2 Israel Trip Plan

This page is specific to the planning that went into our trip to Israel. Our Itinerary is first – Then in general, I have included the emails as sent from Steve Hudson unless otherwise noted.

Itinerary

2015 HOSANNA ISRAEL STUDY TOUR + MINISTRY EXPERIENCE

October 2 –16, 2015

General Modesty women- shoulders covered, knees covered; men- shoulders covered, long pants

Muslim modesty women- elbows covered, pants or longer skirts; men- shoulders covered, long pants

Friday, Oct 2 Depart USA for Tel Aviv (Overnight flight)

Saturday, Oct 3 Arrive in Israel, transfer individually to Jerusalem (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Comfortable clothes for a long flight

Sunday, Oct 4 Day 1 Getting Acquainted & Prayer (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Opening meeting at Gloria Hotel
MINISTRY VISIT: worship at Karen Dunham and Living Bread International Church – Lunch, chat, and Jewish Worship Service (Dress for worship service)
Mount of Olives visit- welcome to Jerusalem
MINISTRY VISIT: Wall of Life mural

Monday, Oct 5 Day 2 Preparation Period & Ministry Foundations (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

No modesty clothes all day. (Wear clothes for a hot day walking in wilderness)
Herodium
Jordan River (people being baptized need to bring shorts or swimsuit (guys) to change into at baptism site; NOTE TO GALS – Be careful for shirts that could become see-through in the water)
Dead Sea swim at Kalia Beach
Walk Wadi Qelt – From St George Monastery to New Testament Jericho
New Testament Jericho

Tuesday, Oct 6 Day 3 Museums (HOUSING @ GLORIA) (General modesty all day)

Israel Museum scale model of Jerusalem and Dead Sea scrolls
Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum)
MINISTRY VISIT: Steven Khoury (Mount of Olives)

Wednesday, Oct 7 Day 4 Old City and City of David (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Temple Mount (Muslim modesty in the morning)
Pool of Bethesda
Western Wall
City of David-movie, Ruins, Warren’s shaft and shaft, Hezekiah’s tunnel (clothes & shoes that will get wet while walking through the tunnel in the afternoon. You WILL go back to hotel to change during lunch time)
Western Wall tunnels (Night visit; All lit up and no water. No modesty)

Thursday, Oct 8 Day 5 Ministry Foundations-to Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

No modesty clothes all day. (3 hour bus ride and minimal hiking today)

Bring swimsuit for Sea of Galilee over next 4 days.

Sepphoris
Nazareth Village
Nazareth precipice

Friday, Oct 9 Day 6 Ministry Training/Expanded Outreach-Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

Bethsaida
Korazin
Capernaum (one short General modesty stop here,)
Walk down Mount of Beatitudes to seashore of Galilee

Saturday, Oct 10 Day 7 Colliding cultures day-Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

No modesty clothes all day; Hiking day

Mount Arbel
Nof Ginnosar – Jesus Boat
Boat ride (Nof Ginnosar to Ein Gev)
Kursi
Hippos (optional hike)

Sunday, Oct 11 Day 8 Leadership Multiplication (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

No modesty clothes all day (unless you want to poke your head in church at end of day); Medium hiking day + 2 hours in the bus

Dan
Caesarea Philippi
Church of Primacy

Monday, Oct 12 Day 9 Leadership Multiplication-Jordan Valley to Jerusalem (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Long hike in the sun + 2 hours in the bus

Beth Shean
Overview of Bethany/Bethpage
Mount of Olives – Triumphal entry
Dominus Flevit Chapel (General modesty clothes required for 15 minute visit)
Rehearse Sunday through Tuesday events of Passion Week (reflection time)

Tuesday, Oct 13 Day 10 Jerusalem – Ministry day (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

MINISTRY VISIT: Dov Bikas- Aviv Ministries (Tel Aviv) all day trip

Wednesday, 14 Day 11 Passion walk – Tracing Christ’s last days (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Upper room
Gethsemane (modesty clothes needed if you want to poke your head in the church; but we will be hiking for 1 hour from Upper Room)
Private garden next to church
Caiaphas’ house- St. Peter in Gallicantu
Wohl Museum
Walk alternative Via Dolorosa from Jewish Quarter
Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Thursday, 15 Day 12 Jerusalem – Multiplication (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

No modesty clothes all day; not much walking (except possibly during free time)

Garden Tomb and communion
Mount of Olives – Ascension and Second Coming
Southern Steps
Half day free in Jerusalem (you choose what you want to do)
- Tower of David museum
- 3^rd Temple museum
- Burnt House
- Last chance for shopping
- Wall walk

Friday, 16 Depart for home

Trip Plan Preparation

Sent March 11, 2015 – attachments included: Israel Information Sheet & Tracing the footsteps of Jesus

Shalom,

This email continues a series of monthly contacts. In each email I will share more information about the trip. I’ll also give you articles to read and some specific preparation material. So let’s continue exploring our daily itinerary in Israel:

Day 3 in Israel– During day 2 we had our wilderness and Dead Sea adventure. I hope no one floated across to the Kingdom of Jordan 🙂 Today is museum day. We have very little driving or walking today. We just head to the west side of Jerusalem, a short 20 minute drive from the Old City.

1- We spend the morning at the Israel Museum. This is the major museum in Israel and we will have 3 different stops. Our first stop is a wonderful scale model of Jerusalem from the time of Jesus. This model will allow us to understand the topography and location of many sites that Jesus would have seen. Next we will view the Dead Sea scrolls in their special exhibit. Check out a very good 8 minute summary of the Dead Sea scrolls at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9VS6ld51g This video is from a Jewish perspective, and is very scholarly, but includes good history on the discovery of the scrolls, and some good shots of Qumran, where the scrolls were found. Our last stop at the museum will visit the antiquities wing where many Biblical discoveries are housed.

2- After lunch we visit Yad Vashem. This is the Holocaust museum, and includes extensive buildings and exhibits. This is a moving experience that to this day still shapes the psyche of the Jewish nation. You can see a 7 minute video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X6ku8KNsOw

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- is now open. There are now 18 people that have already been accepted on this trip, with more still considering coming along. Our registration deadline is April 1, so if you have friends who are considering the trip, have them sign up soon. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

3- Passport- Israel won’t let you in unless your passport is good for 6 months beyond our arrival time. Check your passport NOW and make sure you are good through the middle of April 2016. If not, start your renewal process soon.

4- Visa- Israel requires a visa to enter the country. Passport holders from the USA will get a visa for no cost upon entry into Israel. There is nothing to do before you land in Tel Aviv. If your passport is from another country, you need to check Israeli visa requirements online.

5- Airline tickets- We will talk about flights during our first team meeting in April 9.

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-We will talk about these issues during our first team meeting in April 9.

Initial $200 deposit is due at our April 9 team meeting.
money for your flight will be due April 25
final payment for your land portion will be due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Thursday, April 9
Saturday, April 25, 8 am – 4 pm Panorama Training – REQUIRED for all teams. If you have participated in Panorama before, you will only be required to participate from 8-11 am.
Thursday, May 14
Wednesday, June 10
Wednesday, August 12 TOPIC — Last Minute Details… What do I pack? What can I expect?

8- Tracing the Footsteps of Jesus- see the attached article about a fourth century pilgrimage to Israel. Our trip won’t be this tough!!

That’s it for March. Looking forward to our first team meeting April 9. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent April 4th, 2015 – Included these attachments: Day 4 Photos

HE IS RISEN!!!

Day 4 in Israel– During day 3 we spent a full day at 2 great museums in West Jerusalem. You had a chance to see many Biblical archaeological finds, and learned more about the geography of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. Today we spend the whole day inside the Old City of Jerusalem, with a short walk outside the city walls.

Jerusalem…three thousand years of history and eternally young. Strolling on 2000 year old pavements or a lively pedestrian mall, Jerusalem is simultaneously an open air museum and a vibrant, modern city, where the past is alive amidst the present. The unique character of Jerusalem tantalizes the senses. It is in the golden aura of the setting sun reflecting from every building, in the black-clad men and boys with side curls hurrying to the synagogue, in the mingling sounds of tolling church bells and the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, and in the bustle of people going about their normal business in the most extraordinary city in the world.

In Biblical times Jews fulfilled the injunction to make offerings at the Temple on three feast days, and it was the Passover that brought Jesus to the city at the end of His earthly life. According to tradition, Mohammed’s night ride to heaven to receive the Koran started from the Temple Mount. All three monotheistic religions are interwoven into the fabric of the city, each revering and making pilgrimage to its various holy sites: Jews to the Western Wall, Moslems to the Temple Mount, and Christians to the many sites where Jesus walked and ministered to the people. Today I will show you sites central to all 3 monotheistic faiths. I can’t wait to explore Jerusalem with you.

Here’s our itinerary for day 4:

1- We start today on Temple Mount. This is the location of Solomon’s Temple, and 1000 years later, Herod’s Temple. Jesus visited this location many times during his growing up years and during his public ministry. Now this site is under total Muslim control and is the 3rd holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.

here is a short 1 minute video that shares the importance of this location to all three monotheistic religions. http://jerusalem.com/videos/temple_mount_jerusalem
check out the short 3 minute video that focuses on the Muslim aspect of Temple Mount http://jerusalem.com/videos/temple_mount_al_haram_al_sharif We can’t get into the buildings on Temple Mount because we aren’t Muslim, so this video will let you see what is inside.

2- We leave the Temple Mount and head right next door to the Pool of Bethesda. Read John 5 and see how Jesus healed the paralytic at this location, and then went to the Temple Mount area right next door.

3- Our third stop is at the Western Wall…the most holy site in Judaism since Jews can’t worship on Temple Mount. This spot is holy to the Jews because it is the closest spot they can worship to the where the Holy of Holies was located in the Temple.

check out the 1 minute video on the Western Wall. We’ll stop here to talk about Jewish worship customs. http://jerusalem.com/videos/the_kotel_western_wall

4- After a lunch break in the Old City we head to the City of David, right outside the current city walls. This in one of my favorite sites and is the location of the some of the oldest ruins of Jerusalem. This is the area David captured from the Jebusites and made his capital over all of Israel. We spend a few hours here, and end our visit by walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel. Are you ready for a little water walking in the dark? You will not find a more authentic site in all of Israel.

here is a 1 minute video of the Jewish Quarter, where we will find lunch http://jerusalem.com/videos/jewish_quarter_jerusalem
Check out this quick 90 second video on the City of David. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZhFteuv9Is#aid=P8q-5uo1PHA

5- After dinner at the hotel we have a special evening event. These tickets are hard to get, so pray we can be confirmed. We will enter the Western Wall tunnels and walk parallel to the Temple Mount, all underground. Don’t worry…this is ventilated and well lit…and dry. You will be amazed at the size and scope of the building project Herod undertook to construct the Temple. Jesus would have walked these streets many times, and now they are under the Muslim Quarter.

one last 3 minute video on the history of the tunnels http://jerusalem.com/videos/western_wall_tunnels_opening_model

6- check out some day 4 photos in the PDF below

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- is now open. There are now 18 people that have already been accepted on this trip, with more still considering coming along. If you have friends who are considering the trip, have them sign up soon. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

5- Airline tickets- We will talk about flights during our first team meeting on April 9.

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-We will talk about these issues during our first team meeting in April 9.

Initial $200 deposit is due at our April 9 team meeting. See Christine’s 4/2/15 email about setting up your Managed Missions account to pay online.
money for your flight will be due April 25
final payment for your land portion will be due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Thursday, April 9- Room 10, 7-9 pm.
Saturday, April 25, 8 am – 4 pm Panorama Training – REQUIRED for all teams. See Christine’s 4/1/15 email.
Thursday, May 14- the Arab/Israeli conflict
Wednesday, June 10- The Kingdom
Wednesday, August 12 – Intro Geography and Last Minute Details… What do I pack? What can I expect?

That’s it for April. Looking forward to our first team meeting next Thursday. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent May 5th, 2015 – Attachments included: Day 5 photos, Harmony Outline – Phase 1, and Who is a Jew

Shalom,

I’m just back from 3 weeks in Israel and am excited to return with all of you in October. Welcome to the new people who have joined our Hosanna trip since we were together for our first team meeting in April. There are now 25 of us on this trip.

Day 5 in Israel– Our first 4 days have been based in Jerusalem. Today we head to the Galilee. You will notice a definite change in geography and energy. The Galilee seems very relaxing compared to the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem. And we stay at a very isolated seashore resort right on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Check it out. http://www.eingev.com/

Here’s our itinerary for day 5:

1- We start day 5 by hopping on the bus and heading north. Our first stop is Sepphoris, a city never mentioned in the Bible, but with some fun connections to Jesus and his years in Nazareth before his public ministry was launched. This stop gives us a great look into the urban culture that Jesus incorporated into his teaching.

2- Our second stop is at a place called Nazareth village. Here we see what life in Nazareth would have looked like for Jesus as he was growing up. This is a stop with great photo opportunities.

3- Our third stop is on the Nazareth Precipice which overlooks the Jezreel Valley. Fantastic views of many locations where events from both Testaments happened. This is part of the Via Maris, the international highway that stretched from Mesopotamia to Egypt. We’ll talk about the Via Maris when we do a simple geography study during our August meeting.

4- See the attached PDF with 3 pages of day 5 photos.

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- There are now 25 people that have already been accepted on this trip, with more still considering coming along. If you have friends who are considering the trip, have them sign up ASAP. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

5- Airline tickets- Christine did a great job finding flights at a very good price. 21 of us will arrive on United at 4:20 pm. 2 of us will arrive on Delta at 5:20 pm. 2 of us still need to buy tickets.

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

See Christine’s 4/2/15 email about setting up your Managed Missions account to pay online.
final payment for your land portion will be due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Thursday, May 14 (7-9 pm in room 14)- the Arab/Israeli conflict
Wednesday, June 10- The Kingdom
Wednesday, August 12 – Intro Geography and Last Minute Details… What do I pack? What can I expect?

8- Who Is A Jew- and interesting article on what constitutes Jewishness.

9- What is a Tel- You will hear us talk about tels many times during our trip. This video gives a great explanation about what a tel is. The background audio is a problem, but the content is very good. http://sourceflix.com/whats-a-tel/

10- Required Reading

Harmony of the Gospels- we will read this together as we prepare for our study tour.
Why study a Harmony- each Gospel writer wrote as they were led by the Holy Spirit. But none of the Gospels contains every event in the life of Christ that is recorded in Scripture. Sometimes in a single Gospel there can be months between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. A Harmony can fill in the gaps from what one writer included and the next writer left out. A Harmony can give different perspectives on the same event if multiple Gospels include that event. A Harmony can give us the clearest picture of the chronology of the life of Christ. And I believe that Christ was very intentional in how, what, and when He trained his disciples. A Harmony lets us see Christ’s disciple making strategy unfold before our eyes. And I believe Christ’s strategy is relevant and powerful in making disciples today. And since we are going to tour and teach chronologically in Israel, we want you to read the Harmony to get ready for our trip.
Harmony reading assignment for May– I’ve attached a simple document that lists the events of Christ’s life in chronological order. Open it up and look at it. This chronology comes from Thomas and Gundry’s Harmony that we teach from in Israel. Each of you should have a copy of the Harmony that Christine gave us at our April team meeting. If you don’t have a copy, Christine will have one for you at our May meeting in a week. You can start reading in your own Bible by using the attachment. All you need to do is read the scripture listed after each event in the order each event is listed. GYI (my ministry) has divided the life and ministry of Christ into 5 phases. We looked at these 5 Phases during our April team meeting. During our time in Israel we will tour chronologically looking at these 5 phases. Each month I will give you Harmony assignments in the next phase until we have covered all 5 phases. In May you will read phase 1…the Preparation Phase. These are the first 30 years of Christ’s life. You’ll notice that there isn’t much written in the Gospels covering these first 30 years. Just the 23 events/sections listed in the left hand column. The goal is to finish these 23 events by the end of May. As you read from the Harmony, make sure you read the footnotes, and also the appendixes as they come up in the footnotes. As you read Phase 1, note how much you see the Holy Spirit woven through these events. We’ll talk about your initial Phase 1 reading at our May 14 team meeting.

That’s it for May. Looking forward to our second team meeting Thursday, May 14. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent May 27th, 2015 – Attachments included: Harmony Outline Phase 1 & 2

Hey gang,

Harmony reading assignment for June– I wanted to refocus our Harmony reading. By now you should have finished reading Phase 1 which covered 4 major themes: a preview of who Jesus is, the birth and early years of John the Baptist, the birth and early years of Jesus, and the public ministry of John the Baptist. As you read Phase 1, I hope you noticed how much you see the Holy Spirit woven through these events.

It’s now time to start reading Phase 2…Ministry Foundations. I’ve attached your reading schedule again by adding Phase 2 to the original reading document I gave you last month. This phase covers 18-21 months and starts with Christ’s baptism and the beginning of his public ministry… and ends with His rejection at Nazareth. This is the longest period of time in the 4 phases that cover Christ’s 3½ year public ministry, yet there still isn’t very much written in the Gospels that covers this period. Note that John’s Gospel covers many of these events and the other Gospels don’t mention them. As you read Phase 2 continue to see the Holy Spirit in these events. Note also how Jesus is building a foundation of ministry on the Word, Prayer, and Intentional Relationships. Speaking of relationships, notice how and to who Jesus gives some early, low level calls or challenges.. Try to finish these 17 sections (sec 24-40) in the next 3 weeks…before the end of June. Don’t get behind in your reading…it speeds up in the next 2 months.

Looking forward to seeing you at our June 10 team meeting. Pizza dinner sounds like fun. You guys can eat the Supreme or Veggie pizzas…I don’t eat anything green (unless it is a mint lemonade popsicle in Jerusalem) I’ll also ask each of you to make a quick comment on your Harmony reading…something you noted that was intriguing to you? Or a question you have? See you in 2 weeks.

Regular June team email highlighting our next day on our itinerary coming before our June 10 team meeting.

Email sent June 8th, 2015 – Included these attachments: Bethsaida-Stiles, The Dusty Messiah, Korazin-Stiles, Capernaum-Stiles

Shalom,

Welcome to the new people who have joined our Hosanna trip since we were together for our 2nd team meeting in May. There are now 27 of us on this trip.

This email continues a series of monthly contacts. Each month we’ll highlight one day of our itinerary so you can start to prepare yourself for what you will see on this study tour. In each email we will share more information about the trip. We’ll also give you articles to read and some specific preparation material. So let’s continue with a look at our 6th day:

Day 6 in Israel– Yesterday, on day 5, we left Jerusalem and headed to the Galilee. You will love our tranquil hotel setting on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. You will spend a couple hours late each afternoon, after our tour day ends, relaxing by the beach or on your patio looking out at the water. It is so much fun to reflect on what we have just studied during the day, and to look ahead to the next day. And the pace is so different than Jerusalem. Each location has it’s own special appeal.

Here’s our itinerary for day 6:

1– We start day 6 by hopping on the bus and heading north along the Sea of Galilee. We have very little travel today. I think you will be surprised by how small the Galilee area where Jesus ministered really is.

2- Our morning will be spent visiting 3 key cities on the north shore of Galilee Matthew 11 tells us that Bethsaida, Korazin, and Capernaum were cursed because Jesus did most of his miracles here, and the people did not repent. These 3 towns were part of the “Orthodox triangle” in Jesus’ day. They were filled with devout Jews who took the Law seriously. And Bethsaida was home to at least 3 of the disciples…and maybe 5. Today all 3 of these towns are ruins that contain many lessons for us. Check out the 3 attachments…one on each of these cities.

3- In the afternoon we will make a short drive to the Mount of Beatitudes where we will walk down the hill to the edge of the water. I LOVE this easy hike…gives me a great picture of all the times Jesus and his disciples were on the move walking and talking.

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- There are now 27 people that have already been accepted on this trip. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

4- Visa- All of us will get our free visas when we land in Israel.

5- Airline tickets- If you have any ticketing questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

See Christine’s 4/2/15 email about setting up your Managed Missions account to pay online.
final payment for your land portion will be due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Wednesday, June 10- (7-9 pm in room 11)- the Arab/Israeli conflict and packing list
Wednesday, August 12 – Intro Geography and Last Minute Details

8- The Dusty Messiah- see the attached article by a modern traveller to Israel. We’ll visit most of the places mentioned in this article.

9- Required Reading

Harmony of the Gospels- we will read this together as we prepare for our study tour.
Why study a Harmony- each Gospel writer wrote as they were led by the Holy Spirit. But none of the Gospels contains every event in the life of Christ that is recorded in Scripture. Sometimes in a single Gospel there can be months between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. A Harmony can fill in the gaps from what one writer included and the next writer left out. A Harmony can give different perspectives on the same event if multiple Gospels include that event. A Harmony can give us the clearest picture of the chronology of the life of Christ. And I believe that Christ was very intentional in how, what, and when He trained his disciples. A Harmony lets us see Christ’s disciple making strategy unfold before our eyes. And I believe Christ’s strategy is relevant and powerful in making disciples today. And since we are going to tour and teach chronologically in Israel, we want you to read the Harmony to get ready for our trip. And when we are onsite in Israel we’ll open our Harmonys many times during our study tour.
Harmony reading assignment for June– On 5/27/15 I emailed your reading assignment for Phase 2…Ministry Foundations. I’ve attached your reading schedule again. Phase 2 phase covers 18-21 months and starts with Christ’s baptism and the beginning of his public ministry… and ends with His rejection at Nazareth. This is the longest period of time in the 4 phases that cover Christ’s 3½ year public ministry, yet there still isn’t very much written in the Gospels that covers this period. Note that John’s Gospel covers many of these events, and the other Gospels don’t mention them. As you read Phase 2 continue to see the Holy Spirit in these events. Note also how Jesus is building a foundation of ministry on the Word, Prayer, and Intentional Relationships. Speaking of relationships, notice how and to who Jesus gives some early, low level calls or challenges.. Try to finish these 17 sections (sec 24-40) in the next 2 weeks…before the end of June. Don’t get behind in your reading…it speeds up in the next 2 months. I’ll send you Phase 3 and 4 reading later in June.
We’ll talk about your Phase 2 reading at our team meeting on Wednesday. Come ready to share an observation from your Phase 2 reading, even if you aren’t finished reading it.

That’s it for June. Looking forward to our third team meeting this Wednesday. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent June 11th, 2015 – No attachments were included.

Last night I talked about Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) as a growing movement against Israel. Here is an example happening right now.

http://rt.com/business/264889-orange-threats-leave-israel/

http://news.yahoo.com/orange-ceo-says-sincerely-regrets-israel-controversy-000133071.html

Email sent June 23rd, 2015 – Attachments included: Harmony Outline Phase 1-4

Hey gang,

Harmony reading assignment for July– I wanted to refocus our Harmony reading. By now you should have finished reading Phase 2 which covered 18-21 months and starts with Christ’s baptism and the beginning of his public ministry… and ends with His rejection at Nazareth. This is the longest period of time in the 4 phases that cover Christ’s 3½ year public ministry, yet there still isn’t very much written in the Gospels that covers this period. Note that John’s Gospel covers many of these events, and the other Gospels don’t mention them. As you read Phase 2 continue to see the Holy Spirit in these events. Note also how Jesus is building a foundation of ministry on the Word, Prayer, and Intentional Relationships. Speaking of relationships, notice how and to who Jesus gives some early, low level calls or challenges.
It’s now time to start reading Phase 3/4…Ministry Training and Expanded Outreach. I’ve attached your reading schedule again. Phase 3 and 4 run together. They start with Jesus’ increasing challenge to His disciples to not just follow, but to fish for men. Jesus now forms a ministry team and them trains them for ministry. When you are reading the first few sections try to pick out the 6 fishing expeditions Jesus takes His disciples on. Many of these are in Capernaum. Jesus is getting His disciples out in the harvest field. What is He modeling? What different settings do you see Jesus in? He also throws one missions trip lasting a few weeks to few months in these verses (we don’t know how long this trip was). These 6 fishing expeditions are highlighted in Luke 4:31 through 5:39. They are in Mark also.

These 2 phases last 6-9 months of Jesus’ life. Now we start to see more crowds and more miracles. There are 370 verses written on these 2 phases. Try to finish these 12 sections (sec 41-52) in the next 3 weeks…by the middle of July. That will be easy…just budget about a section a day.

Don’t get behind in your reading…it speeds up with lots of content in Phase 5. I’ll start your Phase 5 reading in the middle of July.

Email sent July 5th, 2015 – Attachments included: Day 7 Photos, Israel Packing List, Miracle Boat

Shalom,

Three months from today we will all be in Israel starting our tour. The time until then will move quickly.

Day 7 in Israel- Yesterday, on day 6, we explored the 3 cities where Jesus did most of his miracles and then we took a fun hike down the Mount of Beatitudes. Today we travel by bus, on foot, and by boat. We start day 7 by hopping on the bus and heading to the west side of the Sea of Galilee. We have very little bus travel again today. We pass through the city of Tiberias, built by Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great. This is the Herod who beheaded John the Baptist and wanted Jesus to do a miracle for him during Passion Week. Jesus called him a fox.

1- Our first stop is on Mount Arbel, one of my favorite views in the Galilee. We will talk about the colliding cultures in the Galilee during the time of Jesus, and then those who choose to, can hike down the side of this small mountain. Check out the pictures of this hike…not for those who don’t like heights. Joan will take the non hikers by bus around to the other side of the mountain to pick the hikers up.

2- Our second stop today is Nof Ginnosar, a kibbutz on the Galilee. This kibbutz is famous because on its shoreline a boat from the time of Jesus was found…the only boat like this ever discovered. The story of how they found the boat is pretty interesting. You can watch a two part 15 minute video on the Jesus boat here: http://www.jesusboat.com/Story-of-the-Jesus-Boat I have also attached an article titled the Miracle Boat detailing the discovery of the Jesus boat.

3- After lunch at the kibbutz snack bar (very good homemade cookies), we hop on our own boat and ride across the Galilee. Half way across we draw lots to see who will try to walk on water. I usually rig the drawing, so treat me nicely. I love this boat ride and the time to reflect on 4 key boat stories from the life of Christ. Here is a link to a very good 7 ½ minute video on the Sea of Galilee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFeuId6wI5c&list=PLFE763A800EF8785D

4- Our last stop of day 7 is at Kursi. This is where Jesus cast out the demon from the man who was terrorizing the entire east side of the Sea of Galilee. Some great lessons here.

See the attached PDF with 4 pages of day 7 photos.

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- There are now 27 people that have already been accepted on this trip. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

4- Visa- All of us will get our free visas when we land in Israel.

5- Airline tickets- If you have any ticketing questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

See Christine’s 4/2/15 email about setting up your Managed Missions account to pay online.
final payment for your land portion will be due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Wednesday, August 12 – (7-9 pm in room 11) Intro Geography and Last Minute Details

8- Required Reading

Harmony reading assignment for the beginning of July– On 6/23/15 I emailed your reading assignment for Phase 3/4…Ministry Training and Expanded Outreach. Here’s part of what I wrote in that email….”It’s now time to start reading Phase 3/4…Ministry Training and Expanded Outreach. I’ve attached your reading schedule again. Phase 3 and 4 run together. They start with Jesus’ increasing challenge to His disciples to not just follow, but to fish for men. Jesus now forms a ministry team and them trains them for ministry. When you are reading the first few sections try to pick out the 6 fishing expeditions Jesus takes His disciples on. Many of these are in Capernaum. Jesus is getting His disciples out in the harvest field. What is He modeling? What different settings do you see Jesus in? He also throws one missions trip lasting a few weeks to few months in these verses (we don’t know how long this trip was). These 6 fishing expeditions are highlighted in Luke 4:31 through 5:39. They are in Mark also.

Don’t get behind in your reading…it speeds up with lots of content in Phase 5. I’ll start your Phase 5 reading in the middle of July.”

Pushing The Pillars by Karen Dunham

9- Optional prep

Fishing on Galilee http://sourceflix.com/the-galilee-fishermen/
Official Israeli tourism website at http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Pages/home.aspx

10- Packing list- we handed out the packing list at our June team meeting. I’m attaching an electronic copy for your use.

That’s it for July. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent July 14, 2015

Hey gang,

At our last team meeting I introduced the relatively new BDS movement against Israel and talked about how it was gaining momentum in US churches. Here is a news story from today. Just FYI.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/july/churches-hold-off-on-divestment.html?utm_source=ctdirect-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=9498036&utm_content=368595044&utm_campaign=2013

Email sent July 14th, 2015 – Attachments included: Harmony Outline Phase 1-5

Hey team,

Here is the Harmony reading assignment for July and August I promised you a couple of weeks ago. By now you should have finished Phase 3 and 4 of the Harmony readings. I asked you to try to finish by the middle of July. Did you note the 6 fishing expeditions? And did you notice the increasing crowds that demanded more of Jesus’ time and attention? Here’s a review of our Harmony reading to this point in time.

Phase 1 – Preparation Period – about 30 years – 83 verses – birth narratives, growing up in Nazareth, 1 trip to Temple at age 12, John the Baptist starts ministry

Phase 2 – Ministry Foundations – 18-21 months – 204 verses – starts with Jesus’ baptism and ends with his rejection at Nazareth, models prayer, obedience to a Kingdom agenda, the Word, exalting the Father, relationships, and Holy Spirit dependence

Phase 3 and 4 – Ministry training and Expanded Outreach – 6-9 months – 370 verses – starts with 4 transitions that tie to Jesus’ move from Nazareth to Capernaum and ends with Sabbath controversies. Jesus forms a ministry team and them trains them for ministry. 6 fishing expeditions are highlighted in Luke 4:31 through 5:39. These are in Mark also.

Phase 5 – Leadership Multiplication – about 15 months – 3,220 verses – did you just read the number of verses in Phase 5?? A huge percentage of the Gospels deals with the last 15 months when Jesus has raised up the 12 as formal leaders. And a chunk of these verses deal with the Passion Week. This phase starts with Jesus appointing the 12 to become leaders of the movement. Jesus knows that his time on earth will be coming to a close in a little over a year. He wants to have the 12 trained to lead and multiply after Jesus returns to heaven. Some things to note when you are reading:

Jesus now makes some harder statements about the cost of following Him
He is still with the crowds but He spends more time with the 12
He now starts teaching in parables that contain hidden truth for His disciples, and some of the crowds start to drift away as Jesus ups the ante.

So let’s start reading Phase 5, Leadership Multiplication. I have attached the Harmony outline below. Try to finish all the Harmony reading by Labor Day. I will give us all a final Scripture reading assignment from the Psalms for 2 weeks in Sept. We have 7 weeks until Labor Day. There are 131 sections in Phase 5. That means you need to read about 19 sections a week, or 3 sections every day. Some of the sections are longer, so don’t get behind in your reading. I’m reading along with you…don’t give up.

Email sent July 26th, 2015 – Attachments included: Day 8 photos, What biblical geography can you do for your spiritual life, Itinerary-participants

Shalom,

This email continues a series of monthly contacts. I already sent you a July monthly email, but with the trip quickly approaching, I wanted to sneak in another team email. Each month we’ll highlight one day of our itinerary so you can start to prepare yourself for what you will see on this study tour. In each email we will share more information about the trip. We’ll also give you articles to read and some specific preparation material down the road. So let’s continue with a look at our 8th day:

Day 8 in Israel- Yesterday, on day 7, we hiked Mount Arbel, checked out the Jesus boat, sailed on Galilee, and visited the “other side”. Today we travel by bus to the northern part of Israel.

1- We start day 8 by hopping on the bus and heading to the most northern spot in Israel. We will be driving on the upper Golan Heights and heading to the foot of Mount Hermon.

Our first stop is Dan where we hike along one of the sources of the Jordan River. Dan is where Jeroboam set up a golden calf for idol worship after the 10 northern tribes of Israel broke away from the two southern tribes after the death of Solomon. This is a popular nature reserve with great Biblical connections.

2- Our second stop today is Caesarea Philippi (not to be confused with the ruins of Caesarea on the Med Sea). This is where Peter made his great confession of faith and declared Jesus to be the Messiah. This is a second source of the Jordan River and we will have lunch right beside the tributary.

3- Our last stop of day 8 is at The Church of the Primacy along the Sea of Galilee. Since we depart for Jerusalem the next morning we want to end our Galilee portion of the trip with one last time at the water’s edge. This is the setting for John 21 when Jesus restored Peter.

4- See the attached PDF with 2 pages of day 8 photos.

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Registration- There are now 28 people that have already been accepted on this trip. We welcome Tracy Gradford who is a friend of Cary and Sue Felbab. You’ll get a chance to meet Tracy at our Aug 12 team meeting. If you have any registration questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

4- Visa- All of us will get our free visas when we land in Israel.

5- Airline tickets- If you have any ticketing questions contact Christine Engman at christinee@hosannalc.org

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

See Christine’s 4/2/15 email about setting up your Managed Missions account to pay online.
final payment for your land portion was due July 15
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Wednesday, August 12 – (7-9 pm in room 11) Intro Geography and Last Minute Details

8- Required Reading

Harmony reading assignment for the beginning of August– On 7/14/15 I emailed your reading assignment for Phase 5…Leadership Multiplication. Here’s part of what I wrote in that email….A huge percentage of the Gospels deals with the last 15 months when Jesus has raised up the 12 as formal leaders. And a chunk of these verses deal with the Passion Week. This phase starts with Jesus appointing the 12 to become leaders of the movement. Jesus knows that his time on earth will be coming to a close in a little over a year. He wants to have the 12 trained to lead and multiply after Jesus returns to heaven. Some things to note when you are reading:
- Jesus now makes some harder statements about the cost of following Him
- He is still with the crowds but He spends more time with the 12
- He now starts teaching in parables that contain hidden truth for His disciples, and some of the crowds start to drift away as Jesus ups the ante.

So let’s start reading Phase 5, Leadership Multiplication. I have attached the Harmony outline below. Try to finish all the Harmony reading by Sept 1. I will give us all a final Scripture reading assignment from the Psalms for 2 weeks in Sept. We have 5 weeks until Sept 1. There are 131 sections in Phase 5. That means you need to read about 19 sections a week, or 3 sections every day. Some of the sections are longer, so don’t get behind in your reading. I’m reading along with you…don’t give up.

Pushing The Pillars by Karen Dunham

9- Optional prep

What Biblical Geography Can Do for Your Spiritual Life– check out the attached article

10- Packing list- we handed out the packing list at our June team meeting. I’m attaching an electronic copy for your use.

11- Itinerary- see attached day by day itinerary. Note the clothing suggestions in red. We’ll talk about itinerary ad modesty clothing at our Aug 12 meeting.

That’s it for July. Let me know if you have any questions.

Email sent August 11th, 2015 – Attachments include: Beth Shean-Stiles, Prepare for Holy Land Tour

Shalom,

Day 9 in Israel- Yesterday, on day 8, we finished the Galilee portion of our trip by heading to the very north to Dan and Caesarea Philippi, with a final stop at the church of Primacy. Today we head back to Jerusalem to start the last third of our trip.

We start day 9 by hopping on the bus and heading down the Jordan Valley.
Our first stop is Beth Shean which is one of the 10 cities of the Decapolis, and the only one on the west side of the Jordan River. We take a nice hike to get to this site and we talk both Old and New Testament context. Check out the descriptive article by Wayne Stiles which I have attached.
Then we get back on the bus for a 2 hour ride down the Jordan Valley. We cross into Palestinian Territory and trace the route Jesus most often took when he travelled from Galilee to Jerusalem.
Overview of Bethany/Bethpage- the start of Palm Sunday
Mount of Olives- Triumphal Entry
Dominus Flevit Chapel (Jesus wept)
Rehearse Sunday through Tuesday events of Passion Week

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

4- Visa- All of us will get our free visas when we land in Israel.

5- Airline tickets- We are all ticketed and on the same United or Delta flights

6- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

final payment for your land portion was due July 15.
no refunds after August 1

7- Team meetings- These meetings must be a priority in your schedule.

Wednesday, August 12 – (7-9 pm in room 11) Intro Geography and Last Minute Details
- dinner at 6:30 if you signed up…bring $5 for dinner.
- come ready to share something that you learned from your Phase 5 Harmony reading

8- Required Reading

Harmony reading assignment for the beginning of August– On 7/14/15 I emailed your reading assignment for Phase 5…Leadership Multiplication. Here’s part of what I wrote in that email….A huge percentage of the Gospels deals with the last 15 months when Jesus has raised up the 12 as formal leaders. And a chunk of these verses deal with the Passion Week. This phase starts with Jesus appointing the 12 to become leaders of the movement. Jesus knows that his time on earth will be coming to a close in a little over a year. He wants to have the 12 trained to lead and multiply after Jesus returns to heaven. Some things to note when you are reading:
- Jesus now makes some harder statements about the cost of following Him
- He is still with the crowds but He spends more time with the 12
- He now starts teaching in parables that contain hidden truth for His disciples, and some of the crowds start to drift away as Jesus ups the ante.

Let’s continue reading Phase 5, Leadership Multiplication. I have attached the Harmony outline below. Try to finish all the Harmony reading by Sept 1. I will give us all a final Scripture reading assignment from the Psalms for 2 weeks in Sept. We have 3 weeks until Sept 1. There are 131 sections in Phase 5. That means you need to read about 19 sections a week, or 3 sections every day. Some of the sections are longer, so don’t get behind in your reading. I’m reading along with you…don’t give up.

Pushing The Pillars by Karen Dunham

9- Optional prep

How To Prepare For a Holy Land Tour– check out the attachment by Wayne Stiles where he gives tips on mental, practical, physical, and spiritual preparation for the trip. Some good ideas in this article.

10- Packing list- we handed out the packing list at our June team meeting. I’m attaching an electronic copy for your use. Please read this carefully and come Wed night with any packing list questions you may have.

11- Itinerary- see attached day by day itinerary. Note the clothing suggestions in red. Please read this carefully and come Wed night with any packing list questions you may have.

12- Coming soon- hotel list, how to get from airport to Gloria Hotel in Jerusalem, and a few other helpful tips.

That’s it for August. Come ready with your questions Wednesday night.

Email sent September 4th, 2015 – Attachments included; Jerusalem from above – biblical places, Picture taking tips for the Holy Land, 8 tips to maximize your Holy Land Tour

Shalom,

Can you believe we will be gathering in Jerusalem from all corners of the globe in under 3 weeks. We have all be looking forward to this trip for many months…and now it is almost here.

This email continues a series of monthly contacts. In each email we will share more information about the trip. We’ll also give you articles to read and some specific preparation material down the road. So let’s continue with a look at days 10-12:

Day 10-12 in Israel- Yesterday, on day 9, we finished the Galilee portion of our trip and drove back to Jerusalem. Now I want to highlight the last 3 days:

Day 10- we drive to the coast near Tel Aviv to meet Dov Bikas and see his ministry. Dov helps street addicts, alcoholics, and prostitutes meet their basic needs while introducing them to Jesus. Dov’s website has a good 7 minute video introducing Dov and the ministry. Check it out. http://www.avivministry.com/index.php/en/
Day 11- today we pick up Christ’s passion and we walk from the Upper Room on Mount Zion across the Kidron Valley (now you know where that is :)) to Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, then we bus to Caiaphas’ house, then visit a potential location for Pilate’s judgment of Jesus, and finally walk an alternative Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This day will give you a very tiny glimpse of what Jesus went through on Thursday and Friday of Passion Week.
Day 12- our final day starts with a visit to the Garden Tomb for a tour and our closing communion service. Then we make another visit to the Mount of Olives and end our tour at the Southern Steps of the Temple Mount to talk about Pentecost. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the Old City, finish final shopping, or visit any museums you want to see.
- View a 1 minute video on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher http://jerusalem.com/videos/holy_sepulchre_church_jerusalem
- View a 2 minute video on the Garden Tomb http://jerusalem.com/videos/garden_tomb_welcome
- View a 5 minute video on the Southern Steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG235XSq5CI&list=PLFE763A800EF8785D

Now the logistics:

1- Tour information- I’m attaching the 2 page information document. Read this to see what’s included in this trip.

2- Airline tickets- We are all ticketed and on the same United or Delta flights

3- Payments/Cancellations/Refunds-

no refunds after August 1

4- Required Reading

Harmony reading You should be finished with your Harmony reading by now. I will give us all a final Scripture reading assignment from the Psalms for 2 weeks before we depart.

Pushing The Pillars by Karen Dunham

5- Optional prep

8 Tips To Maximize Your Holy Land Tour– check out the attachment by Wayne Stiles.
Picture Taking Tips for the Holy Land– check out the attachment
Jerusalem From Above- check out the Power Point attachment with some fun aerial views of Jerusalem just to wet your appetite.

6- Packing list- we handed out the packing list at our June team meeting. I’m attaching an electronic copy for your use.

7- Itinerary- see attached day by day itinerary. Note the clothing suggestions in red.

8- Coming soon- hotel list, how to get from airport to Gloria Hotel in Jerusalem (most of us will bus together), and a few other helpful tips.

That’s it for now. You’ll hear from me in a couple of weeks re items listed above.

Email sent September 18th, 2015 – Attachments included: None

My calendar tells me that 2 weeks from today you will all get on airplanes and head this direction. That means it is now time to start your last reading assignment I promised to give you.

If we were good Jews and this was 2000 years ago, we’d be getting ready to travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles in 10 days. As we travelled to Jerusalem we would sing the Psalms/Songs of Ascent all along our journey. The Psalms of Ascent are Psalms 120-134. They get their title from their use by pilgrims ascending up the hills to Jerusalem and then ascending up the stairs into the Temple. Most Bibles have a heading under each of these Psalms…Psalms of Ascent, Psalms of Degrees, or Pilgrim Psalms. Four of the psalms are attributed to David, one to Solomon, and the others are anonymous.

There are at least 3 associations with the Psalms of Ascent:

These were songs sung by exiles returning to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.
These were songs sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for the 3 great feasts mentioned in Deuteronomy 16:16-17…Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles. All Jewish men were to attend all 3 feasts each year if they could.
In both the Talmud and the Latin Vulgate these Psalms were called Songs of the Steps. There were 15 steps in the Temple leading up from the Court of Women to the Court of Israelites. These steps were located at the Nicanor Gate. There is evidence that the priests would sing one Psalm at each step as they ascended to be closer to God’s presence in the Holy Place.

In all 3 of these associations there is the idea of moving up to God, and your soul moving closer to God. Psalm 120 expresses the distress of living far away from God, in a strange land. Psalm 121 talks about looking up to the hills, a fitting description for approaching Jerusalem. Psalm 122 is the glad call to go to the Temple and a prayer for peace in the Lord’s house. The rest of the Psalms focus on looking to God and trusting God. In Psalm 134 the pilgrims have reached the end of their journey and lift up their hands in the temple to bless the Lord.

I’d like to ask you to read these 15 Psalms over the next two weeks before you get on the plane to depart to Israel. Read one Psalm each day and put yourself in the shoes of an exile returning to your cherished homeland, a pilgrim attending one of the 3 great feasts, or a priest moving up to the Holy Place in the Temple. Start reading with Psalm 120 on Saturday, Sept 19 and end by reading Psalm 134 on Saturday, Oct 3…the day you arrive in Israel. Join me in journeying to Jerusalem through these Psalms…and then meeting me as a pilgrim in Jerusalem in 2 weeks.

You’ll hear from me twice more with last minute details.

Email sent September 21st, 2015 – Attachments included: Hotel List-Hosanna, Arrival in Tel Aviv and traveling to Jerusalem, General Survival Tips

Shalom,

I can’t believe I am going to see you in just a little over 1 week from now. I’m sitting in the Gloria courtyard enjoying a warm evening as the Old City starts to head to bed. Here are final details you need to be aware of as you get ready for our Israel study tour next week:

1- Before you leave home

Leave your flight/travel itinerary with a family member, your church, ministry, business, etc…
Leave the hotel info (attached) with the same people. Note emergency numbers on the hotel info sheet at the bottom.
Make 2 photocopies of your passport. Leave one at home with someone you can contact in case you lose your passport (not fun). Hide the other one in your suitcase as a backup (don’t keep it with your passport, keep it separately).
Pack in your carryon:
- Paper copy of your itinerary or tickets…or you will have problems getting in the airport when you depart Tel Aviv at the end of the trip
- Passport
- Any necessary medications (not in checked suitcase in case suitcase is lost for a few days
- 1 copy of hotel list in this email (in case immigration asks where you are staying).
- Medication to help you sleep if you have an overnight flight…or to fight jet lag in Israel.
- Your money…don’t pack money in suitcase.
Go through your wallet or purse before leaving home to remove all unnecessary club cards, credit cards etc… in case your wallet is ever lost or stolen. TRAVEL LIGHT!!
Think jet lag prevention before you leave home. The following applies to those on overnight flights to Israel
- Departure day:
  - Get out of bed earlier than usual so you will be tired on the plane.
  - Eat a high protein breakfast and lunch.
- On the flight:
  - Try to eat higher carbohydrates at dinner on the flight.
  - Drink a lot of water, juices, or decaffeinated beverages to compensate for the dehydration that is common on long flights. Caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages increase jet lag.
  - Shortly after the evening dinner, set your watch to Tel Aviv time to link your body with your brain.
  - Since it is now early morning in Tel Aviv, try to sleep as soon as possible. Pull down your window shade, put on a sleeping mask, or take a sleeping aid…but go to sleep.
  - Drink one or two cups of strong coffee or caffeinated soft drinks when breakfast is served on the plane
- At the hotel on Saturday night:
  - Don’t nap when you arrive. Keep active…take a walk with me after dinner.
  - Eat dinner at the regular hotel time…set for 6:30 in the dining room on the 2nd floor
  - No caffeine after dinner, but drink plenty of water.
  - Go to bed by 10 p.m., but not really early your first night.
  - Even though you feel tired, consider a sleep medication to make sure you sleep through the night.
  - If you wake up in the middle of the night, try to go back to sleep 🙂
Dress comfortably for the flight, wearing clothes that allow freedom of movement and shoes that slip on and off easily.
Lock your checked suitcase with a TSA lock for more security (a TSA lock is an approved lock that an airport screener can still open to check your luggage). You can also use this lock on your suitcase when you leave the hotel each day.

2- Arrival in Tel Aviv and Getting to Jerusalem Hotel– see attachment (print and bring with you).

The United flight will be picked up by bus. You will only need the arrival info above if you miss the flight from Newark on Friday night.
The Delta 5 will need to make their own way up to the Gloria Hotel in Jerusalem. You will need to carefully read the arrival info to see how to get to the Gloria Hotel in Jerusalem.

3- If you miss your flight or have major flight delays (meaning you won’t arrive on Saturday at all), text or call Steve. If you are texting please put your name in the text as I will not know your telephone number. This is only to be used in case of major flight delay or a problem at the Tel Aviv airport with immigration

Steve’s cell- +1-612-819-4539

4- Hotel info:

The following is what I wrote about our hotels in the very first promo for this study tour…”A word about lodging…we are staying at tourist-class facilities to keep costs low. These are not full service hotels with lots of amenities, but they are clean, safe and have good food. I have previously stayed at each hotel we will use. Our hotel in Jerusalem is inside the Old City walls and just steps from shops and sites. Location…location…location! In Galilee we will stay right on the water’s edge at a kibbutz hotel with a nice beach.” I’m not reminding you of this to scare you, but to remind you what to expect. Focus on clean, safe, and LOCATION.
Attached is the hotel list with contact information. Print a copy and leave behind for family and work associates. Bring a copy with you in case passport control in Tel Aviv airport asks where you are staying.
You can see photos of hotels on the web sites I’ve listed on the hotel document. Not fancy…but you will love both locations.
All hotel rooms are air conditioned and have private bathrooms. Bathrooms have small hair dryers…the wand type mounted on the wall.
you can drink the water or brush your teeth from the sink in your hotel room. The water is safe.

5- Saturday night:

There are no formal scheduled events on Saturday night. We just want to get everyone to the hotel and ready for the tour to start on Sunday morning.
Saturday dinner is the first meal included on the tour and will be at 6:30 p.m. When you enter the dining room (2^nd floor) you may be asked what group you are with….tell them Hudson group (or Shepherds Tours). They will direct you to a series of tables they have reserved for our group (usually by napkin color). Food will be buffet style and you are free to eat whatever you want. They will serve cold water in pitchers. The water is safe to drink at all places we will stay at. They only have coffee at the morning buffet. You can also order coffee, cokes and bottled water, but you will be charged for these beverages.
After dinner Saturday night I’ll take anyone who wants to go on a short walk in the Old City down to our money changer.

6- Sunday morning:

Here’s the typical daily rhythm (could change some days) we will be using…up at 6 a.m., breakfast at 7 a.m., on the bus at 8 a.m. You can adjust these general times for your use…just be at the bus on time.
Arrange your own wakeup call with the front desk and set a back up alarm just in case. I NEVER set group wake up calls.
On Sunday we will hold a short orientation meeting before we depart the hotel. We will meet in a small meeting room on the 3rd floor of the hotel. Take the elevator up to 3 and the meeting room is right when you get off elevator. The meeting will start at 8 a.m. sharp.
When you come to the meeting, be ready to depart from the meeting directly to our full and fun first day. We start with a hike through the Old City to Karen Dunham’s church for worship time. Here’s what you need to bring with you to the meeting Sunday morning (travel light since we will be walking and not on the bus all day, and you’ll have to carry your day pack to Karen’s church)
- Something to write with (have a couple of pens on the trip in case you lose one along the way).
- The tour notebook that Christine gave you.
- A snack for the day in case you get hungry between meals.
- Camera
- Water. (if you bring a water bottle with you from home, fill it at the hotel Sunday morning…otherwise buy a bottle of water at a nearby store on Saturday night. I’ll show you some stores on Saturday night. No stores will be open on Sunday morning, so you need to buy a water bottle on Saturday night, or fill your own bottle on Sunday morning.

7- Packing list- see attachment and read carefully.

8- Itinerary– see attachment. (print a copy to leave with folks at home, you don’t have to bring one with you…I’ll hand one out on Sunday morning)

9– General Survival Tips– see attachment for important info on shopping, culture, and safety.

10- Laptop or not– this is always a big decision. If you have an iPad or another tablet, bring it and ignore the rest of this paragraph. There is free wireless at the Gloria Hotel in public spaces, not sleeping rooms. Our kibbutz hotel on the Sea of Galilee hotel also has wifi in public places. A laptop is great for skyping or emailing home. Laptops also allow you to download photos if you don’t have enough memory cards. But laptops are another expensive item to keep track of. The hotels don’t always have room safes that you can put your laptop in. I leave mine locked in my suitcase at the hotel. I’ve never had a problem, but you bring it at your own risk. You could also bring it to the bus each day, but there are some days we will be on foot all day and you won’t have the bus. You would have to leave it in the hotel room anyway. There are internet cafes very near our hotel if you want to check your email or Skype home, and don’t want to lug your laptop along. Keep your laptop at home unless you really want, or need it along.

THAT’S IT…that’s all I have for you today. I will send a short email next week right before you depart for Israel, but this is the last email with logistical information. If you are still not sure about something, drop me an email ASAP. There’s a lot of info to digest in this email, so start reading now :).

See you in Jerusalem in 1 week!!

Pursuing Breakthrough

…while in His presence.

2 Israel Trip Plan

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