Itinerary
The daily schedule and all visits to sites are subject to change depending on local conditions, and guest speakers are tentative, depending on availability.
Depart from Canada on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
Connect in Toronto from
other cities and continue on to Tel Aviv via a European gateway.
Search for images and articles on any of the archaeological sites or
geographic areas at these websites. Many of these are linked at various places
in the itinerary below:
BiblePlaces.com
Holy Land Photos.org Click here for the complete site list. 290 sites and 2894 photos online.
BibleWalks.com
Religious
Education Image Archive
The Israeli
government resource on archaeological sites. See also the photo exhibit of
archaeological treasures.
Days after Arrival:
Day 1 - Friday, April 30. Meet our guide on arrival in Tel Aviv for transfer to Bethlehem for our first dinner and overnight at the Casa Nova Palace (on Manger Square in Bethlehem). Read the National Geographic article (Dec. 2007) on Bethlehem and a response to it by Omar Tesdell.
Day 2 - Saturday, May 1. Begin the day by visiting one of the traditional sites of the “Shepherds’ Fields,” followed by a visit with Zoghbi Zoghbi of the Wi’am Conflict Resolution Center and a tour of the Deheisheh Palestinian refugee camp. In the late afternoon visit the Church of the Nativity, a marvelous Byzantine church built over the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. Possible Living Stones conversation with Pastor Mitri Raheb of the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Overnight at the Casa Nova Palace, Bethlehem.
Day 3 - Sunday, May 2. Worship in Bethlehem (e.g. at the Christmas Lutheran Church). Visit King Herod’s Summer Palace (Herodium or Herodion). According to the historian Josephus Flavius, Herod wanted to be buried in Herodium, the place that bore his name. On May 8, 2007, it was announced by the Hebrew University that the long search for Herod’s tomb had ended with the exposure of the remains of his grave, sarcophagus and mausoleum on Mount Herodium's northeastern slope. Along the way, view the hills around Amos’s home town of Teqoa. There will be some free time today for exploring Bethlehem. Overnight at the Casa Nova Palace, Bethlehem.
Day 4 - Monday, May 3. Conversations with Mr. Ardie Geldman in the Jewish settlement of Ephrat. Travel to Hebron to visit Il Ibrahimi Mosque (where Israel’s patriarchs and matriarchs are buried). The cave was purchased by Abraham as a burial place for his wife Sarah. in the Bible see Gen 13:18; 23:2, 19; 35:27; 37:14; Joshua 10; Judges 1:20; 16:3; David in Hebron, 2 Samuel 2-5; 15. The Tomb of the Patriarchs is the world’s most ancient Jewish site and the second holiest place for the Jewish people, after the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is the most splendid example of Herodian architecture in the land. We may be able to spend time with the Christian Peacemaker Team either in Hebron or At Tuwani village to hear of their efforts towards peace and reconciliation in the region. If time permits, visit a glass factory in Hebron (photo gallery). See these photos by Gordon Matties: 1, 2. Overnight at the Casa Nova Palace, Bethlehem.
Day 5 - Tuesday, May 4. Bus transfer to the top of the Mt. of Olives. Walking tour itinerary of Holy Week (the “Passion Route”): begin on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, getting as close to Bethany and Bethphage as possible (because of the separation wall, these sites are now inaccessible for those who like to walk from Bethany to Jerusalem). Visit Church of the Ascension, Pater Noster Church, the shrine of Dominus Flevit (“Jesus Wept”), Jewish Cemetery, Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, through the Kidron Valley. Bus to Mt. Zion to visit the church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (“cock crow”; the traditional site of Caiaphas’s house).
Bus to St. Stephen’s Gate and walk the Via Dolorosa inside the Old City, beginning with the crusader St.
Anne’s Church and Bethesda
Pool (or Bethzatha, John 5). From there walk along the Via Dolorosa
including some of the remaining sections of the Antonia Fortress of Herod
the Great, to Church
of the Resurrection/Holy Sepulcher (read article). Beginning on this day we will be
staying Gloria Hotel, just inside
the Old City of Jerusalem at Jaffa Gate). Since this is the day when we
will reflect on Jesus’ journey to the cross, you might want to read Dennis
Bratcher’s article on Stations of the Cross.
Day 6 - Wednesday, May 5. “Temple
Day”: Early morning visit to the Temple Mount/Haram and the Dome of the
Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, the site of King Herod’s great temple.
Continue to the Archaeological Park
of the Davidson center at 9:00. Visit the archaeological garden around
the ancient temple walls, including the Huldah Gates, Southern
steps, Pinacle of the temple, Herodian excavations, Western
Wall excavations. Visit the (third) Temple Institute (11:30). In the afternoon, continue to West Jerusalem to visit the Israel Museum,
including the Shrine
of the Book (where many of the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed) and the Scale
Model of Jerusalem (representing the how the city looked around 70
CE). Overnight at the Gloria Hotel.
Day 7 - Thursday, May 6. Free Day. Overnight at the Gloria Hotel. See the list of Things to Do in Jerusalem.
Day 8 - Friday, May 7. Ancient Jerusalem Walking tour, including City of David (read article), Warren’s Shaft, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Pool of Siloam (some may wish to walk through the tunnel; bring your lights). Visit the Jewish Quarter, including the Roman Cardo; Priestly Houses from the Herodian Period at the Wohl Archaeological Museum and “Burnt House,” destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. If there is time, become acquainted with the Armenian Quarter, including St. James Church. Walk to the Western Wall for the beginning of Shabbat. Overnight at the Gloria Hotel. Living Stones Conversation: Possible conversations with Mennonite Central Committee workers in the evening.
Day 9 - Saturday, May 8. Drive to the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh, the Parable House and the churches (including conversation with Abuna Ra’ed, the parish priest of the Latin Catholic Church). Visit Bir Zeit University for a visit with students. Continue to Ramallah for Living Stones Conversations. Optional walk to West Jerusalem (Ben Yehuda Street) for ice cream after supper. Overnight at the Gloria Hotel.
Day 10 - Sunday, May 9. After worship in the Old City, at either the Church of the Redeemer (Lutheran) or St. George’s Anglican Church, visit the Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial. In the later afternoon visit with Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. Overnight at the Gloria Hotel.
Day 11 - Monday, May 10. Begin the day at Neve Shalom/Wahat Salaam for Living Stones conversations. This is a community in which Jews and Arabs have been living together in “intentional community” for decades. Travel through the Shefelah (Bet Shemesh [see article on Beth Shemesh], Sorek Valley, Elah Valley, where David and Goliath met [1 Samuel 17])). Visit Arad (Numbers 21; more photos and an article) and Beer Sheba. Beersheba was the place where Abraham and Isaac made a treaties with Abimelech for water rights to a well (Genesis 21-26; read article). Begin or end the day with a quiet visit to Abu Ghosh (one of several traditional sites of New Testament Emmaus; (1 Sam 6; 2 Sam 6; Luke 24). Overnight at the Gloria Hotel.
Day 12 - Tuesday, May 11. Walk down the Wadi Qilt to St. George’s Monastery. Continue on toward Jericho and then south toward the Dead Sea. Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 (read article). Cross into Sinai at the Taba border crossing and overnight in Sinai at the Guest House of St. Catherines Monastery.
Day 13 - Wednesday, May 12. Early morning ascent of Mt. Sinai. After our descent, visit St. Catherine’s Monastery, with a lecture (tentative) by Father Justin (librarian at St. Catherine’s). Hear about the famous Codex Sinaiticus and other manuscripts. Then it’s off to Taba or Nuweiba and a fast boat to Aqaba. Overnight at the Petra Taybet Zaman Hotel.
Day 14 - Thursday, May 13. Full day tour of the rock city of Petra, home of the ancient Nabateans and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Return to the Petra Taybet Zaman Hotel. To read an article on Petra in Biblical Archaeology Review, click here. To watch a video about Petra featuring Dr. Christopher Tuttle (Associate Director for the American Center of Oriental Research in Jordan) click here.
Day 15 - Friday, May 14. On the way north to the Galilee region, visit Masada (more photos and an article), King Herod’s desert fortress and palace. If time permits, visit the Model of Wilderness Tabernacle at Timnah. Swim in the Dead Sea, and take a nature walk to the waterfalls at Ein Gedi (David’s hideout from Saul; 1 Samuel 23-24). Overnight at the Intercontinental (5 Star) Hotel in Jericho).
Day 16 - Saturday, May 15. Start the day with a visit to the ancient site of Jericho. Then make our way up the Jordan valley toward the Sea of Galilee. On the way, have lunch at Gan Hashelosha (with a possible swim). The itinerary for the day includes: the ancient Roman city of Bet Shean, where the Philistines hung Saul and his sons on the city walls (1 Sam 31:8-12). The Roman city at the same site is called Scythopolis, the capital of the Decapolis (read more). Visit the crusader castle of Belvoir (read article), and the Beth Alpha Synagogue (read more), before reaching overnight accommodation at the Sisters of Nazareth Hospice, just across the street from the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
Day 17 - Sunday, May 16. Worship in Nazareth, with possible Living Stones conversation. Visit: the Basilica of the Annunciation; Greek Catholic Synagogue Church; St. Joseph’s Church; the ancient city of Sepphoris (read article), once Herod Antipas’s capital in Galilee; and one of the possible sites of New Testament Cana. Overnight the Sisters of Nazareth Hospice in Nazareth.
Day 18 - Monday, May 17. The Ministry of Jesus around the Sea of Galilee: Begin the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Then visit Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum (read article), Tabgha/Heptapegon (Church of the Multiplication; read article), Church of the Primacy of Peter, and Chorazin (possibly also Kursi, Gamla, the region of Bethsaida; article on Bethsaida). Drive to Mt. Arbel for views over the Sea of Galilee. Overnight at the Mount of Beatitudes Hotel.
Day 19 - Tuesday, May 18. Living Stones Conversations: Begin the day at Ibillin, visit Mar Elias University and meet with the school’s principal or deputy. Continue to Kibbutz Lavi, a religious kibbutz, for a Living Stones conversation with their Rabbi about Jewish Faith in 21st Century Israel. Along the way, visit Nazareth Village, a reconstructed first century village. Overnight at the Mount of Beatitudes Hotel.
Day 20 - Wednesday, May 19. Explore northern Galilee. In the morning we will travel to the area near the borders of Lebanon and Syria at the base of Mt. Hermon and the sources of the Jordan River. The itinerary for the day includes: a visit to Caesarea Philippi (article on Banyas), the site where Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:13-15); the ancient site of Tel Dan and its famous high place where Jeroboam son of Nebat set up a golden calf (read article); a nature hike along the headwaters of the Jordan to the falls (read Psalm 42). If time permits, we will view Syria from the Golan Heights, and visit to Gamla, an ancient Jewish city on the Golan Heights. Overnight at the Mount of Beatitudes Hotel.
Day 21 - Thursday, May 20. Visit Megiddo (read article) the mound of Megiddo, har megiddo in Hebrew, which gave its name to the apocalyptic (H)Armageddon (Rev 16:16). Continue to Mt. Carmel (Muhrakha), the traditional site of Elijah’s contest with the priests of Baal. Have lunch in Daliyat el Carmel (visit Druze weaving shop Goblens Art and Fashion). In the afternoon visit Caesarea Maritima (a Roman capital of Palestine; read article) with its magnificent harbor, theater and aqueduct constructed during the reign of Herod. Here we will reflect on the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10). Then continue to Tel Aviv and Jaffa (where Peter had his transformative vision that led to the growth of the Jesus movement into non-Jewish contexts. Overnight at the Metropolitan Hotel in preparation for a very early morning departure on the 21st. Of course there will be time for a late afternoon dip in the Mediterranean.
Day 22 - Friday, May 21. Very early morning transfer to the airport for return flights home. Arrive home the same day.
