A trip to Israel, How hard will it be?

Many people fear overseas travel, lots of walking on tours, odd foods, strange customs, foreign languages, attacks, or various other types of hardships that will face them on foreign soil. They quote a line from the Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home,” and choose to remain at home.

A view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

While there is nothing wrong with home (there are a lot of built in comforts created by the homeowner), the person who refuses to travel also robs themselves of great experiences. The person who chooses to stay at home will miss out on a fantastic opportunity offered through a 14 day trip to the Holy Land in May 2018. People who chooses to travel to Israel will enjoy a great adventure, will see where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, and almost every other person listed in the Bible walked and lived, and will come away with new understanding of what they hear at Church every Sunday.

The Synagogue at Migdal where Jesus taught

But will the trip be hard people ask. And I answer, except for a long flight across the Ocean and Europe, the trip will not be hard. And any hardship in the flight is well rewarded on the ground as we walk the Bible, hear history, and see the events of the Bible come to life.

One choice on the Israeli Breakfast menu

Our daily schedule on our 14 day trip to Israel begins with a breakfast banquet with fruits, different egg dishes, cereal, cheeses and many other items. In some places we will discover new dishes like shakshuka. The one thing many people will note is that there are not many meats. Orthodox Jews who keep a kosher diet do not mix meat and milk. Breakfast is a dairy meal. We will have time to eat, and to talk with others around the breakfast table.

Comfortable buses for traveling

Following breakfast we will board the bus. Our trip is arranged in a way that many nights we stay in the same hotel for several nights. On days when we move to different lodgings, we will leave our luggage outside the door of our room, and porters will pick up the luggage and have it at the bus to load (and for us to check) before we board. Tips to the hotel workers are included in the trip payment.

Some people take naps while riding the bus between stops

The bus which we will enjoy during the entire length of our trip has comfortable seats which recline. On longer drives some people will go to sleep. The windows are large so we have good visibility as our driver navigates the smooth roads of Israel and the West Bank. There is a shelf above the seat to store any items (like water, hats and souvenirs) which we carry with us.

After the bus drops us off in Joppa, it parks here

We exit the bus close to most attractions. When there is a walk the tour is planned in a loop so those who tire can sit down and the group will return. Extra time is included on each stop so those who are more adventurous and can go further. Those who are limber will have a chance to climb into the caves in Qumran. On lengthier hikes, such as on Mount Arbel our through the Wilderness of Zin non-climbers can wake up a little later and meet us at the top of the mountain, or ride the bus to the end of the hike.

Hiking Zin Canyon where Moses and Israel camped

While on our trip we will see and hear the customs of the people in Israel. We will learn the differences between Secular Jews and the Orthodox. We will also learn and talk about different groups of Muslims, Palestinians, the devout, the secular and the Druze. We will talk about clothing, traditions, prayers and lifestyle. We will learn about the culture of the people historically, traditionally and currently. We will see and experience the people within the protective bubble of our tour group, which is large enough to prevent culture shock.

Shopping in Jerusalem - there are always people

We will hear and learn foreign languages of the people in Israel. We will gain new words in Hebrew and Arabic. We will learn greetings like “good morning” and words of appreciation like “thank you.” The new words are not required, just interesting.

These new friends in Joppa know how to speak our language

Many people fear violence while in Israel. On my tours to Israel, and the trips taken by millions of other pilgrims not one single incident of fear has occurred. Israel depends on the tourist industry, so we will find we are protected by the Israeli military in any area which could be high risk. We will find we are protected from areas where violence might occur. The nation of Israel sends out warnings and schedules which help us avoid any problems which could occur. Our Israeli tour guide and bus drivers are well acquainted with protocol and have been hired to keep us safe.

There is always protection around when you need it

While we are traveling we will be given time for lunch. The normal day will end with a generous supper banquet. At supper we will be able to choose between various salads, meats, vegetables and desserts. There will also be fruits, there are always locally grown fruits in Israel. I love the fresh dates.

Our lodging on the Sea of Galilee. Date Palms in background

In the evening people can go to bed early, or take a nighttime side trip.  In the desert or in Galilee these evening gatherings or often devotionals or teachings. There will be opportunities to meet interesting people at our kibbutz in rural areas. In Jerusalem we will walk to the Western Wall (Kotel), to overviews of the city, to interesting shops and to sights not seen by many tourists.

Travel brochure. Check it out on the link below!

Our trip to Israel will be taken in luxury. We will see the sites and sights but we will avoid most of the hardships people fear in a foreign land. We will be with people who are very familiar with customs of the people and American needs. Any issue will be navigated without difficulties faced by those who must go it alone. The customs and culture created for our tour group will result in an enjoyable and informative trip filled with many memorable experiences. The 14 day trip to the Holy Land in May 2018 is something you do not want to miss! Sign up today and receive a discount.