FAM Tour for Lead Pastors 2022

Today you will leave the United States on a trans-continental flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. Your flight departs late afternoon arriving in Israel early morning (the next day).

When you arrive in the Holy Land you will be met by a representative to assist you through customs and provide transfer to your hotel!  Ben Gurion airport is near the modern city of Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city.  It is also near the ancient seaport of Joppa where King Solomon's ships sailed to far-away ports and where the prophet Jonah fled from the call of God. The day will begin by driving up the coast to the ancient port of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient capital of the Romans in Palestine to visit the great theatre, hippodrome and harbor. The events of Acts 12 took place here; the Apostle Paul’s imprisonment, his bringing the gospel to the house of Cornelias, and the occasion of Herod being struck by worms in the theatre. A short distance away you will see the incredible aqueducts built by Herod the Great and a later period Crusader fortress. After a short drive along the coast, the climb begins up the Carmel Mountains to the heights of Mt. Carmel where Elijah slew the prophets of Baal. The view of the Valley of Armageddon will take your breath away as you recall the prophecies of Revelation and the end time events that will take place in that vast plain. You will descend into the valley and visit Megiddo, Solomon’s ancient chariot city where “Ahab’s Water Tunnel” - the hidden water source of the Israelites during the days of the divided kingdom- was located. You cross the entire valley and begin the climb through the lower Galilean Mountains to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus. After a time of teaching from the precipice overlooking the Jezreel Valley, you drive through the place of the villages of His day such as Cana, where He turned the water into wine. Late afternoon, you arrive at your beautiful hotel on the shore (of the Sea of Galilee where you will have dinner and spend the first of three nights

You will wake to a breath-taking sunrise on the Sea of Galilee. After breakfast, enjoy a boat ride and time of worship on the Sea of Galilee as you sail to Nof Ginnosar in a replica of an ancient boat. The authentic 2,000-year-old boat of antiquity dates to the time of Christ. You will follow the steps of Jesus through the Galilee region as you visit the Mt. of Beatitudes and ancient Capernaum, Tabgha and the ancient fisherman's landing called the "Primacy of Peter." You will enjoy lunch by the Sea of Galilee where you will have an opportunity to eat "St. Peter's fish," tilapia, caught fresh out of the waters of the Galilee. The group will complete the day with the opportunity for baptism in the Jordan River. After this wonderful day, you can once again relax at your hotel on the Sea of Galilee. After dinner you may enjoy looking out over this beautiful lake to reflect on what you are already experiencing; walking where Jesus walked.

The beautiful northern mountains of Israel await you today. As you leave the area of the Galilee, you will visit Chorazin on the way to Tel Dan, where you will see a city gate from the time of Abraham and an altar from the days of Israel's divided kingdom. You will walk through an incredible nature reserve at Dan and see the beginnings of the Dan River, which joins with other streams to form the Jordan River. The water is crystal-clear and pure. There is a gorgeous waterfall as the headwaters of the Jordan River cascade into a beautiful mountain stream. Your next stop will be the site of the Apostle Peter's confession of Christ at Caesarea Philippi. You will see the second source of the Jordan River at Banias. As you travel, an explanation of Israel's incredible history from 1948 until the present will be given, and you will stand upon the heights of the extant volcano peak. You can see the Golan Heights spanning from the Northern border to the Sea of Galilee and learn the strategic importance this region has played and will continue to play to the nation of Israel. After your day in the mountains, you will retire to your hotel on the Sea of Galilee for a final evening.

This morning you leave the beautiful Sea of Galilee, following alongside the Gilboa mountain range. At Harrod’s Springs you will see where Judge Gideon tested his men before the battle with the Midianites in the valley between Gilboa and Mt. Moreh. From there you visit the last site before the journey down the Jordan Valley, Bet Shan. While not mentioned in the New Testament, it is an Old Testament city and the best preserved Roman city from that period in Israel today. You then head toward Jerusalem. After passing by ancient Jericho the climb to Jerusalem begins. You view the same scenery and travel the same route ancient pilgrims would have taken as they made their journey to Jerusalem for the great feasts of Israel. Then, you finally arrive in the City of God, the City of David and the ancient and modern capital of Israel, Jerusalem. Hearts leap with emotion as you stand on the overlook of the Mount of Olives and see the breathtaking Mountain of Moriah. It is there where Abraham was to offer Isaac, Solomon built the first temple, and where Jesus walked, taught, died, rose again and will one day return in great glory! This is only the beginning. You check into your hotel, have dinner and enjoy your first night in your lovely hotel in Jerusalem.

You will spend an exciting morning descending to the Plains of Jericho; then on to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth. You stop at Qumran, the center of the Essenes, home of the ancient caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. From there, we continue south to the desert where ibex roam at Ein Gedi, David’s hideout from Saul. Then we go on to the mighty fortress Masada, the last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Masada is a symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish people, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery. Those who wish to do so may swim (float) in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Once again following the ancient path the pilgrims ascended to Jerusalem, you retire to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

These final days are spent in and around the environs of the capital of ancient and modern day Israel - Jerusalem!  Once you arrive in Jerusalem, before disembarking each afternoon you will hear the next day’s itinerary.  However, listed below you will find just some of the places you will see and experience together during these days:

Mt. of Olives	Mt. Scopus	Shepherd's Fields	Damascus Gate
St. Stephen's Gate	Robinson’s Arch	Palm Sunday Road	Kidron Valley
Street Market	Garden Tomb	Gordon's Calvary	Roman Cardo
Southern Steps	Arab Quarter	Western Wall	House of Caiaphas
Jewish Quarter	Zion's Gate	Valley of Gehenna	Israel Museum
Jaffa Gate	Temple Mount	Garden of Gethsemane	Pools of Bethseda
Dome of the Rock	Tomb of Absalom	Place of the Pavement	Knesset
Tome of Zechariah	Mt. Zion	Holocaust Museum	Rabbinical Tunnel
Ancient Shiloh	City of David/td>	And Much, Much More1

You will complete your tour of Israel on the last afternoon, at Calvary and the Garden Tomb.  After that awesome experience you share a sumptuous Farewell Dinner before departing for Tel Aviv for a late night departure to the USA.

With memories that will last for a lifetime and with plans to return and bring others back to experience God's Holy Land - Israel! Blessed traveling from all of us at TLC Holyland Tours!