Israel - Twins Biblical Academy - Online Courses

Testimony of Andre

For Books order click the link below:

https://www.onefridayinjerusalem.com/shop

 

For donations click the link below:

https://www.twinstours.org/becomeapartner

 

Connect with us on Social Media:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/twinstours

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/andre.moubarak

Instagram: http://instagram.com/twinstours

 

Feel free to email me if you like to join the new online video teachings andremoubarak@gmail.com

Heading to the Holy Land Intro

Welcome to Season 2 of my podcast Show

Heading to the Holy Land

How to prepare, Plan and Pray for a life-changing Journey

Everything You Need to Know to Bring Your Group to Israel

 

But where do you start? What do you need to know? What must you do, and when, and how?

 

Heading to the Holy Land Podcast lays it all out for you simply and clearly. Step by step, this podcast will equip you with all the practical information to enjoy a landmark journey of faith and heart.

 

We will talk about Everything you need to know: We will talk about financial planning, travel pointers, important legal matters, what to wear, ethical, and cross-cultural considerations, and many many more things. Drawing on decades of my experience, as a professional tour guide I will answers all your questions—even the ones you might not think to ask.

 

I want to share with you how this podcast came into reality. I have been a tour guide for more than twenty years. Those twenty years, like twenty days,  passed in a blink of an eye, I did not feel the time at all. Our lives are significant in this world, and every minute of our life is valuable, especially as a teacher of scripture. I always say, “Time waits for nobody, and nobody waits for time.”

since the very first group I ever guided and before gaining all this experience, many pastors Tour Leaders group members encouraged me to gather all this information.  Finally, I did it! Two decades worth of material from Twins Tours & Travel were collected into this practical podcast Show Heading to the Holy Land –  How to prepare, Plan, and pray for a life-changing Journey

Basically, any person with a vision to bring a group to Israel, and yet has no idea where to start and what to do, this podcast show is for you – Heading to the Holy Land.

Heading to the Holy Land is a Podcast Show that explains from A to Z   all the steps on how to prepare a group visiting Israel. This Podcast will equip you with the right information on how to understand the Holy Land.  All this is designed to help you become a GREAT and equipped Tour Leader, managing your group in Israel and even to prepare you before you arrive.

One last thing, part of my vision for this podcast is to bring more kingdom transformation to the many groups that visit Israel. I long in my heart for God’s people to see the Land of the Bible – Israel is full of spiritual treasures that is buried in the heart of this world in the Middle East. When you visit the Holy land, this treasure will be yours, and the Word of God will come alive in a way you haven’t experienced before.

I pray that this podcast show will inspire every Tour Leader, every Minister of the gospel, every church member, or even anyone even you as an individual pilgrim to come to this land of the Bible and meet with us.

We invite you to join us on this podcast show that will enrich and deepen your faith in the land where Jesus walked, died, and rose from the dead.

A trip to Israel is much more than just a vacation or a sightseeing trip; it is a life-transforming experience that will enable you and your group to encounter the land of the Bible and the ministry of Christ in its historical and geographical context.

Touring the Holy Land is an exciting way to visit Israel yourself and share the experience with others that you bring along, it is a vocation and ministry to which many people are called.

As God leads, we hope that you prayerfully consider partnering with Twins Tours  in leading a group to Israel.

We are here to walk you through the process, this podcast show is made for you so do not hesitate to contact us if you need any assistance or have any questions that we did not address in this podcast.

We pray that you will enjoy the show and get ready and excited to visit Israel.

 

Connect with us on Social Media & Subscribe to the YouTube channel to receive more online teachings.

 

A new online teaching program on my YouTube channel - Subscribe for FREE - No Payments or Personal info required— or send me your email to receive my online teachings in the near future.

 

Please Share!

For Books order click the link below:

https://www.onefridayinjerusalem.com/shop

 

For donations click the link below:

https://www.twinstours.org/becomeapartner

 

Connect with us on Social Media:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/twinstours

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/andre.moubarak

Instagram: http://instagram.com/twinstours

 

Feel free to email me if you like to join the new online video teachings andremoubarak@gmail.com

 

For Free online Courses click the link below

www.andremoubarak.com

 

Blessings

Mission and vision Statement of Twins Tours

In this podcast we will give a general introduction about Twins Tours, we will talk about twins Tours Mission statement, the Vision of Twins Tours , and at the end we will be   talking about Twins Tours Team.   

Twins Tours & Travel LTD is a local Christian Travel agency specializing in building customized tour packages to the Holy Land. You will Experience the Bible’s living history first-hand as you retrace the path of the Patriarchs and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It is our aim that you and your fellow travelers will gain greater insight into the Scriptures as you connect with the land and the local Body of Christ. It has been both humbling and a privilege to see numerous lives transformed as our groups experience the God of the Scripture on a personal level through the intentional interaction with the Land of the Bible.

Our Mission Statement

To provide a journey of identity through learning the culture, the customs, and the context of Scripture through Jesus’ Middle Eastern eyes, mind, and heart.

 

Our Experience

In our experience of more than 20 years, most people leave this land changed forever. For those who have never been to Israel, it is hard to describe how much of a difference it makes to come and stand in the land of the Bible and see it for yourself. We have often heard it described as suddenly seeing in color after living in a world of black and white. There is no doubt that coming to the Holy Land will inject new life into

 

the faith walk of each tour participants with Jesus of Nazareth, and unveil a new appreciation for His Word.

In addition to offering Biblical study tours, we also offer a variety of tours, each with a different focus:

• Biblical Study Tours
• Faith Pilgrimages
• Service/Volunteer/Ministry Projects
• Intercessory Prayer Journeys
• Personally Customized/Specialized/Themed or Concept Tours
• Conferences/Concerts

 

Twins Tours  Vision Statement

We  pursue  unity  between the Western and Eastern Churches by building bridges in personal interaction between the living stones to foster relationships of mutual blessing and understanding between them. Through personal experience, God gives revelation of  His heart for every tongue, tribe, and nation which matures the Body of Christ in bringing reconciliation, unity, and a testimony that Jesus is Lord.

To achieve these goals, we invite groups to experience the Holy Land and its people in depth from an indigenous Evangelical Christian perspective. Come join us in bringing your prayers to life!

 

Detailed Vision Statement

We pursue a real unity which does not imply becoming homogenous or agreeing on everything. Real unity recognizes that no man (or culture) is an island. We each have strengths and weaknesses and we benefit from diversity when we achieve unity that produces mutual blessing.

Achieving unity requires a revelation from God on three levels:

 

1. Awareness – God reveals to us that there are Christians from a completely different culture and with a completely different history

– Middle Eastern Christians.

2. Awareness begins with realizing that there are Palestinians Christians which are not Muslim background believers (MBBs) but rather Christians from birth and often for many
3. Awareness continues with the revelation that Jesus didn’t give His disciples the King James Bible with His words in red. Jesus spoke Hebrew and Aramaic. Middle Eastern Christians today speak the same Semitic languages of Aramaic, Hebrew and
4. Awareness, ultimately, includes revelation that Jerusalem is the birthplace of all Christianity and not the Western Nations which receive the most media attention. There is something holy and rooted about Eastern Christianity that Western Christianity only vaguely knows exists!
5. Understanding – God reveals the culture and history of these Middle Eastern Christians and gives us the ability to see how they Their perspective of the scripture becomes one in which we understand and can also access.
6. Appreciation – God reveals his heart for these Middle Eastern Christians and the beauty He sees in that culture and perspective. Co-founder Tony likes to say, “We still carry the smell of Christ.” It may be different and because it is foreign, that smell may not appeal at But with understanding and connection, a level of unity can be achieved which produces appreciation for the Middle Eastern Christians and the “smell of Christ” still present in this culture. Appreciation begins with humility of seeing weaknesses in one’s own culture/perspective that could be strengths in the other cultures/perspectives.
7. Appreciation also realizes that Eastern Christianity may look very different and have weaknesses, but the strengths Western Christianity has to offer must come from a place of service and not superiority.
8. Appreciation also includes a decision not to vilify any of the groups in the Middle East: Jews, or Palestinians. The saying is, “If you choose, you ”

The Western and Eastern Churches which Twins Tours is trying to unify has  many  distinct  differences. As mentioned previously, it is to be aware of these differences, understand these differences, and ultimately, appreciate these differences. Here are some of the noteworthy differences:

 

Western Christianity

Romance Languages (English, Spanish, latin etc.)

Organizational Individualistic Rigid/Boxy

Formal without many customs Values Mind and Thought Theoretical

Timely

 

Eastern Christianity

Semitic Languages (Aramaic, Hebrew, Arabic)

Relational Communal Fluid

Informal with many customs Values Heart and Emotions Action-oriented Improvisational

 

These Christian communities also differ tremendously in their history. These historical differences impact the perspective of Christians from these communities even today. Western Christianity was integrated with national governments even ruling over large sections of Europe at times. This produced a more hierarchal oriented  Christianity and one which naturally thinks institutionally. Eastern Christianity began with almost 400 years of persecution and attempted to survive under various ruling nations and people. This produced a community oriented relationally.

Both Western and Eastern churches have valuable natural strengths and Twins Tours would like to help each side to be aware, understand and ultimately appreciate those strengths. We recognize that our rich indigenous Christian heritage and culture utilizing the Aramaic and Hebrew sources of scripture can be an asset to Western Christians.

Twins Tours serves as a natural bridge because of its connection to Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Arab Christians, Arab Muslims, and Western Christians. We want to help others build bridges in personal interaction in three main ways:

1. Bridging to Arab Christians
2. Bridging to Arab Muslims
3. Bridging to Jews

 

A bridge, by definition, is a two-way connection. A weak bridge cannot handle a heavy load. Similarly, a weak relational bridge cannot handle heavy topics and in order to bring true unity, we must be able to talk about the heavy concepts plaguing the Middle East. But we start building and recognize not all relational bridges are ready for the weight of some issues.   We appreciate any and all bridges as they   do represent an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the “other” to an extent.

 

In  the  end, every relational bridge  comes  down  to  a  personal connection. To this end, Twins Tours fosters personal connections between tourists and local communities. The type and depth of connection is dictated by the size of the group.

 

• Ministry: For groups of 10-25 people, these groups get hands on with locals often in their personal
• Interaction: For groups of 26-50 people, these groups visit locals in their ministry
• Exposure: For groups of 51+ people, these groups are visited by locals who share about their life, ministry, and

 

Three quick examples of these opportunities:

A Ministry Group can have one- or two-nights home stay with a Palestinian family in Bethlehem or West Bank. They will enjoy the food prepared by the host and learn the village culture in a way that brings the bible to life. They will hear the family stories and have fun learning from each other. In this way they will understand the daily challenges of the family, build trust, and begin a lifelong friendship.

Though many people want to do “ministry” in Israel and Palestine, we have found that pastors first need to build a relationship with the people before “doing ministry” in order to be effective.

An Interaction Group can have a Shabbat dinner with a Jewish family. They will learn about Shabbat and Jewish family values and the daily life in Israel. They will learn a Jewish perspective that will help the Bible come to life. The experience will probably stay with the group longer than the guide teachings at a given site.

 

An  Exposure  Group  can have a Jewish Rabbi meet the group for a lecture about Jewish-Christian relations. Then that same group can meet a Palestinian Christian farmer and hear his story as well. Another option is to bring a Muslim-background believer (MBB) to share his testimony. These experiences expose the group to a world they may not have even been aware of previously.

For those who want to minister to locals, they must have a relationship with local pastors and appreciation for the good in the culture. It is important not to give solutions until a relationship is established. In the beginning of a relationship, it is important not to judge but just hear the hearts of the people who are hurt and need someone to listen to them.

In this way, a tourist can relate to the history and ancient lessons rooted in the Bible and also to the living stones. We read in 1 Peter 2:5, “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

We are all the living stones which are being built up together. Sometimes tourists forget the local believers who are living stones far more precious than the ancient stones of the Western Wall or Caesarea. They are a holy priesthood with spiritual sacrifices and gifts to give. They are the continuation of 2,000 years of what Jesus started here in the Land. There is a continuation of biblical events with events going on TODAY in the land.

To bring the living stones into unity, the wounds of the past will need to be healed through reconciliation. Some of these wounds include the wealth of the Western church, neglect and even complete ignorance of the Eastern Church, a Western superiority complex, and indigeneity pride of the Eastern church.

 

Clearly, the vision for unity has not yet been achieved. It has grown but the vast majority of the Body of Christ is still far from unified. What will real unity look like when achieved? The mutual appreciation we’ve discussed, will result also in mutual blessing. There will be a cooperation between the different parts of the Body just like the eyes, hands, feet, and ears of our physical bodies work in harmony (1 Corinthians 12:15-25).

“15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the  hand,  “I  don’t  need  you!” And the head cannot  say  to  the  feet,  “I  don’t  need  you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the  parts that are unpresentable  are  treated  with  special  modesty,  24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.”

The strengths of one part of the Body of Christ assist in the weakness of another part. The Body functioning properly is a healthy whole and each part is blessed by being part of the whole.

 

In addition to mutual blessing, unity brings a testimony to unbelievers

(John 17:20-23) and the power of the holy spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

In a land divided by politics, language, and tribal loyalties, unity of believers which transcends politics, language and tribal loyalties is remarkable to the unbeliever. The love of Jesus is given a stage which all can appreciate. The heart of God is not just that as many to be saved as possible in a general sense. It’s not a generic love to mankind, it’s a personal love and appreciation for the beauty of diversity. In the age to come every tongue, tribe, and nation will come up to Jerusalem to worship (Revelation 5:9).

“ 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals, because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased for God

 

persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

We serve Jesus as Lord.  He cares for us and He is our friend, but He  is also our Lord. We serve Him fully with all our heart, mind and soul. Our business is a ministry to build His Kingdom. He is the King of that Kingdom… Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our vision for unity is such that we bend knees together in unity to Jesus as Lord.

Twins Tours chooses to be a sustainable business rather than a donor supported ministry in order to be a source of stability and blessing to others. God provides miraculously for hundreds of ministries in Israel, but our desire is to be a source of stable economic provision for the ministry done by our staff as well as helping subsidize groups who cannot afford to come otherwise. In addition to subsidizing some Ministry Groups, Twins Tours will do once a year a Ministry Group completely free. The group only has to get to Israel and Twins Tours will cover the rest of the costs. Lastly, Twins Tours does familiarization tours for pastors which are also free to them. On familiarization tours, we invest in pastors for a week teaching them how to lead groups on the ground. These activities are only possible from the modest profits from the unsubsidized tours and the books we publish.

Another important part of the vision for Twins Tours is to send out ministers to bring the message of unity to others overseas. Currently Andre travels twice a year for 3-4 months and in the future, we envision, others will also be sent out.

Our Local Vision

Part of the vision of Twins Tours has always been to build up the local believing community by building bridges between Messianic Jews, Palestinian Christians, and the worldwide Church. A service tour is an excellent opportunity for your group to take part in the day-to-day

 

ministries of the ‘living stones’ of this land, and to experience firsthand what God is doing today both in Israel and among the Palestinian Territories.

The Holy Land is larger than you think: Israel, Jordan & Egypt, Lebanon, Syria (Expansion to Turkey, Greece, Rome).

The heart of our vision is to be able to reach the forgotten Christian people especially in the heart of the west bank. Your presence is a big encouragement for the Christians in the west bank who are left and just to connect with them is a big deal. One example is with some of the ministry groups that partner with us, they help in running summer camps through the churches of the land for even simply visiting Christian homes for a dinner eating together at their homes and talking as well as also literally cleaning and painting their homes and villages as well working through the different municipalities.

Though these are little things, but it means a lot for the Christian people living in villages in the heart of the west bank and in the outskirts of Ramallah or one example the Zababdeh village near the city of Jenin. This is where almost no tourists get to and is away from the normal touristic sites. This will unite the west with the east and they will find simple people who want just to live a normal life, Twins Tours will prepare and help the people from the west how to be sensitive to their culture, as Palestinians have tight family relations. For example hugging is not encouraged, as well as when staying at their homes to have marine showers that is a very quick few minutes shower as water is scarce in the west bank and they don’t get water every day, they will find out even the Palestinian Christians don’t have much but they are very hospitable and serve fresh healthy food, coffee and tea. As they will be greeted with something to drink, and it is not nice at all to refuse the first drink, that will break the ice and not to ask immediately for the internet password when you first meet! Only listening to these

people and to their daily struggles is something quite big for them as sometimes they are more open to foreigners. Twins Tours will help the west learn more about the Palestinian culture even help them in Olive harvesting for example as Palestinians are very good farmers, some folklore dance, etc. This way our pilgrims will experience more deeply not only the sites but as well the living stones of the land. It is not necessary to agree with all but try to understand each other.

The Twins Tours Team

Twins Tours office staff looks forward to meeting you and doing our best for your group to have the best experience in the Holy Land. We pray that while you are touring the land of the Bible, you will have a special encounter with the Holy Spirit. We are so excited that you were able to make this trip of a lifetime!

Andre & Marie Moubarak:   Andre is the Co-founder and manager    of Twins Tours and one of the main tour guides. Marie is the Director of Program & Partnership Development, and she has a heart to see visitors and pilgrims encounter the land and the people of Israel in a meaningful, integrity-filled way.

Tony & Sawsan Moubarak: Tony is the Co-Founder of Twins Tours and the main Tour Guide. He also helps manage the office when Andre is outside the country. Sawsan assists in accounting and manages supplier payments. Tony and Sawsan have 2 Children – 12 years old girl and 14 years old boy. Tony loves studying, reading, and writing so that he can teach the Word of God.

Setrag & Sylvia Shemmessian: Setrag is the Reservation Manager  at Twins Tours, he deals with all the hotel bookings, site reservations, and daily emails and communications with all the suppliers. Sylvia, Setrag’s wife, is the Accounting Manager and oversees all financial

 

transactions. They have a newborn child almost 6 months old. Sylvia is Andre, Tony and Albert’s cousin.

Albert Moubarak: Albert is the logistics manager in the office - he communicates with drivers and guides and supports the whole office. Albert and his wife, Rasha, have 3 children, two boys (6.5 yrs. old, 5.5 yrs. old), and one girl (4.5 yrs old).

Celesty Dabbagh: Celesty is the Media Projects Manager and a licensed Tour Guide with a deep love for the land of the Bible. When she is not on tours, she is at the Twins Tours office, creating physical and digital content to enhance and promote the business. Celesty is also Sawsan’s niece.

Our Website to book Tours:

www.twinstours.org

Blessings

Andre

How to Plan & promote your Tour to israel

How to Plan & promote your Tour to israel?

 

1. Establish a leadership team,set your goals,and enlist prayer supporters & find a spiritual covering.

 

Although you do not need any prior experience to lead a tour to Israel, you may want to enlist other individuals to help you in coordinating the details of the trip. You need to Establishing a leadership team of three or two people (Husband & Wife ) (especially if you are coming with a large group) can help drive the overall process and get the word out about the trip. You need to include a group treasurer, who will handle the financial responsibilities for the trip from beginning to end, as well as a tour logistics administrator (getting from their home to the flight and all the way here to Israel). Usually, the church secretary takes care of all the above. The leadership team will ideally be responsible for:

● Communicating with potential tour participants.

● Sending promotional materials and information to churches or individuals.

● Creating and maintaining a list of people who have expressed interest in going to Israel (this is also helpful for organizing future trips to Israel).

 

Coordinating regular meetings, prayer groups, or bible study for tour participants.

More importantly, we urge group leaders and participants to ask for prayer covering before,during, and after your tour. Prayer for strength, safety, and spiritual openness is crucial for the Holy Spirit to bring about life-changing growth.

 

 

2. Requesting the Tour Itinerary

This is where the ‘nuts and bolts’ planning of the tour begins. You will communicate your vision to Andre and Marie his, the Program Director, and together we will customize a meaningful program and tour that accomplishes your vision and goals. We customize each tour according to each church or ministry needs.

 

3. Tour Price Quotation

After the tour itinerary is finalized, a Tour Price Quote will be given by Twins Tours. At this point, the Group Leader will have all the information necessary to plan and make decisions. As the quote is being developed, there are several factors to keep in mind.

– Prices are higher during Jewish holiday times.

– The number of participants will determine how many free places you receive.

– The prices quoted are for double occupancy (There is a single supplement fee for single occupancy rooms).

– The type of hotel will affect prices. 4 stars or 5 stars

 

4. Reserving the Tour

The Tour Leader will then confirm the reservation with Twins Tours for the Tour, with the finalized confirmed dates, by the way better to have the final dates way in advance and that will result in a final contract with a payment schedule. And also At this point, your flight details must be final.

 

5. Prepare marketing materials

Now that your Tour is designed, priced, and air portions are final, having up to date and effective marketing materials is an excellent way to promote it. You may find that setting up a simple website or Facebook Instagram page, or Whats App group is an easy and efficient way to distribute the trip’s promotional materials and any other information.

 

6. Reach out & register participants

The upcoming Tour is now ready to be presented to potential participants in your circle of influence. This would include your church community, ministry partners, and friends as widely as possible by making announcements, short presentations, or hosting an informal ‘Israel Orientation Meeting’ to answer questions, show photos, and promote the tour, or even invite Andre to speak in your church about the trip.

 

7. Payment Terms & Conditions – Payment Schedule: 100 % of the entire amount should be wired 2 months prior to arrival in Israel. Please add any additional sending fees.($40 Varies with each bank & depends on the amount to be wired). For example, if the 100% down payment is $25,000, please send $25,000 + your banks’ sending fees. Twins Tours will absorb the receiving fees on our end. After the transfers are made, immediately notify Twins Tours so we can confirm with our bank. Most international wire transfers take 2 days to one week to receive, depending on holidays, weekends, etc. – Each payment will generate a receipt from Twins Tours with a final invoice showing all payments and any refunds, if applicable.

 

– Any additional costs accrued (such as an additional person added to the tour, etc.) can be paid in later to Twins Tours upon arrival and a receipt will be given. – Group Cancellation: If the group cancels less than 60 days prior to arrival, refunds are not guaranteed, and cancellation fees may be applied. However, if the cancellation is due to the unlikely event of war or national emergency or epidemic, then Twins Tours will retain a small administration fee, and return the bulk of the monies paid. It will depend on each hotel’s willingness to waive the cancellation fee. – Individual Cancellation: If an individual participant cancels less than 14 days prior to arrival, then full refunds cannot be guaranteed, and cancellation fees may be applied. The situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Travel insurance that includes trip cancellation due to illness, injury or medical emergencies is highly advised. – Tips: Tips must be given in cash (in three separate envelopes, labeled ‘tour guide’, ‘bus driver’ and ‘hotel tips’)with one set of envelopes per hotel. These monies go directly from the Tour Leader to the service providers and cannot be included in the wire transfer to Twins Tours & Travel Ltd. Customarily in Israel tips for tour guides, bus drivers and hotel workers are received independent of their salary. – Rates could be subject to change due to possible extreme fluctuations in the US dollar and fuel prices.

 

– Rates are based on these dates only; changes to tour dates may require re-pricing.

– Check-in to hotels on Saturdays are subject to late check-in procedures (up to three hours after the end of Shabbat). We will endeavor to schedule your tours to avoid these late check-in charges on Shabbat.

 

8. Tour Leader Responsibilities

The Tour Leader is responsible for the team that he/she is bringing. This includes having a packet of the following information with them at all times on the tour: a copy of each participants’ passports, emergency contact info, a list of any prescription medications they take, and health insurance information for each participant in case of emergency. If there is a medical emergency or any other type of emergency, Twins Tours will assist the Tour Leader in making decisions on how to resolve the emergency.

 

Twins Tours Management Responsibilities

In the event of a security situation such as rioting, unrest or riots,route changes, accidents, weather conditions, etc. Twins Tours management is ultimately responsible for making the best decisions that might affect the itinerary and touring schedule. Our Tour Guides are in constant communication with law and security authorities about the safety of any location on the itinerary.

 

9. Tour Guide & Driver Working Hours

Tour Guides are restricted to work 9 hours/day. Any additional hours will be billed to the tour budget.Regarding buses,according to Israeli law, the daily limit is 200 kilometers and 9 hours. Extra fees will apply for any additional kilometers or hours.

 

10. Administrative Practical Things Name tags – the Tour Leader will be responsible for printing and bringing name tags for each tour participant. On the back of the name tags, please include the names and phone numbers of the hotels, guides, etc. You can get this information from our office. – Song sheets – many groups like to bring a small list of song sheets for the participants to use during times of worship. – Devotional & Prayer Schedule – many groups often welcome the involvement of their participants and create a devotional and prayer schedule for each day of the tour. If you choose to do this, please have it organized before making the trip here. – Journals – there is so much to see and learn in Israel and in such a short time! By the end of the trip, the days usually start to blur together. Twins Tours offers, for free, a “Twins Tours Study Reader,” which includes journaling pages as well as pictures, maps, and additional study material. If you would like to have it before the trip, it is available in paperback on Amazon.com. Simply search for Twins Tour Study Reader, and you will find it. – Wi-Fi – Most hotels will have areas with free Wi-Fi in the lobby, sometimes in the rooms. Buses have limited Wi-Fi. Also, there are some places in the country with limited cell phone reception, which affects the bus Wi-Fi system. – Hair dryers in hotel rooms – Most hotels have hair dryers, guesthouses do not. So please keep this in mind as you plan your tour. – Israeli cell phone SIM cards – We recommend that the Tour Leader have one for the Tour. Twins Tours can supply each group with one phone line for their time here to receive calls from your home country. We can assist you in obtaining the SIM cards. For tour

 

participants who need to stay connected, it’s advised to get an international calling or data plan from your home country organized before you arrive.

 

– Larger Groups – If your group is larger than forty participants, it is often helpful to have the group broken down into smaller groups with ‘small group leaders’. This structure helps information get distributed quickly to the tour participants, and the small group leaders can help be on the lookout for problems the tour participants may encounter, such as a feeling of isolation, etc.

 

– Buses – Twins Tours have contracts with the two largest bus companies in Israel,with a selection of more than 450 vehicles – ranging from car-derived Mercedes vans for families that have 7 seats (like Mercedes Viano) to a van-based vehicle Mercedes minibus which has up to 16 passenger seats. There are also big buses that can seat up to 55 passengers. All the vehicles are brand new with wifi services.

 

– Audio Devices – for groups larger than 15 people, booking the wireless Whispers system helps make sure that every person in the group is equally able to hear the guide.

– Whatsapp Group – We recommend that the Tour Leader open a Whatsapp group for all the participants (and guide later)to stay in contact for updates and such during the tour.

– People with special needs – please advise us if any tour participants have mobility issues or special dietary needs; we have a supply of wheelchairs and crutches in our office in Jerusalem.

– Emergency and Medical Forms– The Tour Leader will be responsible for collecting emergency and medical contact forms. It is advised that they be kept together with the leader all throughout the tour in case of emergency.

 

FAQ’S

How far in advance should I begin planning a trip? We suggest you allow yourself at least nine to twelve months before coming to Israel, although longer may be better, since you may find that you will need to promote the tour. Be aware it will take several weeks to negotiate with the airlines and book your flights. At that point, after your flights are confirmed, it is important to inform Twins Tours to finalize the tour program hotels and prices. What does a Twins Tour include? The price of the tour includes all of the basic expenses– Half board H/B (breakfasts & dinners at the hotels), trips,transportation, accommodation, and entrance fees, from the time you land in Israel till you leave excluding the flights. What does a Twins Tour NOT include? Travel insurance, optional trips, activities on free days, lunches, visa applications, personal fees, All Tips, and souvenir shopping. Please note: Lunches can also be included, if desired, in most places, during the group touring days. Do I need a visa? Individuals holding passports from Europe& North America do not need a visa to visit Israel.Individuals from other countries need to check with an Israeli Consulate or Embassy to determine exact requirements. Here is a useful website to help you determine what Israel’s visa requirements are: http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ConsularServices/Pages/Visas.aspx

Note that all visitors to Israel must arrive with a valid passport that does not expire within six months after your arrival in Israel.

 

When is the best time of year to visit? It’s up to you. Unless you specifically want to be in Israel for Christmas or Easter, you may want to schedule your trip at a time other than these busy holiday seasons.Weather conditions vary; from November to March, Israel has cool temperatures and some rain. (January and February have the highest rainfall). From June to August, temperatures are very warm, and the country is virtually rain less from April through October. A Twins Tours representative can help you decide on the best time for you and your group to visit. Here is a helpful website to find out the Jewish holidays for each year: https://www.hebcal.com/holidays/2015-2016

 

How much pocket money should I bring for tipping or other things? Most currencies can be exchanged at the airport or by authorized money changers, which are available in most places your group will be visiting. Visa and MasterCard are accepted throughout the country; however, were commend that you notify your bank and credit card company and inform them of your travel plans to avoid them potentially suspending your account due to irregular activity. Do not bring Travelers Checks, as they are accepted in very few places these days, and there will be little time to get them cashed during your tour. Do I need travel health insurance? The answer is YES. ☺ If your health insurance does not cover international travel, we strongly encourage participants to purchase a basic plan. https://www.travelinsurancecenter.com

We are sure that you are all aware of this, but please double-check that every participant has travel insurance for the days in Israel,which includes coverage for medical emergency assistance during their trip. Please make sure every member has done it through your organization. In Israel, according to the law, this is a must. It does not cost much – the alternative, to be without coverage during a medical emergency, can become very expensive if the participant does not have insurance. They need to document that they have done it and send your organization all the information. From our experience, each participant needs to carry a list of all their daily medications – including the names and the dosage – as well as

- Any medications they are allergic to. In case of emergency, this list must be ready to give to the medical professionals. (pages 30-31 of this handbook provide a sample).

Do I need trip cancellation Insurance? The answer is YES, again much recommended. Most travel health insurance companies have the option to add trip cancellation insurance.

How do I book my Flights? – The minimum number of people required to travel together as a group is 10. – You will need specific dates, city pairs – from and to – and group name. The sooner you book your flights, the better the option, rate, and availability will be. – You can book as far in advance as 9 to 11 months out. – Group bookings will require a deposit per person to hold a reservation, usually within 14 days of initial booking. – Deposit is refunded after the trip is completed after deducting any penalties. – 80 to 90% of the group travel/number has to be maintained 60-90 days prior to departure. This is called the utilization date. – You can reduce your group number without penalty by this date. – Final payment/full names/gender and ticketing is required 45- 30 days prior to departure. Depending on the vendor/airline, payment can be made with a credit card or cheques/checks only. – All contract terms and restrictions will be offered to the clients at the time of booking.

 

– We recommend contacting Business Class Club directly to set up your travel flights. (The contact information is listed below)

 

TwinsTours is available to do a Skype/Zoom/FaceTime meeting with the tour leaders at anytime. www.twinstours.org

 

Packing List

Twins Tours & Travel Ltd is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Introduction - Jesus through the Middle Eastern Eyes

 

Two Dates:

 

Day: Wednesday Feb 10, 2021

Time: 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

 

Day: Thursday Feb 11, 2021

Time: 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

 

 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/3423587760?pwd=QzREcnJ3T2JCcUZCQitlQXhoNWxydz09


Meeting ID: 342 358 7760
Passcode: 7VyBvK

Please feel free to invite your friends and families by sharing this email.

 

Please if you are attending register your email to the link below, even if you are hearing me late there will be always recorded online classes. 

www.andremoubarak.com

 

See You Soon

 

Episode 45 in this episode we will talk about how to get ready and pack to your trip to Israel for later when travel opens back: Packing Checklist

1. Travel Documents
2. Suitcases & Carry-on bags
3. Clothing rules

We will end talking about few other extra items to bring and what not to bring with you.

 

These online courses will take you through a journey to see the land of the bible through Jesus middle eastern eyes.

 

Drawing from my 20 years of experience, as an indigenous believer who speaks and understands the languages of Jesus, I will walk you through the lifestyle of the 1^st century people of Israel.  We will learn about how the people of the 1st century did live, eat, dress, work, travel, worship, communicate – all the aspects of their daily lifestyle.   We will focus on the Culture, the Customs, and the Context of first century mindset. I call them the three C’s.

 

My hope for you is that these courses will lead you to understand Jesus in a better way, and as a result these teachings will bring Clarity, Correction and Confirmation to your walk with Jesus.

 

You will Learn about the Holy Land from your own home, office, even mobile Phone. Anytime, Anywhere You Like.

 

Packing Checklist

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:

• Passport – Please confirm that your passport expiration date is at least six months after your flight is scheduled to depart from Israel, and please make sure that your passport stays on your person
• One other form of personal ID, such as a driver’s license.
• Make a color photocopy of your passport and identification cards, to keep in a separate place from the real passport and ID cards.
• Copy of Travel
• Copy of travel insurance document. Please note – International Medical Insurance is mandatory for every traveler, while trip cancellation insurance is
• Luggage tags.
• Notify credit card companies and banks of the dates & countries of your travel.

•  It is best not to bring anything expensive with you on the trip (such as jewelry) – Modesty is observed in Israel and you do not want to make yourself a target.
• If desired, an international Data Plan for your smartphone. There is Wi-Fi available at hotels and restaurants. But there is no Wi-Fi available while

CARRY-ON BAG ON THE AIRPLANE:

• Backpack or small personal item, such as a purse, for
• Medicine must be in a carry-on bag, and there must be enough medicine with each person that can last them for the entire Also, every person should bring with him a list of all of the medications that he is taking, with the official prescribed medicine name and the dosage amount.
• Spare contact lenses or glasses.
• Clothing and personal necessities for 1-2 days & Unfortunately, checked luggage occasionally gets lost or misplaced by the airlines and airports.
• Liquids must be in a quart-sized zip-lock bag. No liquids over 3 oz in your Carry-On bag, according to airport regulations.
• Electric Plug Adapters for Israel – please check the following link for further explanation about power converters and adapters: http://www.megavolt.co.il/Tips_and_info/visitor.html

Note: these travel adapters are available at CV’s, Target, Walmart, etc. and at the airports.

Clothing Rules in the Holy Land

Each day, the Tour Guide who travels with your group will give you instructions about appropriate clothing for the next day’s activities. Please follow the rules to ensure that you can enjoy every moment of the scheduled activities with the tour group.

Modest dress is mandatory at churches and other Holy sites. This means that everyone’s knees and shoulders must be well covered up. Very little skin showing. No shorts, no tank tops, no sleeveless shirts, no low cut shirts that show cleavage, and definitely no tights/leggings as pants. On hot days, some women get around this modest dress restriction by wearing sleeveless shirts at the regular sites and in the bus, and then just throwing on a shirt or shawl or scarf around their shoulders before entering a holy site. But the rules are strict about shorts – the religious doorkeepers will forbid entry to any person who is wearing shorts. Capri pants that show the lower calf and ankle are acceptable for women.

If you go on top of the Temple Mount, near the Al Aqsa Mosque, because it is a Muslim Holy Site, women may feel more comfortable by covering their heads/ hair with a scarf because it makes them more socially acceptable by the Muslim cultural norms.

In Jewish Holy Sites, such as the Western Wall, it is mandatory for men to cover their heads. Either they can wear their own hat, or the Jewish religious doorkeeper will give them a paper kippah (yarmulke) to cover the top of their head.

In Christian Holy Sites, especially inside churches, it is mandatory for men to uncover their heads – men are forbidden to wear hats inside churches.

In east Jerusalem and the West Bank, it is not culturally appropriate to show very much skin. Please try to dress modestly if your hotel is located in those regions.

CLOTHING & PERSONAL ITEMS IN CHECKED LARGE SUITCASE:

• Casual Lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Layers are best.
• Cargo pants are recommended.
• Windbreaker Jacket – Evenings can be cold and windy in Israel. It is a good idea to pack a sweater or lightweight
• 2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes – it is advisable to bring 2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes because if one pair gets wet and muddy, then you can wear the 2nd pair while the first pair dries in the hotel Please note that the streets and steps in Jerusalem are quite slippery so the shoes must have good treads.
• Hat that will shade the face from the sun.
• Sunscreen – bring your own! Sunscreen is very expensive in Israel, and there are very limited
• Flip flops for the hotel bedrooms.
• For camel rides, it’s required to have long pants and closed-toe
• Shorts for walking through the wet tunnel (Hezekiah’s tunnel).
• Bathing Suit for the Dead Sea – advice: bring an inexpensive one, because the salts and minerals in the Dead Sea can be corrosive to some clothing + recommended plastic bag (to wrap wet bathing suits after the Dead Sea).
• Water shoes – to use in the Dead Sea, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Jordan
• Water Clothes or a second swimming suit to use in the Jordan If people want to renew their baptismal vows by immersion in the Jordan River, the Yardenit Baptismal site will supply a white robe which becomes sheer/transparent when wet. So the person must be prepared by wearing appropriate clothing underneath this white robe. Please note that showers, changing rooms, and a towel are supplied by the Yardenit Baptismal Site.
• Toiletries + personal hygiene products.

• Umbrella if traveling during rainy season (October through March).
• Room for souvenirs on the way back!

MISCELLANEOUS suggested items to pack:

• A small personal journal for recording your
• A small travel-size Bible, your favorite version to read at the Biblical sites, or during your personal devotion time on
• Extra batteries, charging cords, and memory cards for your
• Snacks that will keep you healthy, if you get hungry between
• Instant Coffee – the coffee in Israel’s hotels is not very So, it is better if you bring your favorite instant coffee with you – Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee packs, or your favorite tea bags, or your favorite powdered packets for cold drinks.
• Coffee mugs with very secure lid to use in the bus – the bus driver will not allow any other kind of cups on the bus, like for example carton cups with plastic lids, glass mugs with no covers,
• Your favorite Water Bottle to fill up at water
• Starting at least 2 weeks before the trip, hydrate as much as you can. Israel has a desert climate – which makes it very hot during the day, and in some places, all year long. If you are not properly hydrated before and during the visit, this will lead to dehydration and fatigue – bus drivers usually have cold water available on the bus for $1.00 per small bottle.
• Airplane/small travel pillow for long bus drives if
• Aspirin or other nonprescription medications, including any motion sickness pills (you will be on a bus daily + a boat one day).
• We would suggest bringing along some of your favorite first aid supplies from the USA that you are familiar with using and consider to be The guides carry a very basic first aid kit with mostly bandages, and we add to those first aid kits Imodium and Benadryl from the USA.

ITEMS NOT TO BRING:

• Pocket Knives: Israel considers pocket knives to be a Weapon, and carrying pocket knives on tour can cause serious security issues for both yourself and your tour
• Hair Dryers: There are hair dryers in almost all the hotel rooms in Israel. So, you should not bring your own hair dryer. If there is no hair dryer in the room, there should be some in the reception that you can borrow. The electricity in Israel is 220-240 V, and it is not recommended to use a power converter for the hair dryer because it is dangerous and might cause an electricity blowout or even a fire in the If it is an absolute necessity to bring a curling iron, a straightener, a shaving machine etc., please make sure that they can be used internationally in other country’s electrical systems.

CASH Money – Spending US Dollar Bills in Israel:

• Using US Dollars to pay for personal items and souvenirs in Israel is always accepted at Tourist Sites & Tourist
• Bring only Dollar Bills with you – Coins are not accepted at
• The dollar bills must be relatively new, with no marks or tears in the bill.
• Recommended to bring various kinds of dollar bills: $ 50, $ 20, $ 10, $ 5, $
• Sometimes the Israeli cashier will accept payment in dollar bills, but will only give change back to you in Israeli money (shekels).
• It is possible to change money to Israeli Shekels using Official ATM’s like the ones that are in the airport – they accept VISA Debit cards. You can also ask the tour guide that is with you where is the best place to change some money to Israeli Shekels.

 

General info about Israel

Location:

Israel is located in the Middle East, along the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. It lies at the junction of three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

 

Geography:

Long and narrow in shape, the country is about 290 miles (470  km)  in length and 85 miles (135 km) in width at its widest point. Although small in size, Israel have the varied topographical features of an entire continent – ranging from forested highlands to fertile green valleys to mountains and deserts. Approximately half of the country’s land area is semi-arid.

 

Technology:

The creative and diverse Israelis have strong determination to push past the boundaries of possibility and facing challenges head-on. It is no wonder that Israel is now the world’s leading innovation country with the highest number of startups in the world, earning it the title “Start-Up Nation”.

 

Religions:

This is the center of the world’s three great monotheistic faiths: The Promise Land of milk and honey to the Jews, the scene of Christ’s Ministry, Crucifixion and Resurrection to the Christians, and to the Muslims, the site of the prophet Mohammad’s night ascent to heaven.

 

 

Climate:

Israel’s climate is characterized by much sunshine, with a rainy season from November to April. Total annual precipitation ranges from 20-30 inches (50-70 cm) in the north to about an inch (2.5 cm) in the far south. Regional climatic conditions vary considerably: hot, humid summers and mild, wet winters on the coastal plain; dry, warm summers and moderately cold winters, with rain and occasional light snow, in the hill regions; hot, dry summers and pleasant winters in the Jordan Valley; and semi-arid conditions, with warm to hot days and cool nights, in the south.

 

Flora and Fauna:

The rich variety of Israel’s plant and animal life reflects its geographical location as well as its varied topography and climate. Over 500 kinds of birds, some 200 mammal and reptile species, and 2,600 plant types (150 of which are endemic to Israel) are found within its borders. Over 150 nature reserves and 65 national parks, encompassing nearly 400 square miles (almost 1,000 sq. km), have been established throughout the country.

 

 

Water:

The scarcity of water in the region has generated intense efforts to maximize the use of the available supply and to seek new resources. In the 1960s, Israel’s freshwater sources were joined in an integrated grid whose main artery, the National Water Carrier, brings water from the north and center to the semi-arid south. Ongoing projects for utilizing new sources include cloud seeding, recycling of sewage water, and the desalination of seawater.

 

Population:

Israel is a country of immigrants. Its 9.1 million inhabitants comprise a mosaic of people with varied ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, religions, cultures, and traditions. Today Jews comprise some 76% of the country’s population, while the country’s non-Jewish citizens, mostly Arabs, number about 24%.

 

Lifestyle:

About 92% of Israel’s inhabitants live in some 200 urban centers, some of which are located on ancient historical sites. About 5% are members of unique rural cooperative settlements – the kibbutz and the moshav.

Moshav: A unique type of cooperative farmer’s village invented in Israel in the early 1900s. The members of the Moshav enjoy relatively large economic autonomy while still benefiting from communal assistance.

Kibbutz: A unique form of collective community based on socialist ideology and the promotion of the Zionist idea. Members of a Kibbutz are usually a close-knit group with shared property, labor, and the provision for all the needs of its members.

 

 

Main Cities:

1. Jerusalem, Israel’s capital (population 900,000), has stood at the center of the Jewish people’s national and spiritual life since King David made it the capital of his kingdom some 3000 years Today it is a flourishing, vibrant metropolis, the seat of the government, and Israel’s largest city.
2. Tel Aviv-Yafo (population 440,000), which was founded in 1909 as the first Jewish city in modern times, is today the center of the country’s industrial, commercial, financial, and cultural life.
3. Haifa (population 280,000), a known coastal town since ancient times, is a major Mediterranean port and the industrial and commercial center of northern Israel.
4. Be’er Sheva (population 207,000), named in the Bible as an encampment of the patriarchs, is today the largest urban center in the It provides administrative, economic, health, education and social services for the entire southern region.

 

System of Government:

Israel is a parliamentary democracy with legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The head of state is the president, whose duties are mostly ceremonial and formal; the office symbolizes the unity and sovereignty of the state. The Knesset, Israel’s legislative authority, is a 120-member unicameral parliament which operates in plenary session and through 15 standing committees. Its members are elected every four years in universal nationwide elections. The government (cabinet of ministers) is charged with administering internal and foreign affairs. It is headed by a prime minister and is collectively responsible to the Knesset.

 

 

Education and Science:

School attendance is mandatory from age five, and free through age

18. Almost all three-years-olds and four-year-olds attend some kind of preschool program.

Israel’s institutions of higher education include universities, offering a wide range of subjects in science and humanities, and serving as research institutions of worldwide reputed colleges providing academic courses and vocational schools. The country’s high level of scientific research and development and the application of R&D compensate for the country’s lack of natural resources.

 

Health:

The National Health Insurance Law, in effect from January 1995, provides for a standardized basket of medical services, including hospitalization, for all residents of Israel. All medical services continue to be supplied by the country’s four health care organizations. Life expectancy is

82.2 years for women and 78.5 years for men; the infant mortality rate is 4 per 1,000 live births. The ratio of physicians to population and the number of specialists compare favorably with those in most developed countries.

 

Social Welfare:

The social service system is based on legislation which provides for workers’ protection and a broad range of national and community services, including care of the elderly, assistance for single parents, programs for children and youth, adoption agencies, as well as prevention and treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse.

The National Insurance Institute provides all permanent residents (including non-citizens) with a broad range of benefits, including unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, survivors’ benefits,

 

 

maternity grants and allowances, child allowances, income support payments and more.

 

Economy :

• GDP $354 billion

 

• Exports, goods, and services $60.6 billion
• Imports, goods, and services $66.8 billion

Industry:

Israel’s industry concentrates on manufacturing products with a high added value that are primarily based on technological innovation. These include medical electronics, agrotechnology, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, solar energy, food processing and, fine chemicals.

 

Agriculture:

Israel’s agricultural successes are the result of a long struggle against harsh, adverse conditions and of making maximum use of scarce water and arable land. Today, agriculture represents some 2.5% of GNP and 2.2% of exports. Israel produces 93% of its own food requirements, supplemented by imports of grain, oil seeds, meat, coffee, cocoa, and sugar, which are more than offset by the wide range of agricultural products for export.

 

Foreign Trade:

Trade is conducted with countries on six continents. Some 49% of imports and 33% of exports are with Europe, boosted by Israel’s free trade agreement with the EU (concluded in 1975). A similar agreement was signed with the United States (1985), whose trade with Israel accounts for 12.4% of Israel’s imports and 38% of its exports.

 

 

Culture:

With thousands of years of history, the ingathering of the Jews from over 70 countries, a society of multi-ethnic communities living side by side, and an unending flow of international input via satellite and cable – have contributed to the development of an Israeli culture which reflects worldwide elements while striving for an identity of its own. Cultural expression through the arts is as varied as the people themselves, with literature, theater, concerts, radio and television programming, entertainment, museums, and galleries for every interest and taste.

 

Gender:

People in the Middle East often greet each other with a kiss – men to men and women to women, but rarely to the opposite gender unless they are family. Purity is highly valued. While most Americans are accustomed to hugging, this is rare in the Holy Land. Public displays of affection, in general, may be different or even non-existent. In some areas, men and women do not socialize publicly – making prolonged eye contact with someone from the opposite gender is even considered inappropriate.

 

Languages:

The official languages of the country are Hebrew and Arabic, but in the country’s streets, many other languages can be heard. Hebrew, the language of the Bible, long restricted to liturgy and literature, was revived a century ago, accompanying the renewal of Jewish life in the Land.

 

Israeli Cuisine:

From European dishes to the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean, Israel’s rich diversity is strongly represented by its cuisine as well. A big part of the daily meal includes delicacies such as locally grown fruits and vegetables, olive oil, hummus, tahini, and more.

 

 

Due to religious dietary laws such as the Jewish Kosher laws and Muslim Hallal laws, pork is not common in Israel (though it can still be found in more Christian or secular places). Kosher laws also restrict combining meat and dairy products in many restaurants and most hotels.

Entertainment:

Entertainment in Israel, much like its population, is very diverse, yet still manages to be distinguished as its own entity. From live music and concerts to operas, dances, and sketch comedies, it brings people from different backgrounds together. Theaters perform Hebrew remakes of world-famous plays as well as original content. Cinemas and TV enjoy Hebrew subtitles over Hebrew dubbing (unless for preschoolers). Creative Israelis also brought forth original movies and shows both in Hebrew and Arabic that are loved world-wide today.

 

Shopping:

Shopping is a popular pastime in Israel from luxurious malls to crowded and lively marketplaces in every major city. We recommend visiting the Mahne Yehuda farmers market in Jerusalem for a local authentic shopping experience – welcome to the “Walmart” of Jerusalem!

Bethlehem – the city of Jesus’ birth – also has many souvenir shops. You can find everything from gold jewelry sets, to oil lamps, to olive-wood statues and other artifacts. Name any biblical character or animal, and there is an impressive olive-wood statue for you! Favorites included Samson pushing the pillars, David slaying Goliath and, of course, Nativity scenes of every shape, size and price—from a few bucks to a few thousand.

 

 

Sports:

From skiing on Mt Hermon to scuba diving in the Red Sea, Israelis enjoy a variety of sports for hobbies as well as professions. Soccer (called Football / Kadoor Regel) just edges basketball as the most popular sport in Israel, with teams competing nationally as well as internationally. Most notable are Maccabi Haifa and Betar Jerusalem. When it comes to basketball, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s very own Omri Caspi became the first Israeli to join the NBA. Israel also prides itself on its Olympic success, and even hosts its own version called the Maccabiah Games for Jews from all over the world every four years – one of only seven worldwide competitions recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

 

Soldiers:

The IDF, founded in 1948, ranks among the most battle-tested armed forces in the world, having had to defend the country in six major wars. The IDF’s security objectives are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Israel, deter all enemies, and curb all forms of terrorism that threaten daily life.

Compulsory Service: All eligible men and women are drafted at age

18. Men serve for three years, women for two years. Deferments may be granted to qualified students at institutions of higher education. New immigrants may be deferred or serve for shorter periods of time, depending on their age and personal status on entering the country.

Reserve Duty: Upon completion of compulsory service, each soldier is assigned to a reserve unit and may serve up to the age of 51.

Career Military Service: Veterans of compulsory service meeting current IDF needs may sign up as career officers or NCOs. The career service constitutes the command and administrative backbone of the IDF. Graduates of officers’ or pilots’ schools or special military technical schools are required to sign on for periods of career service.

Holidays and Festivals of Israel

Episode 47 Season 2

Holidays and Festivals

Holidays are very confusing in this part of the world. Not only are there secular, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic holidays, but the dates they fall on are related to the Hebrew calendar, the solar Gregorian Calendar,  plus a sighting of the new moon at Mecca. And not only that, but various Christian denominations celebrate key events on different days.

Jewish festivals

The Jewish calendar is both lunar and solar. It follows the sun for the year and the moon for the month. Every three years is a leap year, and one month is added to keep the feasts and festivals as close as possible to the seasons as in Scriptures. The Sabbath is very important to the Jewish people and life in Israel in general. In most places around the country and especially in Jerusalem, Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, everything shuts down, including transportation. And In Jewish tradition, the day begins at sunset.

We will talk about the first  Festival:

Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year / Feast of Trumpets – Trumpets are blown to remind people to repent of their sins as the Day of Atonement is approaching. Though a solemn holiday, it is celebrated with apples and honey for a “prosperous and sweet” new year.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement – Holiest day of the year for the Jewish People and a national day of fasting. This tradition goes back to Biblical times of the Tabernacle, where once a year on Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to atone for the people’s sins.

Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles – A weeklong holiday that comes five days after Yom Kippur. It celebrates the gathering of the harvest and commemorates God’s protection and provision for the Israelites after they left Egypt. The festival of Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage feasts and is celebrated by dwelling in a foliage-covered booth (sukkah) and by waving four species of plants – palm, myrtle, willow, and citron.

Simchat Torah: The Rejoicing of the Law – a joyous celebration that marks the end and beginning of the cycle of public Torah readings.

Hanukkah: Feast of Lights – An eight-day Jewish celebration of the Maccabees’ victory over the Greeks in 165 BC. To remember the miraculous provision of oil for the light in the temple, Hanukkah is celebrated by daily lighting a new candle on a Hanukkiah (9-branched Menorah) and eating food deep-fried in oil, such as the sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).

Purim: The Festival of Lots – Celebrates the bravery of a Jewish girl who became queen and saved her people, the Jews, in ancient Persia. This bizarre holiday is celebrated by fancy dress-ups (to allude to the hidden features in the story), much feasting, and loud, interactive reading of the Book of Esther in the synagogues.

Pessah: Passover – Commemorates God’s Deliverance of Israel out  of Egypt. A perfect lamb was slain, and its blood was painted on the doorposts, all so that the punishment of the Lord will “pass over” the homes of the children of Israel. The event is celebrated with a special family meal called the Seder by which the story is told. Another Passover tradition is cleaning the house from any yeast, and bread is replaced with a cracker called Matzah. Passover is one of the three pilgrimage feasts.

Shavuot: Festival of Weeks / Pentecost – it is celebrated 50 days after Passover as the day in which God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage feasts. Today, it is customary to stay up all night reading the Torah.

Lag B’Omer: The 33rd day of the Omer – the Omer is the 49 days between Passover (Pessach) and Pentecost (Shavuot). The holiday celebrates a break in the dreadful plague at the time of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi, an important Jewish mystic) is also said to have died on that day, which in Jewish tradition means his life purpose was fulfilled and, therefore, a day of joy. Lag B’Omer is celebrated by building bonfires, playing sports, and enjoying picnics.

Tisha B’av: the Ninth of Av (Hebrew month) – is an annual fast day of communal mourning over a number of disasters in Jewish history, primarily the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.

Israeli Secular Holidays

Yom Hashoah: (Holocaust Memorial) National remembrance day for the tragedy of the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were murdered.

Yom Hazikaron: (Remembrance Day) National remembrance day for all the soldiers who lost their lives defending the State of Israel. A siren is sounded, and all Israeli citizens stop what they are doing and stand firm in silence to honor the lives lost.

Yom Haatzmaut: (Independence Day) The day of Israel, a celebration of the Declaration of the State of Israel on the 14th of May 1948. The celebration day changes each year as it follows the Hebrew calendar (in this case, the 5th of Iyar), and it is always preceded by the Day of Remembrance for the fallen soldiers.

Yom Yerushalayim: (Jerusalem Day) commemoration of the reunification of Jerusalem after the Six-Day War in 1967.

Christian Feasts

These Festivals are celebrated on different dates by Eastern Orthodox and western churches (Latin, Roman Catholic, and Protestant, etc.). For Christians, Sunday is a special holy day, and so, many Christians do not work on Sundays as they would be with their families at church. (Touristic places are generally still open though).

Christmas: 25th of December or 7th of January. With Christianity being a minority, it is less common to find Christmas symbols around Israel than in many other countries. However, major religious centers such as Nazareth, Bethlehem, and the Old City of Jerusalem experience festivities that bring the story of the Nativity to life! Lighting up the Christmas tree in different towns, Christmas markets, concerts, plays and more, Christmas in the Holy Land is like you have never seen it before!

Lent: 40 days of fasting observed by many churches in preparation for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday, a holy day for prayer and fasting for repentance and ends the day before Easter Sunday. The number 40 is related to Jesus fasting in the desert for 40 days.

Palm Sunday: Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week and celebrates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. Today, Palm Sunday is celebrated with a procession in the footsteps of Jesus from Mount of Olives and through the Old City. Families from many denominations join in with their best attire and wave palm branches (or crosses made from palm leaves) on this joyful event led by marching bands. Palm Sunday and Easter are not only movable days but multiple in this region – the day in some years may be Palm Sunday for some people and Easter Sunday for others.

Good Friday: the day Jesus was crucified, it is commemorated by some churches by following in his footsteps from Gethsemane to Golgotha to be crucified. Thousands of pilgrims follow the path called Via Dolorosa (“Way of the Pain”) while holding crosses.

Holy Saturday: crowds gather at the Holy Sepulchre church to witness the miracle of the Holy Fire being lit, and the light is distributed to all and sent all over the world to light the churches for the next year.

Easter Sunday: The Tomb is empty and the Savior is risen! Easter, also known as Pascha, is celebrated all over Israel with the highlight being in Jerusalem. It is celebrated with family visits, egg hunts, and church services, but the highlight for Protestants is the sunrise service at the Garden Tomb. Eastern and Western churches usually celebrate on different days, yet it has happened where they coincide on the same day. Easter and the Jewish Passover often overlap as well as Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred during Passover.

Muslim Holidays

The Islamic calendar began on the 16th July 622 AD, the date of the Hijra, and follows a lunar calendar. For Muslims, Friday is the holiest day, and so many local areas with generally Muslim population close down on Fridays.

Ras Elsana al Hijriya: (The Hijri New Year / Islamic New Year) – The years in Islam started counting in 622 AD on the day Muhammad and his followers emigrated from Mecca to Medina – known as the Hijra.

The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar with 354/355 days a year and consists of 12 months.

Mawlid al Nabi: (Birth of the Prophet) – Commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad and is celebrated in a carnival manner with large street processions and reading the stories of Muhammad’s life.

Lailat al Miraj: One of the most significant events in the Muslim calendar. This festival celebrates the night journey and ascent of prophet Muhammad. According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem on a mythical winged creature called Buraq, and from there, he ascends to heaven where he is validated as the last and final prophet.

Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic calendar and observed by Muslims worldwide as the month of fasting. It is remembered as the month in which the Quran was given to Muhammad. According to Muslims, during Ramadan, the gates of heaven are opened, and gates of Hell are closed. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, all Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and celebrate with feasts each night during this month.

Eid Al Fitr: (Festival of Breaking Fast) – Just as its name implies, it celebrates the end of the Ramadan fast with three days of festivities.

Eid El-Adha: (Festival of Sacrifice) – This festival celebrates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. It is celebrated with gatherings and feasts, and it is customary to eat an abundance of meat during these three days. Eid Al Adha coincides with the completion of the Hajj – the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel’s Diverse Population

For Free Zoom Lessons RSVP and click the following website:

www.walkingtheholyland.com

 

Episode 48 Israel’s Diverse Population

 

Total  9.1 Million

 

79 % Jewish

17% Muslim

2% Christians

2% Mosaic of religions – Bahai – Druze – Samartins etc

 

Secular Jew

They hold on to their identity as a Jewish culture mixed in with modern society, without the faith of their ancestors. Jews who partake in modern secular society and are not religious

Makeup over 40% of the Jewish population.

 

Ultra-Orthodox Jew

Jews that are pro-religious and emphasize studying the Torah and Talmud. Called in Hebrew Haredi Jews, they regard themselves as the most religiously authentic group of Jews. (13% of Israel's population)

They have a high birth rate, the Haredi population is growing rapidly

Some of them do not recognize the State of Israel as legitimate and do not join the IDF.

   They mostly are located in the following Four religious cities in Israel. Safed, Jerusalem, Hebron and Tibereas.

 

National Religious Jew

Recognize the modern state as a legitimate entity yet still desire for Israel to become a religious state. is an ideology that combines Zionism and Orthodox Judaism. the two main ultra-Orthodox parties in the parliament  are the Sephardic Shas Party and United Torah Judaism.

 

Immigrant Jews

Jews from all over the world who made Aliyah to Israel, 37% of the population. Aliyah is the immigration of Jews from all over the world to the modern State of Israel.  Also defined as "the act of going up"—that is, towards Jerusalem—"making aliyah" by moving to the Land of Israel.

 

Palestinian Jew

Jews that lived in the land before the foundation of the State of Israel and speak Arabic fluently. After the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Jews of Mandatory Palestine became Israeli citizens, and the term "Palestinian Jews" has largely fallen into disuse and is somewhat defunct, in favor of the term Israeli Jews.

 

 

Muslims Population

Arab Muslim

17% of the population in Israel. Sunni Muslim is by far the largest branch of Islam, followed by almost 90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word Sunnah, referring to the behaviour of Muhammad or in others words following the directions of the profit, and According to Sunni traditions, Muhammad designated Abu Bakr as his successor (the first caliph).

 

But in contrasts the Shiaa view is different    , which holds that Muhammad announced his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor and according to shiaa view that the successor should be from the family and blood line of Mouhamad and not through his successors like the chaliph

 

 

Arab Israelis

Arabs who own an Israeli ID. Most self-designate themselves as Palestinians by nationality and Israeli by citizenship, while others prefer “Israeli Arab.” This name refers to the fact that after the Nakba, these are the Palestinians that remained within Israel's 1948 borders. Many have family ties to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

The Arabs living in East Jerusalem and the Druze in the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed, were offered Israeli citizenship, but most have refused, not wanting to recognize Israel's claim to sovereignty. They became permanent residents instead. They have the right to apply for citizenship, are entitled to municipal services and have municipal voting rights.

 

Minorities in Israel

Arab Christian less than 2%

Around 175,000 Arab Christians live in Israel. They are from a variety of denominational back- grounds such as Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melchite, Anglican, and others.

 

Some 42% of all Christians are affiliated with the Melkite Greek Church, and 30% with the Orthodox Church; smaller numbers are split between Latin Rite Catholics with 13% of Christians, we have Less than 10,000 Maronites lives in Israel belongs to the Maronite Catholic Church, who reside in Israel and some of whom self-identify as Arameans.

1,000 Assyrians belongs to the Assyrian Churches, also known as Arameans or Chaldeans are an ethnic group indigenous to the Middle East. They are speakers of the Aramaic branch of Semitic languages.

 

Coptic community of around 1,000 Copts, Coptic Christians trace their founding to the apostle St. Mark. Tradition holds that Mark brought Christianity to Egypt and founded the Coptic church during the first century. It is one of the oldest Christian churches in the Middle East and was the first founded in Africa.

 

We have small branches of Protestants, evangelical Christian churches mostly Baptist denomination.  

 

Armenians

Part of the Armenian Diaspora, around 400 Armenian families live in the Armenian quarter of the Old City and 10,000 in Israel.

 

Other minorities Such as:

Bedouin

are nomadic Arab Tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Middle East. followers of Islam. Traditionally they live in tents, or Shakes or even houses the modern ones they used to move with their herds across vast areas of arid land in search of grazing areas. Bedouin society is patrilineal. They are renowned for their hospitality, honesty and fierce independence. 200,000 is the population of the Bedouins.

 

 

Samaritans

Israel’s smallest religious minority and own an Israeli ID. 731 Samartains

Samaritans claim descent from the tribe of Ephraim and tribe of Manasseh (two sons of Joseph).

Assimilated descendant of the Assyrians and residents of the district of Samaria who consider themselves the original Jews and recognize their own version of the Pentateuch plus the book of Joshua.

 

The present-day population has been consistently divided between the West Bank and Israel. Samaritans in the West Bank live in Mount Gerizim area, while those in Israel are concentrated in the city of Holon, just outside Tel Aviv.

 

 

Druze

is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, and Ancient Greek philosophers.

 

An offshoot of Islam whose people have a secret religion and are loyal to the State of Israel. Jethro of Midian is considered an ancestor of the Druze, who revere him as their spiritual founder and chief prophet.

 

105,000 in population, most in northern Israel.

 

 

 

Rules & Protocols for Tour groups entering Israel

For Free Virtual Tours of Israel RSVP to this link

www.walkingtheholyland.com

 

A limited number of pre-approved groups numbered from 5 – 30 not requiring a quarantine period will be allowed entrance starting from late May 2021 as part of a trial period. This is a projected starting point may yet be delayed.

Pending on the results of this trial period, a larger number of groups will be allowed in as we move into the summer months.

all groups will have to be pre-submitted by their travel Agency in Israel

At this point (this is not final), all visitors will have to produce:

1. A vaccination record
2. A negative PCR test
3. Pass a serological test upon entrance to Israel
4. Possess a valid health insurance policy
5. Provide all their information and contact numbers

Vaccines are presently accepted from the USA and the EU, and discussions are underway with many other nations. Israel presently accepts vaccinations recognized by the USA’s FDA and Europe’s EMA.

All groups will be accompanied by pre-authorized guide and driver, that will  keep a detailed record of their movements, and follow careful guidelines

In the rare possibility of sickness or exposure to a confirmed sick person, quarantine requirements will be applied to the individual or the group, depending on the circumstances.

Conditions for entering Israel

 

1. Conditions:-

 "Vaccinated tourist:" A tourist who was vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the FDA or EMA and performed a serological examination, at the entrance to Israel in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health and come from a country that has been signed agreement with Israel for mutual recognition of the vaccination certificates and vaccination approved by the FDA or . EMA are allowed to enetr israel

 

"Incoming Tourism Agent:" Person, including Corporation, Licensed authorized Dealer License, is subject  of the following conditions:

Appears in the Incoming Tourism Agents Database of the Ministry of Tourism listed in this link:  https://info.goisrael.com/he/incoming_tour_operators

Tourist group: "A group of tourists of 5 to 30 people who have the same citizenship that the Incoming travel agent asks for an approval for their arrival``.

"Application for registration of a tourist group": An application submitted by an incoming travel agent for the approval of a tourist group Subject to the conditions listed in this procedure, which is submitted on the website of the Ministry of Tourism.       The request will include a guest list and additional details as stated in the digital application form published on the Ministry of Tourism website.

 ‘’Guide" Holder of a guide license as stated in the Tourist Services (Guides) Regulations (1967, 1967, provided Whose license is valid.

 

2. Conditions for approving the entry of these tourists groups      into Israel.

 

All members of the group who is  planning to  come to Israel need to be the tourists vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the FDA or EMA and in their hands a negative PCR test, that need to be performed during 72 hours before the departure of the plane on which the group is traveling by to  arrive in Israel.

All members of the group who come to Israel must purchase an insurance policy that covers medical treatment for corona virus disease.

The Travel agent in Israel needs to have the full contact details of the tourists in the group, in Israel and abroad, including phone number, Mobile, email and address of where the tourist live back home. The agent will be allowed to call the tourist after visiting the country for anytime.

 

      It is the agent's responsibility to obtain consent from the group members to provide the required details for the purpose for which it is requested any time the ministry of health needs any information about individuals in the group.

 

The Ministry of Tourism will operate 24/7 to provide a real-time response to issues arising from the operation of this outline.

 

The agent will team up with a certified guide and driver with a certificate of immunization or recovery issued by a Health office or ministry of health, who will accompany the group throughout the visit to Israel, from the moment of landing until takeoff back to their country, Except for accommodation.

The guide and the group driver have to carry a mobile phone with a cellular network connection during each visit the group in Israel.

The size of the group shall not exceed the number allowed for gatherings in an open area, in accordance with the regulations. During the visit in closed places, the group will split according to the number allowed to gather in accordance     Israeli law.

The Travel Agent will maintain an accurate record that includes hours and places of visit for the entire group. The agent will keep this record for a period of 20 days and will provide these details to the Ministry of Health or to anybody authorized by the state to perform Epidemiological investigations if necessary.

The Population Authority will not approve an agent's request to book a tourist group if the agent, the driver, the guide, and previous tourism groups that came to Israel through this Travel agent did not comply with the provisions of the law , procedure, and the conditions while Staying     in Israel.

3. Mechanism of what the Travel Agent have to do

Applying form for approval of a tourist group to the the Ministry of Tourism:

The agent as defined in this procedure, will be entitled to apply for registration of a group of vaccinated tourists for hosting them in Israel on the website of the Ministry of Tourism.

The application must be submitted at least 10 days before the date of the group's arrival in Israel. The application will be submitted in the form dedicated to the    website of the Ministry of Tourism

The Population Authority is the only one who can approve the entrance of the group  after the recommendation of the recommending body in the Ministry of Tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism will only pass the form to the Population Authority for approving tourist groups.

The Ministry of Tourism will not recommend or help for the approval of groups to stay  more than the maximum bi-weekly by which quoted to be determined for this by the Director General of the Ministry of Health or his representative and will not recommend the arrival of a group Tourists from a country where the position of the CEO or his representative has a public health concern at the entrance of a group Tourists from it.

The number of days f or processing the person recommended application will count from the date of submission of all the required document. For processing the application until the receipt of the required approvals and will stand for no more than 5 business days . The Ministry of Tourism will forward the application to the Population and Immigration Authority and after receiving it their answer will be updated by the applicant.

Each request will be submitted individually for only one group.

The Director of ministry of Tourism will examine the application before transferring it to the Population and Immigration Authority and will decide whether to approve the group's entry into Israel. In this context, the director of ministry of tourism will examine the agent's compliance in the provisions of this procedure as well as the conduct of previous groups that came to Israel through this agent and will not recommend the approval of a tourist group of an agent who has not complied with the provisions of this procedure in previous cases.

A negative recommendation will be substantiated and sent to the agent who submitted the application.

An agent whose application has been rejected by the Ministry of Tourism may request a re-examination from the Ministry of Tourism.

The recommending body will consider the request for reconsideration and will respond to the applicant within 3 working days.

The Ministry of Tourism will forward, once a day, the list of passenger details in applications that have received its positive recommendation after investigating about the passengers to the Population and Immigration Authority.

The Population and Immigration Authority will examine the application and if accepted will issue for you permits to Israel for the group and send them to the recommending body at the ministry of Tourism. As part of the entry permit, the conditions of the entry and stay permit will be specified, including the performance of tests and payment for them, and obtaining results as specified in sections

The certificates issued by the Population and Immigration Authority for the group will be forwarded to the agent by an office Tourism.

The agent will pass the permits to the passengers in the group before they arrive in the country.

                                                       

 

4. Conditions for being a tourist in a group in Israel:

The Population and Immigration Authority will check the data’s that they received, based on these information’s that they`ve received the will constitute conditions for the stay of the tourist group members in Israel.

Throughout the visit, the group will be accompanied by one guide and one driver w ith a certificate of immunization or recovery that was Issued by the Ministry of Health. The guide and driver will be with the group throughout the visit in Israel, except for accommodation.

The Tour Guide  will ensure that group members comply with the regulations for the corona Virus( wearing mask , having social distance etc.) according to the  law of the Ministry of health, again its an  obligation to wear a mask.

Throughout the visit the tour guide   must maintain an accurate record that includes hours and places of visit of the whole group. The agent has to keep the registration for a period of 20 days after the end of the group's visit to Israel and provide these details to the Ministry of Health or to anybody authorized by the state to conduct epidemiological investigations if required.

 

Hotel and Bed & Beverage :

The Travel agent will ensure that the group is only accommodated in hotels and / or B & Bs that operate accordingly to the provisions of the regulations.

The Travel agent will ensure that the group performs a check-in  and check-out process dedicated and separate to be allocated by the hotel and / or B&B. The Hotel need  only accommodate group members during the check in and check out process.

If the group eats at the hotel and / or the B&B, a separate and isolated area will be defined from the other guests. The hotel and / or the B&B; The complex can be inside the dining rooms of the hotel and / or the B&B Or in another designated room to be allocated by the hotel and / or B&B for this purpose.

The hotel and / or B&B will assign the group rooms in a defined area / wing, with the group's rooms Clearly separated from the rooms of the other guests in the hotel and / or the B&B.

 

Transportation:

 

The Travel agent will ensure that the group travels on a dedicated bus that will only be used by group members for the entire length of stay in Israel.

The Travel agent must  arrange disinfection alcoholic high gel for all members to be used in the bus  during the period of the stay in Israel.

The Travel agent will  need to ask and ensure that the driver to do a  cleaning for the bus on each single day.

 

Tourist attractions

The Travel agent  will coordinate in advance the group's visiting hours at the var  ious tourist sites, to avoid as much as possible from friction with other visitors. Arrival will be to tourist sites whose operation is allowed in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.

 

Restaurants

The Travel agent must try and work with the restaurant that they assign for the group a separate room, a compound isolated from the rest of the diners inside the restaurant, or an area bounded for a group outside.

The group will eat only in restaurants that comply with the regulations.

 

Shopping

 

The agent will try to coordinate the group's arrival at the store in advance in order to avoid friction with Other visitors.

 

In addition to this, the agent is responsible for ensuring that the tourist group will comply with the provisions  of the regulations for  the instructions of any law related to Corona Virus ( Social Distance , Mask wearing, and hygiene, including:

 

Actions required before arrival in Israel in accordance with the Aviation Regulations:

 

The agent will verify have a right to ask that the tourist is familiar with all the provisions of this procedure and that the tourist is vaccinated.

During 72 hours before departure to Israel, the group members will perform a PCR test, the Negative PCR  Result is a condition for boarding a flight to Israel.

During the 24 hours prior to the flight to Israel, the group members will fill out a health declaration on an office website Health.  By filling and completing the declaration it will be subject and a condition for boarding a flight to Israel.

 

Actions required when entering the country:

 

The members of the group will present the approval of the Population and Immigration Authority upon their entry into the State of Israel.

In accordance with the testing regulations, team members will perform a PCR after landing in Israel and before Departure from Ben Gurion Airport . If one of the passengers forgot to bring or to do the test the Execution and payment of the passenger for the inspection will be a condition for his stay in Israel.

A vaccinated tourist will receive a green card from the Ministry of Health which will be attached to his passport.

 

5. The inbound travel agent responsibilities, who organized the group in case of an infected tour member:

 

The Travel agent will verify that the tourist is familiar with all the provisions of this procedure and that the tourist is vaccinated.  

Ensure entry to the isolation and conditions of stay in the isolation according to the guidelines of the Israeli Ministry of Health.

Need to update the hotels regarding the rooms in which the sick or debtor tourists stay in isolation.

Report to the Ministry of Tourism on any tourist with symptoms or illness, as well as on the chain of events and the results of the event where the group visited.

Responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism:

The Ministry of Tourism will  dedicate a people to address issues that arise from the arrival of tourist groups in Israel in the framework of this procedure. The Ministry of Tourism will monitor compliance with the provisions of this procedure before the group arrives in Israel, And while in Israel.

Will gather the information from  the inbound travel agent who organized the groups.

Shall submit a report in any event of a violation of the law in Israel or a violation of the conditions of entry into Israel in accordance with this procedure, To the Population Authority or the Israel Police, depending on the type of violation. Will also pass on to the recommending body in the Ministry of Tourism Information about agents who have not complied with the provisions of this procedure.

 

Will pass information to the Ministry of Health as part of the epidemiological investigation as required.

 

First scenario - a tourist who received a negative answer on a serological examination.

 

A tourist who received a negative answer in a serological examination will enter the isolation immediately in accordance with what is stated in the isolation order Home.

The agent will arrange to transfer the same person to solitary confinement in a rented apartment or holiday unit and not in the hotel, Until the end of the isolation period. If the insulation takes place in the hotel, the agent will take care of accommodating the insulator in the room At least in the two rooms next to it no guests will be accommodated.

The agent will make sure the hotel staff is aware of this Which must be in isolation is found in the hotel. It should be emphasized; it is a priority to maintain the isolation of the tourist in a rented apartment or unit Holiday and not in a hotel.

 

The Story behind the Free Online Zoom teachings

if you like you can also subscribe to the mailing list and you will receive 45 minutes of Jesus through the Middle Eastern Eyes Master Class.

to get the schedule for the Next Free Zoom Lesson go to

www.walkingtheholyland.com

My name is Andre Moubarak, and I am from Jerusalem. My ancestors are Aramaic speaking Christians, indigenous to Southern Lebanon, northern Israel, and Western Syria. Our community says the same prayers as Saint James, the head of the Jerusalem Church in the Book of Acts. James was the brother of Jesus and their common language was Aramaic.

 

My frame of reference is the Bible – specifically the Gospels and the Book of Acts. In modern terms, I grew up in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, and I am a citizen of the state of Israel. I speak 5 languages – Aramaic, Arabic, Hebrew, English, and French. This is typical for the Christians because we usually work in an international setting. My job is a tour guide and I regularly travel throughout the whole country of Israel, and also to Europe, UK, the United States of America, Canada, South Africa, Philippines, and Singapore. Everywhere that I have visited in the world has a more stable peaceful society than my hometown of Jerusalem. My family and community have witnessed many conflicts in Jerusalem over the centuries. The Christians are a minority group, caught in the crossfire in the ongoing rivalry between our Muslim and Jewish neighbors. The Christian culture here is very peaceful and we avoid conflict. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 9, NIV).

 

Tourism in Israel was at its peak in the year 2019, and we expected even more tourists in the Spring season of 2020. It was going to be overfull capacity at all the hotels, tour sites, and all of the tour guides were fully booked for the whole season. When COVID-19 first hit Israel in early March 2020, we were surprised by how fast the virus pandemic spread around the globe, and the government of Israel shut down all tourism and closed the borders indefinitely.

 

Personally, I was grateful for the break from tour groups because I was really drained physically and needed an extended rest to restore my health. The COVID-19 shutdown was the perfect time to take a sabbatical in the USA. I left Israel on May 31, 2020. My wife’s family lives in Maryland and Texas, and we ended up spending 1 whole year in the USA based in those two states. We also traveled to a few other states, to speak in churches about making a journey to Israel in the future. It was a fun experience to rest in the USA, and take my time getting to know people in a relaxed setting. People were curious about my background and I was able to teach them some Aramaic phrases, the language of Jesus and His Disciples. I had so much time to develop my educational projects – write my 3rd book, record two seasons of my podcast, build a website, and develop virtual tours and Bible Study lessons on zoom meetings. It was a wonderful time of personal growth and I felt so calm in the USA.

But each season must come to an end, and my time of sabbatical ended in early May 2021. The vaccination program in Israel was very successful and the COVID-19 cases were very few in Israel by April 2021. The country was open again for local tourism and the Israeli government announced that foreign tour groups would be welcome to enter Israel in late May, June, and July on a provisional basis. We were hopeful for the tourism industry to heal and flourish, after 15 months of complete shutdown. I was excited to return to Israel and be with my team, and my family and friends, in Jerusalem. The Lord’s hands were on me during my long journey flying from Texas, to Newark, to Tel Aviv. I arrived on the afternoon of Saturday May 08, 2021. My brother picked me up from the airport, and as we drove to Jerusalem, we saw a checkpoint on the main road. Just a couple minutes after we passed through the checkpoint, a huge protest demonstration took place, and the police closed the roads to Jerusalem. I had just barely made it home safely! Outside the tension was escalating around the city of Jerusalem, and there were angry protests through the next couple days.

 

On Monday May 10, getting over jet lag I went to sit on my balcony to drink my coffee, and I was surprised to hear a loud war siren! The emergency alert also came on my phone. I immediately knew that Jerusalem was attacked and after like 15 seconds I heard a sound of 5 explosions! This confirmed to me that what I was thinking was true -- in my mind I said war will start soon. I experienced a severe culture shock, moving from a peaceful easy quality of life to a warzone and a lot of bloodshed in the region.

The war intensified the next day, with most of the rocket attacks from Hamas in Gaza targeting the city of Tel Aviv. I was stuck at home inside for COVID-19 quarantine for 2 weeks. (Quarantine is mandatory for all unvaccinated Israelis traveling home.) And outside my house a war zone was spreading all over Israel! My first thought was to use my access to social media to update my friends and followers and ask everyone to start praying. With my team in Jerusalem, I was able to host 3 virtual prayer meetings about the bad situation in Israel. People joined these prayer meetings on Zoom from all over the world and we prayed together for the Lord to have mercy and bring peace and healing to the people of both Israel and Gaza. Many of my former tour participants sent their prayers by messenger and email, and this was very encouraging to read to the team in Jerusalem. We were all in shock and grief.

 

I was very safe in Jerusalem in my apartment building, and I felt secure because there is a bomb shelter in my apartment.  But outside in the streets of Jerusalem there was like a civil war between Arab Muslims and Jews.  Many fights broke out in the streets and it was wildly violent. Throughout the whole country of Israel, neighbors turned against each other and the ethnic hatred erupted in cities that were usually models of coexistence between the Jewish and Muslim residents. Almost all of the Christian community decided to stay inside their homes, and not get involved.

The war lasted 11 days, thousands of missiles landed in Israel and vice versa in Gaza. While there were many casualties on both sides, there are always higher numbers of casualties in Gaza. At least 243 people, including more than 100 women and children, were killed in Gaza, according to its health ministry. In Israel 12 people, including two children, were killed, its medical service says. Both sides claimed victory in the conflict. Now images are emerging of the damage done by Hamas rocket fire and Israeli strikes. After they agreed to a ceasefire treaty, the problems decreased.

 

Our role as Aramean indigenous Christians believers is to pray for peace between the Muslims and the Jews. In the USA the atmosphere is so peaceful, like heaven on earth, and people live a very secure, prosperous, and peaceful life. In Jerusalem, it’s the opposite – tension, stress, a war zone, people are in a survival mode. There is no steady income. Peace is fleeting. People feel no hope. They are stuck in negative thinking. There are no jobs. There still remains some tension in the streets, but much less than during the war. In all my life living in Jerusalem , I never saw such tension in the streets, with fear between the two neighbors.

We need Christians to pray for the body of Christ here to continue in their efforts of reconciliation between Arabs and Jews. Hopefully tourism will come back soon and people will get busy again and return to work. The war came at a hard time, as people had been out of work for a long time and they were bored and frustrated.

People are planning to resume their group tours to Israel in the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. We are doing extra training and preparation for the coming seasons. I will leave with you 5 prayer requests which are so badly needed today.

1. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, including all its inhabitants and all surrounding areas – for both Israelis and Palestinians.

 

2. Pray for leaders and all those in authority that they may pursue peace so we may live peaceful and have a quiet normal life.
3. Pray for healing of relationships between Jews and Arabs, especially for our young people who are exposed to this kind of hatred for the first time.
4. Pray for protection for our churches, communities and for our families. Some churches had to cancel their services or hold them online because of fear. Pray especially for Haifa, Acre, Lod, Ramle, Jaffa, Cana of Galilee and Jerusalem.
5. Pray for us to remember to turn our eyes to God, our refuge and strength, and to Jesus, the prince of peace.

 

I’m still continuing my teaching on Zoom and we are reaching a lot of people from all over the world. To see the virtual tours to Israel you can join us for free. This is the website: you need to RSVP to receive the Zoom ID and Password www.walkingtheholyland.com