Spring Time Tour of Israel with Ron and Rita Pauls March 31 – April 11, 2008
Itinerary Notes: Here is a brief summary for each day’s proposed activities. The operative word here is “proposed” as the itinerary will be adjusted as we go along to “fit” our group and the daily circumstances in Israel.
DAY MINUS ONE: March 30, 2008: Final preparations for an early beginning tomorrow.
I understand some leaving from Ontario and the Maritimes have made arrangements to over-night in a hotel near their respective departure airports. Our Winnipeg couple will have found their way into NYC, Lord willing.
DAY ONE — March 31, 2008: On Monday, we depart JFK in NYC aboard Turkish Airlines Flight # 2 at 4:00p.m.for our flight to Tel Aviv via Istanbul. (Return information is provided under April 11 date).
DAY TWO — April 1, 2008: 2:15 p.m. Lord willing, we will arrive Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel;
Deplane; clear immigration; meet our airport transfer guide and driver; and be on our way to adventure and inspiration (despite jet lag!) We urge everyone NOT to give in to the temptation to go to bed before 10:00 p.m.
We hope to see Jaffa with or without a guide probably before dinner but maybe after. There is a lovely promenade that winds along the Mediterranean that makes sauntering delightful.
Overnight, Tel Aviv: Our first night will be spent in the Dan Panorama Hotel right on Charles Clore Parkin Tel Aviv 68012, Israel (mailing address). This is right across the street from the Mediteranean and within sight of ancient Joppa (modern Jaffa). Tel: 972-3-5202552 or 972-3-5190190 (To phone from North America, dial 011 before the #).Fax: 972-3-5171777 or 972-3-5480111 If you are interested, you can Google “Dan Panorama Tel Aviv” and get a glimpse of it Wednesday April 2 – Friday, April 4: (This means we check in to the kibbutz on the 2nd and check out on the 4th) Overnight, Kibbutz Maagan Guest House (Southern shores of Sea of Galilee about 7 1/2 miles from Tiberius (swimming?) – 12 miles by road). For two nights we will be guests in the Kibbutz Maagan with beautiful vistas of the Sea of Galilee. Phone: 011-972-4-665-4400 Address: M.P. Jordan Valley 15160, Israel Google “Maagan Holiday Village, Israel” to take a peek
DAY THREE – Wednesday, April 2, 2008 – CAESAREA/ MUHRAKA / MEGIDDO / NAZARETH
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Ron Pauls
This morning we proceed to Caesarea, capital of the Roman Procurators of Judea. We’ll visit the Roman port, Crusader’s Moat, Roman theatre and aqueduct. Continue on to Muhraka on Mount Carmel where Elijah faced down the false prophets. Then to Megiddo to visit the excavations that unearthed at least 20 different civilizations. Traveling through the Plain of Jezreel, we visit Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus. Transfer to the kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.
DAY FOUR — Thursday, April 3 – TIBERIAS / UPPER GALILEE
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Ron Pauls
This morning we leave our kibbutz and head north via Magdala into the valley of Gennesareth to Ginossar to view the New Testament boat found below the sea and to visit the kibbutz. Then on to Chorazin, through the Hula Valleyto Hazor, ruins of the powerful Canaanite city destroyed by Joshua and rebuilt by Solomon to command upper Galilee. We continue to the northern limits of Jesus’ travel as we cross the River Hatzbani to Dan and Banias (Caesarea Philippi), dedicated to Pan, Greek god of pastures, flocks and shepherds; here Peter made his great profession of faith. Driving to the foot of Mount Hermon, we ascend onto the Golan Plateau for a magnificent view of upper Israel. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Friday, April 4 – Friday, April 11:(We will check in to our hotel in Jerusalemon the 4th and check out the 11th Overnight: Jerusalem For a week we will reside in the Grand Court Jerusalem, 15 St.George St., Jerusalem 20080, Israel. This is in modern Jerusalem a short distance from the walls of the Old City. Tel: 972-2-591 7777/9 Fax: 972-2-591 7778Google “Grand Court Jerusalem” if you want to take a look!
DAY FIVE — Friday, April 4 – TIBERIAS / SEA OF GALILEE/ BET SHEAN / JERUSALEM
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Dale Elford
This morning we take a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galileewhere we will be able to look to the shore where so many miracles occured. We continue to Capernaumand see first century ruins, then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Continue to the River Jordan where those that wish may be baptized. This afternoon we travel via the Crusader fortress of Belvoir along the Rift Valley to Bet Shean, where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls. It became the Decapolis Capital and was traveled by Jesus and known as Scythopolis. See the ancient theatre, Circus Maximus and Cardo Maximo. We head down the Jordan River Roadand head to the Judean wilderness on our way up to Jerusalem. We will enter the Holy City via the Mount of Olives with the beauty of Jerusalem before us. Continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY SIX — Saturday. April 5, 2008 JERUSALEM / MASADA/ EIN GEDI / QUMRAN / JERICHO
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Rich Eisele.
[The original schedule called for a “free” day on this date. However, our guide advised us that everything of note is closed on that day in Jerusalem. So the free day has been moved to Monday.]
Drive to Masadaand ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level — the lowest spot on earth — we proceed to Ein Gedi. Here we will have a stop for lunch and swim in the Dead Sea or walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert. This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We travel to Jericho, the world’s oldest city. From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha’s spring and Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation. We will head up to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY SEVEN — Sunday, April 6 – JERUSALEM / NEW CITY / BETHLEHEM
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Victor and Amy McCullough
This morning we visit the New City of Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Upper Room, the tomb of King David and Dormition Abbey. We enter the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to visit the Wohl Archaeological Museum, displaying the newly restored Herodian Quarter. Remains of this area of Jerusalemdate back to the time of the Herodian Dynasty (37 BC to 70 AD). Proceed to the Shrine of the Book where we see the Dead Sea Scrolls on display then view the Knesset (Israeli parliament) building. Continue to visit Yad Vashem, a memorial of the Holocaust then visit the Model City. This afternoon we continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, the Manger, Crusader’s Cloister and the Grotto of St. Jerome. We then visit the cave in Shepherds’ Field and view the Fields of Boaz. En route to Jerusalem we see the Tomb of Rachel and other antiquities before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY EIGHT — Monday, April 7, 2008 JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM – FREE DAY
Monday will be our “free” day and we will make some suggestions of things you might do this day elsewhere in our correspondence. Rita and I hope to go back to Bethlehem to visit friends at Bethlehem Bible College and possibly tour a refugee camp among other things. You are welcome to come along if you like. If anybody wants to rest, (get a break from “running where Jesus walked”) this is a good day to do that. Also a good time to browse the souks [(markets of the Old City) translated, shop!] Maybe even run over to the pedestrian mall on Ben Yehuda Street in the modern city.
DAY NINE – Tuesday, April 8 – JERUSALEM / RABBI TUNNEL / SOUTHERN WALL
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Rick & Karen Pauls and Family
This morning we will board our bus for our exciting tour to the famous Rabbi Tunnel (08:00). Here we will enter by the Western wall and go down to the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where we are in location to the time of Christ. Continue along the tunnel as we proceed to the entry way to the Holy of Holies. We will continue to the Temple Institute ( 09:30) where we will see the making of the instruments for the new temple. We will see how they are following the Bible for exact instructions. We will see a film explaining where the Rabbi believes the Ark of the Covenant is found. This afternoon we will head to the Southern Wall and visit the Mikev pools and the steps that Christ would have used to enter the Temple area and would have taught from. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY TEN – Wednesday, April 9, 2008 — JERUSALEM / MT. OF OLIVES / OLD CITY
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Wayford Smith
Today we drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem, visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of Ascension, then proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane. Crossing the Kidron Valley, we pass the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and St. James, then visit the Pool of Siloam and the Church of St. Peterof Gallicantu (Caiaphas’ House). We enter the Old Citythis afternoon through the Zion Gate and see the Cardo and the remains of Nehemiah’s Wall on the way to the Western (Wailing) Wall. We visit the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Church of St. Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (“Behold the Man”). We follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and end our day in the Garden Tomb before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY ELEVEN: Thursday, April 10, 2008 – JERUSALEM / BEERSHEBA/ ASH KELON
MORNING DEVOTIONAL on the BUS: Lead by Wayne Taylor
This morning we leave Jerusalem for Beersheba, ancient city of Judah, the southernmost area of our tour. Beersheba, a watering hole and trading post for thousands of years, is the center of desert traffic, being located on the edge of the vast Negev Desert. Here we catch a glimpse of Bedouin life. This afternoon we visit the ancient cities of Ashkelonand Ashdod. Ashkelon was an important caravan stop in ancient days; there Delilah snipped Samson’s hair. Today it is a popular resort area for modern Israel. Continue to Ashdod, a smaller and newer city and home of the Israeli Navy nautical school. Leaving Ashdodwe pass through the Region of Adullom, where David took refuge from Saul, and on to the Valley of Elah, the site of David’s conquest of the giant Goliath. On our return to Jerusalemwe stop at Emmaus, where Jesus appeared to two disciples and walked with them. Continue to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight Off for a drive in the country again today; Emmaus, Valley of Elah (of David and Goliath fame), Beersheba, Ashkelon, Ashdod.
DAY TWELVE: Friday, April 11, 2008 – JERUSALEM – NEW YORK – HOME
Up early for a 5:30 flight out of Ben Gurion Airport. Tampaand Halifax “pilgrims” will have some practice for this schedule on their way to JFK at the beginning of the flight. Ugh!! Leaving for the airport extremely early!!
11APR 530A – 745A Turkish Airlines – #1193 Tel Aviv / Istanbul
11APR 930A – 200P Turkish Airlines – #1 Istanbul / New York (JFK) (We’re being optimistic here!)
Clear Immigration, Collect Luggage, Clear Customs and enter back into Reality of Domestic Flights and home again (but with a whole new travel experience to broaden your perspective and inform you days!)
EMERGENCY CONTACT: If someone needs to contact you while we are in Israel, they can either call our hotel (numbers listed in this itinerary) or reach us through our travel company:
Mike Reilly or Jennifer Morales
Maranatha Tours Inc.
18428 N 42nd Place
Phoenix, Arizona 85032
Phone: 800-545-5533 or 602-788-8864
Fax: 602-788-6182
Email: mti@maranathatours.com
