ISRAEL, THE HOLY LAND AND JORDAN JOURNEY

28 April – 12 May, 2015Hosted By

SENIORS MINISTRYHARVEST BIBLE CHAPEL, OAKVILLE

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”

(Psalm 71:17-18)

identified Jesus as the Messiah. (Mark 8:27; Matthew 16:13-23)

Golan Heights – Later today, we have the opportunity to view Israelfrom both Mt. Bental and the Golan Heights. This parcel of land plays asignificant role in the security of those living in the Jordan Valley andUpper Galilee.

Dinner will be back at our kibbutz this evening. (B, D)

SUN. 03 MAY: Sea of Galilee and Boat Ride.After our Israeli buffet breakfast, a memorable touring day awaits withvisits to:

Hazor- Once the largest cities in all of Canaan. The multi layered Tel ofHazor is a fascinating site that offers intrigue and insight into fivethousand years of civilization. It was here that Deborah and Barak foughtagainst Sisera. Captured by Joshua and raised to the ground, this city waseventually rebuilt by Solomon in the 10th century BC.(Joshua 11:10-14;Judges 4:2; 1 Kings 9:15)

Korazin- Location of Galilee’s most intact ancient synagogues, Chorazinwas a very important Jewish town. Jesus rebuked the people of Chorazinfor their lack of faith and for spurning his ‘miracles’. (Matthew 11:2;Luke 10:13)

The Mount of Beatitudes - Sit on the hill where Jesus delivered hisSermon on the Mount. Looking directly south at the Sea of Galilee, theflower filled gardens offer peace and tranquility! (Matthew 5:1-8)

Ginossar - Here, we will visit the Jesus Boat Museum exhibit.Discovered by accident during the drought of 1986, this fishing boatwould have existed at the time of Jesus. Beautifully preserved, it is atimeless reminder of life during that time. The museum has a gift shopwith quality items on sale!

Sea of Galilee Boat Ride - Our day ends with an unforgettable sailing onthe Sea of Galilee.

Tonight, dinner will be at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee. (B, D)

MON. 04 MAY: Sea of Galilee.Today is dedicated to the Biblical places surrounding the Sea of Galilee.

Kursi- The site of Gergesa (Kursi.) identified as the site of the ‘Miracleof The Swine’. (Luke 8:26-33, 8; Mark 5:1; Matthew 8:28-34, 15:29-34)

Bethsaida - Also known as ‘The House of The Fisherman’, this is thehome of Peter, Philip and Andrew and also the place where Jesus fed thefive thousand and healed the blind man. Here, we will see recentexcavations of this old city. (Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13; John 1)

Capernaum - The center of Jesus’ Galilee Ministry! Jesus lived here fora substantial period, healing the sick, preaching in the synagogue andperforming miracles. The Greek Orthodox Church, Franciscan Monasteryand Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter make for an interestingkaleidoscope of varying architecture. (Matthew 9:1, 4:13)

Tabgha - Located at the foot of the Mt. of Beatitudes, this is the site ofthe Miracle of The Loaves and the Fishes. (Mark 6:34-44; Matthew14:14-21, 16:18-19; John 21:15-19)

Dinner is back at our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. (B,D)

TUE. 05 MAY: Jordan. Mt. Nebo.This morning, we leave the Galilee and cross the border into Jordan.Today, we travel south through the Jordan valley visiting the following:

Bethany by the Jordan - Here, we stand by the banks of the river Jordanwhere John the Baptist baptized Jesus. (Matthew 3: 13-17; Mark 1:9-11;Luke 3:21-22; John 1 29-34)

Mt. Nebo - From here, we can see across into the Promised Land just asMoses did before being laid to rest. On a clear day, we can see the hills

TUE. 28 APRIL: Toronto to Israel.Today, we depart from Toronto on our overnight flight to Israel. Groupseating will be pre-assigned by the airline for our flight. Dinner andcomplimentary in-flight service will be provided this evening. (D)

WED. 29 APRIL: Israel.Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, we are met by our Israeli TourManager who will assist us with immigration and luggage formalities.Boarding our luxury touring coach, we take the short ride to Tel Aviv.Schedule permitting, we would visit Jaffa.

Jaffa - One of the oldest towns in Israel and considered one of the oldestports in the world! Cedars of Lebanon, sent by King Hiram of Tyre(destined for Solomon’s Temple) were unloaded at Jaffa. It is here thatPeter brought Tabitha back from the dead and, when in the home ofSimon the Tanner, he prophesied the vision of the pure and unpureanimals. (II Chronicles 2:15, Jonah 1:3-17; Acts 9:36-42)

From here, we check-in to our hotel overlooking the Mediterranean Seawhere we rest and enjoy our ‘Welcome to Israel’ dinner. (B, D)

THU. 30 APRIL: Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Acre. After our first Israeli buffet breakfast, we begin touring by visiting thefollowing:

Caesarea - The ancient Roman seaport capital of Israel where PontiusPilate had his base.

Mount Carmel - Overlooking the city of Haifa with the MediterraneanSea and Jezreel Valley on either side, we stand where the Prophet Elijahperformed his miracle and called upon the fire of God to conquer theProphets of Baal. (1 Kings 2; 15:4, 25; Isaiah 33:9; Zechariah 12:12)

Haifa – En-route to Akko, we shall pass by Haifa, Israel’s largest portcity. With more than two thousand years of history, Haifa has enduredmany occupations from the early Romans to the Turks.

Akko- This picturesque crusader port was a strategic location for both theCanaanites and Phoenicians and is also mentioned in Egyptian records.

Dinner will be back at our hotel overlooking the shores of theMediterranean Sea. (B,D)

FRI. 01 MAY: Megiddo, Nazareth.This morning, we leave the Mediterranean Sea and head north to theupper Galilee. On our way, we shall visit:

Megiddo - Hebrew for Armageddon, Megiddo was strategically locatedon the main trading routes between Babylonia and Egypt. Here, KingSolomon built a giant fortress and city. (Judges 1:27, 5:19; I Kings 4:12,9:15; II Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:12, Revelation 16:16.)

Nazareth – It is here where Jesus spent his childhood with Mary andJoseph. Nazareth is also the site of The Annunciation and where theNazarenes attempted to throw Jesus over the cliff.

Now a suburb of Nazareth, Cana is the site where Jesus performed hisfirst miracle when he changed water into wine. (Luke 1:26-38; John 1:46;Matthew 2:23)

This afternoon, we arrive at our kibbutz Hagoshrim, home for the nexttwo nights. Tonight is Shabbat! (B,D)

SAT. 02 MAY: Caesarea Philippi, Golan Heights, Upper Galilee.

After breakfast, we begin our day with the short ride to the Tel Dan naturepark where we see the spring waters of the River Jordan rise from theground. Onwards from here, we shall visit:

Caesarea Philippi - Built at one of the sources of the Jordan River, thecity of Panias (named by the Greeks after the goat-footed god, Pan) waslater renamed by the Romans as Caesarea Philippi. It was here that Jesusrevealed to the Disciples His purpose, His Church, and where Peter

of Jerusalem with Jericho in the foreground. (Deuteronomy 34:1-8)

Dinner and overnight stay will be at our hotel in the heart of Petra. (B,D)

WED. 06 MAY: Petra.After breakfast, we begin our visit of Petra. Petra was chosen as thecapital of the Nabateans because it was located in a valley surrounded bysandstone mountains. The main entrance to Petra is called the Siq, withsides as high as 656 ft.. It was here that Christians escaped from the siegeof Jerusalem by Titus in the 1st century.

This gorge and the temple at the end of it (the Kazneh) were popularizedin American culture in the movie, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

The Kazneh - Of the 800 carved tombs in Petra, the Kazneh is the mostfamous. Its name Kazneh means ‘treasure’ and comes from the Bedouinbelief that the Pharaoh chasing the Israelites hid his treasures in the urnat the top of the Kazneh.

Main Street - As many as 30,000 people may have lived in Petra duringthe 1st century. It is a misconception that Petra was a city only for thedead. A large earthquake in 363 AD destroyed at least half of the city.Petra never recovered from this destruction.

Dinner and overnight will be on the shores of the Dead Sea. (B,D)

THU. 07 MAY: Dead Sea, Jerusalem.After breakfast, we have free time to enjoy the Dead Sea before crossingthe Jordan into the Promised Land.

Dead Sea - No visit to the Dead Sea would be complete withoutexperiencing the unique buoyancy of these waters. Cover yourself intherapeutic black mud and float your aches and pains away! (Genesis14:3;Deuteronomy 3:17, 4:49; Joshua 3:16;12:3;15:2,5)

Once through border control, we shall journey “up to” Jerusalem wherewe check into our hotel where we stay for the remainder of the journey.

Dinner is served at our hotel this evening. After dinner, we have a veryspecial evening visit to the Western Wall tunnels.

Western Wall and Tunnels - Also called The Wailing Wall. The holiestplace of pilgrimage for the Jews! Here, we can observe the OrthodoxJews pray relentlessly along with many Christians. (I Kings 6:14;Matthew 12:6; Luke 2:46; John 2:19) (B,D)

FRI. 08 MAY: Jerusalem.Today, we spend our first day in Jerusalem visiting:

Mount of Olives - We begin our day by viewing Jerusalem from the Mt.of Olives. Photo opportunities abound at this time with the Golden Domeof the Rock prominent. From here, we shall walk down to The Garden ofGethsemane along the same path that Jesus took when entering the cityon Palm Sunday.

Garden of Gethsemane - The site where Jesus prayed at the Rock ofAgony in the Garden. -"O my Father, if this cup may not pass away fromme, except I drink it, thy will be done." (Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-50; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-14)

Mount Zion - Assumed by the Byzantine pilgrims as the original City ofDavid, this piece of land would have existed outside the original citywalls. (II Kings 2:10; Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-38;John 13-17)

David’s Tomb - Visit the stone cenotaph laid by Crusaders in the Churchof the Apostles.

Upper Room - The traditional site where Jesus instituted a new Passovercelebration and the new Covenant in His blood. (Mark 14:15)

Yad Vashem - Israel’s national monument, memorial and museum to theHolocaust.

Dinner will be at our hotel this evening. (B,D)

SAT. 09 MAY: Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea Scrolls.After breakfast, we leave and head into Israel and the Judean wildernessand follow the shores of The Dead Sea to visit:

Masada - This UNESCO World Heritage site was once Herod’smountain top palace and fortress. Here, we ascend to the site by cablecar and learn about the last Jewish stand against the Romans and the masssuicide of the 960 Jewish defenders.

Ein Gedi - This national park and oasis hosts the caves of David’s Gorgewhere David hid from Saul and his army. (I Samuel 24; Song of Solomon1:14; Ezekiel 47:10)

Qumran - Home to the ancient Essenes. It is here that they wrote theDead Sea Scrolls almost two thousand years ago. Here, we will visit theexcavated sites of Qumran and view the location where The Scrolls werefound in 1947. (John 1; Luke 1:57-80; Isaiah 40)

After another fascinating day, we leave the Dead Sea and make our way‘up’ to Jerusalem.

Dinner will be served at our hotel. (B,D)

SUN. 10 MAY: Jerusalem.Our day in Jerusalem focuses on the area of the Temple Mount and theOld city.

Davidson Centre - This new facility uses state-of-the-art technology tobring the Temple Mount to life. This will give us a better understandingof the magnitude of Herod’s construction versus what we see today.

Burnt house - Here, we see the excavations of a 1st century wealthyresidence which were partially destroyed by the Romans in 70AD.

City of David - This afternoon, we will be guided through the site andnew excavations of the city of David. You will have the opportunity towalk through Hezekiah’s tunnel and re-surface at the pool of Siloam.

Church of St. Anne - Located by the pools of Bethesda where Jesushealed the cripple. (John 5: 1-9)

Via Dolorosa - The one mile long route through the Old City ofJerusalem from the point of condemnation by Pontius Pilate to Golgotha,Calvary Hill.

Holy Sepulcher Church - Stations X - X1V on the Via Dolorosa.

Free time will be allotted to browse through the streets of the ChristianQuarter.

Dinner will be at our hotel. (B,D)

MON. 11 MAY: Bethlehem, Herodium.This morning, we journey to the outskirts of Bethlehem, where we shallvisit; Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity, Star of Bethlehemand Shepherd’s Fields.

Garden Tomb - Preserved by The Garden Tomb Association, thesebeautiful gardens surround the traditional site of The Garden Tomb. Manybelieve that this was the actual garden of Joseph of Arimathea. (John 19:41)

This evening, we will enjoy our final dinner together at our favouriterestaurant in Abu Gosh. A wonderful time to share and reflect on whatthis journey has meant to you!

After dinner, we shall depart for Tel Aviv airport where we say “goodbye”to our guide and driver. (B, D)

TUE. 12 MAY: Arrival Home.Complimentary in-flight service will be provided onboard. Our flight willbe non-stop to Toronto, bringing us home on Thursday morning. (B)

B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner

Though we have left the Holy Land it shall never leave us!

107 Lakeshore Drive, North Bay, ON P1A 2A5Phone: 1 877 465 3442 Fax: 1 866 826 2135

Email: info@Christian-Journeys.comWebsite: www.Christian-Journeys.com

for more information please contact:

GENERAL INFORMATION

Passport: Tour participants must be in possession of a valid passport

with at least 6 months validity. Canadian and USA passport holders do

not currently require a visa for Israel. Jordan visas are looked after by

Christian Journeys.

Reservations: Telephone and email reservation requests will be taken

but only upon receipt of deposit and completed tour booking form will

your place be confirmed.

Deposit and final payment: A deposit of $400 plus insurance is

required with the tour booking form. Bookings within 60 days of

departure require full payment and are 100% non-refundable.

Fuel surcharges: The air transportation taxes include a fuel surcharge

amount of $590.This amount will fluctuate. Any adjustments will be

made at time of final invoicing

Currency surcharge: Christian Journeys reserves the right to introduce

a currency surcharge. If applicable, this would be assessed 90 days prior

to departure. An increase greater than 7% of the base journey cost

would allow participants to cancel without a penalty.

Travel Insurance: Your Deluxe/Comprehensive Travel Policy includes

‘trip cancellation’ coverage to protect you against the cancellation

penalties.

General Health: All tour members should be in sufficient good health

to enjoy the tour in its entirety. In certain cases, Christian Journeys has

the right to refuse participation.

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15 DAY JOURNEY PRICING

TORONTO PRICE: $3679CAD

(Based on a maximum of 40 paid people)

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $799CAD

Please add 3% surcharge for payment by credit card.

INCLUDED

Air travel: Round trip from Toronto. Fares from other cities available

upon request.

Hotels: First class hotels throughout. Kibbutz in upper Galilee.

Meals: Full breakfast and dinner daily with tea and coffee.

Water: Two bottles of water per day per passenger.

Transportation: Air conditioned luxury coach service throughout the

tour.

Sightseeing: Comprehensive program as per itinerary, including all

entrance fees.

Tour Guide: Government licensed Tour guide will accompany the

group and work with the Leadership Team to maximize the

educational/spiritual benefits and enjoyment of the group.

Porterage: One large suitcase per person. Each person is responsible

for his/her other luggage.

Embarkation package: An informative package will be mailed one

month prior to departure.

NOT INCLUDED

Lunches. (Unless mentioned in the itinerary.)

Air Transportation Taxes: Currently $692.

Deluxe/Comprehensive Travel Insurance:Age, up to and including 59: $267

60 to 64: $330

65 to 69: $402

70 to 74: $547

Jordan border crossing/visa fees: USD$79

Gratuities: Equivalent to USD$160.