Holy Land Pilgrimage March 2010

Q. What are the dates of the trip?
A. March 21 ‐ April 1, 2010, which includes Palm Sunday.

Q. What types of hotels are we staying in during the Holy Land Pilgrimage?
A. We are staying in first class hotels. All rooms will have thier own bathrooms.

Q. What airline will we use?
We will fly direct from Atlanta to Tel Aviv on Delta. Some tour operators save money by making travelers change planes on their trips. Our flight is non-stop, decreasing your travel time and chance of delays. Other tour depart in the morning of the last day, counting it as a full day of the trip. We believe that you would rather spend your day time in Jerusalem than on an airplane.

Q. What will our guides be like on this Holy Land Tour?
A. We will have a Christian guide dedicated to creating a prayerful experience for us. In addition, Deacon Dan has experience traveling in the Holy Land, a master's degree in Sacred Scripture, and a spiritual understanding of the places we will visit.

Q. What meals are included?
A. In Israel and Jordan breakfast and dinner/supper are included each day.

Q. Will this be a tour or a spiritual pilgrimage?
A. Both. We will have wonderful times of prayer daily, we will rededicate our baptismal promises at the Jordan River, have a renewal of marriage vows in Cana, and an opportunity to celebrate Mass on Palm Sunday in Jerusalem. The word "recreation" comes from the word "re-create" and there will be laughter during our time together.

Q. Who is arranging all the practicalities of the tour?
A. We will be utilizing the expertise of George's International Tours, which has almost 75 years of experience arranging travel to the Holy Land. The are "a Christian-owned company solely dedicated to providing arrangements to Christian pilgrims." They have offices located in the Holy Land.

Q. How about safety and security?
A. Our operator has organized numerous safe and successful pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Even during the worst of times, Christian pilgrims were not the victims of the violence we read about in the newspapers. Keep in mind that Israeli security is just about the best in the world. Deacon Dan would not lead the tour if he had any doubts about safety. He will be bringing his wife along.

Q. What is the weather like in the Holy Land in March?
A. March in Israel is similar to that in Alabama. It can be a bit unpredictable with temperatures ranging from 61 to 75 Degrees Fahrenheit. Plan to dress in layers. On some days you may want a long sleeve shirt and light jacket, while on other days a short sleeve shirt will do. So, bring a good range of light weight clothes.

Q. Is much walking required?
A. We will be walking in the Palm Sunday Procession in the Old City of Jerusalem. There will be some steps and cobble stone streets. The rule of thumb is bring good walking shoes and comfortable walking clothes. We will be riding horses on our visit to Petra.

Q. Do you visit where the places where the Holy Father was on his trip?
A. Yes, we will be praying in many of the exact same places as Pope Benedict, including our visit to Amman, Jordan.

Q. How many pilgrims will there be in our group?
A. There is a minimum number of 20 for the group and a maximum of 35.

Q. What if I have other questions?
A. Leave a comment and we will answer your question as soon as possible.

Q. How can I sign up for the pilgrimage?
A. There will soon be a link to the full itinerary and registration form.