AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS EDUCATIONAL MISSION TO ISRAEL
20 - 27 FEBRUARY, 2007
OPERATED BY
Arrival Tel Aviv airport early morning
Start your tour of the Holy Land with the wonderful Neot Kedumim Biblical Reserve and enjoy a "biblical" breakfast.
Visit the ancient port city of Old Jaffa and hear tales of Simon the Tanner and Jonah and the Whale.
Overnight: Tel Aviv (B,D)
Day 2 – Wednesday Coastal Plain
Continue onto Caesarea Maritima to see the harbor city built by Herod the Great
Visit Meggido, the chariot city of Solomon and Ahab
Visit the Carmelite Monastery at the Mukarah, where Elijah smote the false prophets
Continue onto Nazareth and the Church of Annunciation
Drive by Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed the first miracle of turning water into wine
Overnight: Tiberias or Galilee Kibbutz (B, D)
Day 3 – Thursday Upper Galilee
Experience an early morning sail across the Sea of Galilee
See the remains of a boat from the time of Jesus
Visit Tabgha, where Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish
Continue onto Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Ministries
Ascend to the top of the Mt. of Beatitudes, where you can relive the Sermon on the Mount
Drive to Safed – city of Mystical Judaism
Explore Caesari of Philippi at the Banias Springs
Overnight: Tiberias or Galilee Kibbutz (B, D)
Day 4 – Friday Lower Galilee
See the baptism site at Yardenit
Explore the ancient city of Beith Shean, a fully excavated Roman/Byzantine city of Scytopolis
Swim the natural spring waters of Gan Hashlosha
Visit Gideon’s Spring where Gideon and his 300 men defeated the Philistines
Ascend the mountains to the geographic centre of the world
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)
Day 5 – Saturday Last Days of Jesus Christ
Start with a spectacular view of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives
Walk down the Palm Sunday Road and visit the Church of all Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane
Visit Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity (subject to security clearance)
Visit the Pools of Bethesda and St. Annes Church
Pass through Ecce Homo Arch to the Via Dolorosa and visit each Station of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Experience Holy Communion at the Garden Tomb
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)
Day 6 – Sunday Dead Sea
Depart Jerusalem via the Inn of the Good Samaritan
Visit the mighty fortress of Masada
Enjoy lunch and experience a ‘float’ in the salty waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth
Visit the caves of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls where discovered
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, L, D)
Day 7 – Monday Jerusalem New City
Visit the Room of the Last Supper> and King David's Tomb
See the dungeon at the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu
Explore the Southern Wall excavations and see the stairs leading up to the Temple Mount
Experience a spiritual visit to the Western Wall and explore the Western Wall tunnels
See the City of David - the original city built by King David
Evening activity: Experience the Jerusalem ‘Time Elevator’
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)
Day 8 – Tuesday Jerusalem 1000 BC
See the famous Dead Sea scrolls at the Shrine of the Book Visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple
Explore the picturesque village of Ein Kerem (birthplace of John the Baptist)
Experience Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
Visit the fascinating village of Yad Hashmonah in the Judean Mountains, founded by Finnish Christians.
Enjoy a farewell festive meal before departure
Transfer to the airport for an evening flight back to Australia
(B, D)
Inclusions: