Please pray about going on this art mission trip to Israel. Contact me for more information. High school art and history credit will be given.
1 – Tuesday, May 1: Arrival and Tel Aviv
This Day Will Depend on Your Arrival Time
We have finally arrived in the Promised Land after an overnight flight from home. We are met at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and escorted to our transportation. We drive to Tel Aviv the first all Jewish City in modern times, founded in 1909. Then, it’s on to the world’s oldest port, Jaffa, where we will have lunch and visit the place where Peter received his vision to take the gospel to the Gentiles at Caesarea. Dinner and overnight on the Mediterranean Sea in Netanya Day 2 – Wednesday, May 2 After breakfast we visit one of King Herod’s most amazing creations: Caesarea by the Sea. Here, Paul the Apostle was imprisoned for 3 years before being sent to Rome; Philip, the evangelists lived with his daughters; and, the gospel was first preached to Gentiles. Our next stop is Ein Hod, founded in 1953 by the Dada artist Marcel Janco and a group of artists, Ein Hod is the only artists’ village in Israel. 150 artists and their families inhabit Ein Hod. They live, work and create in the village in every cultural medium and field of endeavor. We climb the Carmel Mountains to discuss the face-off between the prophet, Elijah, and the prophets of Baal. From our vantage point on the mountain, we take in nearly the entirety of the Valley of Armageddon. Dinner and overnight on the Mediterranean Sea in Netanya Day 3 – Thursday, May 3 We drive along the cost to Rosh Hanikra where we will see the exquisite place in the extreme northwestern corner of Israel on the Lebanese border. Next stop, Keshet Cave, one of the “100 places to visit before you die”. We cross the Galilee to Nazareth where we will visit a recreated village from the time of Jesus. As the sun sets on the Sea of Galilee we can take a leisurely boat ride on the Sea in a recreation of a fishing boat during the time of Jesus. Dinner and overnight around the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight on or near the Sea of Galilee Day 4 – Friday, May 4 This morning we visit Safed a city devoted to the study of Kabala that attracts artists from all over Israel. Now we drive into the eastern mountains and begin with biblical Tel Dan. We’ll hike through the park, see foliage, rushing water, and the remains of an ancient altar from the tribe of Dan. Then we go the short distance to Caesarea Philippi (where a most important biblical event took place and where we will learn what “the gates of Hell” actually were). Dinner and overnight on or near the Sea of Galilee Day 5 – Saturday, May 5 Today we follow Jesus where He traveled, ministered and taught in the areas around the Sea of Galilee. This will include the cities of the “evangelical triangle” (Korazim, Capernaum, and Bethsaida); locations where He healed, fed the multitudes, and Kursi, where He delivered the demoniac. We will also visit Magdala, the Mount of Beatitudes and Peter’s Primacy. Then we will raft the Jordan River. Dinner and overnight on or near the Sea of Galilee
Day 6 – Sunday, May 6 We leave the Sea of Galilee and stop by Jericho, home of Rahab the harlot, and the location where Joshua entered the Land after 40 years in the Wilderness. If any in our group desires to be baptized in the Jordan River, we can stop at the location of Jesus’ baptism for this purpose. We climb the oasis of Ein Gedi (where David cut off a piece of King Saul’s cloak) and swim in Ein Gedi’s many, cool waterfalls. Our day continues with a swim (float) in the Dead Sea, lowest point on the planet. Dinner and overnight near the Dead Sea Day 7 – Monday, May 7 This morning we take the cable car to the top of Masada to hear the story of one of Israel’s most famous, historical landmarks. After passing Mount Sdom a mountain made entirely of salt we stop at Tel Beersheba, (where Abraham’s well still exists) and which was the home of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Ishmael. We are now on our way to Emek Haelah to retell the story of the battle of David and Goliath. Dinner and overnight in Samaria Day 8 – Tuesday, May 8 You will have time to put some final touches on your Art Project in Samaria, in the evening you are invited to participate in the evening activities of Student Day at the Ariel University. Dinner and overnight in Samaria Day 9 – Wednesday, May 9 You drive along the “Way of the Patriarchs” to Itamar to take in the first place mentioned in the Land, Alon Moreh. Our next stop is voted “One of our favorite sites we visited while in Israel”: Shiloh, Israeli’s first capitol and the location where Joshua placed Moses’ Wilderness Tabernacle and where it stood for the next 369 years. We end our time in the Land with a visit to the homes of our Tour Guide and Tour Operator in their Orthodox Jewish community of Ma’ale Levona for a Bar B Q dinner, Overnight in Samaria Day 10 – Thursday, May 10 Today is the day that your art project will be affixed at the Ariel University. Dinner and overnight in Samaria Day 11 – Friday, May 11 We leave Samaria and drive along the “Way of the Patriarchs” to Jerusalem on the way we will see both the ancient and the modern. As Sabbath approaches, we will make a swing through Jerusalem’s Shuk. Here are all the sights and smells of a Middle Eastern outdoor market, except today, as Shabbat approaches, we get to experience the craziness of everyone’s rush to get supper on the table in time before Shabbat enters. Our next stop is Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum. Tonight we have a special treat of eating a Shabbat meal with a Christian couple who serve a Shabbat dinner to the Jewish “long soldiers” of the Land. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem Day 12 – Saturday, May 12 We begin our day atop the Mount of Olives, overlooking the City. From here we will be introduced to all the areas Jerusalem: Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, the City of David, and Mount Zion. Jesus spent much of his life and ministry in and around Jerusalem. We will visit the biblical sites of His ministry: The Garden of Gethsemane and the Pool of Bethsaida. We will walk the traditional Via Dolorosa, then through the Arab Market to the Garden Tomb. We descend to the Valley of Ben Hinnom on the way back for supper. As Jerusalem becomes alive again after Shabbat we will take time to shop along Ben Yehudah Street, Jerusalem’s outdoor shopping mall. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 13 – Sunday, May 13 We spend our morning in the reconstructed Jewish Quarter, shopping and visiting the Ancient Cardo and Hezekiah’s Broad Wall. For a special treat (which has become one of the most requested of all the places we visit), our group will work alongside archaeologists as we find ancient treasures from Jerusalem. We hope to visit the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts, which was established in 1906 and has evolved into one of the world's most prestigious art schools. At our last stop of the day we will visit an artist who creates “biblical art.”Dinner and Overnight in Jerusalem Day 14 – Monday, May 14 We enter the ancient City of David, often referred to as “where it all began.” where we will walk along the recently discovered ruins of the palace of Judah’s kings, including Kings David and Solomon. One of Jerusalem’s greatest adventures is walking through King Hezekiah’s water tunnel, the ancient world’s greatest water project. Upon leaving the tunnel, we will see the recently discovered Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed a blind man. Just opened is the underground passageway to the Temple’s Southern Walls. We finish our day visiting the Western Wall. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem Day 15 – Tuesday, May 15
This Day Will Depend on Your Departure Time
This morning we visit the Israel Museum home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the scale model of Herod’s Jerusalem. Next we visit Israel’s Independence Museum to hear the amazing story of the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. We drive to the airport to say our “goodbyes” to this amazing place. PRICE FOR LAND PACKAGE BASED ON 4- 6 PEOPLE PER ROOM 15 – 19 people paying: $2,215.00 per person = 1 person fee 20 – 24 people paying: $2,038.00 per person = 1 person fee Pricing includes: All accommodations Transportation within the Land All-you- can-eat buffet breakfasts & dinners Experienced tour guides All admission fees to locations and all special events Complete Jerusalem Experience Meetings with Israeli Jewish & Christian families (if desired) Working alongside archaeologists Rafting the Jordan River Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee Tips (not included in most other tours) Pricing does not include: R-T flight to Tel Aviv Most lunches (we are on the road and stop where various choices are available)
