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| Collette Vacations' Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land!
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www.collettevacations.com |
Spectacular Roman ruins overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea...posh resorts on legendary healing waters...a well preserved medieval town...swaying palms and sites sacred to billions of people around the world... this can only be Israel. Celebrating its 60th anniversary as a nation, Israel can offer your group a variety of experiences.
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| Tel Aviv |
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Collette Vacations' Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land is an in-depth ten day excursion experiencing everything from the stylish streets of Tel-Aviv to the curative waters of the Dead Sea. Masada rises 1,300 feet from the Judean desert, a dramatic mesa with an even more dramatic past. |
The Roman palace-fortress at the summit was thought to be impenetrable. In the first century, Jewish rebels and their families fleeing Jerusalem took over Masada from the Roman garrison stationed there, withstanding a siege by the Roman Tenth Legion for three years.
Today, you can ascend by cable car to the summit of Masada. From there you'll see sweeping views of the surrounding desert, Dead Sea and Jordan Valley rock formations. The archeological treasures attesting to the moving story of the men, women and children who took hold of Masada and chose suicide over submission to the Romans were found here.
Masada is just one of six UNESCO Sites in Israel. This trip provides substantial visits to three (The old city of Jerusalem is also a UNESCO world heritage site). In addition to Masada, you'll visit the medieval city of Acre. Acre is remarkably preserved both above and below the streets where Crusading Knights once trod. It lies with an Ottoman walled city, but the site itself has been inhabited since the times of the Phoenicians. It overlooks the Mediterranean, not too far from Caesarea, another spectacular historic site visited on this trip.
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| Caesarea |
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Herod built Caesarea and named it for Octavian Augustus Caesar. This was the city where Pontius Pilate served as governor of Judea. It was a planned city, taking 12 years to complete. The extensive Roman and Crusader age architecture attracts visitors from all over the world, and |
the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean attract wealthy homebuilders to the area. You'll visit the impressive Roman theatre, situated to provide beautiful views of the sea. Also visited is the ingenious aqueduct, which supplied the ancient city with water from the Shuni springs six miles away. At the dawn of the 12th century, Frankish Crusaders captured the city. It traded hands between Muslim and Crusading Europeans several times and finally fortified by King Louis IX, of France. Discover this impressive fortress for yourself before going to the beautiful seaside city, Haifa.
Haifa is a terraced city on the slopes of Mount Carmel, resting on the shores of the Mediterranean. The city is home to the World Center of the Baha'i Faith, a religion founded in the 19th century with doctrine of tolerance and equality. You'll see the amazing Baha'i gardens and shrine, opened in 2001 The shrine opened in the 1950's. The gardens were rebuilt an opened in 2001. It took ten years to transform the barren rock into the 19 lush terraced gardens on the mountain.
Lush gardens also feature in this tour's visit to the Dead Sea. Your waterfront Dead Sea resort is surrounded by 12 acres of gardens. With free time there, you can experience the healing waters of the heavily salinated sea. The sea's high salt content makes it easy, almost comically easy, to float.
The sea is fed by the River Jordan, several small streams and by mineral springs, but has no outlet, so the rich minerals have nowhere to go. The mud and water are saturated with them. Dead Sea mud and minerals from the sea are used in expensive beauty and spa products around the world.
The Dead Sea is actually well below sea level--1269 ft to be exact. It is the lowest place on earth and has high barometric pressure. This, combined with the haze of constantly evaporating mineral-rich water, protects the area from harmful UV rays. The air is mineral laden, unpolluted and nearly free of allergens. All of these factors combine to make this area-despite its name-a natural health spa of legendary status.
It was in a cave along the shore of the Dead Sea in 1947 at Qumran that Bedouin shepherds went looking for a lost goat but found instead one of the twentieth century's most important archaeological discoveries. Hidden in jars were scrolls and scroll fragments. Eventually, searchers found thousands of scroll fragments, dating from the third century B.C.E. to 68 C.E. A tour of the caves brings you to where they had been hidden undisturbed for nearly 2,000 years.
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| Jerusalem |
These - the famous Dead Sea Scrolls can be seen in person when you visit the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
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Christians, Jews and Muslims revere sites in the Jerusalem's Old City as sacred to their faiths. Their histories entwine on the labyrinthine streets of the old city. The city's Western Wall is the only surviving fragment of wall built by Herod around the Temple Mount. |
The temple that stood there was later destroyed by Roman soldiers in 70 C.E. The wall is the holiest shrine in Judaism. Pilgrims come to pray and place written prayers between the rocks of the wall. People from all religions are welcome to pray beside the wall-visitors here have included Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama.
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The exquisite Dome of the Rock is an architectural gem. It's walls are covered with Persian blue tile, capped with a magnificent gold dome. Inside is a rock sacred to Muslims, and the faithful in the Judeo-Christian traditions. According to the Koran, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to |
view heaven from the rock. The book of Genesis in the Torah and Old Testament place God's testing of Abraham on this rock.
The powerful Old City also contains the path known as the Via Dolorosa, or Way of the Cross. This traces the final steps of Jesus, from the Judgment Hall of Pontius Pilate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On this tour, you will walk the moving path of the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. The church encompasses the sites of crucifixion -- Golgotha, entombment and according to Christian belief, resurrection.
Nearby is the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda. This Crusader-era church was built especially for Gregorian chant. Its acoustics are so fine that pilgrims come from all over the world to sing. According to the New Testament Book of John, the pool is where Jesus healed an invalid. These are visited as well as Garden of Gethsemene and the room of the Last Supper.
The site of Jesus' birth is also visited on this tour. A stop in Bethlehem in the Judean Hills brings you to the Church of the Nativity. Built in the fourth century, it is one of the oldest surviving Christian churches.
Scenes of Jesus's later years are also visited on the trip. The Mount of the Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount, and the site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes are seen. Visit Cana, where, according to the Gospel of John, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding feast.
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Collette Vacations' Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land is a ten day journey exploring the many wonders of Israel, both ancient and modern, secular and sacred. It travels to legendary places of healing-from those described in ancient religious texts to the curative properties unique to the Dead Sea. Cruise upon the Sea of Galilee-Israel's largest freshwater lake. Visit a kibbutz. Enjoy a meal at this communal village and meet some of its residents who work to make the desert bloom.
Enjoy all of these features with the peace of mind that only Collette Vacations can provide:
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• Experience: This year, Collette Vacations celebrates 90 years in escorted travel. Collette Vacations has taken millions of travelers around the world on vacations that feature unique experiences and affordable prices.
• Financial Security: Collette has proudly earned membership in the USTOA. This association represents the tour operator industry and requires members to furnish at least 18 industry references, post a $1 million security, be in business for at least 3 years under the same management and adhere to USTOA's precise code of ethics.
• No Worries: Our industry-leading travel Insurance and cancellation waiver allows cancellation for any reason, any time, right up until the day prior to departure, for a full refund.
• No upfront deposits: needed to hold group space
• No minimums required: on standard Collette departures. If one person signs up… you've earned revenue.
• Choice: Over 150 destinations going to all 7 continents
• Service: Your District Sales Manager works with you and assists in promoting your trip
• Know-how: A dedicated group customer service team
• Marketing support: Complimentary 4-color custom flyers and mini-posters to generate excitement about your trips.
• Superior buying power: Lower rates for you and your clients.
• Unbeatable value: Collette has earned a reputation for quality vacations at a great price.
• Unpublished itineraries: A collection of itineraries to popular destinations available only to partners like you. Offer something unique with a tour that cannot be found in the brochure or on the website.
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| Israel Tours: A Journey to the Holy Land |
10 days, 14 meals, starting at $1449, land only, based on double occupancy.
For more information or to book your Collette Vacations Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land, call 1-800-852-5655.
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