In the Footsteps of Freemasonry MASONIC TRIP TO ISRAEL June 3-9, 2020
Wednesday, 3 June – Layers of History
- Depart for northern Israel.
- Visit the ruins of Caesarea, where Peter accepted Cornelius as the first gentile convert to Christianity, including its Roman Theater, Amphitheater, Hippodrome and Promontory Palace. Then hear the story of paratrooper Hanna Senesh and her poem Walking to Caesarea, better known as the song Eli, Eli.
- Travel to Acco.
- Enjoy lunch at Crusader restaurant in the Knights Halls in Acco to be joined by some brethren from the renowned Acco Lodge.
- Tour Acco’s the vast underground Crusader Knights Halls Fortress and look out across Haifa Bay from its high walls which withstood Napolean.
- Late afternoon boat ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Sea of Galilee
Check in to your hotel by the Sea of Galilee.
Dinner at hotel
Overnight: Tiberias [B, D]
Thursday, 4 June – Beatitudes, Yardenit ,Jordan Valley ,Dead Sea
- Tour Christian holy sites around the Sea of Galilee:
- Capernaum – Where Jesus began his Ministry in the Galilee
- Drive by Tabgha, traditional site of the Multiplication of the Fish and the Loaves.
- Visit the Mt. of the Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
- Visit to the Yardenit Baptismal Site on the Jordan River – personal baptism opportunity available.
- Drive through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea region
Check in to your hotel by the Dead Sea.
Dinner at hotel
Overnight: Dead Sea [B, D]
Friday, 5 June – Freedom Fighters or Fanatics?
- Enjoy the free morning to take advantage of the SPA facilities of your resort, or a Swim in the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth
- Depart for a visit to Massada
- Ascend Masada by cable car. Tour the ruins of King Herod’s mountain top palace and last outpost of Jewish independence.
- Tour the ruins of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and hear about the ascetic sect which lived there 2,000 years ago (time permitting).
- Ascend to Jerusalem
- Look out over the Old City of Jerusalem and Temple Mount from Mt. of Olives.
Check in to your Hotel in Jerusalem.
Overnight and dinner: Jerusalem [B, D]
Saturday, 6 June – Jerusalem Then and Now
- Explore the Southern Wall Excavations and the Davidson Center to learn more about the remarkable archaeological discoveries regarding the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.
- Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent his last night of freedom and see its amazing ancient olive trees.
- At Zedekiah’s Cave (Solomon’s Quarries), where the first Masonic Lodge in the Holy Land, the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge No. 293, met on May 7, 1873
- Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
- Visit the Jewish Quarter and Christian Quarter and enjoy some free time for browsing in the colorful Arab Market.
- Visit the Western Wall – Judaism’s holiest site
Back to hotel for Dinner
Overnight: Dan Hotel, Jerusalem [B, D]
Sunday, 7 June – Holocaust, Remembrance and Continuity
- Guided tour of Yad Vashem Israel’s national Holocaust memorial and museum, including the Holocaust History Museum and Children’s Memorial. Children under age 10 are not permitted in Yad Vashem’s historical museum).
- Tour the Garden Tomb, an alternative site for the crucifixion, according to some Protestant traditions.
- Then visit Bethlehem, including the Church of the Nativity (Subject to avail)
- Masonic meeting the Lodge of the Holy Land No. 50 followed by dinner at the hotel, to be joined by Jerusalem brethren and ladies/our children.
- Optional evening activity:
Watch the Night Spectacular – Sound and light show at the Tower of David.
Overnight: Dan Hotel, Jerusalem [B, D]
Monday, 8 June – Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa
- Drive on Highway 1 to Tel Aviv
- Tour Old Jaffa, the charming ancient port city once known as Zion Gate from which Jonah tried to flee and where Solomon brought the Cedars of Lebanon on his way to build the Temple in Jerusalem. Hear about Peter’s vision in Jaffa and its deep impact of on Jewish-Christian relations and the Masonic Legend of the Apron.
- Stroll down Rothschild Boulevard to see the Bauhaus architecture for which central Tel Aviv was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Visit the new Israel Innovation Center, located in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, to learn through its interactive exhibit about new advancements by Israeli Start-Ups in fields such as technology, communications, medicine, security, aero-space and more.
Lunch on your own and free time to explore the Nachalat Binyamin Crafts Fair. Check-in to the Dan Panorama Hotel on Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean Coast.
Dinner & Overnight: Dan Panorama Hotel, Tel Aviv [D]
