Israel Tour 2008 Daily Itinerary
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May 18, Day 8, Sunday
Sunday School is on location today as we ascend the Mt. of Olives for a view of Jerusalem and orientation. An inspiring walk down the Palm Sunday Road brings us to the Tear Drop Church where Christ wept over the city (Luke 19). After our Sunday service, we walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Our bus brings us to the Dung Gate, the entrance to the Western Wall. We walk the steps to the Jewish Quarter to enjoy several sites including Hezekiah's Wall and the Cardo. Time will be given for lunch and shopping in the Jewish Quarter and along the Cardo. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
May 19, Day 9, Monday
We'll spend much of the day in West Jerusalem, stopping first at Israel's National Cemetary to see the gravesites of Theodor Herzl and several of Israel's Prime Ministers. A short distance away is the village of Ein Karem, where we visit the birthplace of John the Baptist. Next stop is Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. This afternoon we will visit the Shrine of the Book at Israel's Hebrew University where many artifacts and scrolls from the Dead Sea are stored. Last stop is Israel's Knesset, then back to the hotel for dinner.
May 17, Day 7, Saturday
We leave Jerusalem and begin a descent down the Jericho Road to the Dead Sea. Along the way, we see Bedouin tents, the Inn of the Good Samaritan and Jericho. First stop is Masada, a fortress- palace built by King Herod. It was here Jewish defenders made their heroic stand against the Roman forces in 73 A.D. Our lunch stop gives opportunity for swimming or wading in the Dead Sea. This afternoon we travel to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
May 20, Day 10, Tuesday
This morning we visit the Temple Mount. We will see the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. We''ll also visit Israel's Archaeological Park to see the Hulda Gate with it's first century steps and other archaeological finds associated with the Temple. We have a private tour of the Rabbinical Tunnel. Later we see the newly discovered Pool of Saloam, where the healing of the blind man (John 9) comes to life. Last stop today is at Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb for our service of Holy Communion. Our farewell dinner will be held at a very special location at the edge of Jerusalem...Ramat Rachel. Here we enjoy the beautiful grounds of the only Kibbutz inside Jerusalem. After a time of sharing, we depart for the airport and our trip home.
May 21, Day 11, Wednesday
We arrive back in Newark early morning, making it possible for convenient connecting flights back home. Shalom and many happy memories.
