Bethlehem Lutheran Church Holy Land Pilgrimage with Rev. Jeff Whillock

                                     DAILY ITINERARY
                             Bethlehem Lutheran Church

                                   April 14 – 23, 2023

Day 1: Departure from the USA

 Depart from Sioux Falls, SD. for your overnight flight to the Holy Land. Meals will be served on board.

Day 2: Arrival, Tel Aviv - Galilee 

We arrive at Ben Gurion airport and depart northward to our hotel Tiberias for dinner and overnight

Day 3 : Mt. Carmel – Nazareth – Cana – Tiberias

After breakfast, we will travel by private motor coach, Visit Mount Carmel, Muhraqa the Place of Fire, and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18), discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. Afterward, we will go to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, we will also visit the Church of St. Joseph. We end our day with a visit to Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle,  Drive to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.                                                                                                     

Day 4: Caesarea Philippi – Golan Heights –  Sea of Galilee.                                                                                      We will start our day with a visit to Caesarea Philippi at the sources of the river Jordan where Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, then we would return to the Sea of Galilee via the Golan Heights with a stop overlooking the Road to Damascus. On to Mount Arbel lookout overlooking the ancient road from Nazareth to Galilee with a possible hike on a part of Jesus Trail. We will then carry on to the Valley of the Doves and travel along the ancient road that leads from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee along the Via Maris. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

Day 5: Sea of Galilee – Magdala - Capernaum​ - Mount of Beatitudes​

We will start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, followed by a visit to the Ancient Boar Museum that houses a 2000-year-old fishing boat found buried in mud on the shores of Galilee The boat provides a good example of how fishing boats looked like during the time of Jesus. Then we will visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, and see the 1st-century synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue discovered on the shores of Galilee with a stone-carved replica of the Temple and Menorah. We will then take a short drive to Capernaum, the biblical village and hometown of Jesus. Capernaum is closely associated with Jesus and His ministry as described in the Synoptic Gospels. There we will see the house of the mother-in-law of Peter and an ancient synagogue that dates back to the time of Jesus and where much of His teaching took place. St. Peter’s fish At noon, we will drive to Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. We will then visit the site known as “Peter’s Primacy” where Jesus appeared to His disciples for the third time after His Resurrection. Later we will continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, the scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. We will enjoy the view of the enchanting gardens and reflect on Jesus’ sermon. We will also have time for prayer and reflection (Worship Service) Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.                                                                                                                    

Day 6: Jordan Valley -  Shepherds Field - Bethlehem

After breakfast, we will drive through the Jordan valley, on to  Drive to Bethlehem to visit Shepherd's Fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. After lunch (on your own), we will travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the place where Our Lord was born. check-in at our hotel, dinner, and overnight in Jerusalem.                                                      

Day 7: Augusta Victoria Hospital, LWF - Mt. of Olives – Mt. Zion

We will start our day with Augusta Victoria to witness the work of the Lutheran World Federation in health and education. Later we will enjoy a panoramic view from the top of Mount of Olives then we continue to the Church of the Ascension and the Church of the Pater Noster, and down to Dominus Flevit and St. Magdalene Church. Pray at the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations. In the afternoon, we visit. St. Peter in Galicantu where Jesus was denied by St. Peter. Then we will visit the Upper Room, the place of the Last Supper, and King David’s Tomb. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.                                                               

Day 8: Wadi Qelt ’ST George Monastery” - Baptismal site - Jericho - Qumran - the Dead Sea                         This morning we depart Bethlehem, traveling along the Judean wilderness where Jesus fasted for 40 days, l along the ancient road passing the good Samaritan inn. Reaching Wadi Qelt we enjoy a view of St George’s Monastery nestled in the wilderness. Carry on along the ancient road reaching Jericho passing along Herod’s Winter Palace where the infamous King died in the year 4 BC and probably was the background setting for the parable of the prodigal son. Prior to visiting Jericho, we head to visit Bet Arabah where John baptized Jesus. The site is also known as the “Place of Crossing”. The Israelites. From Bethabara, we will drive to the city of Jericho. We will see Tel Jericho, the old town of Joshua, and see the excavations of the ancient city, view the Mount of Temptation will also be insight. We will then drive to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally found and the buildings that formed the public canter of the Essenes. Then we will proceed to the Dead Sea where we can enjoy a dip in the relaxing and healing waters of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 9: Temple Mt – Pool of Bethesda –  Via Dolorosa – Holy Sepulcher - Jerusalem

This morning after breakfast, We will walk the Via Dolorosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher visiting Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. We will visit the Jewish Quarter and go to the Western Wall, a section of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and Judaism’s holiest site. visit the Temple Mount, where the Jewish temple stood until its destruction in 70 A.D, and see the Dome of the Rock, a possible location of the Holy of Holies. On to visit St Anne’s church and a visit to nearby Pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place. dinner and overnight in Jerusalem                                                             

Day 10: Departure Tel Aviv to the US

• Departure checks out and departs our hotel for our return home. We will arrive on the same day.

OPTIONAL POST-TOUR EXCURSION TO JORDAN

Day 10:   Jordan –  Mt. Nebo - Petra

After breakfast, we will depart to cross the border to Jordan. We visit Mt. Nebo, the place where prophet Mousa (Moses) gazed over the Promised Land before he died. We will visit an old monastery, overlook the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and parts of the Holy Land. Then we continue to drive towards Petra for a traditional Bedouin Dinner & overnight.

Day 11: Full day Petra – Amman
After breakfast, we will visit the Site of Petra  2000 years old Nabatean city that was highlighted in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. We will walk through the narrow passageway up to the treasury a massive royal tomb carved out of solid rock. Afternoon we have a transfer to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Day 12:  Amman – Jarash
After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Jarash, north of the capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it’s known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa (one of the cities of Decapolis). These include the 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade.
We then proceed to Amman, We will check into our hotel, have dinner, and overnight in Amman.
Day 13:  Arrive USA

This morning will have breakfast then transfer to the airport for your flight back to the
The USA.

NOTE: The schedule is subject to change, due to various factors, and at your Tour Leaders and Guide’s discretion.