Biblical Encounters/Oak Hills Christian College Biblical Study Tour to Israel

Dec. 30, 2010 – Jan. 09, 2011 • Hosted by Dr. Dale & Tara Pederson-McDonnell & Dr. Gale Struthers

Includes airfare, great hotels, transfers and more!

We happily invite you to consider joining us on this wonderful journey. We'll experience with great pleasure many of the delights of the fascinating land of Israel. In addition, we'll encounter numerous ancient Biblical sites in ways that will make the Bible come alive like never before.

The educational and spiritual components of this tour will be exceptional. In addition to the insights from our licensed Israeli guide, we will personally be providing resources, teaching, and spiritual insights to make this an outstanding experience for all. As educators, we know that people learn the most when they are enjoying the experience, so you can rest assured that we are going to have a blast! And while the value of experiencing the Bible lands is considered priceless, when you examine all that is included in our tour, you'll easily see that the price you pay represents very high value for money.

Please accept this as your personal invitation to be a part of this awesome experience. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Warmly,
Dr. Dale & Tara Pederson-McDonnell
and Dr. Gale Struthers

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1, Thursday, Dec. 30: Depart USA. Depart on our overnight flight to Israel. Aloft, we will have dinner, time to sleep, breakfast, and the opportunity to praise the Lord for His beautiful creation from the vantage point of 35,000 feet!

Day 2, Friday, Dec. 31: Tel Aviv. After arriving at Ben Gurion airport we begin our Biblical journey in the ancient port city of Jaffa (Joppa), significant in several Old and New Testament accounts. Then on to our hotel in Tel Aviv for some time to relax and enjoy our first Israeli dinner and overnight. Dinner provided. Leonardo Plaza Hotel Tel Aviv

Day 3, Saturday, Jan. 1: Caesarea, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel. We journey north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, Roman capital of Judea, and significant in numerous accounts in the book of Acts. We then travel inland to Tel Megiddo, with its past and prophetic history, overlooking the Valley of Armageddon. We continue to Mt Carmel, the site of Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal. As our day closes we drive through Nazareth and Tiberias, arriving at our hotel, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, in time for dinner and overnight. Nof Ginosar Kibbutz Galilee Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 4, Sunday, Jan. 2: Mt. Beatitudes, Mt. Hermon, Banias, Golan Heights, Capernaum, Galilee. Today we start the day early at the Mount of Beatitudes, the location of Jesus' "sermon on the mount". Then, north to Mount Hermon, and the fascinating ancient sites of Dan and Caesarea Philippi (Banias).

We return south through the Golan Heights, back to the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus caused the miraculous catch of fish and restored Peter as recorded in John 21. We visit the sites at the ruins of Capernaum, and then take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee back to Nof Ginosar, where we'll see an authentic Sea of Galilee first century fishing boat before enjoying dinner and a night of rest. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 5, Monday, Jan. 3: Jordan River, Beit She'an, Qumran, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea. Our day opens on the Jordan River where members of our group have the opportunity to be baptized. We drive via the Jordan Valley to Beit She'an, an amazing excavation of an ancient Roman city.

We continue south to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and along the shore of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi, David's waterfall and a wonderful nature center.

After a dip in the mineral-filled waters of the Dead Sea we proceed to our hotel for some leisure time, dinner, and overnight. Daniel Hotel Dead Sea Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 6, Tuesday, Jan. 4: Masada, Arad, Beer Sheva, Jerusalem. Our day begins on top of the fortress of Masada, where Jewish zealots made their last stand against Rome in A.D. 73. Travel to Tel Arad where the region's ancient capital is now preserved at the National Park, which encompasses the remains of a huge Canaanite city (Numbers 21:1) and an impressive fortress from First Temple times.

Next, we travel south to ancient Beer Sheva. The city goes back thousands of years. Abraham arrived here and settled in the region and it is known that Christian Pilgrims passed through Beer Sheva on their way to the Sinai Desert Churches. Abraham's well, mentioned in the Bible, can be found at the foot of the Old City. Our journey continues as we approach Jerusalem, the highlight of our tour. Overnight at our Jerusalem hotel, where we will stay for the remainder of our time in Israel. Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 7, Wednesday, Jan. 5: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beit Sahour. Our morning will focus on sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the southern temple steps in the archaeological park and the hidden rabbinic tunnels behind the Western Wall.

In the afternoon we'll visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the Shepherds' fields in nearby Beit Sahour. Here we'll visit a wonderful olive wood and gift store, operated by a co-op of Palestinian Christian families. Dinner and overnight in our hotel in Jerusalem. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 8, Thursday, Jan. 6: Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. Our morning will take us to the Holocaust Memorial Museum at Yad Vashem, the Israel Museum, and other sites in Jerusalem's new city. We return to the Old city Christian quarter for lunch, a walk through the Via Dolorosa, the Garden Tomb, and a number of other significant Biblical Jerusalem sites. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 9, Friday, Jan. 7: Jerusalem. After another fabulous Israeli buffet breakfast, enjoy a free day in Jerusalem or join your tour host who will escort you to the Garden tomb for a special time of worship and communion. The rest of the day is free for shopping, personal encounters, and exploring more of the fascinating sites of Jerusalem. Venture out on your own or join one of the informal groups led by your tour hosts. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 10, Saturday, Jan. 8: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv. Our last day in Jerusalem for independent exploration. Join your fellow travelers at the hotel for our farewell dinner. Late evening transfer to Ben Gurion Airport. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 11, Sunday, Jan. 9: Israel/USA. Early departure flight from Israel, arriving in the USA later this morning.

Destination FAQs

Study Tour to Israel Included Features

• Flights from Minneapolis or San Francisco via EL AL Israel Airlines (LY) (flight schedule)
• Accommodations in superior hotels with private bath
• Lavish buffet breakfast and table d'hote dinner daily
• Transfers with meeting, assistance, and porterage
• Touring by modern, air-conditioned touring coaches, including all entrance fees to places visited in the itinerary
• Professional, English-speaking tour director

Study Tour to Israel Prices

Prices are per person, based on double occupancy.

From Minneapolis (MSP):	$2800
From San Francisco (SFO):	$2970
Single supplement:	$585
Airline Taxes, Fees & Sept. 11th Security Fee:	$120
Tips to driver, guide & restaurant staff:	$114
Travel Insurance (optional):	$129

Reservations

Please download the reservation application and fax or mail it to us, together with your $300 per person deposit. Fax to: 215-572-9803. Mail to 500 Old York Road, Suite 200, Jenkintown, PA 19046.

Reservation application PDF

For more information, please contact:

Biblical Encounters
Dr. Dale Pederson-McDonnell
3775 Bassetti Court
Ceres, CA 95307
Phone: 209-404-1106
Fax: 209.883.1728
tours@biblicalencounters.com
www.biblicalencounters.com
www.fbchughson.org

About your tour hosts, Dr. Dale & Tara Pederson-McDonnell

Dr. Pederson-McDonnell has been in pastoral ministry for 35 years. For ten years he also served on the faculty at Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, Minnesota. He is founder and president of Biblical Encounters Foundation, a non-profit ministry designed to lead people into authentic encounters with the lands, the words, and the God of the Bible. In partnership with Friendly Planet Travel, he has led numerous study tours to the Bible lands over the past 20 years. His life and ministry partner, Tara, a telecommunications broker, is fully engaged with him in teaching, counseling, writing, and pastoral ministries. Together they love to see the Bible come alive for people and look forward with great anticipation to this incredible Biblical encounter in the land of Israel.

About your tour host, Dr. Gale Struthers

Dr. Gale Struthers is the Chair of Biblical Studies at Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, Minnesota. She is an instructor in Biblical Studies and Hebrew at Oak Hills. She studied in Israel for a year at the Jerusalem University College and was involved in a summer archeological dig at Tel Dor, an ancient city along the Mediterranean coast.