Walking in “The Way” of Torah
Tour Hosts: Dr. James Tabor, and Dr. DeWayne Coxon
October 25 - Nov. 5, 2010
We will spend quality time traveling in Jerusalem and northern, central, and southern Israel. We will walk where Abraham walked, pray where Moses prayed, and visit the places where Jesus ministered in Jerusalem and the Galilee. We will go to the Arava for rest, prayer and Bible studies explaining “The Way” of Torah living, especially during the fall Festival. We will experience many aspects of life in Israel, and we can get our hands dirty at Biblical Tamar Park by either rebuilding the ancient walls at our archaeology site or planting trees, or learning how to construct a Succoth dwelling. We will be there to bless Israel in as many ways as possible and we will also learn more about the great historical significance of Jerusalem, Tamar and other sites.
Just imagine how you will view the Bible after seeing many of the special religious sites and as you enjoy the other places made available: a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, a visit to the tomb of Maimonides, visiting the Temple Mount, or praying at the Western Wall.
James D. Tabor is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he has taught since 1989. He received his Ph.D. in “Christian Origins” from the University of Chicago and has held academic positions at the University of Notre Dame and the College of William and Mary. Tabor is the author of four books, a worldwide lecturer, and President of United Israel founded by David Horowitz in 1944. Tabor has participated in archaeological work at Sepphoris, Qumran, the Suba cave of “John the Baptist,” and most recently on Mt Zion in Jerusalem. He is frequently featured in television documentaries including the History Channel, Discovery, and National Geographic.
DeWayne Coxon is the founder and President of Blossoming Rose. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University and was in college administration and teaching for many years before becoming curator of Biblical Tamar Park in Israel. He has visited Israel well over 150 times in the last 40 years. His knowledge of Jewish, Christian and Muslim history gives him a unique perspective on contemporary events taking place in the Middle East. He is the author of the book, “The Crumbling Walls between Christians and Jews” as well as 3 books on renewable energy systems.
Special Guests: Rev. Keith Johnson and Nehemia Gordon (co-authors of “A Prayer to our Father.”) Keith is an ordained United Methodist Minister and Nehemia is Jewish and helped translate the Dead Sea Scrolls. Both hold Master’s degrees, Keith from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Nehemia from Hebrew University. Keith was the chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings and Nehemia is a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. Both will speak during the tour and lead worship in the Galilee at the Horns of Hattin, where they believe Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s prayer.
We will begin our journey as we board our flight to Israel. (We must be at the airport three hours prior to the flight.) Meals will be served during our flight.
We will land at Ben Gurion International Airport where our tour group will be greeted by Dr. Coxon and bus driver Jimmy Aroub. We will head for Jerusalem where we will have dinner, visit with Dr’s Tabor and Coxon, and then spend our first night at the Regency Hotel.
Day 3: (Wednesday – Oct. 27) Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Old City of Jerusalem - Ben Yehuda St.
The day will begin with a panoramic, breathtaking view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. We will walk down to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. The Western Wall will be next and then we will go to the Temple Mount. We will walk down the Via Dolorosa, through the Old City of Jerusalem and to the Jaffa Gate. We will then walk to the Cardo, the Jewish quarter, and perhaps shop in the Old City. We will finish our day on Ben Yehuda Street before returning to our hotel for dinner.
Day 4: (Thursday – Oct. 28) City of David and Mt. Zion archaeology dig
Our second full day in Jerusalem will begin at the newly excavated City of David area and the Pool of Siloam. Walking through this historic part of ancient Jerusalem, built by King David, will be especially meaningful as the sun rises above the Mount of Olives. We will continue on, with Dr. Tabor leading us to his five-year dig just outside the ancient western wall of the City. The Mt. Zion area, including King David’s tomb/Upper room, the Greek property with the huge mikvah behind the Dormitian Abby, and what Dr. Tabor believes near to the place of the Praetorium and Pilate’s Judgment seat, will all be explained by him. This will be an especially meaningful day for us all.
Day 5: (Friday – Oct. 29) Jericho, Qumran, Ein Gedi, and Tamar
We’ll start our day with another great Israeli buffet breakfast and then board our bus and drive to Jericho. On the Jericho road we will see a tree like the one in which Zacchaeus sat as Jesus taught in the ancient city of Jericho in the shadow of the Mount of Temptation. You can go into the archeology site where ancient Jericho (Joshua) is located and then we will shop for fruit and vegetables in Jericho. Driving to the Dead Sea will remind us of the history dating to the time of Lot, the nephew of Abraham and to the burning of Sodom. We will stop at Qumran, the city of the Essenes and the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Dr. Tabor has excavated here and also worked on the Dead Sea Scrolls project. He will lecture on the Scrolls and the caves where they were found. Our walk up to the waterfalls at Ein Gedi will bring to mind the time David hid from King Saul in the mountains. We will continue to drive along side the Dead Sea and arrive at Biblical Tamar Park at dusk where we will be welcomed by Darick and Kate Beishir and the other workers. After a wonderful Sabbath meal in the dining commons we can relax and listen to Dr. Tabor and Dr. Coxon speak on their early experiences at Tamar with Simha Pearlmutter, until we go to our beds and air conditioned rooms.
Day 6: (Saturday – Oct. 30) Sabbath rest, Bible study, and free time
After we awaken and feel the stillness of the desert, we see the sun rising over the Jordanian mountains and hear the small desert birds as they seek their food. We will meet in the dining commons for a cup of American coffee and breakfast. After some singing, we’ll have a Bible study with Dr. Tabor that focuses on his book and thoughts on the “God of Abraham” and where this man and his family lived and their emerging beliefs. All who are ready, willing, and able can climb Prayer Mountain, to the west of Tamar. Or, you can spend time in the ancient Turkish/British building on the top of the tel. This is truly a home away from home, a rustic center in the desert and a great place to be as evening approaches and the Sabbath ends.
Day 7: (Sunday – Oct. 31) Tamar and the Desert experience
After breakfast everyone who wishes will work on our projects according to their gifts and skills. The day will begin with a lecture on archaeology by Dr. Tali Erickson from the Israel Antiquities Authority. She will then go directly to excavate in the Roman quarters for the rest of the day with those who wish to dig. There is ancient wall reconstruction and archaeology work and trees to plant, water, or trim. There are several landscaping duties to beautify the Park and there are housekeeping duties, cooking, painting, carpentry work, plumbing jobs and all kinds of tasks that are readily seen by the creative mind. For those who choose, there can be times of fellowship, prayer, study, praise and worship. The significance (and needs) of this great historical site can sink right into our bones.
After breakfast we’ll have a teaching with Johnson and Gordon and then board our bus and go to Masada, the fortress built by Herod the Great. It is known today as the site where the religious Jews died rather than going into captivity under the Romans. When we leave Masada, we will go down to the shores of the Dead Sea at Ein Bokek, where there are luxury hotels and shops, and float in the warm waters. After a quick shower, we’ll go over to Moshav Id Dan on the border of Jordan. Bob Golan will show us how they farm in the desert. We will return to Tamar for our last evening meal. NOTE: Some of us who have an interest in being involved in our Succoth celebration of 2011 will be trained to construct Succoth dwellings and then become Captains to assist those hardy folks who will join our group next year and actually live like the Israelites did, under Moses, in a “wilderness dwelling” during the days of Succoth at Tamar.
Our bus and driver will be waiting for us at 8:00 am after breakfast and we will drive up Scorpion’s Pass and into Beersheva. We will drive north to Caesarea, and go into the amphitheater and walk the length of that great city on the Mediterranean Sea, departing through the Crusader’s fortress. We will continue to Megiddo and gaze across the valley where wars described in Ezekiel and Revelation may be fought. The sun will be setting as our bus brings us to the beautiful Golden Tulip Hotel in Tiberius.
Day 10: (Wednesday – Nov. 3) Hattin, Sapphoris, Capernium, Golan, Lebanon, Syria, Caesarea Phillipi and boat trip on the Sea of Galilee
We’ll meet in the hotel lobby after a huge breakfast, and board our bus to have devotions at Hattin with Nehemiah Gordon and Keith Johnson and then go on to the ancient city of Sepphoris where Dr. Tabor has excavated. We will continue around the Sea to Capernium, and up into the Golan to Katzrine, the Jewish capital, and then on to the borders of Syria and Lebanon. Caesarea Philippi will be our next stop and then we’ll go for our boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. We will watch the sun set and then go to our hotel and enjoy our last night in Israel.
Day 11: (Thursday – Nov. 4) Jordan River, Beit Shean, Jerusalem and Ben Gurion Airport
We will go to the Jordan River, cross over to Beit Shean, and then drive to Jerusalem for last minute shopping. Lunch will be on your own, in Jericho, and then you can choose between the Old City, Ben Yehuda Street or other places of interest in Jerusalem. We will leave for the airport for our overnight flight to the USA in the late evening.
Day 12: (Friday – Nov. 5) Israel to USA
We arrive in the United States where we will board connecting flights home.
$2,995 Entire tour including flight and Tamar experience
From: JFK-Philadelphia-Newark (add-ons not included)
$1,895 Land Tour Only including Tamar
$795 Tamar only, 4 nights with meals
Single Supplement $695 (if available)
Tours Include: Not Included:
-International flight -Flight insurance
-Hotels – breakfast/dinner -Lunches (except at Tamar)
-National Park Passes -Optional entrance fees
-All tips (except housekeeping) -Hotel housekeeping tips ($2 a day)
-All meals at Tamar -Gondola at Masada ($13)
-Galilee Boat ($7)
-City of David entrance fee ($7)
For additional information contact: