Following in Jesus' Footsteps
​a 10-day Israel Tour (with Terry & Melissa)
in the middle of a re-org. Flights cancelled. Moving to April

All stops are flexible as to what is going on in the land and how quickly we move as a team.

Our specially chosen In-the-Land Itinerary.
note: Some of the locations below are clickable for more info.
​Latest update 9-3-20 re-org is complete. Hotel reservations will be incorporated as I get them.​

Day 1 (Thurs April 15) Travel Day
Meet at 3:00 at BHM airport and board your 4:59 pm Delta flight to ATL to NYC to TLV international overnight flight.

Day 2 (Fri April 16) Arrival Day!
Fly and fly, touch down at 5:35 in Tel Aviv, then grab your luggage and meet Kim in main terminal of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport around 6:45. Toss our bags in the van and drive Hwy 1 into Jerusalem. Check into our Air BnB for the night. (Kim will pop out for some breakfast items at a local grocery store. Anyone who feels like stretching their legs can come along for a quiet night walk. Or go ahead and start resting up for tomorrow's adventures!)

Day 3 (Saturday April 17) Shabbat in Jerusalem Day in the morning, after a good sleep in, we will take an Arab taxi to the top of the Mount of Olives and visit the site of the ascension and the second coming! Walking down the hill past the Tomb of the Prophets we will visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. And stop to take in the view of the Gate Beautiful/Golden Gate. Then we can go back up to the holy city and enter the Arab Quarter at Lion's Gate to see the Pool of Bethesda (no water for swimming or healing anymore) and explore the ruins and sing a song in the beautiful acoustics of Saint Anne's Church.
Then we will weave our way through the narrow streets, following the Via Delorosa, and stopping briefly at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We can stop to find a late lunch in the Arab quarter (only place open in Jerusalem on Shabbat). Then walk over to the Damascus Gate and to the Garden Tomb for a British-guided tour and enjoy the quietude of the Garden Tomb where we will see the empty tomb, view the Place of the Skull up close, and have some alone time with the Gardener of our Souls. There will be some free time before dinner. (option to stay out and about or return to our AirBnb). There will be some time for shopping after dinner on Ben Yahudah Street. 

Day 4 (Sunday April 18) Jerusalem of Gold Orientation Day We'll start our day early  with a 20-30 minute walk from our apartment over to Jerusalem's Old City's Jaffa Gate and climb up the ramparts to walk on top of the Old City walls, over Zion Gate and on to the Western Wall (Live video feed) (a.k.a. “Wailing Wall,” but please don’t call it that). We'll take some personal prayer time at the wall then walk out the Dung Gate to the City of David (active archaeological dig video) & submerge into a 533-meter underground tunnel containing the Gihon Spring up to 2.5 feet deep in Hezekiah’s Tunnel (bring water shoes). It's very close quarters (as small as 20 inches wide in some places & definitely watch your head!) for 1 KM, and completely dark, so if you’re claustrophobic or just need a break you’re welcome to grab an ice cream and chill or talk to some locals on the shaded patio and wait. We will come out at the Pool of Siloam and take a taxi bus back up the steep road to the entrance of the City of David. We'll walk past the Southern Steps where Jesus and His disciples taught on our way over to Caiaphas's house to see the cistern where Jesus was held before his crucifixion. 
We will trek uphill back into the Old City through Zion Gate. We will catch the light rail  and ride out to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Museum by 2:00 and stay until 5pm. We will take the Light Rail back to Ben Yahudah Street for dinner. Then enjoy the peacefulness of the city on our walk back to our apartment. 

Day 5 (Monday April 19) Modern Jerusalem and transition to Dead Sea Region
We will pack up the van and check out of our cozy Air BnB this morning, then head into the Old City for a last look and a guided tour of the Rabinnical Tunnels (under the Arab Quarter). Take some time to pray at the Western Wall then see the Temple Institute, where artifacts and new implements are being held in reserve for the prophesied Third Temple! On our way out of town, we may have time to drive over to Gilo for a view of Bethlehem. Then drive by the new American Embassy to see what all the fuss is about! Then we will drive out of Jerusalem and south toward the Dead Sea. If there is time, we'll detour over to St George's Monastery overlook to see the monastery clinging to a cliff side a.k.a. "the Valley of the Shadow of Death" and where Jesus' temptation is said to have occurred. You'll have a chance to meet some Bedouin peddlers who sell their wares at the top of the cliff. We will check into our resort hotel, have dinner and consider a Dead Sea soak.

Day 6 (Tuesday April 20) Desert Wilderness at the Dead Sea
​Enjoy a bountiful Israeli breakfast (best of our trip, you don't want to miss this one for a few minutes of sleep!) Pack up the van for a 45 min drive to Masada (video), Israel’s last stand in 73 AD. [option: You may take a strenuous climb up the “snake path” (no snakes) in 40-50 minutes ~1800 feet from the valley floor; it is hot. Or take the cable car to the top.] We’ll learn the story of Herod’s Fortress in the Desert and tour the massive grounds. Then we continue north along the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul and hike up to David’s waterfall. Bring wet/dry sandals for hiking and a bathing suit because you can climb into any number of enticing blue pools or waterfalls and the desert air will dry you off before you return to the van! (changing rooms available).
You'll have a few hours to explore on your own, soak in the pool, relax in the property's many lounge chairs, or enjoy a long Dead Sea float before dinner, which will be a bountiful and delicious serviced buffet. 

Day 7 (Wednesday April 21) Desert ruins Transition to the Galilee Day
Enjoy a bountiful Israeli breakfast. Pack up the van and we will check out of our resort hotel with a early-ish morning departure. Loading back up in the van, we will continue to Qumron, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, then continue on past Jericho and then stop at the ruins of Bet She'an, part of the Decapolis in Jesus' day and where King Saul and Jonathan's bodies were hung on the city walls. Hopefully, we will have time for a picnic stop at Gan HaSlosha (the three gardens), a beautiful 3-tiered swimming hole with manicured lawns and turquoise waters. We'll stop at the Jordan River for baptism on the way to out Hotel-house, then check in and get cleaned up and head out for dinner on the boardwalk. You can crash in your room, or go explore the property, try the hot tub (pictured to right), or wander down to the shore and see if you too can walk on water. 

Day 8 (Thursday April 22) Christian Sites around the Sea of Galilee Day
​After a nice Israeli breakfast in town, we will visit the Biblical sites today. The order of this day will depend on the appointment we can get for our boat ride and whether anyone wants to be baptized in the Jordan River. We will start with a contemplative time at Magdela, the home town of Mary Magdalene and a 2009-discovery of a 1st-century synagogue where Jesus would have preached! Then on to St. Peter's Primacy, where Jesus cooked the fish breakfast and Peter found forgiveness. Then on to Capernaum to see Peter's home near a 300-B.C. Synagogue and Jesus' hometown where He did many miracles. We'll stop to see the Jesus Boat Museum and take a 50 minute "cruise" on the Sea of Galilee. Then visit the Mount of Beatitudes. We will return to Tiberias or Magdela for dinner and then drive back to our House-Hotel.​

Designed specifically for Terry & Melissa's micro group. 

You need to be invited by them to register for this group. Features include:
1. Following Jesus' footsteps and ministry we will start in Jerusalem (4 nights), then go into the Desert Wilderness where Jesus' ministry began (2 nights in Dead Sea Region) then go up to the Galilee (3 nights). 
2. Spiritual formation exercises and team meetings to build relationship with each other and friendship with Jesus.
3. Trying several different levels of accommodations.
4. There are times when you get to direct your own experience through choices in the itinerary.
5. We build in some free time so you can interact with people of Israel or sit and contemplate what it all means. Or take a nap and rest your eyes and feet.

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Accommodation
We will try several different  levels of accommodation, from a hotel house (3 bedroom) and AirBnB to Resort and Spa-level, so you can experience the wide variety that is Israel. Please pack your own pillow if you're a finicky sleeper.

Learning
There is a ton to learn and catch up on, even if you know your Biblical history. This will be like a college level course, so we require some pre-req. reading or video-course watching so we all have an equal grid of understanding when arriving in Israel.
Unplugged
It is not required, but we highly suggest going unplugged at least during the day while you are on tour so you can fully engage in where you are. Share with friends at home & on social media at night or when you return. If your phone is your only camera, decide to use it only for taking photos or ask around and see if you can borrow a camera for the trip.
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Insurance
If you want to purchase trip insurance to ensure your travel, trip interruption, or emergency medical evacuation insurance you'll need to contact your personal insurance specialist.
Or try www.travelinsurance.com (we don't get a commission or anything and you can choose your level of coverage)

Packing
Check out our packing  suggestions here! We are limited to only what you can carry in one-go. :) Usually one checked bag and one carry-on sized bag. We suggest a backpack that rolls for ease of transiting long international terminals. Also our Airbnb will have a washer and dryer.
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Food/Snacks/Coffee
Lunch and snacks are on your own. We suggest bringing a box or two of protein bars in case lunch is delayed by our adventures. We don't want anyone to get hangry!

Day 9 (Friday April 23) Western Galilee and Mediterranean
Check out of our house hotel and enjoy a leisurely breakfast in town. We then head west over the mountains. Stop at the Carmelite Monastery where Elijah and God bested the prophets of Ba'al and take in a rooftop a view of the Valley of Armageddon. then continue west to explore Caesarea, an ancient port city and see a short on-site film about King Herod the Great's crazed building frenzy. We'll make a short stop to see the still-standing ruins of the ancient Roman Aqueduct at the Mediterranean shore. Then find a nice place for our finale dinner and watch the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea. We will check into a little hotel in Tel Aviv or a smaller coastal town for one night.

Day 10 (Saturday Apr 24) Final Day
Up early for your last morning in Israel. We will eat breakfast, check out, and head for the airport around 7:15. By 8:50 AM you'll be dropped off at Ben Gurion International Airport for a security check before boarding your 11:50 AM Flight home to NYC to ATL to BHM at 10:32 PM  Don't forget those stretch breaks!
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About 3-4 weeks later...
After returning home, I offer you a final team meeting where we can debrief about our time together in the Land. can be at a restaurant or on line, or in someone's home.​

Stuff you should know before you go

Our Jerusalem days are walking tours, so there is no transportation provided except our feet. This helps us connect with the people and land the way Jesus did. You may hire a taxi on your own, back to the AirBnB if needed, but we suggest that you start training your body as you train your heart for this trip so you will be able to fully participate in it with your teammates.

Trips include accommodation, breakfasts and dinners, entrance to sites and all the spiritual side of things. However, lunches, tips, insurance, and souvenirs are on your own. Flights are priced separately and cost is set by the airline.

This trip is personalized and limited to 4 people. Our small size allows great access. Included is some discipleship and personal spiritual development through prayer activations, spiritual formation exercises, and "Friendship with Jesus" imaginative prayer which strengthens and deepens the spirit. These exercises accompany each Ruth Israel Initiative Journey of Understanding Trip at about half of our stops in the Land, and the Lord usually shakes some things up in our hearts in a beautiful way. 

The volume of information available to you while you are in Israel won't sink in unless you have a proper grid of understanding already formed with which to process all that we will experience, so the book Unbroken Cord by D.H. Withers is a prerequisite for preparation. And Sandra Teplinsky's book Why Still Care About Israel? will really fill out your foundation so that you can get the most out of your time in Israel. See the Resources Page for even further study. If you are not accustomed to journaling or "listening prayer" Seth Barnes book Listening Prayer is another book you'll want to pick up to prepare your heart and skills for listening for God's voice as you interact together in the Holy Land. It is great to hone listening skills in a daily devotional.

Ruth Israel offers several team meetings, 1 or 2 even before we leave home (number depends on team need), to build friendships and get a little bit of cultural preparation, and share what God is doing in our hearts. In the Land, the meetings will help you process all you are experiencing, but you will also have some evenings free to rest or explore the city on your own. One of our team meetings will take place on the shores of the Sea of Galilee as we listen to the lapping water at night!