Dr. DeWayne Coxon
FOURTEEN DAY DELUXE TOUR IN ISRAEL
October 28-November 7, 2007
$2,150 Chicago
(based on double occupancy, add $350 single supplement)
Includes:
Accommodations as listed in the itinerary below, or similar
Breakfast and dinner daily
One lunch at Biblical Tamar Park
Entrance Fees to sites listed in the itinerary
Transportation in air-conditioned motorcoaches
Airline tax and fuel surcharges
An English speaking guide
Costs not included:
Tips for guide, driver, and hotel staff - $70
Masada cable car (optional) - $12
Daily lunches with tip – varies
Tour Guide:
Dr. DeWayne Coxon is the founder and President of Blossoming Rose. He has visited Israel well over 150 times in the last 45 years. His knowledge of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim history gives him a unique focus on contemporary events taking place in the Middle East. Ministry and worship leaders will assist him in devotions, prayers, and bible studies during this tour.
Day 1: (Sunday, Oct. 28) USA-ISRAEL
Our trip begins as we meet in the airport for our 6:00 pm departure to Israel. We must be at the airport three hours before the flight departs to check through and board our plane for the Holy Land. Dinner and breakfast are served on the airplane.
Day 2: (Monday, Oct. 29) Arrive in Israel-Jerusalem
We land at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and are taken to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jerusalem. We receive our room keys and prepare for a bountiful Israeli buffet dinner. Our dreams tonight are about the Holy City.
Day 3: (Tuesday, Oct. 30) The Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Bethany Road, Kidron Valley, Temple Mount, Wailing Wall, the Old City, Tomb of David, and the Garden Tomb.
We leave the hotel after a delicious Israeli breakfast and go to the Mt. of Olives which overlooks the Kedron Valley and the Temple Mount. This is a walking day where we literally walk where Jesus walked through the Old City of Jerusalem and out the Jaffa Gate. We do not take the time to shop today as we have reserved the last full day to shop in the old city and also on Ben Yehuda Street. We continue in the historic Jewish quarter where the ancient Roman Cardo looms in front of us. The quaint shops that line the Cardo tempt us for a short time and then we walk to the upper room and the Tomb of David. We begin the afternoon with communion in the Garden Tomb and then go into the Damascus Gate, into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Jaffa Gate to our waiting bus. We chat about what we saw over dinner and prepare to leave in the morning for the coast and the Galilee.
Day 4: (Wednesday, Oct. 31) Emmaus, Caesarea, Megiddo, Nazareth, Cana, and Tiberius.
We depart at 8 am, finishing that last cup of Israeli coffee after the great breakfast buffet. Emmaus is near to Jerusalem and we stop and see the ancient Byzentine and Crusader churches built at this historic place. We continue on to Caesarea, driving past the arena and Crusader city and stop at the aqua duct where we have time to wade in the Mediterranean Sea and pick up a few sea shells. We continue on to Megiddo and take pictures of the valley of Armageddon before arriving in Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. We talk about the first miracle of Jesus as we drive through Cana and then move into our rooms at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Tiberius. After dinner the evening is free to shop or walk by the gentle Sea.
Day 5: (Thursday, Nov. 1) Sea of Galilee, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, the Good Fence (Lebanon), Golan Heights (Syria), and Katzrine.
Today is a bus day where we will visit the North Galilee area. We start with the Beatitudes Mountain and Capernaum, where Peter lived and the synagogue in which Jesus taught. But we go farther and look over into Lebanon at Matulla and then on up to the base of Mt. Herman and the headwaters to the Jordan River. It is a most beautiful area and we return to our hotel with a blessing to see northern Israel. After dinner some will want to see the Galilee experience.
Day 6: (Friday, Nov. 2) Jordan Valley, Qumran, and Biblical Tamar Park.
After breakfast, we sail on the Sea of Galilee in our Jesus Boat and then go to the Jordan River where we have a service for those who want to be baptized. We continue south following the Jordan River down to the Dead Sea where we stop at Qumran, the home of the Essenes zealots who lived in the time of Christ. As the sun begins to set we drive into Biblical Tamar Park and see the ancient city of Solomon. We welcome in the Sabbath with prayers and a good Jewish chicken dinner.
Day 7: (Saturday, Nov. 3) Bible Study and Tours
Several of us meet in the dining hall for an early cup of American coffee and study biblical history about Abraham, Moses, and the Arava desert. We eat our breakfast and then take a Sabbath walk to Prayer Mountain, where we can add a stone to the altar. We return from our walk into the nature reserve, relax awhile and then tour Tel Tamar archaeological site. As the sun sets, we prepare for our evening meal and anticipate a lively discussion on biblical issues. Overnight in the Arava.
Day 8: (Sunday, Nov. 4) Masada, Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Ben Yehuda Street (shopping)
The mountain of Masada looms high above us as we ascend to the desert fortress of Herod the Great. 2000 years have not changed the awesome stonework. We spend two hours here and then go down to Ein Bokek to swim in the lowest spot on the earth, 1,500 feet below sea level. We shower off, change into Jerusalem clothing and find ourselves walking into Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda Street, the famous old central shopping area where the Jewish people sell their goods. We finish our shopping for now and return to the Hyatt Hotel. Some use the health spa, the excellent gym, and others just eat dinner and enjoy the privacy of their rooms.
Day 9-12: (Monday-Thursday, Feb. 25-28) Muscle Ministry and Play Time
These are days that we work and explore the ancient city of Tamar. We have time to enjoy watching and working in archaeology or reconstruction of the ancient wall, or repairing our buildings, planting trees, building the security fence, plus going on three sight seeing trips near Tamar: Moshav Iddan, Mt. Hor, and Scorpion’s Pass. We work and worship but also have good fellowship and time to rest in the afternoon and in the evening after our meals.
Day 13: (Friday, Feb. 29) Jerusalem
On Friday morning we head for Jerusalem, stopping in Beersheva to see Abraham’s Wells. Lunch is on your own. We will visit the Garden Tomb and Calvary for Communion and go to various museums that might interest us. We enjoy the spirit of Jerusalem and have our own free time before moving into our rooms at the Rosary. Dinner will be in a special restaurant with Pastor and Mrs. Bugg hosting it.
Day 14: (Saturday, March 1) Jerusalem
This will be our last chance to shop in the Old City and on Ben Yehuda Street and then we will travel to Elah – the valley where David fought the giant, and finally visit Jaffa that ancient city of Jonah. Lunch is on your own but dinner will be in a quaint restaurant in this restored city. We leave for the airport at 8:00 p.m.
Day 15: (Sunday, March 2) Israel to USA
We leave on our midnight flight and arrive in the morning in the USA.
NOTE: Tour members are invited to stay in Israel for the full two weeks and volunteer to work in archaeology, housekeeping, or kitchen work at Biblical Tamar Park. Add-on’s to Egypt and Jordan are also available.
For additional information contact:
Dr. DeWayne Coxon
P.O. Box X
Cedar Springs, MI 49319
E-mail: dcoxon@blossomingrose.org
Office: 1-800-317-7673
DeWayne’s Cell: 1-616-901-4153