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TREE OF LIFE JOURNEY TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: A FLIGHT INTO EGYPT (Tentative)
Wednesday, Feb. 14 Depart JFK and arrive in Tel Aviv on Thursday, Feb. 15th
Thursday, Feb 15 Our friends, Shafik and Jiries will meet us at the airport and transport us by bus to the Ron Beach Hotel in Tiberias, about a 10 minute walk from the center of town.
Friday, Feb 16 Depart Hotel at 7 AM! 8:30 AM meeting with Abuna Elias Chacour, Galilee, Mar Elias, Mt of Beatitudes, Jordan River, etc. Possible visit to Acre or old Nazareth and Upper (Jewish Only) Nazareth. Overnight in Tiberias at the Ron Beach Hotel
Saturday, Feb 17 10 AM to 1 PM: Visit the Greek Orthodox community in Taybeh with Dr. Maria Khoury. 10 AM Meet at Taybeh Brewing company for tour of the only micro brewery in the Middle East, meet with Nadim C. Khoury, master brewer and co-founder. 10:30 See the 4th century ruins of St. George Greek Orthodox Church, commissioned by Constantine and Helen, the oldest holy place in Taybeh.. The Taybeh Municipality is next door, and, if possible, we will visit with David C. Khoury, Maria’s husband, who is mayor of Taybeh. View the Taybeh Orthodox Housing project, a non-finished six duplex homes for 12 families. 11:00 AM Visit the Palestinian Traditional House and Latin Church complex and if possible meet with Fr. Raed Abu Sahlieh, parish priest and former chancellor of Latin Patriarchate, Jerusalem. See the Greek Catholic Church and Greek Orthodox Church from outside and tour the Olive Foundation Workshop that produces peace lamps and candles. 12 Noon Lunch. 12:45 start for Ramallah to visit the International Academy of Art Palestine. 2:30 Meet Hanan in Ramllah 3:00 Meet with the director, Maha Abu Daia, of theWomen's Center for Legal and Aid Counselling. 4:00 Meet with the health work committees. 5.30 Meet in the popular center for Art and attend a rehearsal for the popular Dance Troup. 8:00 Dinner at Zaroor resturant in Ramalla Transportation to Bethlehem, . Overnight in Paradise Hotel.
Sunday, Feb. 18 Worship in Shepherd’s Field Greek Orthodox Church. Prayer gathering with George Saadeh and Abuna Issa in Shepherd’s Field Cave, afternoon and evening with families. 7:30 Debka dance and dinner with children and their families at hotel. Overnight in Paradise Hotel.
Monday, Feb. 19 8:30 AM Church of the Nativity. 10 AM Bethlehem University, extended time with Muslim and Christian students/faculty. After lunch, depart to Tent of Nations. Each member of group will plant an olive tree for peace in Palestine and Israel. 3 PM Hebron Tour with Yehuda Shaul of Breaking the Silence. 5 PM visit Glass factory in Hebron. 8 PM presentation about non violence given by Sami Awad and Elias Ghareeb of the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem. Overnight in Paradise Hotel.
Tuesday, Feb. 20 Depart for Jerusalem, for a 9:30 appointment with Sabeel Ecumenical Center to meet representative Nora Carmi. Lunch with members of the bereaved parents family circle. Free time in the old city of Jerusalem. Farewell dinner at Shepherd’s Tent Restaurant in Beit Sahour. Overnight in Paradise Hotel
Wednesday, Feb. 21 early morning departure for Eilat. Border crossing into Taba. An Egyptian bus (and Hassan) will meet us at the border. Travel to St. Catherine’s in Sinai. We’re delighted that Angela Godfrey Goldstein (Israeli Comm. Against House Demolition) who lived in Sinai will accompany us on this “flight into Egypt”, will arrange meeting with Bedouins and organizations who represent their work for justice and will help us understand the situation and the culture of the Bedouin. Christian service at the monastery at 4 PM. Overnight in Morgenland Village Hotel.
Thursday, Feb. 22 very early morning climb (for those who choose) of Mt. Sinai to be at the summit at dawn. Visit St. Catherine Monastery (open 9 AM to Noon). Depart for Sharm El Sheik. Check in Novotel Hotel. Swim / snorkel in Red Sea (unless it happens to be parted!), overnight Novotel Hotel Sharm El Sheik.
Friday, Feb. 23 Spend the morning relaxing, snorkeling and swimming in the Red Sea. Depart for Cairo around 1 PM. Dinner with an Egyptian family. Overnight in Cairo. Cosmopolitan Hotel in city center.
Saturday, Feb. 24 Visit the Great Pyramids of Giza in the morning and the Egyptian museum in the afternoon. Overnight in the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
Sunday, Feb. 25 Morning service at Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark. Get together with Coptic personalities for an extended discussion on the current situation in Egypt. Visit the beautiful mosque of Sultan Hassan (1356 AD), Ben Ezra synagogue and or the famous Khan El Khalili bazaar. Farewell dinner in a floating restaurant on the Nile. Overnight in Cosmopolitan Hotel.
Monday, Feb. 26 Depart Hotel at 4:30 A.M. to Cairo airport for the morning flight back home.
Monday, Feb. 26: Participants taking the Nile Cruise (Luxor and Aswan) will fly from Cairo to Luxor (Egypt). Taxi ride from Luxor airport to the Royal Sonesta Nile Goddess ship (4 nights, 5 days all inclusive.)
Friday, Mar. 2: Disembarkation in Aswan in the Morning. Taxi ride from the Cruise to Aswan Airport for the trip to Cairo. Check in Beirut Hotel in the Heliopolis area of Cairo. Free time in Cairo. Possible visit to art gallery, Islamic museum, Egyptian music performance, or coffee house, etc. Overnight in Beirut Hotel.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Depart at 5:00 AM to Cairo airport for the morning for the flight JFK
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1st Congregational Church of
Old Lyme
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