Day 24. Last day in Jerusalem. Highlight was a long discussion with Moshe Kempinski about Judaism. Ate falafel one more time at our favorite place by Damascus gate. Did the rampart walk (walking the walls of the Old City). Now we are waiting for about 5 hours to board our flight. …
Bentons' Israel and Jordan Trip
Day 23
Last day in Jordan: Breakfast at our hotel in Amman; Rabbath (capital of the Ammonites; David sends Uriah here to his death); Madaba (famous mosaic of the wandering of Israel); Mt Nebo (possible site of this important mountain). …
Day 22
Another long day. Spent 4 hours at Petra. Then on to Edomite territory (Busayra and Wadi Dana). Then on to Moabite territory (Arnon Valley). Then Dibon. Now we are headed back to Amman for a late supper and sleep. We were at Petra at 7:30 AM. We won’t get to our hotel in Amman until 8:30 PM. 7 miles …
Day 21
Very long day traveling from Israel to Jordan. It took us 4 hours to get across the Jordanian border. We drove through Amman to get to Jerash. Then we saw the Jabbok River and then to Petra. …
Day 20
Free day in Jerusalem before we enter Jordan tomorrow. So the pics are random shots of our day! We walked 11 miles. …
Day 19
Day 19. Headed west from the Sea of Galilee to Caesarea Maritime: Zippori, Mount Carmel, Caesarea Maritime! This is our last guided excursion day in Israel. Tomorrow we rest here in Jerusalem. Saturday morning we leave for Jordan. Here we read Acts 1:8. What does the uttermost parts mean in …
Day 18
Day 18. Sea of Galilee: Boat ride; Magdala (home of Mary Magdalene); Capernaum; Corazin; Sermon on the Mount; Swimming in the Sea of Galilee. …
Day 17
Exploring the Hula Basin (north of the Sea of Galilee): Cliffs of Arbel; Tel Hazor; Tel Dan/Caesarea Philippi; Golan Heights (and looked down on to Syria). …
Day16
Day 16. Today was our first day in the region of Galilee: Bet She’an; Jezreel; Megiddo, and Nazareth! …
Day 15
Day 15. Our big event today was our class preparing us for our days in Jordan. Tomorrow we head to Galilee for 4 days. We then come back to Jerusalem for a day and then on to Jordan. After class we sought out some street food for lunch. We walked 11 miles today. …
Day 14
Free day with 2 hour class this afternoon in preparation for Galilee (we leave early Monday AM for Galilee). Went to the Israel museum this morning. …
Day 13
Day 13. Samaria: Mt Gerazim and Mt Ebal (see Deut. 28-30). Ancient Shechem. The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Samaria. …
Day 12
Day 12. Dead Sea Day: Masada, Wadi Arugut at En Gedi, Qumran, and Swimming in the Dead Sea! …
Day 11
Day 11. Farthest south of our trip! We were actually close to Egypt. We ended in the land of the Nabateans! …
Day 10
Day 10. Went south into the lowlands (Shephelah) just east of the Philistine controlled coastal plain. We ended up just one mile from the Gaza Strip before heading into the Negev to our hostel tonight in Arad, Israel! …
Day 8
Day 8. Benjamin Field Study. The region of the tribe of Benjamin was a strategic east to west passage across Israel. We looked at it today from Jericho (east) to Gezer (west). My favorites were the Judean wilderness (where Jesus would have been tempted in Matthew 4) and the shephelah (lowlands) …
Day 7
Day 7. Mount of Olives. Garden of Gethsemane. The Herodium. Bethlehem. Our first day leaving Jerusalem on the bus and looking at the different approaches to Jerusalem. …
Day 6
Day 6. Free day. Pics in order from beginning to end. Visited Machaneh Yehudah Market. In the afternoon we went to the garden tomb. This evening is Shabbat (Sabbath). Many Orthodox Jews head toward the west wall for synagogue. Walked 9 1/2 miles. …
Day 5
Day 5. Started the morning out with an Israeli bomb squad making our group leave the area we were in because of a threatening backpack left behind by someone. Joined in with a bar mitzvah celebration. Saw steps where Jesus could have walked when entering the temple and a place where money …
Day 4
Day 4. Old Testament walk this morning. Walked c. 1/3 mile in the tunnel Hezekiah built to bring water inside Jerusalem’s wall. Saw the excavated ruins of David’s palace and an original corner of Nehemiah’s wall. Attended a lecture this afternoon. Went to the west wall of the Temple Mount this …