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October 17-26, 2012
With host Pastor Doug Klassen and tour leader Gerd Bartel
Do you want to deepen your understanding of the Bible and experience where it was lived out? Join Pastor Doug Klassen, who serves as senior pastor at Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary, Alberta, on this pilgrimage to Israel-Palestine. 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 which offers a “living presentation of the life, times, and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth” to people from all over the world. Gerd Bartel has been involved in leadership positions in the Mennonite Church for the last 40 years. Gerd has led previous tours to Israel/Palestine and will look after the tour logistics for this unforgettable tour experience.
Click here to read past blogs about tours to the Holy Lands.
The tour departs from Calgary International Airport and Pearson International Airport, Toronto, with arrival in Tel Aviv on Thursday morning. We will travel to Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, where we will stay for two nights.
 See the ruins at Caesarea
After a good night’s rest and a delicious Israeli breakfast, we will be eager to experience our first day in the Holy Land. First, we will visit Caesarea, where Peter met and baptized Cornelius and his family, and then we will climb Mount Carmel, where Elijah met the prophets of Baal. We will also visit the Mount of Precipice, where Jesus passed through the crowd.
 Enjoy a 1st-century lunch at Nazareth Village
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, and will also visit Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle. We will stay in Tiberias for two nights.
 Swim - or float! - in the Dead Sea
This morning we will see the Mount of Beatitudes, visit the Church of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, and the towns of Bethsaida and Capernaum. At noon, we will enjoy a special St. Peter’s fish lunch, followed by sailing 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 and remember the city whose walls crumbled at the blast of a trumpet. Jericho is the lowest city on earth. Here we will recall the story of Zacchaeus and see the Mount of Temptation. During lunch we will invite a Palestinian Christian family to share about their experiences as Christian restaurateurs in Palestine. Then it’s on to Qumran to learn about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will have an opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. We hope to have an evening conversation with Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights and will spend the next four nights in 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, the Pool of Siloam, King David’s Tomb and much more, including a visit with MCC workers in Jerusalem.
 Sing in a cave church at Shepherd's Field
Today we will visit Bethlehem. You will enjoy a tour of the Church of the Nativity and a visit to Shepherd’s Field, including the cave church where past groups have sung Christmas carols. At Bethlehem Bible College, we want to have a conversation with Alex Awad. The day will also include an opportunity to support local Christian artisans at a store in Bethlehem.
 The model of ancient Jerusalem
We will walk the Via Dolorosa this morning and observe the Stations of the Cross. We will visit the Israel Museum with the Shrine of the Book and the model of ancient Jerusalem. Together, we will have a special communion service at the Garden Tomb, which will undoubtedly be a significant memory of your time in Israel.
All too soon it’s time to return home. 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.
For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please
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