28 Days BIBLE LANDS JORDAN • ISRAEL • TURKEY • GREECE • ITALY Follow the steps of the Apostles! The Bible Comes Alive at this Spiritual Journey! June 1–28, 2017 ISRAEL TURKEY E Y • G R R K E E U C T E • • L I E T A A L R Y S I E G A Y T P L T A M • Tutku Tours • J O S R U D A R GREECE N • C Y P ITALY organized by Jerash, Jordan BIBLE LANDS JORDAN • ISRAEL • TURKEY • GREECE • ITALY Follow the steps of the Apostles! The Bible Comes Alive at this Spiritual Journey! June 05 Mon Petra – Masada - Jerusalem June 1–28, 2017 Drive to the World Heritage Site of Wadi Rum with its sheer walled mountains and huge sand dunes. This is the area where Laurence of Arabia was active during WW1 and where he built his Bedouin army. Petra, Jordan Drive to the border crossing and enter Israel. Ride to the top of Masada. Masada was the final holdout for Jewish rebels at the end of the Roman war in the first century. Later, head to En Gedi where David hid in a cave from King Saul. Continue on with a visit to Qumran, the place where the “Dead Sea Scrolls” were unearthed in 1947 by two Bedouin shepherds. Proceed to Jerusalem passing by Jericho and the Good Samaritan Inn. Stop at the Mount of Olives for a breathtaking view of the Holy City of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B, D) Tour Itinerary: June 01 Thu Depart New York, JFK June 02 Fri Arrive Amman Airport (Jordan) Arrive Amman Airport. Our representative will meet you after the Wadi Rum, Jordan customs and baggage claim. Meet and drive to Amman. Overnight Amman. (D) June 03 Sat Amman – Jerash – Madaba – Petra June 06 Tue Jerusalem Visit some of the ancient ruins of Amman (ancient Philadelphia – yet another Full day Jerusalem View Old City from Mt. of Olives; walk down the of the Decapolis cities). Visit also the Archaeological museum of Amman mountain via Dominus Flevit Church to Gethsemane; Church of the before traveling south to Bethabara, the place where John the Baptist Nations; past the Golden and Herod’s Gates; option of walking through proclaimed the coming Kingdom of God. Visit Jerash; the best–preserved Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel or shopping in Old City City of David city of the Roman times; theatres, temples, and colonnaded street. Later excavations (including Hezekiah’s Water tunnel entrance, Pool of Bethesda, visit Mt. Nebo from where Moses looked upon the Promised Land and Ophel, and Warren Shaft); Western Wall excavations; Haram esh–Sharif where he was buried. Visit Madaba, the “City of Mosaics”, best known (Temple Mount); Western Wall and Rabbinic Tunnel; Church of St. Anne’s for its spectacular Byzantine mosaics, including the famous 6th century and Pool of Bethesda; Via Dolorosa and Church of the Holy Sepulchre; mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Continue to Petra. Dinner Jewish Quarter, Hezekiah’s Broad Wall, Cardo; the Cenacle (Room of Last and overnight in Petra. (B, D) Supper); walk on old City walls and back to hotel. Tonight, Light Show in David’s Tower. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B, D) June 04 Sun Petra After breakfast, visit the famous Nabatean city of Petra, one of the June 07 Wed Jerusalem Old City wonders of the world. Walk along the narrow gorge of the “Siq” and visit Visit Bethlehem and Fields of the Shepherds; Ramat Rachel; Israel the rose–red stone carved ancient city, founded by the Nabateans. Visit Museum (Shrine of the Book, Model City of Jerusalem); Yad Vashem; Garden the monastery, the temples and enter into some of the famous tombs Tomb for Communion; possible walk to Western Wall for of Sabbath. hewn into the red sandstone. Dinner & overnight in Petra. (B,D) Overnight in Jerusalem. (B, D) BIBLE LANDS • JORDAN – ISRAEL – TURKEY – GREECE – ITALY • JUNE 1–28, 2017 Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Israel Caesarea Maritima, Israel June 08 Thu Jerusalem – Safed – Nazareth – Sepphoris – Tiberias June 10 Sat Tel Aviv – Istanbul Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit the Syrian fortifications, Birkat Ram, and the Early flight to Istanbul. Arrive at Istanbul International airport after Druze villages. Korazin, On to Banias, source of the Jordan River. Proceed via passport control start for the tour. Begin at the Hagia Sophia (the church Kiryat Shmona and the Hula Valley to Safed, city of the kabbalah, to visit the of “Holy Wisdom”)—the crowning achievement of the sacred building old synagogues and artist’s colony and then to Nazareth to visit the Christian program of Emperor Justinian, the 6th–century head of the Christian holy sites. Nazareth, the village where Jesus spent most of his life. Visit Byzantine Empire. This great domed structure remains one of the most the Mount of Precipice, the Basilica of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well. impressive sacred edifices ever constructed to the glory of God. We Continue to Cana of Galilee, site where Jesus turned the water into wine, also visit the Blue Mosque which was built during the years 1609–1616 and then to the ancient city of Sepphoris, the main urban center in Galilee and which was intended to compete with the impressive beauty of the during Jesus’ time. Sepphoris is among the best preserved and excavated Hagia Sophia. Inside, the famous blue–and–white tile work from which archaeological sites in Israel with beautiful mosaic floors and many public the mosque gets its nickname, is bathed in light from 260 windows. buildings. On the way back to Tiberias, take a short walk to the high cliffs of Nearby is located the Hippodrome which once stood in the heart of Arbel, with a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee and the northern part of the Byzantine city of Constantinople and originally held up to 100,000 Israel. Return to the Kibbutz for dinner and overnight in Tiberias. (B, D) people. Although little is left of this gigantic stadium, there are a number of impressive columns and other structures situated at the site. We then June 09 Fri Tiberias – Caesarea – Tel Aviv head underground to the Basilica Cistern, a vast water cistern located Start with a visit to the “Jesus Boat”, a 2000 year old fishermen’s boat that underneath the city. The cistern’s roof is held up by 336 columns of over was discovered in the Sea of Galilee and Migdol, the city of Mary Magdalene 26 feet high. Visitors tread walkways to the mixed sounds of classical (with a newly discovered 1st century synagogue). Continue to Capernaum, the music and dripping water, making this perhaps the most unusual tourist center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and the site of many of his miracles. Walk attraction in Istanbul. We then enjoy a beautiful Boat Tour on the among the ruins of the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught and worshipped Bosphorus Sea. This is a relaxing and excellent vantage point to view and view the remains of first century houses, including one which may have Istanbul’s many famous landmarks that dot both its European and Asian been Peter’s. Finally, travel to Caesarea Philippi where Jesus gathered his shores. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. (B, D) disciples and asked “Who do the people say that I am?” This was an important teaching moment for Jesus’ followers. Dinner & overnight in Tel Aviv. (B, D) Dome of the Rock, Israel BIBLE LANDS • JORDAN – ISRAEL – TURKEY – GREECE – ITALY • JUNE 1–28, 2017 Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey Antalya, Turkey June 11 Sun Istanbul June 14 Wed Konya – Antioch of Pisidia – Antalya First, visit to the Archeological Museum which houses spectacular finds Visit Konya, known in the ancient world as Iconiun, was a key place where from all over Turkey, including many items that relate to biblical history. Paul ministered not only on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:1–7) but Next proceed to the nearby Hagia Eirene (“Church of Holy Peace”), almost certainly on his second and third missionary journeys as well (Acts built in 324 AD on the site of Aphrodite’s temple and dedicated by 16:6; 18:23). Stop briefly at Alaadin Tepesis—the current location of one Emperor Constantine as the city’s first church and main cathedral until of the oldest mosques in the city but more importantly the acropolis of the completion of Hagia Sophia in 360 AD. The second of the Seven ancient Iconium. The columns in the mosque date back to Roman times Ecumenical Councils was held here in 381 AD. This was one of the and so connect us to the ministry of Paul in this city. Located nearby is more important councils, making ten additions to the Nicene Creed and the ancient city of Lystra, which we will not visit, since it today contains affirming the deity of the Holy Spirit. Our final stop is the impressive little left of its former glory. Yet it is another important site in Paul’s life, Topkapi Palace. This elaborate complex of buildings and gardens, since here too the apostle ministered on each of his three missionary originating in the 15th century and greatly expanded over the following journeys (Acts 14:5–20; Acts 16:6; 18:23) and was the home town of his centuries, now is a museum that houses important artifacts and treasures closest helper, Timothy. We travel next to an even more important city relating to Turkish life and history during the Ottoman Empire. Dinner in Paul’s first missionary journey: Antioch of Pisidia (not to be confused and overnight in Istanbul.