Bethlehem12
Manhattan College Students and Faculty
Day 01: May 23, 2012 – Travel from Newark to Tel Aviv
DAY 02: May 24, 2012 Thursday ARRIVAL TEL AVIV - CAESAREA/HAIFA/TIBERIAS (D)
Morning arrival in Tel Aviv, Israel's modern-day metropolis. Your flight with United Airlines (#84) lands at Ben Gurion Airport at 9:25 in the morning. Our representative will be at hand to welcome your arrival with a sign: “Nicholson Group / Manhattan College” and will be waiting for you at United’s / Continental custom’s arrival. Begin your drive north towards Caesarea. This city was named in honor of Caesar Augustus and became the seat of the Roman procurators of Judea. Visit the Crusader fortifications, moat, amphitheater and aqueduct. Continue along the Mediterranean to Haifa on the slopes of Mt Carmel. We stop for a spectacular view over the city and bay, past the majestic gold-domed Bahai Temple and Persian Gardens. It is near here that Elijah challenged the priests of Baal.Visit the Stella Maris Church. Travel through Megiddo before descending 636 feet below sea level, arrive in Tiberias, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee arriving at the hotel by early evening in time for dinner and overnight.
Morning arrival in Tel Aviv, Israel's modern-day metropolis. Your flight with United Airlines (#84) lands at Ben Gurion Airport at 9:25 in the morning. Our representative will be at hand to welcome your arrival with a sign: “Nicholson Group / Manhattan College” and will be waiting for you at United’s / Continental custom’s arrival. Begin your drive north towards Caesarea. This city was named in honor of Caesar Augustus and became the seat of the Roman procurators of Judea. Visit the Crusader fortifications, moat, amphitheater and aqueduct. Continue along the Mediterranean to Haifa on the slopes of Mt Carmel. We stop for a spectacular view over the city and bay, past the majestic gold-domed Bahai Temple and Persian Gardens. It is near here that Elijah challenged the priests of Baal.Visit the Stella Maris Church. Travel through Megiddo before descending 636 feet below sea level, arrive in Tiberias, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee arriving at the hotel by early evening in time for dinner and overnight.
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DAY 03: May 25, 2012 Friday SEA OF GALILEE / NAZARETH / TIBERIAS (B, L, D)
After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, Our day begins with a visit to Mount Beatitudes, revered by Christians as the site where Jesus preached his immortal Sermon on the Mount and Tabgha,the location dedicated to the feeding of the multitude. A short drive takes you to Capernaum visiting the area where Jesus lived, the House of Simon Peter and the Synagogue. At Tiberias visit the city before boarding a launch cruise that will take you across the tranquil Sea of Galilee. This afternoon, we visitCana where the first miracle took place – the transformation of water into wine. We continue our way towards Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. Visit the Church of the Annunciation, The Synagogue,the market place and Mary's Well. We visit the Museum type “Nazareth Village” depicting scenes of life as it was in the days of Christ. (A special lunch will be included for you either in Cana or at Kibbutz Ein Gev). At the end of the day, we Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 04: May 26, 2012 Saturday JORDAN VALLEY /DEAD SEA/JERUSALEM (B)
Drive to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee and stop at the River Jordan then continue through the Jordan Valley, via Beth Shean which is the best preserved Roman city of the Decapolis; and going through the Jordan Valley, descending 850 feet below sea level to one of the oldest cities in the world,Jericho with its Canaanite ruins. To the west of Jericho stands Mt. of Temptation. Visit Elisha's Fountain and stop to see an old sycamore tree dedicated to Zacchaeus. Your afternoon sightseeing includes the salt encrusted Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth and the excavations of Qumran where in 1947 the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the 2000 year old Essenes Community Center and the Caves of the Scrolls. Drive into the wilderness of Judea, stopping briefly at the Inn of the Good Samaritan, and on to Bethany before arriving into Bethlehem in time for dinner. (Lunch in Jericho is included).
After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, Our day begins with a visit to Mount Beatitudes, revered by Christians as the site where Jesus preached his immortal Sermon on the Mount and Tabgha,the location dedicated to the feeding of the multitude. A short drive takes you to Capernaum visiting the area where Jesus lived, the House of Simon Peter and the Synagogue. At Tiberias visit the city before boarding a launch cruise that will take you across the tranquil Sea of Galilee. This afternoon, we visitCana where the first miracle took place – the transformation of water into wine. We continue our way towards Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. Visit the Church of the Annunciation, The Synagogue,the market place and Mary's Well. We visit the Museum type “Nazareth Village” depicting scenes of life as it was in the days of Christ. (A special lunch will be included for you either in Cana or at Kibbutz Ein Gev). At the end of the day, we Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 04: May 26, 2012 Saturday JORDAN VALLEY /DEAD SEA/JERUSALEM (B)
Drive to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee and stop at the River Jordan then continue through the Jordan Valley, via Beth Shean which is the best preserved Roman city of the Decapolis; and going through the Jordan Valley, descending 850 feet below sea level to one of the oldest cities in the world,Jericho with its Canaanite ruins. To the west of Jericho stands Mt. of Temptation. Visit Elisha's Fountain and stop to see an old sycamore tree dedicated to Zacchaeus. Your afternoon sightseeing includes the salt encrusted Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth and the excavations of Qumran where in 1947 the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the 2000 year old Essenes Community Center and the Caves of the Scrolls. Drive into the wilderness of Judea, stopping briefly at the Inn of the Good Samaritan, and on to Bethany before arriving into Bethlehem in time for dinner. (Lunch in Jericho is included).
Overnight at St. Vincent Guesthouse, John Paul II St. | Bethlehem, Via Israel | Phone: (02) 276-0967 | Fax: (02) 276-0970 | E-mail: svincent@p-ol.com
May 26 – June 1 Bethlehem – Visit Bethlehem University, Refugee Camps, Schools.
DAY 10: June 2, 2012 Saturday JERUSALEM OLD CITY
By bus we begin at the Dung Gate located near the City of David Excavations. This is your introduction to the Jewish Quarter and your visit to the “Wailing Wall” (Western Wall) built with huge Herodian stone blocks. From here drive around the pinnacle of the Temple and the city walls of Jerusalem towards the Lion’s Gate (Gate of the Tribes). Crusader times are best reflected in the simple strength and design of St. Anne's Basilica (AD 1140). According to Byzantine tradition this crypt enshrines the home of the Virgin Mary with her parents, Joachim and Anne. Next to it are the miraculous medicinal baths of (Bethsaida) where Jesus cured a man who had been ill for 38 years (John 5:1). Our walking path this morning will begin at the headquarters of the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate right next to the Ecce Homo arch and the famous under-ground street for the "Lithostrotos". Here lies the pavement where Pontius Pilate stood on the steps of the Praetorium and washed his hands of finding any guilt in the arrest of Jesus. From here we follow the Via Dolorosa directly to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre . . . Mount Calvary and the tomb for the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. As we return to visit the Mountain of Zion and the Cenacle, we pass through the Armenian quarter, and visit in the Church of Dormition. With a pause for reflection on the peaceful slumber of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the form of a sleeping statue. We then go next door to the Cenacle. This is the "Upper Room" to mark the place for Celebration of the Last Supper. Thus, our gathering for Eucharist in this beautiful chapel will be the highlight of our day. It is clear from archeology and paleontology that this house for the Last Supper was originally a Church/Synagogue for the first Judeo Christians until the time of Constantine and then the Roman occupation by Gentile Christians. At that time, it was known as the 'Upper Room' Mount Zion & the 'Cenacle / 'Chapel of the Holy Ghost'. On March 26th 1936, Franciscans bought an old family bakery which held the Cenacle. Now it is named as the Convent of St. Francis / 'Church ad Caeneculum' located near the Zion Gate. After our visit we return by bus to the hotel in Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.
By bus we begin at the Dung Gate located near the City of David Excavations. This is your introduction to the Jewish Quarter and your visit to the “Wailing Wall” (Western Wall) built with huge Herodian stone blocks. From here drive around the pinnacle of the Temple and the city walls of Jerusalem towards the Lion’s Gate (Gate of the Tribes). Crusader times are best reflected in the simple strength and design of St. Anne's Basilica (AD 1140). According to Byzantine tradition this crypt enshrines the home of the Virgin Mary with her parents, Joachim and Anne. Next to it are the miraculous medicinal baths of (Bethsaida) where Jesus cured a man who had been ill for 38 years (John 5:1). Our walking path this morning will begin at the headquarters of the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate right next to the Ecce Homo arch and the famous under-ground street for the "Lithostrotos". Here lies the pavement where Pontius Pilate stood on the steps of the Praetorium and washed his hands of finding any guilt in the arrest of Jesus. From here we follow the Via Dolorosa directly to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre . . . Mount Calvary and the tomb for the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. As we return to visit the Mountain of Zion and the Cenacle, we pass through the Armenian quarter, and visit in the Church of Dormition. With a pause for reflection on the peaceful slumber of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the form of a sleeping statue. We then go next door to the Cenacle. This is the "Upper Room" to mark the place for Celebration of the Last Supper. Thus, our gathering for Eucharist in this beautiful chapel will be the highlight of our day. It is clear from archeology and paleontology that this house for the Last Supper was originally a Church/Synagogue for the first Judeo Christians until the time of Constantine and then the Roman occupation by Gentile Christians. At that time, it was known as the 'Upper Room' Mount Zion & the 'Cenacle / 'Chapel of the Holy Ghost'. On March 26th 1936, Franciscans bought an old family bakery which held the Cenacle. Now it is named as the Convent of St. Francis / 'Church ad Caeneculum' located near the Zion Gate. After our visit we return by bus to the hotel in Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.
DAY 11: June 3, 2012 SUNDAY RAMALLAH
Be prepared to start early. Today, we will spend some time visiting Ramallah the de facto capital of the Palestine authority. Since 1995 the summer resort of Palestine has become another Metropolis amongst the Palestinian Cities of the West Bank. Yasser Arafat is buried here. El Bireh (Beeroth) is adjacent to Ramallah and it is “one day’s journey from Jerusalem” (Luke 2:44) on the way to Lebonah. Beeroth is believed to be the place where Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was with neither of them. When they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem, and found him three days later sitting in the midst of the teachers and the elders. Near here is Bethel, Shiloh, Anathoth, Gibeah the city of Benjamin, Ramah and Mizpah where Saul was chosen king. On the way back one may visit Gibeon where the sun and the moon stood still, and Qbeibeh where one school of thought places Emmaus where Jesus appears to two disciples (Luke 24:13-25) on the road to Emmaus. Our tour today will end around 1:00 pm returning to Bethlehem
DAY 12: June 4, 2012 MONDAY MOUNT OF OLIVES/GETHSEMANE/MOUNT ZION
This morning, drive to the Mount of Olives for an unforgettable panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, with the Temple Mount just before us. Next we visit the Chapel of Ascension commemorating the ascension of our Lord 40 days after his resurrection. Pater Noster is where Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Begin our decent by foot down the Palm Sunday Road, visiting along the way Dominus Flevit Chapel where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem, and the Church of All Nations standing in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed "not my will, but Thine be done." After lunch, our driver will take us to the Church of Saint Peter Gallicantu. This is the traditional site for theResidence of the High Priest (Caiphas) who had Jesus arrested and put into confinement. There is an adjacent courtyard in which Jesus was betrayed by his entrusted friend, Peter. Excavations also have brought to light some ancient Roman steps here from the 1st century BC. These were very likely used by our Lord on Holy Thursday night and Good Friday. He walked from this site thru the Kidron Valley over to the Garden of Gethsemane and then back to the High Priest residence after his arrest. Time permitting, we will also visit Ein karem and Yad Vashem if desired. Return to Bethlehem in time for dinner and overnight at your hotel. (Note: Yad Vashem needs advance reservation for group visit)
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