Itinerary
Our Israel 2010 itinerary is listed below. Understand that while we will be going to all of these places, we may have to make on the spot changes to fit the schedule. We may also add different sites into the itinerary.
Day 1
We will be leaving the United States and flying from Kennedy Airport in NYC to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. On the plane we will be served both dinner and breakfast. We will have an assortment of in-flight entertainment to help pass the time. Forget about sleeping you are going to be too excited!
Day 2
We will actually be in Israel. After going through immigration, we’ll meet our bus driver, and get settled in Israel. If possible we may stop at site on our way to the hotel.
Day 3
Our day begins in the coastal region as we visit Caesarea Maritima. Here we will visit the largest hippodrome in all of Israel. Caesarea Maritima at the time of Jesus was the largest port in all of Ancient World. Herod the Great took a mere 12 years to construct the city with construction methods that would awe modern architects. We will also be visiting Meggido. Meggido is were we get the English word “Armegeddon”. We will find that there is much more to be learned about this ancient mound. Also on day three, we will stop at Mt. Carmel. Here we will be given a spectacular, panoramic view of the Galilee region.
Day 4
Today we will have a drive through the modern town of Nazareth. In the first century it was a small village of 200-400 people and away from any of the main roads. Next we travel to just a few miles to the north of Nazareth to the large first century town of Sepphoris also known as Tzippori. It is believed that Jesus would have worked here with his father since the location was so close to Nazareth and the area was experiencing a dramatic growth during the first century. We will also visit Bet She’arim which is one of the most famous sites in Israel and visit its remarkable necropolis, where a series of catacombs were excavated in the hill side . It was also known as the one of the bases for the commander, Josephus Flavius.
Day 5
Today we are going to spend most of our day around the Sea of Galilee and will visit Chorazin where the wheat for the Temple was raised and see one of the ancient synagogues where the seat of Moses was discovered. We will also visit Capernaum which was known as the headquarters for Jesus ministry. Here we will discuss why this area was chosen and get a better understanding of the Via Maris. We will visit the town of Bethsaida where I excavated and conclude what is known as the evangelical triangle. Bethsaida was the birthplace of some of the Apostles (Andrew, Peter, Philip). It was also the location of two of Jesus miracles: healing the blind man and the first feeding of the Multitude. At Kursi we will visit another area that I excavated and served as field supervisor. The site commemorates Jesus miracle of healing the madman, driving out his devils into a herd of pigs who then drown in the lake.
Day 6
Today we are going north of the Sea of Galilee and going into the Golan where we will visit Gamla which was known as the Masada of the North. We will make a stop to visit Hatzor which is one of the largest, most important biblical sites of the Canaanite and Israelite periiods. The bible gave it the title: “the head of all of those kingdoms.” At Qatzrin we will visit a Talmudic Village which gives us a good look and better understanding of what the homes looked like from the first to fourth centuries.
Day 7
Today is going to be a fun filled day as we get on a boat at Ein Gev and go to Nof Ginnosar where we will see what has been called the Jesus Boat and meet my friend Alex at the shop. We will also be going north into the Golan where we will stop at Banias also known as Caesarea Philippi. Here we will get a better understanding of the phrase “the Gates of Hell” and also view the beautiful and spectacular Banias Falls. After lunch we travel to Tel Dan where we will see the oldest mudbrick gate in the Middle East, a gate that dates to the time of Abraham. Here in Tel Dan there are many wonderful things to see and experience it is truly a visit to “Paradise”.
DAY 8
Today we leave the Gaililee and make our way to Jerusalem. Before we leave though we are going to stop at Hammat Teverya and visit the site of Tiberias in the 4th and 5th centuries. We will head to Bet She’an which is a huge site and covers several time periods. The lower part of the city is during the Roman and Byzantine Periods. The Hill is the Bet She’an where the bodies of Saul and his son was hung on the walls. On our way to Jerusalem we will stop at the Herodium where Herod the Great was buried and see the hill that he had created. This huge complex required four years to build (23-20 B.C.). Herod used the upper section as a palace-fortress. The lower section was built for guests. It included a swimming pool large enough to accommodate boats.
Day 9
The topography changes as we head to the Negev and visit Beersheva where we see the well that Abraham had dug. We will also visit the Wilderness of Tzin then off to Arad where we are reminded of when the Israelites rebelled at Kadesh-barnea, rejecting the good report of Joshua and Caleb about the land they had explored, God caused them to wander in the desert for thirty-eight years (Numbers 14). Near the end of this period, the king of Arad heard that the Israelites were approaching. He attacked them, taking some of them captive (Num 21:1). While in the area we will stop and visit Avdat which was a stop along the long caravan route known as the “Spice Route.”
Day 10
Today we visit the area of the Philistines today’s sites include Bet Guvrin (Maresha) which lies south of Beth Shemesh, is one of the amazing places in Israel. From the fourth century BCE Sidonians (from Sidon in Lebanon) and Greeks settled in the city. The Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus I was the next to rule over the city, whose pagan citizens he forced to convert to Judaism. Recently a 1700-year-old menorah was found in the vicinity. We will also visit the ancient city of Lachish which is generally regarded as the second most important city in the southern kingdom of Judah. ,and the Elah Valley, the site of the confrontation between David and Goliath.
Day 11
Be sure and bring your bathing suit today as we are going to be stopping at the Dead Sea to allow you the opportunity to float in this most remarkable place on earth! During the day we will also visit Qumran, the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered; En Gedi where David hid from King Saul when Saul was wanting to kill David; Masada where the last of the Zealots took refuge from the Roman Army and where the people commmited suicide rather than become slaves.
Day 12
Today we will remain in Jerusalem and visit some of the remarkable sites in the city. We will visit the Temple Institute where the different vessels for the next Temple is placed on display and learn what the Institute and the Sanhedrin are doing in their goals of seeing the next Temple built. Of coarse no visit to Jerusalem would be complete without spending time at the Western Wall and going thru the Western Wall Tunnel. We will also visit the Davidson Center where we will see a video on the ancient Temple and then make oour way thru the first century streets and to the steps of the Temple where Jesus and other rabbis taught.
Day 13
Today you have a choice of having either a day of leasure to dowhat you would like or take a walking tour with me as we visit the Pool of Siloam, Broad Wall, Kotel, and other sites.
Day 14
Today we leave Israel and make our way back to the USA. We do not say goodbye for we all plan on coming back!!!!!!!