Accessible Christian Heritage Trip- May 2023

Activities:

• Independence Trail - Spend the morning getting to know the history of Tel Aviv through the Independence Trail which follows Tel Aviv’s heritage sites beginning at the intersection of tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard and Herzl Street, home to Tel Aviv’s first kiosk and ends across the street at Independence Hall, where on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion read aloud the Declaration of Independence as Israel was declared an independent Jewish state. Become familiar with Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus architecture and Zionist history.

• Have a quick lunch of some of Israel Street Food- pita required!

• Caesarea National Park - Continue your journey of the Holy Land touring the ancient city port - Caesarea - Caesarea Maritima (“by the sea”), built by Herod the Great, which was the scene of significant events for Christians. Here were the headquarters of Pontius Pilate, Peter baptized the centurion Cornelius, considered the first gentile convert and the apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years and preached to the last of the Herodian kings, Agrippa II.

• Proceed north and stop for a panoramic lookout over the Kinneret, the Galilee and the Golan Heights - .

• Check into hotel

• Welcome Dinner at the Hotel

• Galilee

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Capernaum - Located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum was a fishing village in the days of Jesus. Today it is a site of pilgrimage for Christians as it was one of the places where Jesus and Peter, the Apostles, lived and preached.

• Church of the Multiplication - Continue to the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, commemorating Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand, and the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, a Franciscan church located in Tabgha on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.

• Mount of Beatitudes - Mount of Beatitudes is in an area overlooking the Sea of Galilee where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Some late traditions of Christianity place this mountain on the area in which Jesus picked his 12 apostles. Its octagonal walls commemorate the Eight Beatitudes, each graced with the first words of one of the eight verses.

• Lunch stop will be made along the way

• Hula Valley - Take a ride on a golf cart through the Hula Valley, an important resting place for migrating birds and many species of rare fish and plants creating a wonderland of flora and fauna. Allows you an extra-close observation of birds and other animals in their natural habitat at Agamon Hula.

• Dinner on own in Tiberias or Agmon Food court

• Galilee

Activities:

• Breakfast and check out from the hotel

• Yardenit Baptismal Site - The Baptismal site Yardenit is situated at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. This is where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea of Galilee on its way down to the Dead Sea. These are the waters in which Jesus was said to have been baptized by John the Baptist.

• Lunch on your own in Nazareth

• Nazereth - The childhood home of Jesus, is closely associated with Christianity and attracted many pilgrims throughout the last two thousand years. The standout site in Nazareth is the Basilica of the Annunciation, the largest Christian church building in the Middle East, dedicated in 1964 on the Papal visit of Pope Paul VI.

• Travel to Jerusalem

• Magnificent lookout - When you enter Jerusalem stop for a panoramic lookout over the old & new city of Jerusalem. Make a toast and say together the "Shehecheyanu" blessing – appreciating the moment and the opportunity to be in Jerusalem.

• Dinner at Cafe Shalva - Shalva is a Jerusalem based organization that provides services to children with special needs and their families. Graduates of Shalva work at the café, and the café’s profits go back to the center to support its programs.

• Check in to the hotel

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Church of All Nations - The Church of All Nations, officially named the Basilica of the Agony, is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives next to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Catholic church enshrines a section of stone in the Garden of Gethsemane that is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest.

• Walk part of the Via Dolorosa and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - Enter the Old City and take the Via Dolorosa (Way of Grief), traditionally accepted as the last route trodden by Jesus to get to The Holy Sepulcher. The Church contains the last five Stations of the Cross including the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Several Christian denominations claim ownership to various parts of the site so holy to Christendom. (Please note: some of the areas are not accessible)

• Lunch on your own in the Old City

• Time to reflect at the Western Wall - Stop at the Western Wall, a section of the retaining wall that encircled the Temple Court in ancient times and a remnant of the Temple compound built by Herod the Great. The Western Wall is the most revered holy site in Judaism. Take the time to appreciate its centrality for the Jewish people.

• Machane Yehuda Market - In the heart of Jerusalem, a bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor, a tasting tour through Machane Yehuda Market is an adventure for your taste buds. Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers.

• Return to the hotel to rest

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Drive to the Dead Sea region, the lowest place on earth.

• Tour Masada - Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is built as a palace complex, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, (reigned 37 – 4 B.C.). Became a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 A.D. Ascend Masada by cable car and tour the site.

• Dead Sea - lunch and swim - Continue to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. Have time to enjoy and relax on the beach and pool area at one of the hotels on the shore of the sea. Attempt flotation in a sea that is 33% salt and keeps you buoyant. Lunch at the hotel included.

• Return to Jerusalem.

• Dinner on own and free evening

• Optional: Enjoy the Tower of David Sound and Light Show - . The ancient walls serve as a stage for a nighttime show which is a celebration of sight and sound. Amidst the archaeological remains in the Citadel's courtyard and to the sound of original music, the story of Jerusalem unfolds through giant breathtaking, virtual reality images. The stones of the walls and structures fade into the scenes and the screened images envelop the viewers and whisk them off to a one-of –a-kind multi-sensory experience.

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast and check out of the hotel

• Yad Vashem - Private tour of the museum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Memorial to the Holocaust. Tour this memorial to the darkest moment in world and Jewish history, its children’s memorial, and exquisite gardens. Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance

• The Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum - This is the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel and is ranked among the world’s leading art and archaeology museums. The Museum houses encyclopedic collections, including works dating from prehistory to the present day, in its Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Jewish Art and Life Wings, and features the most extensive holdings of biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world. The guided tour will focus on the Shrine of the Book exhibition and the Second Temple model.

• Farewell lunch at a restaurant

• Group transfer - Proceed to Ben Gurion airport and depart home or continue for extension.

• We look forward to hosting you again in our beautiful country!