Jerusalem

Israel and the Steps of Jesus

November 15, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Israel is rapidly becoming one of my favorite destinations. It is not that hard to do, because Israel is a land that anyone who grew up in Sunday School has heard all the stories of ancient Israel—it is a part of our DNA. The first time I traveled to Israel was almost a year ago as I write this blog. I was full of anticipation because I love to travel, especially some place new. When we landed in Tel Aviv I was filled with excitement, but I had no idea what a magical time awaited me. I found Israel to be inviting. It was everything I had imagined and more. Everyone I knew who had ever been to Israel had told me that it was like nothing you could imagine. I did not believe them, thinking they were just talking in hyperbole. Little did I know they were right.

As a disclaimer: this is a steps of Jesus tour, so you should be prepared for a lot of walking, up hills, down hills, up stairs and down stairs. Israel does not make a lot of accommodations for the handicapped, so there is literally no wheel chair access to many of the sights we will be seeing. Likewise, there are no elevators or escalators either.

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A Day In Athens, Everything You Expect And More

May 6, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Athens, Greece is a beautiful city! It is filled with history and yet, in the midst of all that antiquity, thousands of people are living their everyday lives. The city seems to spread out forever with its white buildings piled almost on top of each other. A view from the Acropolis shows a 360° view of buildings virtually as far as the eye can see. This is a city filled with things to see, but you need a plan if you are going to get in as much as possible.

If you have a few days in Athens I would recommend that you get a seat on the double decker red tour bus. One ticket gives you access to most of the sites in Athens. You can hop on and hop off of the bus at any and every stop. There are buses constantly running, so you do not have to worry about getting stuck at a site.

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Safety, Always a Concern, Never an Issue

May 3, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Many people never travel abroad because of the fear of the unknown. I do not let that happen. I believe that, if we do our homework and take some easy precautions, we can avoid troubles while abroad and still enjoy traveling.

My family and I were living in Strasbourg, France on September 11, 2001. We sat in our apartment and watched the World Trade Center Towers come tumbling down. I knew that this one event would change how we travel for years to come if not forever. Tensions rose in Europe, as did anti-Semitism.

Not long after, we began to see refugees streaming into Europe unchecked, mostly from the most troubled areas of the Middle East. This changed the dynamic of Europe fairly drastically. And yet the world still spins on its axis.

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Dispatches from Israel, number one

May 2, 2020 by Matthew Finstein

Hello, my name is Matthew Finstein, I’m a registered tour guide here in the land of Israel. I’m working exclusively with Joel and P33 Adventures right here in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Israel.

I cannot wait to welcome you and your families to this wonderful land, especially in this time of year, the beautiful scenery, the beautiful flowers, the wonderful atmosphere, the air which surrounds this holy land.

Right now Israel is closed because of COVID-19, but we will soon be open for business. Over the next few days I’m filming with Sar-El, right here in Jerusalem, some videos that show the beauty of this land.

The Garden Tomb, a Brief Moment Forever Etched in History

April 18, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Imagine walking into the tomb that is possibly the tomb Jesus walked out of when he was raised from the dead! You cannot imagine the emotion, the vibrant life you feel standing there, contemplating the moment of the resurrection and everything that has followed it. This is one of the pivotal points of all human history. This simple site is one of the most touching sites in all of Israel. We typically end our tours here because it gives you plenty to take home.

While in the Garden Tomb you will see a site that could well be the hill where Jesus was crucified. You will have communion with your travel companions as this is a place of contemplation. Take a few minutes and sit overlooking the tomb. Relive the history that is found here. Imagine what has led us to this point, a gruesome crucifixion that is forever marked in history. The fear and anxiety of his followers in the days leading up to the crucifixion. The agony of seeing Jesus dead. The horror of burying your friend.