Holy Land

Holy Land

Bethlehem-Jerusalem-Nazareth-Galilee

Date coming soon
Duration: 11 Days
Guide: Jan Gać

Pilgrimage to the roots of Christianity, journeying through Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Galilee as well as the Dead Sea and Masada. Expert guide: Wojciech Beben, Ph.D   Spiritual guide: F. Wacław Sokołowski

Day 1 (Sun 4/2):   Depart Newark

Meeting at the airport in Newark in at the United Airlines three hours before departure. Departure at 4:35pm on a direct flight UA #84 to Tel Aviv. Meals served on board.

Day 2 (Mon 4/3):   Arrive Tel Aviv - Transfer to Tiberias

Arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv at 10:15am. Greetings by our guide Fr. Wojciech Beben. Deluxe bus ride along the Mediterranean coast to the ruins of the ancient Roman capital of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great 22 years before the birth of Christ. We are going to see the Roman Theater, water aqueducts and fortresses. Drive to Haifa, where we will see the hanging gardens of Bahai and then we will ride to Mount Carmel. We will continue to Tiberias - the city on the Sea of ​​Galilee. Accommodations in the hotel for the next three nights. Welcome dinner and introduction to the program for the next few days. (D)

Day 3 (Tue 4/4):   Tiberias - Sea of Galilee - Tiberias

After breakfast we start a day of sailing on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of the boat used in the time of Jesus to catch fish. On board we will participate in Holy Mass. In Capernaum - the place where Jesus embarked in teaching people, we will visit the house of St. Peter and synagogue where Jesus taught and then go to the place of feeding the 5 loaves and 2 fish called Tabgha. We will visit the church where Jesus conferred primacy on Simon Peter - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." We will go to the top of the Beatitudes, where Jesus taught the crowds and gave his famous Sermon on the Mount. From this mountain we’ll have a beautiful view of the "Sea of ​​Jesus" and the view of the entire Galilee. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. (B,D)

Day 4 (Wed 4/5):    Tiberias - Nazareth - Kana - Mt. Tabor - Tiberias

After breakfast we’ll visit Cana of Galilee, where after the baptism Jesus had made his first miracle at the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine. At this point, couples will be able to renew their promise to the sacrament of marriage. In Nazareth, where Jesus spent most of his life in the Basilica of the Annunciation we will celebrate Mass in the Grotto of the Annunciation. We will also see St. Joseph’s carpentry workshop. From Nazareth we go to Mount Tabor and visit the site of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 5 (Thu 4/6):   Tiberias - transfer to Jerusalem

After breakfast, we begin a journey to Jerusalem, going south along the Jordan River. We’ll stop at the site of Jesus's baptism, which will be an opportunity to renew the promise of baptism. Next we will drive to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. There will visit the church of St. John the Baptist, as well as visit the Sanctuary of the Visitation of St. Elizabeth. In the afternoon we will arrive at the hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 6 (Fri 4/7):   Way of the Cross - visit Jerusalem

Today we will explore Jerusalem beginning with the Way of the Cross, carrying crosses through the narrow streets of Jerusalem Pilate’s Palace to Golgotha. After a short rest we’ll visit Mount Olive where eight olive trees from the time of Christ. Next we will visit the Church of Gethsemane for Holy Mass. Return to our hotel for dinner. (B,D)

Day 7 (Sat 4/8):    Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Jerusalem

After breakfast we will go to Bethlehem - the birthplace of Jesus. We will visit all the holy places: the Basilica and the Grotto of the Nativity where we will celebrate Holy Mass. We will return to and continue touring the beautiful city of Jerusalem. We see the Cenacle and the Church of the Dormition of Mary. Free time before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 8 (Sun 4/9):    Jerusalem / Palm Sunday - Dead Sea

After breakfast we will visit Mount Olive to witness the special ceremony of Holy Mass with the procession of Palm Sunday. Depending on the end time of procession, we will visit churches: St. Anne Savior and Flagellation, which are beautiful churches built during the Crusades. After a short rest at the hotel, we will drive to our Dead Sea hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 9 (Mon 4/10):   Dead Sea

After breakfast at the hotel on the Dead Sea, free time to rest, relax and enjoy the resort. Dead Sea - the lowest place on Earth, is located 460 meters below sea level. There are also hot springs, famous for its medical properties. It will be an opportunity to relax in the resort and swim in the healing waters of the Dead Sea. Optional trip to Masada. Overnight at our Dead Sea hotel. (B,D)

Day 10 (Tue 4/11):   Dead Sea - Jerusalem / Departure

Free time to relax at the resort. In the afternoon we will drive to Jerusalem for shopping. Transfer to the airport in Tel Aviv. On the way, early dinner at local restaurant. Depart at 11:10pm United Airlines. Meals will be served onboard. (B,D)

Day 11 (Wed 4/12):   Arrival to USA

Arrival to Newark, NJ at 4:20am.

Abbreviations: B - Breakfast; L - Lunch; D - Dinner

Jerusalem

is the capital of Israel, though not internationally recognized as such. If the area and population of East Jerusalem is included, it is Israel's largest city in both population and area, with a population of 763,800 residents over an area of 48.3 sq mi. Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea, modern Jerusalem has grown far beyond the boundaries of the Old City.

Jerusalem is a holy city to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Judaism, Jerusalem has been the holiest city since, according to the Torah, King David of Israel first established it as the capital of the united Kingdom of Israel in c. 1000 BCE, and his son Solomon commissioned the building of the First Temple in the city. In Christianity, Jerusalem has been a holy city since, according to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified in c. 30 CE and 300 years later Saint Helena found the True Cross in the city. In Sunni Islam, Jerusalem is the third-holiest city. The Old City is home to sites of key religious importance, among them the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.

During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world. The old walled city, a World Heritage site, has been traditionally divided into four quarters, although the names used today—the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters—were introduced in the early 19th century. The Old City was nominated for inclusion on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger by Jordan in 1982.

Bethlehem

is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, approximately 5 miles south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Hebrew Bible identifies Beit Lehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The New Testament Gospels of Matthew and Luke identify Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.

Nazareth

is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is predominantly made up of Arab citizens of Israel. In the New Testament, the city is described as the childhood home of Jesus, and as such is a center of Christian pilgrimage, with many shrines commemorating biblical events. The Mayor of Nazareth is a Palestinian Christian. The name "Nazareth" may be derived from the Hebrew verb meaning watch, guard, or keep.

Galilee

is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the ridges of Mount Carmel and Mount Gilboa to the south, and from the Jordan Rift Valley to the east across the plains of the Jezreel Valley and Acre to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Coastal Plain in the west.

Most of Galilee consists of rocky terrain, at heights of between 500 and 700 metres. There are several high mountains including Mount Tabor and Mount Meron in the region, which have relatively low temperatures and high rainfall. As a result of this climate, flora and wildlife thrive in the region, while many birds annually migrate from colder climates to Africa and back through the Hula–Jordan corridor. The streams and waterfalls, the latter mainly in Upper Galilee, along with vast fields of greenery and colorful wildflowers, as well as numerous towns of biblical importance, make the region a popular tourist destination.

Tiberias

is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Lower Galilee, Israel. Established in 20 CE, it was named in honour of the emperor Tiberius. Tiberias has been venerated in Judaism since the middle of the 2nd century CE and since the 16th century has been considered one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed. In the 2nd-10th centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in the Galilee and the political and religious hub of the Jews of Palestine. According to Christian tradition, Jesus performed several miracles in the Tiberias district, making it an important pilgrimage site for devout Christians. Tiberias has historically been known for its hot springs, believed to cure skin and other ailments, for thousands of years.

Mount Tabor

is located in Lower Galilee, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles west of the Sea of Galilee, in Israel. It was the site of the battle between Barak and the army of Jabin, commanded by Sisera during the leadership of the Israelite judge Deborah in the mid 14th century BCE. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. It is also known as Har Tavor, Itabyrium, Jebel et-Tur, and the Mount of Transfiguration.

The Mount of Olives

is a mountain ridge in eastern Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 2,683 ft. It is named for the olive groves that covers its slopes. The Mount of Olives is associated predominantly with Jewish and Christian traditions but also contains several sites important in Islam. The mount has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds approximately 150,000 graves.

Masada

is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of an isolated rock plateau, or horst, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. After the First Jewish-Roman War a siege of the fortress by troops of the Roman Empire led to the mass suicide of the Sicarii rebels. It is located about 20 km east of Arad.

The Dead Sea

also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are 1,388 ft below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface on dry land. The Dead Sea is 1,237 ft deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. With 33.7% salinity, it is also one of the world's saltiest bodies of water, though Lake Assal (Djibouti), Garabogazköl and some hypersaline lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica (such as Don Juan Pond) have reported higher salinities. It is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, hence its name. The Dead Sea is 42 miles long and 11 miles wide at its widest point. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.

The Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years. Biblically, it was a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from balms for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics and herbal sachets. In 2009, 1.2 million foreign tourists visited on the Israeli side.

Price with flight from Newark: $3,350

• per person for 2 person room min. 30 persons
• non-stop round trip flights via United Airlines: Newark - Tel Aviv - Newark
• single supplement: +$790

Included in price:

• All transfers with private deluxe bus
• Private tour guide
• Meals (all breakfasts and dinners)
• Entrance fees to museums/ruins listed in program, Holy Masses
• Accommodations in 4* hotels
• Tips in hotels/airports

Not included in price:

• Services not mentioned in the itinerary
• Insurance
• Tips for guides

Comments

• If you plan on taking part in this trip with a group of 10 or more friends/relatives and would need a connecting flight to reach the starting destination of the trip (NYC) there is the possibility of receiving group discounts on the connecting flight. Please contact as soon as possible if this is the case.
• In the event that there is an odd number of group participants, the person to last join the group will be required to buy a single supplement for the trip or, when possible, share a 3 person room.
• In the event that there are less than 30 participants for this trip15 days before the trip date there will be an additional charge of maximum $100 per person.

Trip Reservation

In order to secure a reservation for this trip each participant must pay a deposit of $500 and complete and sign a trip participation form. For guided group trips the number of space is limited – reservations are accepted in the order that they are received in. Full payment is required 60 days before departure. After this date only full payment is accepted. If payment is not made in this time frame, the trip price as well as a spot reserved on the trip are not guaranteed.

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Cancellation 90 or more days before the trip: return of deposit, less $20 for office fees.
Cancellation 89-60 days before departure: Loss of entire deposit.
Cancellation 59-31 days before departure: 50% of cost of services booked.
Cancellation less than 30 days before departure: 100% of cost of services booked.

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Receive a full refund of the paid deposit for the canceled trip

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