Friday, March 5, 2010 - Depart Newark International Airport for Israel by CONTINENTAL AIRLINES.  Meals and night in flight.

Saturday, Mar.  6 - On arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, meet our Israeli staff and drive to the Resort-Hotel BLUE BAY in Netanya.

Sunday, Mar.  7 - Leave Netanya, visit Herod's great city of Caesarea, with its Roman theater, New Testament associations and Crusader ruins.  Continue to the Biblical site of Megiddo, Mt. Carmel (Elijah's story) and the Jewish catacombs of Bet She'arim.  Overnight at Guest House NES AMMIM.

Monday, Mar. 8 - Drive to Nazareth to see the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well, then via Cana of Galilee to Tiberias, one of the four Jewish holy cities.  Lunch of St. Peter's Fish and a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). Visit the ancient Galilee Boat ("Jesus Boat") found in the mud of the lake in 1986.  On to the Mount of Beatitudes, and then to the Upper Galilee and Kibbutz Inn KFAR GILADI.

Tuesday, Mar. 9 - Tour the kibbutz, then to the Lebanese Border, Tel Dan ("from Dan to Beersheba"), Banias (Caesarea Philippi) and the Golan Heights.  Return to the kibbutz.  Evening lecture on contemporary Israel.

Wednesday, Mar. 10 - Leave the kibbutz for Tabgha (the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes), Capernaum

(the ancient Jewish town was Jesus' home base in the Galilee) to see the ancient synagogue and Peter’s house, then on to Bethsaida.  Visit the nearby Kinneret Cemetery

for an insight into the Zionist pioneering movement of a century ago.  On to the delightful mosaic floor of the ancient Beit Alfa synagogue, then down the Jordan Valley and via Jericho up to Jerusalem.

Stop at Mt. Scopus to celebrate the arrival in the Holy City. Check-in at the Hotel KING SOLOMON.

Thursday, Mar. 11 - Early departure. Ascend the Temple Mount for a view of the Muslim shrines.  Drive to the Mt. of Olives for the panoramic view of the Old City, walk down the Palm Sunday Road, stop at Dominus Flevit and the Garden of Gethsemane, visit the Pools of Bethesda and Church of St. Anne.  Circumstances permitting, drive to Bethlehem and see the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Return and stop at the Promenade for a spectacular view of Jerusalem.

Friday, Mar. 12 – Visit the Western Wall Tunnel.  Walk along the Via Dolorosa with the Stations of the Cross, to the Holy Sepulchre. Explore Machaneh Yehuda produce market in its busy pre-Shabbat frenzy.  Return to the Western Wall to welcome the Sabbath.  Shabbat worship service. 

Shabbat Shalom! 

Saturday, Mar. 13 - Excursion to Masada (ascend and descend by cable car), view Ein Gedi, bathe in the Dead Sea and visit Qumran, where the De

ad Sea Scrolls were written and found.   Return to Jerusalem.

Sunday, Mar. 14 - Sunday service at the hotel. Visit the Room of the Last Supper and King David's Tomb on Mt. Zion, then the Jewish Quarter with its Herodian Mansions, Broad Wall and Cardo.  Visit the "Ophel" (Western and Southern Wall excavations and Visitors' Center).

Monday, Mar. 15 - At leisure in Jerusalem.   Suggested: Walk from the hotel to Bet Agron and attend the "Time Elevator" multimedia half-hour show (admission $10) on the history of Jerusalem, from Kings David and Solomon through the destruction of the First Temple, the Romans, birth of Christianity, Muslim conquest, Crusaders, the rebirth of Israel and the city's reunification in 1967.   Or, visit the Tower of

David Museum of the history of Jerusalem at the Jaffa Gate.  Continue then to the Biblical Zoo.  You may also wish to sit at a cafe on the Ben Yehuda Pedestrian Mall and make a brief visit to the Supersol supermarket and buy some Egozy candy bars ...  Dinner on your own.

Tuesday, Mar. 16 - Head out of town via Sha'ar Hagai (optional Tree Planting, $10 per tree) to the Biblical Gardens at Neot Kedumim for a visit and lunch.  On to the Elah Valley to re-enact (!) the duel of David and Goliath.  Return to Jerusalem, explore the Israel Museum's famous Dead Sea Scrolls and the huge scale model of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus.   See the Knesset (Israel's Parliament) and the great Menorah.

Wednesday, Mar. 17 - Visit Yad Vashem, with its brand-new and acclaimed Holocaust museum, then proceed to the Garden Tomb for a worship service.  Lunch at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Transfer to Ben Gurion airport for departure by CONTINENTAL to the States.  Dinner on your own.

Thursday, Mar.  18  - Arrive Newark at dawn.          Welcome home !