenses of a personal nature
• Flights

 

TERMS OF PAYMENT:

$300.00 per person non-refundable deposit – 90 days before arrival Reminder of the money – 40 days before arrival

 

 

 

JORDAN OPTION

Day – 0 – Sunday, October 17:

Overnight in Tel Aviv

 

Day 1 – Monday, October 18

After breakfast we’ll drive south to the Israel Air Force Museum an outdoor museum with hundreds of aircraft. You’ll be able to see them up close and even climb on some of them. We continue to the Ramon Crater, one of the most unique geological formations in the world. At 25 miles in length, this is one of the largest and most spectacular craters in the world. We travel all the way to Israel’s southernmost point: the Red Sea port of Eilat before we reach Eilat we stop at Timna Park which is the site of the worlds’ first copper mine. We’ll see remnants of Egyptian mythology and fascinating history and a model of Moses’ Tabernacle that travelled in the desert for 40 years. We can spend the remainder of the day swimming or relaxing in the Red Sea. Dinner and overnight in Eilat

 

Day 2 – Tuesday, October 19

Today we spend the morning snorkeling in the waters of the Red Sea’s famous Coral Beach and experiencing the Underwater Observatory over the Red Sea’s coral reefs. Dinner and overnight in Eilat

 

Day 3 – Wednesday, October 20: Petra

This morning we tour the city of Petra, lost to the world for centuries, the Rose-Red City half as old as time, lay hidden in the mountains of southern Jordan. We travel part of the way on horseback and the rest on foot through the deep and narrow passages. The Treasury finally appears magnificently and immediately in front of us after we emerge from what seems like a hundred turns in the ravine. The most adventurous will be invited to hike up to the spiritual “High Place”, site of the sacrificial alter which offers a spectacular view of the ancient city and environs.

Petra has been called “a rose-red city half as old as time” and “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.” Dinner and overnight in Eilat

 

Day 4 – Thursday, October 21

Drive to Ben Gurion Airport for your departure

 

PRICES FOR LAND PACKAGE IN JORDAN:

2 people per room: $896.00 per person

3 people per room: $857.00 per person

4 people per room: $839.00 per person

 

HOTELS:

1 night at the Bnei Dan Guest House in Tel Aviv

2 nights at the Eilat Guest House in Eilat

 

MEALS:

2 dinners; 1 lunch; 3 breakfasts

 QUOTE INCLUDES:

• FULL DAY IN PETRA
• Transfers to Airport
• All entrance fees as per itinerary
• All entrance fees as per itinerary
• Tips for Driver and Guide (NOT INCLUDED IN MOST TOURS)

 

QUOTE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Border crossing (Jordan) taxes and fees
• Any meals and beverages not mentioned in this offer
• Expenses of a personal nature

SEE SLIDE SHOW