In His Steps - Sponsored Tours by Friendly Planet Travel

10 days, $2775
from Chicago

Includes airfare, fuel surcharges, great hotels, transfers, most meals, guided touring and more!

Hosted by Kathy and Norm Oswald
November 28-December 7, 2008

Tour hosts Norm and Kathy Oswald

Travel with us through the Holy Land and see the stage where the biblical narratives were played out. Thrill as you walk the same paths as the heroes of the Bible. Fulfill your dreams on this magnificent tour which will make the Bible come alive. A carefully selected teacher-guide who knows and loves the land will deepen your understanding and give you the joy of discovery.

Kathy and Norm Oswald, your tour hosts, will eagerly share their passion for Israel and her people. They have lived in the land where they worked as volunteers, and they have led previous tours, earning them experience, knowledge and friendships that all contribute to a wonderful time in Israel.

Join Kathy and Norm Oswald on a tour that will make your experience in Israel the very best one a visitor can have. Enjoy superior hotels, delicious meals, excellent comfort and service, a carefully planned itinerary that will give you a rich understanding of the land God loves, all for one low, value-for-the-money tour price.

They say that a week in Israel is like a year of Bible study. Come and find out how very true this is, in Israel, Land of the Bible.

Our Touring Program

Day 1: Friday, November 28: Depart USA. Departure on the first leg of our overnight flight to Israel via scheduled British Airways jet service.

Day 2: Saturday, November 29: Tel Aviv. We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport where we are met by our guide for assistance through customs. Board our touring coach and drive to Jaffa (Joppa), the historic start of pilgrimages, for a tour of this ancient seaport, then transfer to our hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. Sheraton Moria (B, D)

Roman Theater at Caesarea

Day 3: Sunday, November 30: Caesarea, Mount Carmel, Megiddo & Tiberias. Board our touring coach and drive north along the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea, Roman capital of Judea. Here we view the beautifully restored theater, and the ruins of the ancient town, its harbor and aqueduct. We travel inland to Megiddo (Biblical Armageddon), and then continue to Muhraka on Mt Carmel, where Elijah defeated the priests of Ba'al. Continue to Cana, site of Jesus' first miracle, then Nazareth, His boyhood home, where we'll visit Nazareth Village. Here we'll have an opportunity to take a tour and experience life as it must have been during the time of Jesus. We continue to Tiberias and stop at the baptismal site of the Jordan River, an opportunity for those members of the group who wish to be baptized in the gentle flowing waters of the River Jordan. Nof Ginosar Kibbutz (B,D)

View over Sea of Galilee from Capernaum

Day 4: Monday, December 1: Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes & Banias. We set sail on the Sea of Galilee aboard a wooden fishing boat built to represent vessels used during Bible times. Arrive at Capernaum once a simple fishing village where Jesus was often a guest of his disciple Peter, and where it is said He performed many miracles. Visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue and house of Peter. Continue to Bethsaida, known as the birthplace of three of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew and Philip. Jesus himself visited Bethsaida and performed several miracles there. The mound identified as ancient Bethsaida, is now located 1.5 km north of the Sea of Galilee.

Mt. of Beatitudes© my-holyland.com

Studies have shown that a series of earthquakes caused silt to accumulate, thus creating the valley and causing the north shore of the Sea of Galilee to recede. Continue to Tabgha, site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. Drive through the Hula Valley to Banias, ancient Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon. After ascending the Golan Heights, visit the former Syrian fortifications, and then drive along the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee to Kursi, where Christian tradition relates that Jesus cast out the demons from the man of Gedara. (B,D)

Swimming in the Dead Sea

Day 5: Tuesday, December 2: Jordan Valley, Beit She'an, Jericho, Qumran & Dead Sea. This morning after breakfast, drive south via the Jordan Valley to Beit She'an, an extraordinary excavation of an ancient Roman city, and the overlook above Jericho, the oldest known city in the world, where we can view the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for 40 days. Continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Later, drive to our Dead Sea resort hotel where there will be time to enjoy the wonderful facilities, including a complete spa and an opportunity to float in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea. Meridien Dead Sea (B,D)

Funicular to Masada

Day 6: Wednesday, December 3: Dead Sea, Masada, & Ein Gedi. Ascend by cable car this morning to experience the historic fortress of Masada, where Jewish defenders made their last stand against Rome (AD 73). After a tour of the extensive excavations at Masada, continue to Ein Gedi, David's waterfall and a wonderful nature center. Later this afternoon, drive up to Jerusalem, highlight of your tour. Dan Panorama (B,D)

Jerusalem Old City & Dome of the Rock

Day 7: Thursday, December 4: Old City of Jerusalem. Begin our day at the Mount of Olives, where we take in the magnificent panorama of Jerusalem below us. Walk down the hill to Gethesmane, where Jesus spent the night before his arrest, after eating the Last Supper with his disciples. Proceed via the Church of All Nations into the Old City once again, to visit Christ Church, St. Anne's and other major Christian sites. Walk the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We'll spend some time at the Garden Tomb that will include a private communion service.

Jerusalem's Western Wall © FreeStockPhotos.com

Explore the South Temple Wall including a tour of the Rabbinic Tunnels under the Wall and the Western (Wailing) Wall itself. Remember to write a prayer request to tuck in between the huge stones. Ascend the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's holiest shrines, is located, then continue through the Jewish Quarter and the City of David excavations. The City of David, founded by King David over 3,000 years ago, established Jerusalem as the unified capital of the tribes of Israel. King Solomon, David's son, built the First Temple next to the City of David on top of Mount Moriah, the site of the binding of Isaac, and with it, this hilltop became one of the most important sites in the world. (B,D)

Shrine of the Book, Jerusalem

Day 8: Friday, December 5: New City of Jerusalem. After breakfast we'll tour through the new city outside the walls, including the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, and the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust at Yad Vashem. Later visit the model of Jerusalem during Jesus' time. (B,D)

Day 9: Saturday, December 6: Jerusalem. This is a day to get intimate with Jerusalem. It is an opportunity to touch, taste and smell the Old City and its many treasures. Experience the world's most magical city in your own, personal way. (B,D)

Day 10: Sunday, December 7: Jerusalem/USA. Early morning transfer to Ben Gurion Airport to board your return flight to the USA, arriving later this afternoon. (B)

Destination FAQs

For quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about travel to Israel, click here.

Tour Price per Person

Per Person, double occupancy:	$2775
Single Room Supplement:	$522
Additional taxes, fees, & September 11 Security Fee:	$145
Suggested Tips for driver, guide & porterage at hotels:	$86
Travel Insurance:	$129* (optional)
* Airline departure taxes, fuel surcharges & airport fees.

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 P.O. Box 505, Jenkintown, PA 19046.

Reservation application PDF (requires free Acrobat Reader)