Day 6: Beit Shean, Jericho, Mt. of Temptations, Jerusalem
After breakfast we will visit Yardenit, baptism site in the Jordan River, then continue to Beit Shean to see an archeological "dig" which is going on today. See the remarkable excavation of Roman and Byzantine cities. We will continu?e ?through the Jordan Valley to Jericho, oldest city in existence. Take the new cable car to the top of the Mount of Temptations. Visit the Greek Orthodox 5th century Monastery of St. George built in a rock ravine in the Judson Desert. Then drive up to Jerusalem, enter the city with the traditional prayer and blessing over the Mountain of Olives. There will be a special teaching on the Mount of Olives from Zech, 12. Then we will procced to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Jerusalem Tour
The next two days of touring take us to the varios Biblical and historical sites which are important to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. After breakfast, we will visit the recent excavation of Temple Mount Tunnels. Then we will stop at the Garden Tomb and view of Golgotha, Calvary and the site of the Crucifixion. Continuing on we will see a magnificent view of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives. Then we will descend to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of all Nations. We will take a walking tour of the Old City includes the Pool of Bethesda, Ecce Homo Arch, Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross), Church of the Holy Sepulcre, and the Western Wailing Wall. In the Jewish Quarter we will visit the Cardo, an ancient Roman "mall," then Mt. Zion, Tomb of King David, and the Room of the Last Supper. We will returm to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Jerusalem Tour - continued
Afte breakfast we will pass the Knesset, Israel's parliament building, on our way to the scale Model of Jerusalem, the town Jesus saw during the 2nd Temple period, and proceed to the Holocaust Memorial. We will visit the Israel Museum and see the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. We will continue on to Bethlehem to see Rachel's Tomb, Shepherds' Field, the Plains of Boaz, and Church of the Nativity. We will dine and stay overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 9: Fun day - Dead Sea, Qumran, Ein Gedi, Fortress of Massada
Departing Jerusalem after breakfast, we drive through the Judean Desert for a full-day tour to the Dead Sea and Qumran, where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We will travel to Ein Gedi, a beautiful oasis with waterfalls and nature reserve by the Dead Sea. We will go on the cliff top fortress of Massada, the ruins of Herod's palaces and fortifications, which later aided the Zealots in resisting the Romans. We will ascend and descend by cable car. Drive up to Jerusalem for dinner and stay overnight.
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