My Trip to Israel

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Dates: Oct 22-30, 2011

This was my first trip to Israel and it exceeded all of my expectations. Having taught the Bible for more than twenty years and possessing an intense interest in the history, geography and culture of the Bible, it was the trip of a lifetime.

Itinerary

Sunday: Arrived and traveled one hour to our hotel in Netanya

Monday: Caesarea Maritima, Mt Carmel, Megiddo, Mt Arbel, Sea of Galilee

Tuesday: Capernaum, Mt of Beatitudes, Jordan River & Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Bethsaida

Wednesday: Jordan River Baptisms, Nazareth, Beit Shean, Dead Sea

Thursday: Masada, En Gedi, Qumran, Jerusalem

Friday & Saturday: Jerusalem – Bethlehem/Church of the Nativity, Church of the Holy sepulcher, Hezekiah’s tunnel/Pool of Siloam, Western Wall, Mt of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Golgotha/Garden/Tomb, Pool of Bethesda

Sunday: Arrived home

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Tour Group

Trip to Airport

Bus to Netanya

The Seasons Hotel

The Seasons Hotel

Inside The Seasons

Netanya, Israel

Beach at Netanya

Sunset on the Meditrranean

Our guide, Mickey

Our driver, Eli (Eleazar)

Our Chariot

Roman Hippodrome

Herod’s Palace

Herod’s Judgment Hall where the Apostle Paul gave his defense before Felix

Roman aqueduct

Statue of Elijah on Mt Carmel

Monastery on Mt Carmel

Valley of Jezreel from Mt Carmel

Ruins of Megiddo

Valley of Jezreel/Armageddon from Megiddo

Pastor Carl giving devotions on Megiddo

Water tunnel at Megiddo

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee

Mt Arbel from the Sea of Galilee

Ron Beach Hotel

Synagogue at Capernaum

“Peter’s” house

Ruins of Capernaum

Mt of Beatitudes

Headwaters of the Jordan

Altar at Dan set up by King Jereboam

The location of the golden calf at Dan

Abraham stood before this gate called the Triple Gate

“Gateway to Hades” at Caesarea Philippi

Artist rendition of pagan temples at Caeserea Philippi

Location for baptisms on the Jordan River

Baptisms in the Jordan River

Pastor Carl and Ron

Pastor Carl and Brad

First century village shepherd

First century village olive grove

Grave at Nazareth

First century village olive press

First century market

First century market

Ruins at Beth Shean

Ampitheater at Beth Shean

Meridian Hotel at the Dead Sea

Meridian Hotel at the Dead Sea

It’s true – you float in the Dead Sea

Trip up to Masada

View from Masada toward the Dead Sea

On top of Masada

Giving devotions at Masada

Roman siege ramp built around 73 AD

Ruins at Masada. Below black line is original, above reconstruction

View toward the west. Outline of Roman encampments

Model of Herod’s palace at Masada

Trail to the lower part of Herod’s palace

Original pillars and painting in Herod’s palace

Pool at En Gedi

Falls and pool at En Gedi

Final and highest falls at En Gedi

Wilderness between En Gedi and Qumran

Ruins at Qumran

Mikvah used for ritual baptism at Qumran. There are a number of mikvahs at Qumran.

Cave containing the most Dead Sea Scrolls

Dome of the Rock

Southwest corner of Temple mount

Western or “Wailing” Wall

Women’s section of Wailing Wall

Western or Wailing Wall

The Ark or cabinet that holds the scrolls

Tunnel running along the Western Wall

Women praying in the tunnel near the location of the Holy of Holies

Part of the wall that supported King David’s Palace

Hezekiah’s Tunnel dug as a water supply

We hiked through Hezekiah’s Tunnel which is 1,750 feet long from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. It is approx 160 feet underground.

Pool of Siloam

Remains of Robinson’s Arch from Herod’s Palace

Mt of Olives from the Temple area

Old City bazzar

Old City bazzar

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Stone of Unction inside Church of the Holy Sepulchre

There is a hole under the altar where they believe you can touch Calvary

Pool of Bethesda at the far end

Pool of Bethesda, better thought of as a reservoir

Graves on Mt of Olives

Mt of Olives

Eastern Gate in city wall blocked by

Jewish cemetary on the Mt of Olives

Traditioinal site of the Garden of Gethsemane. These olive trees are over 2,000 years old

Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane

Old city in Bethlehem

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

The entrance to the Church of the Nativity, called the Door of Humility

Inside the Church of the Nativity

Below the Church of the Nativity in the cave believed to be the birthplace of Christ

The Potters Field purchased with the 30 pieces of silver Judas received when he betrayed Christ

The Garden where Jesus was buried

The Garden

Golgotha, the place of the skull

Garden Tomb

Inside the Garden Tomb

Our group celebrated communion in the Garden