Awesome Israel

Incredible sites! Inspiring presentations! A life-changing experience!

Depart May or November, December
Perfect time of year to go!  Low season means no crowds and bargain prices at fine hotels.  Also, temperatures are usually perfectly moderate - usually 60’s daytime, 50’s night.

2010 tour dates:  May 19-30, plus Nov 26 - Dec 7 and Dec 4 - 15.

BYU Center is open now!
And well it should be!  It is safer now than it has been for many years.  Likely safer than staying home!  Both sides paid a high price and gained nothing in the-34-day conflict begun July 11, 2006.  Neither side wants to do it again!  Obviously, our Church leadership agrees or they would not send hundreds of our choice young people there to study and travel the country on field trips.

Superb tour at modest cost
Our expert guides have years of experience hosting thousands of delighted tour members at sacred places and they especially love Israel.  All are returned missionaries with years of church service since.  They include church Institute and gospel doctrine teachers, former bishops, stake presidents, Relief Society presidents, etc.  They understand why you come and present the right things in the right ways, to assure the experience you hope for.  In addition to two expert MHA guides on each bus, there will also be on board a hand-picked, licensed, Israeli guide who is familiar with the various languages and local customs.  At the sites and on the bus, well-prepared presentations will be given by the tour guides and tour members describing the remarkable events and sites we'll be discovering.
See comments from former tour members below...

Accommodations & Food
Our groups have unanimously praised the food and the hotels.  All hotels are clean, comfortable, and convenient.  The food is exceptionally good too and so is the variety! Breakfasts and dinners are elaborate buffets at the hotels.  Lunches are unique, regional delights.   And you will be amazed at the quality and size of the fresh produce grown there.  People everywhere show a warm, sincere appreciation that we would come at a time when so many are still afraid and choose to stay home.

"Very rewarding.  We are now able to place a mental image with those mentioned in the scriptures.  We experienced times of inspiration and many times contemplation.  We return home much more thoughtful about our personal heritage as members of the House of Israel."
Bruce & Suzanne Sorensen

"Wonderful.  It added to my understanding.  I learned a lot."  Janet Howard

"As I sat in the BYU Center partaking of the sacrament and looking out over Jerusalem, tears of love and gratitude streamed down my face in appreciation for our Savior’s sacrifice in my behalf.  This was truly an experience that I will always cherish!"  Janet Forbush

"A wonderful experiences to be in the places we have read about all of our lives and we feel increased appreciation and love for Jesus."  Miriam & Bob Winegar

"It was the Tour of a Lifetime!"  Gayle & Bob Sims

"One cannot visit the Holy Land without gaining a desire to live closer to their Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Everything about the tour was just wonderful, our guides were SUPER, SUPER GREAT.  The “Awesome Israel Tour” was just that, “Awesome,” and I loved every minute of it.   Jane Beagley

Tour ID	Dates, Days	One	Two	Three	Guides and Tour Comments
IS14	May 19 - 30, 2010	$3396	$3018	$2881	Bri Stringham with Jim & Judith McConkie
IS15	Nov 26 - Dec 7, 2010	$3396	$3018	$2881	Bri Stringham and Sam Fowers; Enjoy Hanukkah in Jerusalem. Wonderful pre-Christmas experience!
IS16	Dec 4 - 15, 2010	$3396	$3018	$2881	tba

tba = to be announced.  Prices are per person by number of people sharing hotel room. Price includes: round-trip SLC air (including current fees and taxes),  all meals (except  at the airports), deluxe charter bus, very nice lodging, group admissions, MHA guide services, as well as bus driver and local guide tips. POSTED PRICE IS ALL YOU PAY!

Generous credit if you don't need our air transportation--call for details.  Call for pricing of single, triple occupancies.   MHA reserves the right to make changes as necessary.

$200 per person secures your reservation on a first-come, first-served basis.  Balance due six weeks before departure.
Mail checks to:  Mormon Heritage Association, 1840 Moormont Dr, SLC UT 84117

Passport required (valid thru June 2010).  Application process can take 3-8 weeks, please apply right away!  Notify Mormon Heritage Association upon signup if you are NOT a US Citizen (for airline regulations)

Register online or by telephone 801-272-5601 or toll-free 866-335-5601

Sites Visited

Mediterranean Sea, Caesarea,Nazareth,BYU Jerusalem Center,The Garden Tomb

Tour Stops at the following sites

Joppa Port
Jonah departed for encounter with the whale.  Crucial ancient sea port.  Beginning of Jewish rebellion against the Romans.  Immense crusader fortresses & battles, Peter’s vision regarding great sheet and unclean animals to be eaten, Cornelius, etc.  (Visited as airline arrival allows)

Netanya
Beautiful city on the breathtaking Mediterranean Sea, 40 miles north of Joppa.  First hotel night.

Caesarea
Huge, elaborate, exciting ruins of an ancient city.  Peter lived here as did Cornelius.  Paul was prisoner for at least a year.  Built by King Herod.  Roman theatre, chariot racing hippodrome, Crusader fortress, moat.

Haifa German Cemetery
Graves of two early Mormon Missionaries, proving the LDS Church was already there when Israel became a country in 1948.  If it were not for these graves, the LDS Church would not have been allowed to stay and operate in Israel.

Baha’i Temple park and grounds
Beautiful.  High on a hill overlooking Haifa.

Mt. Carmel
Where Elijah had his duel with the Priests of Baal. Overlooks the Valley of Armageddon. Complete account read from the bible. Armageddon prophecies, too.

Megiddo
Most famous battlefield in the world.  Future battlefield, too.

Nazareth
Home of Joseph and Mary and for most of 30 years the scene of the Savior's life.  Jesus' followers were called Nazarenes.

Tiberias
On the west side of Sea of Galilee.  3 hotel nights here.

Galilee Boat Ride
Jesus walks on the water, calms the sea.  Recount these marvelous events on board a beautiful, wooden boat built especially for this purpose by dear Jewish friends.

Magdala
Home of Mary Magdalene.  Jesus came here after feeding the 4000.

Mount of the Beatitudes
Each of the nine beatitudes will be read by a tour member, from this site, overlooking the peaceful Sea of Galilee.  Sermon on the Mount site.

Capernaum
Jesus performed more miracles here than any other place.  Peter the fisherman lived here.  Jesus lived with him much of the time he was in Galilee.  Ruins of Synagogue built over ancient synagogue where the Lord preached and did miracles.

Caesarea Phillippi
“Who do men say that I am?”  etc.

Mt. Hermon
Likely transfigurations site.

Ruins of City of Dan
Marked the northern limit of the land of Israel.  The largest of all the springs that make up the sources of the Jordan River.  See water gushing forth from under these natural underground springs.

Hazor
Immense ruins.  21 levels of building over previous civilizations.  Powerful Canaanite city destroyed by Joshua.

Beit-Shean
Excavated ancient city--impressive recently uncovered Roman-period ruins.  Saul's and his son's bodies were hung from the walls of this city by the Philistines; valiant Israelites gave the bodies a proper burial.

Jericho
City of Palm Trees.  Walled city ruled by a king.  Joshua's spies went to Jericho, walls fell, captured and cursed by Joshua.

Qumran
Greco-Roman name of the former biblical City of Salt (or "Salt Lake City").  Dead Sea Scrolls discovered here (scrolls of the Essenes).  Many of the caves visible from the site.

Masada
Walled "winter palace" fortress of Herod the Great.  Captured by Jewish patriots from a Roman garrison.  One of the last strongholds to resist the Romans.  See the remains of this palace and the ramp built by the Roman soldiers to re-capture it (only to find Eleazar and his followers had killed themselves in a mass murder-suicide).

Bethlehem
Birthplace of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Shepherds' fields.  Original home of Elimelech and Naomi.  Ruth and Naomi returned here after the famine.  Here Ruth married Boaz and became the great-grandmother of David, king of Israel.  Thus, Bethlehem is the original home of the Davidic family, and for this reason Joseph and Mary came here.

Jerusalem – Old walled city
The most sacred city in the world, and the most important one in biblical history.  Sacred to Christian, Muslim, and Jew.  Walk the streets of this ancient city.  Shops, cathedrals, lively culture, etc.--a must-have experience!

Pool of Bethesda
Where Jesus met and healed an invalid man on the Sabbath day.

Mount of Olives
Separated from Old Jerusalem by the Kidron Valley.  Overlooks Jerusalem. Where Jesus addressed the disciples, suffered at Gethsemane, and ascended to heaven.

Wailing Wall
A portion of the western wall Herod built around the temple area.  Holiest shrine of the Jewish world.

BYU Jerusalem Center
Unforgettable Sacrament meeting while enjoying a spectacular view of the Old City of Jerusalem.  Stirring organ recital.  Beautiful, peaceful grounds.  Has re-opened to BYU students!

Orson Hyde Memorial Park
Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1979.  5-1/2 acre park, amphitheater, olive trees; overlooking the old walled city of Jerusalem.

Dome of the Rock, Temple Mound
Muslim mosque (built on the temple mound) held sacred by the Muslims.  Where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Antonia Fortress
Built by Herod the Great, overlooks the holy temple site.

King David’s Citadel
Also Built by Herod the Great.  The only part of the walls of Jerusalem to remain standing after Titus and the Roman army destroyed the cit in A.D. 70.  Spectacular evening light show rehearsing the history of occupation of this magnificent city.

Rockefeller Museum
Free time activity, for those who wish. Contains many relics excavated from the many ancient ruin sites throughout the region.  Fascinating stop.

Gethsemane
Relive the Lord’s last week from the small, private amphitheatre at edge of Garden of Gethsemane.  Hear scriptures read by fellow tour members recounting the events from the Triumphal Entry to the Crucifixion to Jesus' ascension to heaven.

Bethany
Home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  Probable site of Lazarus’ tomb.

Garden Tomb Park
Site of the actual tomb where the Lord was buried after the crucifixion and resurrected three days later.  A few hundred feet from the cross site.  Peaceful setting amidst a bustling city.

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