Passion Play & Holy Land-SOLD OUT!

THE PASSION PLAY AND THE HOLY LAND

SOLD OUT! 
Israel ∙ Germany

June 23 - July 3, 2010
This tour features the Oberammergau Passion Play

                            ISRAEL ONLY availble June 23 - July 1

Director: Victor L. Ludlow
Price: $3400 land only, per person based on double occupancy    
(Group Air on Alitalia from JFK and includes the flight Tel Aviv to Munich)
                                                                                                                                        

Days 1–2: Wednesday & Thursday, June 23 & 24    U.S.A. •  Tel AvivWe will leave our homes, take flights from various U.S.A. airports, and change planes at various airports for our flight to Israel.  We’ll arrive late the next afternoon at the Ben Gurion Airport─which is near New Testament Lydda, where Peter healed Aeneas.  Then we will drive up to Jerusalem and check in to the Olive Tree Hotel for four nights, where we’ll have dinner and a brief meeting before retiring for the night.

Day 3: Friday, June 25                                   Jerusalem • Temple Mount

We will enter the Old City through the Dung Gate to tour the Temple Mount or Mount Moriah─site of the ancient temples of Solomon and Herod, the magnificent Dome of the Rock, and the El Aksa Mosque. (These two sites, which are tied to so much sacred and secular history, are currently closed to non-Muslims.) Then we will visit the Western Wall of the Herodian temple courtyard, a site sacred to Jews today, where we will probably observe Jewish bar mitzvahs at Judaism’s holiest shrine. We will continue on to the site of the Pool of Bethesda and the Church of St. Anne to sing hymns and to discuss John 5. In the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, we will visit the Roman Cardo. After taking time in this area for lunch and some shopping, we will walk through the narrow market streets in the Arab Bazaar to experience more sights, sounds, and smells of the Old City. We will walk through the City of David ruins, which give us an idea of the Jerusalem that Nephi knew. We will walk through the Arab area of east Jerusalem and spend some time in the Christian Quarter, the area between the Jaffa Gate and the Damascus Gate, where we will visit the major shrine of Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Next we will go to the Damascus Gate and make our first visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb.  Following dinner at the hotel, we will have a special fireside.

Day 4: Saturday, June 26                 Sabbath in Jerusalem • Bethlehem

We will begin our Sabbath attending services with the Jerusalem Branch in the beautiful auditorium of the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, with its spectacular view of the Holy City. Immediately following the meetings, if possible, we’ll take a tour of the Jerusalem Center, including its gardens. In the afternoon, we will travel to nearby Bethlehem, site of the Savior’s birth, and visit the Church of the Nativity, including St. Jerome’s Grotto, where the Latin Vulgate Bible was completed.  Following dinner at the hotel, we will visit Shepherds’ Field, which overlooks Bethlehem, and review the biblical events connected with this area in a special evening “Christmas” program.

Day 5: Sunday, June 27 Jerusalem • Masada • Dead Sea • Ein Gedi • Qumran

An early morning drive will take us through the wilderness of Judea to the Jordan Valley and then south along the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. Then we will take the cable car to the top of Masada to see the ruins of the palace-fortress built by King Herod and to recall the story of the Zealots’ last stand against the Romans. As we drive back north, we will stop for a quick float in the Dead Sea and lunch at Ein Gedi, one of the areas where David hid from King Saul. Then we’ll drive on to Qumran, home of many of the Dead Sea Scrolls. During our return to Jerusalem, we will discuss the history and importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Day 6: Monday, June 28              Jesus’ Last Days in Jerusalem

Today we will walk from the Mount of Olives down to Bethphage as we focus on the events of the last week of the Savior’s life, beginning with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will also visit the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden, where we will discuss aspects of LDS and BYU history in the Holy Land while enjoying a breathtaking  view of Old Jerusalem. Then we will proceed down the west side of the Mount of Olives and stop at a lookout point to discuss more of the Savior’s final week. We will continue down the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane before traveling to Mount Zion and the location of the Upper Room, a reminder of the Last Supper and the ordinance of the sacrament. At St. Peter in Gallicantu, the probable site of the palace of Caiaphas, we will discuss Peter and the trials of Jesus. Our day will conclude at Golgotha, the place of the Crucifixion, and the Garden Tomb─where we will have a private service to consider the final mortal events in the life of the Savior and the glorious events of His Resurrection. Dinner and a special meeting will follow at the hotel.

Day 7: Tuesday, June 29  Galilee • Capernaum • Mt. Beatitudes • Nazareth

Today we will take an early morning drive to the Galilee and visit Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, where He performed many miracles and gave many teachings, including His “Bread of Life” sermon. We will pass St. Peter’s Primacy on our way to the Mount of Beatitudes, where the important Sermon on the Mount will be discussed. We will then drive to the lovely city of Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, where we will visit the Nazareth Village (developed to show life as it existed at the time of Jesus) and briefly reflect on His early life. As we turn to the Sea of Galilee area, we will enter the Beit Netofa Valley and pass by the remains of biblical Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. We will overnight at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar and hopefully we will have an opportunity to witness a beautiful Sea of Galilee sunset.

Day 8: Wednesday, June 30       Galilee • Mount Carmel • Haifa • Caesarea

After an early breakfast, we will take an exhilarating boat ride across the Sea of Galilee.  We will then travel east to the top of Mount Carmel at Muhraka, the traditional site of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, to enjoy a view of the Jezreel Valley and discuss the importance of this valley anciently and now.  We will stop in Haifa (modern port of Israel and center of the Baha’i faith), for a view and recount some LDS Church history related to this area and then along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Roman New Testament seaside capital, Caesarea. Here in the ancient Roman Theater, we will study some biblical events involving Peter and Paul that happened in this place. We will check in to the Seasons Hotel in Netanya for the night.

Day 9: Thursday, July 1      Munich s Dachau s Neuschwanstein Castle

In the morning, we will drive to the airport and fly to Munich, Germany.  After clearing customs we will visit one of the first WWII Concentration camps in the village of Dachau.  Next will travel to Fussen and visit the fairytalecastle Neuschawnstein built by King Ludwig and said to be the inspiration for the castle at Disneyland. We will overnight in the area near Oberammergau. (Those not going to Germany will fly home to the U.S.A. from Tel Aviv)

Day 10: Friday, July 2                                   Passion Play

Today we will spend the day attending the Passion Play based on the life of Christ.  This once every 10 year event will be a wonder as you watch members of this tiny community portray the life of Christ in honor of the miracle which saved their town from a devastating plague hundreds of years ago.

Day 11: Saturday, July 3          Munich s USA

This morning we will return back to the USA after our wonderful time in Israel and seeing the Passion Play. 

(above itinerary and prices are subject to change)

 
***Important notice:  Itinerary, dates and price are subject to change***

Price includes:

·         Deluxe motor coach transportation

·         Local guides

·         Hotel accommodations in moderate-class hotels

·         Sightseeing tours as outlined on the itinerary

·         Passion Play ticket

·         Entrance fees

·         Informational books

·         Travel bags and belt packs

·         Gratuities (to drivers, guides, restaurants and hotel staff)

·         Group Travel Insurance

•   All breakfast and dinner meals in Holy Land & Germany (some   lunches may be substituted for a dinner)

 Tour price does not include:
• Round-trip international airfare (upon request –  group airfare available September 2009) Note: Do not purchase airline tickets without consulting with LDS Travel Study.  There is a minimum amount of passengers needed to operate this tour.
• Additional airport transfers (available upon request)
• Single occupancy supplement
• Passport fees
• Meals not indicated on the itinerary
• Extra sightseeing tours and entrance fees not outlined on the itinerary
• Items of a personal nature (i.e. phone calls, room service, laundry service, internet, etc.)
• Individual travel insurance and cancellation protection

For tour information contact:

LDS TRAVEL STUDY TOURS

Questions on payments, air and tours—contact Karen:

 515 S. 700 E. Suite 1B, Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Toll Free 866-277-0900—801-483-6565—Fax 801-483-6366

kgerlach@ldstravelstudy.com

Questions on the land itinerary: call Haws Marble:  801-815-1387

hmarble@ldstravelstudy.com or marble761@comcast.net

Find us on the Web at www.ldstravelstudy.org

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