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April 25 - May 4, 2012
With host Pastor Steve Landis and tour leader Nelson Kraybill
Do you want to deepen your understanding of the Bible and experience where it was lived out? Join TourMagination’s classic Israel/Palestine tour with Pastor Steve Landis of Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford, PA. Familiar Bible passages will come to life and your understanding of biblical history will be deepened by visits to both Old and New Testament sites. Your faith will be enriched as you get an intimate feel for the hills, towns, and seashore that Jesus knew so well. One special highlight of this tour is a visit to Nazareth Village, a recreated first-century village that offers a “living presentation of the life, times and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth” to people from all over the world. Nelson Kraybill, Bible teacher and former president of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, who has led groups to Israel/Palestine, will be the tour leader.
Click here to read past blogs about tours to the Holy Lands.
Observe first-century Jewish life at Nazareth Village
We will have an evening departure from Newark, New Jersey, arriving in Tel Aviv on Thursday afternoon. We will travel to Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, where we will stay for two nights.
Visit the beautiful Basilica of the Annunciation
After a good night’s rest and a delicious Israeli breakfast, we will be eager to experience our first day in the Holy Land. We will start our morning by visiting Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle – will our water turn into wine? Then we will visit Nazareth Village and experience for ourselves what life would have been like when Jesus walked the streets of Nazareth. We will enjoy a Parable Walk, hearing Jesus’ parables in a setting that might have inspired the images he used. This Christian interpretative centre makes the Bible come to life. We will share a first-century lunch at Nazareth Village. In the afternoon, we will take a walking tour of Nazareth, visiting sites such as Mary’s Well and the Basilica of the Annunciation. We will also meet with a representative from the Jesus Trail at the Fauzi Azar Inn.
This morning, we will visit Caesarea where Peter met and baptized Cornelius and his family, and will climb Mount Carmel where Elijah met the prophets of Baal. Traveling to Haifa, we will see the unique Baha’i Gardens, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and will again remember the story of Elijah as we visit the Stella Maris Church. We will stay at a kibbutz by the Sea of Galilee for two nights.
Ride a first-century boat on the Sea of Galilee
Sunday morning we will worship on the Mount of Beatitudes as well as visit the Church of the Loaves and Fishes and the town of Capernaum. At noon, we will enjoy a special St. Peter’s Fish Lunch, followed by a ride on a replica first-century boat on the Sea of Galilee while we hear the stories of Jesus, his disciples and their experiences on this sea. Later in the afternoon we will have a meaningful visit to the Jordan River to see the spot where it is thought that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
This morning, we will travel to Jericho, the lowest city on earth, and remember the city whose walls crumbled at the blast of a trumpet. We will see the Mount of Temptation. After lunch at a Palestinian restaurant, it’s on to Qumran to learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls and then on to Masada, where the last rebels held out against Rome. We will have an opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. We will relive the story of the Good Samaritan as we travel along the road to Jerusalem.
There is so much to see and do in Jerusalem. Today will be a full day visiting sites, including the Mount of Olives, the Upper Room (Cenacle), the Pool of Siloam, King David’s Tomb and much more. We will also enjoy an overview of ancient Jerusalem from a vast model at the Israel Museum.
Visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem
This morning we will visit Bethlehem. You will enjoy a tour of the Church of the Nativity and listening to the rustic flutes at Shepherd’s Field. The day will also include an opportunity to shop for fine olivewood at a Christian store in Bethlehem, and an afternoon visit with MCC workers from Jerusalem to learn about their work in Israel.
We will pray at the Western Wall this morning and possibly go underground at the Burnt House to see ruins of the city Jesus knew. Then we will walk the Via Dolorosa and observe the Stations of the Cross. Together, we will have a special communion service at the Garden Tomb, which will undoubtedly be a significant memory of your time in Israel. The day will conclude with a delicious farewell dinner together.
It’s time to return home and we have an early start. As pilgrims and friends, we will have sung and prayed together as the Bible came to life for us in our tour together through Israel/Palestine.
 View of Jerusalem, the Holy City For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please
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