Sunday, June 30 Full Day tripThis year on Sunday, June 30, we offer a full day bus trip to visit historic Masada, an ancient fortress, that has great historic significance, and see how archaeologists have worked to recreate the 2,000-year-old site.
6:55 am . Use the toilet since there are no toilets on the bus.
7:00 am Leave your hotel for your short walk to the Pickup Point (the corner of Ha'nevi'im and Harav Kuk Streets https://is.gd/xKlD53). Bring your own water and sunscreen. We will provide afternoon snacks and have some water on board. We will also provide a special ISI gift of a foldable insulated bag suitable for a sandwich and apple.
ISI Hats. We will hand out ISI hats to all participants (delegates and guests) on the trip. Wear your hats (or attach them to your bag) because they help us all to identify one another in crowds.)
Name Badges (found in your packet). You and your guests need to wear your conference name badge to all conference activities, including the excursions and the banquet. One of the purposes of the excursion is to help us all get acquainted with one another.
If you are staying in one of the three conference hotels, you will have already received your conference packet with your and your guest’s Name Badge. If you didn’t, ask reception.
If you didn’t tell us where you are staying or are staying on your own, we will bring your packet to the pickup point.
Get on Buses as soon as they arrive. The buses are not allowed to stand and will leave once all have boarded. We need to get to Masada as early as possible. It is a 2-hour drive. Keep in mind that there are no toilets on the buses!
10 am or earlier.Arrive at Masada, meet the guides, divide into three tour groups. I recommend that those who want to see and hear about everything by walking fast go with the “fast” guide, those who want to take photos of everything form their own slow group to go with the “slow” guide, and others go with the third “just right” guide.
We will take the funicular to the summit. Be warned. We likely will need to wait in line for the lift and it will be hot (about 100-degree F, 39 C)
When you are ready (but no later than 12:15 pm) take the funicular down to the visitors’ center.We will have lunch from 12:30.
1:20 pm – use restrooms and make way for 5-minute walk to Dead Sea Research Institute.
Dead Sea Research Institute
1:30-2:00- DSRI Founding Director David Ben Shabat and Noam Bedein share with us research and projects on 'Saving the Dead Sea'
2:00-2:50- Multimedia presentation: "The Dead Sea Comes Alive"
The trip also takes us to the outskirts of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, and we hear a talk by Noam Bedein about the Dead Sea.
2:50-3:00- Bathroom break and head out to buses.
3:00-4:00. Gather at Kibbutz Ein Gedi’s botanic garden, one of the most gorgeous kibbutzim in Israel for questions and time to answer them. Time for questions and answers about the Dead Sea, Masada, and Kibbutz Ein Gedi from Noam and a Kibbutznik.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Return to drop off point in Jerusalem at corner of Ha'nevi'im and Harav Kuk Streets.Tomorrow, unless you want to find your own way to campus, you will catch the bus to campus at this location; it leaves at 8:00 am. Enjoy your evening.
Delegates get together before the conference for one day to unwind, get to know each other in a personal way, and learn. One of the purposes of this is to build lasting trust relationships that enable future collaborative research across continents and fields of discipline.
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Also, we offer to all delegates attending the Paper Sessions a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem that highlights sites of significance to three religions. This walking tour takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 3 (tentatively starting at 3 pm) and is without charge for all delegates and their guests.
Since we will be visiting sites of religious signifance, you will need to dress modestly (that is, no shorts or sleeveless tops).
Tentatively, the 3-hour walking tour will start at Jaffa Gate, pass along the Tower of David (without entering the site), visit the Christian quarter's Muristan Market and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and then continue to the Via Dolorosa, the 14 Stations of the Cross. At the Muslim quarter we will climb to some roofs to enjoy a panoramic view.
We then walk towards the Jewish quarter where we will view the Cardo and its replica of the Madaba map mosaic. We will enjoy a lookout over Temple Mount by the Golden Menorah and visit the famous Western Wall.
Those who wish to spend more time in the Old City are welcome to do so. The guide will take the rest back to the Jaffa Gate, which is a 15 minute walk to the hotels through downtown Jerusalem.
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Israel is a small country, and there is so much more to see. We will assist you in making plans to visit the sites that you want to visit. 
Whatever your interests, archeology, history, religion, enjoying the sun and surf, floating in the dead sea, food, museums, or just hanging out, you will be enchanted with Israel. It is easy to get around this tiny country by public transportation or rental car, and there is so much to see.
(If you are like us and like to visit universities, we can give you some advice.)
Some of the highlights include the Jerusalem, with its churches, religious sites for many religions, and its magnificent Israel Museum. Bethlehem is nearby. Visit Masada and then float in the Dead Sea. Like busy cities, visit Tel Aviv and see its nightlife and street art. Visit the Negev by Jeep and see how Israel is reclaiming the desert. Or go north to Caesarea and Haifa. Or west to the disputed areas of Samaria, the east of Jordan.
Christians will want to visit Old Town Jaffa and St. Peter's Church, and Simon the Tanner, the center of early Christians Caesarea Maritima (Acts 9:30 Acts 10:24 -48), Mount Carmel (Muchraka), where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets. Jezerel Valley to visit the town Jesus lived in Nazareth (Luke 1:26, Luke 4:16 Luke 4:29, Matthew 2:23), and enjoy a beautiful view from the top of Mt. Precipice, also known as Mt. of Precipitation, and Mount of the Leap of the Lord believed to be the site of the rejection of Jesus, described by Luke (Luke 4:29 Luke 4:30), we continue to the Church of Annunciation. Visit the Jesus Boat near Kibbutz Nof Ginosar, and in the Golan Heights, the Banias, ancient Ceasarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13 and Mark 8:27) where Jesus said “On this rock I will build my Church.” This is two of the 10 day Christian Tour by IsraelTours.co.
