2009 : Zion Lutheran Church

February 9, 2009

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Arrive home

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Drive to Yad Vashem, memorial to the six million Jewish martyrs of World War Two.

Visit the Museum and walk along the Street of the Righteous, dedicated to the non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust.

Lunch enroute.

Drive to the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book.

Also visit the Scale Model of the Old City during the Second Temple Period.

Holy Communion at the Garden Tomb.

This evening prepare for your farewell dinner & departure to airport(B,L,D)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Drive via the village of El Azzariah (House of Lazarus) to Bethany.

Visit the House of Mary and Martha and the Tomb of Lazarus.

Descend the mountain into the Desert of Judah; visit the Inn of the Good Samaritan.

At 1300 feet below sea-level, visit Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world.

Continue to the Oasis of Ein Gedi.

Reach Sodom (in biblical times the city was destroyed by the Lord because of the sins of the inhabitants).

Visit the Fortress of Massada the last stronghold of the Zealots in the war against the Romans.

Lunch enroute.

Continue to the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.(B,L,D)

Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel

Monday, February 16, 2009

Possible morning lecture with Fr. Jerome Murphy O’Connor at the Ecole Biblique.

Then drive on to Bethlehem. (Depending upon security situtation)

To the East we can see the Field of Ruth where Ruth, the Moabite, met Boaz.

Adjacent to Bethlehem is Shepherd’s Field – Grotto of the Nativity as well as the manger where Mary placed the Child at birth.

Returning to Jerusalem, we make our way to the Temple area including the Western Wall.

Following this we drive to Ein Karem, the traditional birthplace of St. John the Baptist.

(In the event it is not possible to enter Bethlehem, a special program in the Old City including the underground tunnel and the multimedia presentation at the southern wall-Davidson Center) Lunch enroute.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem(B,L,D)

Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel

Saturday, February 14, 2009
Drive to the Mount of Olives and the Hill of the Ascension for a panormamic view of the Eternal City.

Visit the Chapel of the Ascension, the Pater Noster Church to see the Lord’s Prayer in 53 languages.

We proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was betrayed, followed by a visit to the Tomb of the Holy Virgin.

Lunch enroute. We continue through the Valley of Kidron to the Pool of Siloah, Hezekiah’s Tunnel and the Tombs of Absalom and Zacchariah.

We enter the Old City through St. Stephen’s Gate which commemorates the place where the first Christian Martyr was stoned to death.

Visit the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda and follow Jesus’ footsteps along the Via Dolorosa, reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Calvary.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel

Friday, February 13, 2009

Depart your kibbutz and drive to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle.

Continue to Nazareth, visit the Church of the Annunciation, Joseph’s Workshop, and Mary’s Well.

Lunch enroute.

Continue to Belvoir (Kochav Ha’yarden) to visit a 12th century Crusader fortress. In Second Temple times, signal fires were lit on this hill to communicate with the Jews in Babylonia.

On to Beit She’an, to see the excavations and visit the Roman theater.

Proceed Continue to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Drive north to the Banias Springs and waterfall (the source of the Jordan River), also named Caesarea Phillipa.

Return to the Mount of Beatitudes, traditional site of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Then we continue to Tabgha, site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fish

Proceed to Caapernaum, the center of Jesus’ Ministry in the Galilee.

Weather permitting we will have a special sailing on a reconstructed wooden boat similar to the one used by Simon Peter.

Today we will also enjoy a St. Peter fish meal. Dinner and overnight at your kibbutz (B,L,D)

Overnight: Galilee, Israel

Now we will begin our journey north along the coastal road to to Caesarea, built by Herod the Great. It was here that Peter was imprisoned for two years.

Visit the Crusader’s fortress and Roman ruins.

Proceed to Beit Shearim, ancient seat of the Sanhedrin, to visit the Catacombs and the ruins of what was once the most important synagogue in Israel.

Lunch enroute. Continue to Megiddo ancient chariot city of King Solomon and Ahab.

Mt. Tabor, traditional site of the Transfiguration. On to Mt. Tabor to visit the Church of the Transfiguration.

Continue to the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.(B,L,D)

Overnight: Galilee, Israel

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Arrive Ben Gurion Airport.

Meeting and assistance through customs to your waiting guide and motor coach.

Transfer to Tel Aviv. Check into your hotel for dinner, group meeting, and overnight (D)

Overnight: Tel Aviv, Israel

Monday, February 09, 2009
Depart from an airport to JFK.

Meet with tour host. Check in with EL AL.