Price of tour includes: Round trip airfare from Los Angeles on Delta Airlines ● Full Israeli breakfast and dinner daily ● Full sightseeing program and entrance fees on itinerary ● All transfers and porterage at airport and hotels ● Tips to driver, guide and hotel staff ● Deluxe air conditioned motor coach ● Licensed Israeli English speaking guide ● 8 days of sightseeing ● 8 nights deluxe 5-star accommodations double occupancy ● shipping of documents ● Tour price is a cash/check discount rate**

Not included:Charges for passport ● Bottled water or beverages ● Room service, items from room mini-fridge, or personal items ● Use of credit cards for tour payments-tour price is cash/check discount**(4% convenience fee not retained by Madison International Travel) ● Single Room ● Lunches ● Travel Insurance ● Airline taxes*

*Current airline taxes are $320 and will be shown on invoice.  Should the airlines impose a tax or fuel surcharge increase before departure, the difference will be collected.

Itinerary

Day 1, Wed, Aug 27 — Depart from Los Angeles on Delta Airlines #402 at 11:15 a.m., change of planes in New York for the overnight flight to Tel Aviv.

Day 2, Thur, Aug 28 — We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 3:00 p.m. where we will be met by our representative and transfer to the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv. After a delicious buffet dinner, enjoy a walk along the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 3, Fri, Aug 29 — Begin the day at Jaffa, one of the oldest cities in the world and the port where the prophet Jonah set sail for Tar Shish. After a short drive through Tel Aviv we will travel to Caesarea Maritima. Among the magnificent array of archaeological finds you will see well-preserved aqueducts and a beautiful example of the Roman Amphitheater.  Visit Mt. Carmel, where Elijah held the triumphal contest with 450 prophets of Baal.  Continuing to Megiddo, see the site of 26 superimposed cities, the remains from Solomon’s days, and view the Plains of Jezreel where the final Armageddon will be fought. Nazareth, is our next stop,  the boyhood home of Jesus, where we visit a replica village built on remains from 2,000 years ago. Walk on the winding path through a working farm, ancient winepress and stone quarries. Travel back in time to visit homes and see ancient crafts such as carpentry and yarn weaving, and a Synagogue built to the scale of the ancient Synagogue of Nazareth.  Arrive at Gai Beach Hotel, on the shores of the Galilee, where we will stay while in Tiberias.

Day 4, Sat, Aug 30 — Start the day by sailing across the Sea of Galilee in a replica boat of 2,000 years. Visit the ancient “Jesus” boat discovered in 1986.  which is consistent with boats built from 100 BC to 200 AD.  Next, travel to Capernaum to see the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught, the Apostle Peter’s home, and explore the archeological gardens. Walk on the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount, and then visit Tabgah where Jesus fed 5,000. We then come to first century city built of basalt stone, Chorazin, one of the “cursed” cities that would not respond to the miracles of Jesus.

Day 5, Sun, Aug  31 — Today we travel to the northern part of Israel. At  Banias, one of the headwaters of the Jordan River and site of ancient Caesarea Philippi. Then, walk through the beautiful nature reserve of Tel Dan we will see the discovery of Jeroboam’s Altar and ancient Canaanite archeology. Travel up to the Golan Heights, look into Syria and see remains from the Six Day War. Ending the day at the beautiful Yardenit baptismal, you will have the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River.

Day 6, Mon, Sept 1 — We leave the Galilee area and drive down the Jordan Valley to explore the latest excavations at Beit Shean, revealing the remains of a Decapolis Capital. Drive by Mt. Gilboa, site of Saul’s death, and visit the natural springs where Gideon brought ten thousand to be tested. Continue down the Jordan Valley, driving by Jericho and the Mount of Temptations,  to the lowest spot on earth, the Dead Sea. We will visit Qumran, site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery before arriving at the Le Meridien Hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea for an evening of relaxation, take advantage of the spa facilities, or “float” in the therapeutic Dead Sea water.

Day 7, Tues, Sept 2 — Enjoy a morning of leisure before a visit to Massada, to  tour the famous archaeological site, where Jewish Zealots made their last stand against Rome in 73 C.E. We enter the city of the Kings: Jerusalem and stop at the Mt. of Olives where we will hear an explanation of the city then walk down the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethsemane. We arrive at our hotel, the Crown Plaza, for dinner and overnight.

Day 8, Wed, Sept 3 — Today we begin at Mt. Zion and visit the Church of St. Peter in Galacantu, Caiaphas’ House where Jesus was held before trial. Then, at the Upper Room enjoy a time of worship. See  the Pools of Bethesda and enjoy a time of singing at the Church of St. Anne’s.  After the lunch break, visit the new excavations of the City of David. Just outside the Old City Walls, lies the original Jerusalem.  Recent excavations on this site have revealed the very walls, wells, and passageways where ancient Jerusalem unfolded. We end the day at the Shepherds Fields where the birth of Jesus was announced.

Day 9, Thurs, Sept 4 — This morning we enter the Old City and visit the Western Wall for a personal time of reflection and prayer. Next we walk through the Western Wall Tunnel to see remarkable underground excavation of ancient Jerusalem.  Continue through the Old City following the Via Dolorosa, walking through the Old Arab markets and Jewish Quarters. See the ancient Roman Cardo and the remains from Nehemiah’s Wall. At Antonia’s Fortress, see the original paving believed to be where Christ stood before Pilate, and markings of a cruel game used by the soldiers. At the Herodian Mansion see the remains of homes that were destroyed in 70 AD. End the day with worship and communion at one of the sites believed to be the burial site of Jesus, the Garden Tomb.

Day 10, Fri, Sept 5 — Again we enter the Old City and visit the Davidson Center to enjoy a virtual tour and explore the southern steps of the Temple during the time of Christ.  Then we visit areas of New Jerusalem. First we drive by the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, then walk through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. We then visit the Israel Museum and see the Holy Land Model, replica of Jerusalem during the time of Christ and also see the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine of the Book. We enjoy a sumptuous farewell dinner and lovely biblical garden tour at Yad Hashmona, as we say good-bye to Israel and prepare for the flight home.

Day 11, Sat, Sept 6 — We depart Israel just after midnight on Delta #87 and change planes in New York to flight #403 for our flight to Los Angeles arriving at 12:04 p.m. with a life time of memories of the Journey to Jerusalem.

Itinerary Highlights 4-day Optional Extension Tour to TURKEY $1225.00 per person, plus airline tax (approximately $195.00) Sept 6 – Depart Tel Aviv on short flight and arrive in Istanbul for full day of sightseeing including the Archaeological Museum that houses the Siloam Inscription and Gezer Calendar from Jerusalem. An evening flight to Izmir, dinner and overnight. Sept 7 – We tour the ancient city of Pergamum where Paul encouraged faithfulness. See impressive temples, library and medical facilities that made the ancient city one of the renowned cultural centers and a major center for the early church. Next we visit Sardis, where Christianity arrived in the 1st century and home to a Jewish community that built the largest ancient synagogue outside of Israel. Sept 8 – Today we visit Ephesus, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world. We will walk the marble street where Paul held daily discussions, visit Celsius Library and see the 24,000 seat amphitheatre. Sept 9 – After breakfast, depart Turkey and arrive in Los Angeles at 12:04 p.m.