8-day Exploring Israel in Families Pilgrimage
Traveling 1-8 April 2024

On the ground: 7 nights, 8 days, with 2 travel days. March 26-April2 in the land. This itinerary does not include your flight.

Latest updates will be posted here:

The locations where we stop will remain flexible throughout our time together as no location stop can be guaranteed, thus is the nature of international travel and Israeli traffic. 

 Day 1 (Monday, April 1st) Travel Day
Your flight before boarding your international overnight flight. Sometimes, there is another security check and mini-interview ("random" selection LOL, I always get picked!) conducted by Israeli Security before you start boarding. you will likely have to dump any water you may have bought/water bottle filled once you pass through this. Board your flight, get comfy and fly, fly, fly!

Day 2 (Tuesday, 2nd April) Arrival Day!
Arrive in Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (shoot for 2-5:30 pm when purchasing your flight). Go through Foreign Entry Customs, grab your luggage, exchange any cash you want or use an ATM, then trickle through to meet Kim at the INFO desk to the far-right of the Entry Lobby. We'll load up and drive our van/SUV to the Coastal town of Netanya. (View of the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea as we go.) About 1 hour and 10 mins to get there. After check-in and dropping our luggage in rooms, we can go to dinner in the hotel, and then enjoy a good night's sleep. One night at this hotel, (looking at the Vert Hotel).
Day 3 (Wednesday, 3rd April) Transfer from Coast to Galilee
After a bountiful Israeli breakfast with rich Israeli coffee and juices, we will check out and load up the bus for the day. First stop is the ancient Port of Caesarea Maritima, (stroller/wheelchair semi-friendly). Then stop to see the ancient Roman Aqueduct still standing against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. Then we drive inland and up Mount Carmel to Muchraka, the site of Elijah and God defeating the prophets of Ba'al, and a view of the Valley of Armageddon! (did you know those were in the same place?!) We will continue to the Emily Hotel for an early check in. Dinner tonight will be at a famous restaurant with amazing pita just around the block from the hotel.
Day 4 (Thursday, 4th April) Christian Sites around the Sea of Galilee Day
​After a nice Israeli breakfast in the Galilee, we will visit the Jesus-Biblical sites around the Galilee today. Today's itinerary is flexible as all sites are fairly close together, and their order will depend on the time the boat pilot is able to accommodate us. We start with a morning contemplative time at the Mount of Beatitudes.  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. We'll stop to see the Jesus Boat Museum and take a 50 minute "cruise" on the Sea of Galilee. For lunch we will stop by Magdela's new town with a few options for sandwiches, pizza, falafel, or a grocery store to explore. Our last stop of the day will be the Jordan River for baptism. Dinner will be in town at a local restaurant. In the evening, anyone who wants can take a short walk into town to explore the boardwalk area. (shopping, ice cream, street musicians, etc.) Overnight at the Emily Hotel again.
Day 5 (Friday, 5th April) South to the Jerusalem on Good Friday!
​After a nice early Israeli breakfast, we pack the van, check out and begin our day with another contemplative time at Magdela, the hometown of Mary Magdalene and a 2009-discovery of a 1st-century synagogue where Jesus would have preached! Along the way, we will stop at Bet She'an, where once David went in to remove the bodies of King Saul and his sons, later this Roman Baths spa-city became a haven for the Christian community until it collapsed and was frozen in time by an 8th century earthquake. We will continue south toward the Judean Wilderness, past Jericho and enter Jerusalem. If it is still light or, ideally, sunset time, we'll stop at the top of the Mount of Olives on our way into the city for an iconic view of the city, including the Garden of Gethsemane! We check in at El Dan Hotel. And eat dinner at a local restaurant, a little out of town bec's it is shabbat and most everything is closed). 
Day 6 (Saturday/Shabbat, 6th April) Jerusalem
Today after a more leisurely breakfast, we'll drive over to see Saint Anne's Church with amazing Middle Ages acoustics and share a song of worship together. This is also the site of the Pool of Bethesda.  If there's time and parking, we'll go to the Upper Room for some "Come, Holy Spirit" time, and stop by King David's tomb (not much to see, but to say you were there). Then we walk down to Caiaphas's house to stand in the cistern where Jesus may have been held prisoner before his crucifixion. (This deep cistern is not wheelchair accessible, but there is plenty else to see at this Church built on the site.) Then we will go by the Western Wall for prayer if we are still feeling full of energy. Early evening tonight at El Dan Hotel to rest up for Sunday's big highlight!
Day 7 (Sunday, 7th April) Final Day Jerusalem day 2
Then we have a highlight adventure of attending an early Easter service at the Garden Tomb where we will see the empty tomb, view the Place of the Skull up close, and have some time with the Gardener of our Souls on this very important day! We will meet up with a local Armenian family for a private food tour of the Old City, my friends Tony & Nicole. Today this lunch experience will take the place of dinner...and you probably won't want to eat again for the rest of your life! We will get to experience the Christian Quarter and Armenian Quart with people who live in Jerusalem and also see Jaffa Gate. If we are interested there is a moving-chair "Time Elevator" 15-minute movie just outside the walls in Mamilla that we can see before we head back to the hotel for the evening.
You'll be dropped off at Ben Gurion Airport back near Tel Aviv. You'll pass through about 15 security checks then board your flight home. Look for flights departing between 10 pm (April 2) and 12:50 AM (on April 3). There will be a second dinner offered about an hour or two into your flight, if you have room to eat again by then! :) ​
Day 8 (Monday, 8th April) Arrive home
After an early breakfast, and check out, we will head over to see Mount Scopus (part of the Mount of Olives) for another highlight experience of participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project with archeological implications. We will get our hands dirty at a standing station (no on the ground working needed) and sift through dirt and rocks in hopes of finding evidence of civilization! We will then move on to Qumron, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. We can eat lunch at a cafeteria here (on your own) and there's some nice souvenir shopping here too. We will check into our David Dead Sea Resort hotel and Spa with plenty of time to enjoy a Dead Sea soak/float before dinner. This is a very nice buffet at the resort.
Day 9 (Tuesday, 9th Apr) Finale Day in the Desert Wilderness & Transfer to Airport 
After leisurely, filling breakfast buffet on our last day, we will check out of our hotel. Our first stop is Masada (video), Israel’s last stand in 73 AD. [We can watch others take a strenuous climb up the “snake path” (no snakes) in 40-50 minutes ~1800 feet from the valley floor! But we will catch the cable car to the top.] We’ll learn the story of Herod’s Fortress in the Desert and tour the massive grounds. Coming back down, we head north along the Dead Sea coastal road to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul and take a short walk to the first waterfall. We will head toward Tel Aviv and find a nice dinner location enroute perhaps, to Abu Gosh, for world renown pita and a traditional Middle Eastern feast to say "la hitraot" ("see you later") to Israel on our way to the airport. 
​Day 9 (Tuesday, April 3rd) Travel Day
Today will be super long as you fly west with the night. You should arrive back home in BHM or NY by midafternoon, perhaps evening, carrying memories and pictures galore and new and deepening relationships with the Lord God of Israel and your family and friends!

All the Details You Really
​Want to Know

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 in the land, transportation via van, SUV, or car, depending on number of people involved, a driver, entrance to sites, the simply written book Israel Basics: What Every Christian Should Know to help you prepare your grid of understanding and A Spiritual Journey Through Israel book/journal for on the ground in country. This book will help record all the spiritual encounters we will enjoy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and help inspire you for the portion you will lead on-site.
However, flight, lunches & snacks (plan: $12-15/day), health insurance, trip insurance, and souvenirs are on your own.
This trip is personalized and limited to 6 people. There is an aspect of personal spiritual development, prayer activations, spiritual formation exercises, and "Friendship with Jesus" strengthening and deepening that accompany each Ruth Israel Initiative Unhurried Pilgrimage at nearly every location stop in the Land, and the Lord usually shakes some things up in our hearts in a beautiful way. If you are not accustomed to journaling or "listening prayer" Seth Barnes book Listening Prayer is another book you'll want to buy to prepare your heart and skills for listening for God's voice as you interact together in the Holy Land. This devotional is great even if you are skilled at hearing God's voice. 

If you become intrigued with the new information you are gaining in knowledge and want to go further, purchase the book Unbroken Cord by D.H. Withers to read on your own. Or another great one is Sandra Teplinsky's book Why Still Care About Israel? These books 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. 

​We will offer a team meeting for cross-cultural training and Q&A before we go, and we hope to build friendships as we share what God is doing in our hearts along the way. You will have most evenings free to rest, process the day, or explore on your own (perfectly safe in each place we will stay). 

Designed specifically for families of SCHOOL. By invitation only.

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Thank you for mailing your $500 downpayment to secure your spot:
Ruth Israel Initiative
9 B Chatham Court
​Pelham, AL 35124
Prefer to use a credit card? See below.

Down payment

$515.00

$500 + 3% credit card fee= $515.00.

Down payment for trip.

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Important Information

• Pricing is based on 25-35 people traveling.  We will be staying in hostels. Single-room supplements are not available on this trip.​
• You will want to work on fitness several months before traveling to fully participate with your team.
• See all the "B-4 You Go" topics in the drop-down list in the header.​

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Insurance
You will definitely need to purchase trip insurance to ensure your travel, trip interruption, lost luggage, or emergency medical  & evacuation insurance. Contact your personal insurance specialist.

Packing
Check out our packing suggestions here! and ignore suggestions related to summer! The weather will be quite comfortably warm at the beginning of April. But bring a light jacket and dress in layers. We highly recommend one checked bag and one carry-on sized bag or less per person. Your carry on should contain a minimum of 2 days of clothes in case of lost luggage.

Team Meetings
We will have a group meeting on Zoom before we leave the country to prepare you and get your questions answered.
Food/Snacks/Coffee
Once you arrive, all breakfasts, light lunches, and dinners are included. Any snack or coffee/tea breaks are on your own. 

If you like the schedule in Spreadsheet format at a glance, download below: