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What to Know about Travel in Israel During Shabbat

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If you’ve started to do a little research on travel in Israel, there’s one word or concept you’ve definitely found already: Shabbat. The premise of rest is appealing; you’re on vacation after all. But for most travelers to Israel, rest isn’t the first thing on your list of things to do. You have things to do! Not to worry, though. Here’s your guide to travel in Israel on Shabbat!

What is Shabbat?

Shabbat literally means Sabbath, as in, God rested on the sabbath. As in, Commandment number 4: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). For Jews in the Old Testament, as now, that means they’re not allowed to work or do any kind of activity on the Sabbath. No travel (that includes driving), no cooking, no work, no carrying anything from one place to another, no technology, etc. 

I’m Not Jewish. Why Do I Need to Know about Shabbat?

Well, you need to know about it because it will greatly affect the planning of your trip to Israel. That authentic restaurant you wanted to try? Closed. That museum you were planning to visit? Closed. Or maybe they’ll have modified hours. That unbelievable hotel breakfast you were counting on? Hope you’re okay with slim pickings and nothing served hot. 

Shabbat comes around every week, without exception, so if you’re coming to Israel even for just a week, you will experience Shabbat! It can really throw a wrench in your plans if you’re not prepared or worse—are taken completely by surprise! 

When is Shabbat?

Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday, and it lasts through Saturday. Many shops and restaurants actually start to close up around 2:00 or 3:00pm Friday afternoons so the owners and employees can get home and get food ready before sunset. Don’t expect regularly scheduled programming until Sunday morning! 

What Can I Do on Shabbat?

Actually, there is a lot to do if you know where to look! Muslim-owned restaurants and businesses will still be open, because their holy day is Friday, not Saturday. You can go into Christian sites, like churches, because the Christian holy day is Sunday, not Friday. 

Some museums, like the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, closes early on Fridays but is open regular hours on Saturdays (unlike Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, which is closed on Saturdays). The outdoors is always open, so it’s a great day for a hike, a trip to the beach, or a float on the Dead Sea. Do a quick search to find the opening hours for Fridays and Saturdays if there is something you’re really interested in doing, just to make sure. 

Where is the Best Place to Be on Shabbat?

Definitely try to be in Tel Aviv, or possibly the Galilee region, which has a higher population of Muslim, not Jewish, people. Tel Aviv is more liberal and less religious, and many non-practicing Jews live and work there. Tel Aviv will have more open restaurants, museums, and sites to visit on Shabbat, but always look for hours for a specific site or business before you make plans. 

The Best Day Trips from Jerusalem

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If you’re visiting Israel, odds are good that you’ll be based in Jerusalem, even if only for a few days. It’s the epicenter of holy sites for the world’s three main religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But it’s also a great place to base yourself for several day trips (or half-day trips, as time allows). Here are the top destinations to consider when planning your trip, several of which can be combined into one day to truly maximize your time!

Best Day Trips from Jerusalem

The Valley of Elah

Lots of tour groups and individuals skip the Valley of Elah, but once they find out what it is, they’re disappointed that they missed it. No, there are no historic churches, mosques, or synagogues here to mark the spot. No, it’s not at the top of any “must do in Israel” list (except this one). So why bother?

Well, this is where David fought Goliath! Just under an hour from Jerusalem, this is a great half-day excursion any time of year. Start at Tel Azeka, where you can get a full view of the valley and the positioning of the Philistine and Hebrew troops as described in the Bible.

If you want to make this a more active excursion, plan to hike down into the valley and take in the view from below. Take the Tel Azeka Loop (1.4 miles total), and bring your Bible to read 1 Samuel 17 while you’re at it for reference.

A trip to the Valley of Elah can easily be combined with a trip to Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

Tel Aviv-Jaffa

While Tel Aviv is a destination in itself, you can definitely hit the highlights in a day if you’re pressed for time, especially if you’re planning to base yourself in Jerusalem for your trip. 

Start in Jaffa, and take a walking tour if you can. This was Israel’s main port city in ancient times, so it’s worth a look if you’re here for the history. Take a walking tour to see where Jonah set out to sea while avoiding God’s plan for Nineveh (Book of Jonah), see where Tabitha was raised from the dead (Acts 9:36-43), and stand in the place where Peter had a vision that meant Christianity was for all, not just the Jews (Acts 10:9-16).

Tel Aviv, on the other hand, is much more modern and progressive. As much as Jerusalem is conservative and pious, Tel Aviv is liberal and vibrant. Come for the beaches and boardwalks, check out the water sports, explore the museums, and indulge in diverse the international food scene. Plan to stay for the night? This is also the headquarters of Israel’s nightlife scene.

A trip to Tel-Aviv-Jaffa can easily be combined with a stop at the Valley of Elah.

Bethlehem

You already have this one on your “must go” list, right? It’s Jesus’ birthplace (Luke 2), so if you’re a Christian traveling to Israel, it’s basically the whole reason you’re coming! But even if you’re not religious, this is still such a famous and momentous place that you’ll still want to include it on your itinerary. You can see everything you want to see here in half a day, but if you have a full day to spend, you won’t get bored. 

Just be aware that Bethlehem is in the West Bank, which is a Palestinian Territory. That means you’ll need to bring your passport and arrange for a Palestinian guide and driver for the day. Also plan to either leave your rental car in the parking lot outside the checkpoint, plan to take the bus, or arrange for a driver to get you there and pick you up after. 

Tons of people do this, so don’t be intimidated by the logistics. This is one place in Israel, however, where it pays to go with a reputable company that can configure the logistics for you. 

A trip to Bethlehem can be combined with Jericho and/or Qasr El-yahud.

Jericho

It’s kind of ironic that you can take a day trip to the oldest city in the world, isn’t it? Dating back to around 9,000 B.C., it’s also the longest continuously-occupied city in the world. It’s also in the West Bank, like Bethlehem, so you will want to arrange for a Palestinian or Arab guide and driver for the day.

Jericho is famous for Jews and Christians as the city whose walls were miraculously crumbled in Joshua chapter 6. But Jesus was also familiar with the city thousands of years later. He met Zacchaeus, the short and hated tax collector, here in a Sycamore tree (Luke 19:1-10). Your guide may even be able to point out what is believed to be this same tree when you come.

A trip to Jericho can be combined with excursions to Bethlehem and/or Qasr El-yahud.

Qasr El-Yahud (Jesus’ Baptismal Site)

Another West Bank site (though easier for Israeli guides to bring you to) is the place on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17). It’s not far from Jericho, so it’s an easy site to add on to a day trip there as well. Just pay attention to its closing time in the afternoon.

The site is called Qasr El-yahud, which means “Tower” or “Castle of the Jews.” John the Baptist and Jesus’ disciples baptized many people here, making it an important place for Christians to visit. However, it’s also believed to be the site where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land after the Exodus from Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert. That makes it an important place in Jewish history as well. 

A trip to Qasr El-yahud can be combined with Qumran, Jericho and/or Bethlehem.

Qumran (Dead Sea Scroll Caves)

You can actually see some of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, which you should definitely do. But if you want to see the caves where they were found, you’ll need to plan a day trip to Qumran, about 45 minutes southeast of Jerusalem.

Here, you’ll learn about when and how the scrolls were discovered, then head outside to see some of the caves themselves. Make sure you can do this one early in the day in the summer months. The desert location far below sea level grows far too hot by afternoon.

A trip to Qumran can easily be combined with trips to Jericho, Qasr El-yahud, Ein Gedi, Masada, and/or the Dead Sea.

Ein Gedi

This site is notable for being the largest oasis in Israel, complete with palm groves and even an epic waterfall. The freshwater source here means it’s been inhabited for millennia, almost continuously. Presently, the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve is one of the most popular sites in Israel, so it very well may already be on your list of places to go on your trip. 

Aside from the draw of natural beauty, Ein Gedi also has Biblical history attached. Joshua 15 mentions Ein Gedi as one of the wilderness cities that belonged to the Tribe of Judah. King David hid at Ein Gedi in 1 Samuel 23:29. And King Solomon wrote about vineyards of Ein Gedi in Song of Solomon 1:14. 

A trip to Ein Gedi can easily be combined with trips to Jericho, Qasr El-yahud, Qumran, Masada, and/or the Dead Sea.

Masada

Speaking of hot places, this one is popular at sunrise for a reason! Situated on a plateau overlooking the desert on three sides and the Dead Sea on the fourth, Masada has a long, difficult, important history for the Jewish people. 

Masada was originally built as a fortress by King Herod the Great around 37 B.C. In 73 A.D., a group of nearly 1,000 Jewish men, women, and children lived here while under siege by the Roman army. When defeat was imminent, a group of Jewish men killed everyone there, including each other, with the last man standing committing suicide. Only two women and five children survived to tell the historian and writer, Josephus, what happened, which is how we know about it today.

It’s an active archaeological site now, complete with fortress ruins and a state-of-the-art steam room once used by King Herod. Many Jewish families have a tradition of doing the hike up to Masada at sunrise for a child’s 12th birthday, but you’ll also find tourists doing this sunrise hike as well. You can hike (about 45-60 minutes each way) or take the cable car to the top and back down, or a combination of the two. Either way, don’t forget to take in the views along the way.

A trip to Masada can easily be combined with trips to Jericho, Qasr El-yahud, Qumran, Ein Gedi, and/or the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea

This is a bucket list item for many, and it’s an easy day trip to pair with several others on this list (Qasr El-Yahud, Qumran, Masada, Ein Gedi). It’s one of the lowest and saltiest places in the world, coming in at over 1,300 feet below sea level and over 34% salinity. What else makes it unique? The salinity allows visitors not to swim, but to float!

The Dead Sea is mentioned by a few different names in the Bible (the “Salt Sea,” “Sea of Arabah,” and the “Eastern Sea,” to name a few), but most importantly it’s referred to as the eastern border of Israel (Numbers 34:12). Also interestingly, biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the supposed remains of Lot’s wife (Genesis 19), are located on the southeastern side of the Dead Sea, in Jordan. 

While you’re here, be sure to take a float and try the healing, exfoliating, skin-softening mud, too. Not into a mud bath? You can purchase products made from the minerals (and mud) of the Dead Sea to take home with you instead.

A trip to the Dead Sea can easily be combined with trips to Jericho, Qasr El-yahud, Qumran, Ein Gedi, and/or Masada.

Day Trips Not Recommended from Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a great place to base yourself for several day trips (or half-day trips), but it’s not perfect for exploring all of Israel. If you plan to visit Haifa, Caesarea, or Akko (aka Acre), Tel Aviv is a better base for that. If you’re interested in visiting Nazareth, Galilee, Capernaum, Migdal, or the Golan Heights, Tiberias in the Galilee region is a better place to stay for a night or two to see all of those places at a more leisurely pace.

All the Reasons You Want to Visit the Mount of Olives in Israel

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You’ve heard about it in countless sermons and sung many hymns in reference to it, so of course you want to visit the Mount of Olives for yourself. The same goes for the Garden of Gethsemane. But… Why? What really happened here, and why are these places still significant to us now? Here are all the good reasons to visit The Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane!

It has one of the best views of Jerusalem.

This seems like a superficial reason to visit at first. It really is a great place for photos of the Jerusalem cityscape, but it’s always been a great place for a view, even in Jesus’ time. He went to the Mount of Olives many times in his life, including in Luke 19:41-44 on his way to Jerusalem when he wept for the city: 

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

It’s part of a yet-unfulfilled Jewish prophecy. 

The Mount of Olives is home to a massive Jewish cemetery. Why? Because they believe this is where the Messiah will come. When that happens, the Mount of Olives will split in two, and the dead will rise from there first. So, if you’re Jewish and you’re buried on the Mount of Olives, you’ll ascend into Heaven first.

They believe this because in Tanakh (the Christians call this the Old Testament), Zechariah 14:3-4 says, “Then the Lord will go out and fight against all those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half the mountain moving south.”

Fun fact: The Mount of Olives Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in the world, and it’s active still today!

It’s part of a fulfilled prophesy for Christians. 

For Christians, the prophesy that the Messiah will come happened when Jesus came. Psalm 118:26 reads, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” And in Luke 19:37-38, Jesus fulfills this verse. Luke writes, “When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” 

Zechariah 9:9 reads, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout Daughter of Jerusalem! See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, on a foal of a donkey.” And in Luke 19:28-44, we read that Jesus did, in fact, ride from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem, which we often call the “Triumphal Entry,” on a donkey. 

Jesus was also sitting on the Mount of Olives in Mark 13, within sight of Jerusalem and the Temple there, when his disciples Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him to tell them when the end of days would come. Read Mark 13:1-37 for his complete response, but essentially, this is the passage where Jesus says that there would be wars, nation against nation, earthquakes, famines, and that the disciples should be on their guard because no one knows the date or time of Jesus’ second coming. 

Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives.

Luke 22:39 says that after the Last Supper, “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.” He asked God to take the cup from him, meaning he was asking for his blood not to be shed in the way he knew was coming, but in the same breath he expressed his desire for God’s ultimate will to be done. 

In verses 43 and 44, Luke writes that “An angel from Heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

This is where Judas betrayed Jesus.

It was on the Mount of Olives, in Mark 14:42-50 that Judas kissed Jesus to let the guards know whom to arrest. After praying for God to take the cup from him, Jesus was talking to his disciples and said to them in verse 42, “Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer.” He saw Judas coming. Judas gave the signal, a kiss, and Jesus was arrested and taken for his trial in Jerusalem. 

This is the place where Jesus ascended into Heaven after the resurrection.

For Christians, this is certainly the most important reason to want to visit the Mount of Olives. We can read about that in Luke 24:50-53. The town of Bethany is on the east side of the Mount of Olives, which is where Jesus led the disciples to bless them after the resurrection, before his ascension into Heaven. Afterward, “Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”

Is the Mount of Olives on your “must-go” list while in Israel? Take your Bible with you, and read the passages above while you’re there, and see if it changes your understanding of what happened here, and how it affects your faith. 

Biblical Sites in the West Bank

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The West Bank covers a huge portion of the area currently controlled by the State of Israel. But because the West Bank is one of the two Palestinian Territories (the other is Gaza, where you definitely should not go, nor would you be allowed to!) , people are sometimes nervous about visiting sites in the West Bank, or they plan to visit them on their own and then find out they can’t take their rental car across the border between Israel and the West Bank. But there are many sites worth seeing in the West Bank, especially for Christians. Here are the must-see Biblical sites in the West Bank!

Jericho 

Every kid who ever went to Sunday school knows about Jericho. The Israelites marched around and around the city every day for a whole week, they blew their horns, and the “walls came tumbling down!” As a little kid, hearing about that happening was epic.

And when we got older, we all learned about the scandalous harlot Rahab—who, let’s not forget, ended up in the lineage of Jesus. The account of Jericho appeals to a broad audience, and it’s one of the places you know you want to see on your trip to Israel.

But let’s not forget about the Jericho that Jesus knew, and another beloved Bible story from Sunday school. He was just passing through Jericho, and one of the most unlikely people showed an interest in him. Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector and probably least popular person in town, was too short to see Jesus over the crowd, so he climbed up in a sycamore tree to see. (Luke 19:1-10) And you can see where it happened when you visit Jericho for yourself.

Hebron

About an hour south of Jerusalem is a West Bank town called Hebron. It may seem vaguely familiar, but also maybe not, so no worries if it doesn’t. Abraham and Sarah lived and are buried here, making Hebron an important site for Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. Muslims call this the Sanctuary of Abraham, and Jews and Christians both know it as the Cave of the Patriarchs. (Genesis chapters 13, 23, 25, 47, and 49) 

Later in the Old Testament, in Joshua 14:13, Joshua gave Hebron to Caleb as an inheritance. In fact, King David ruled from Hebron for seven and a half years until he moved into Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 2:8-11)

Qasr El-Yahud 

This site is actually important for both Jews and Christians. This is the crossing point of the Jordan River where the Israelites were finally able to enter the Promised Land after wandering in the desert for 40 years. It’s still the present-day border between Jordan and Israel or the West Bank. (Joshua 3)

But Christians have another reason to want to visit Qasr El-Yahud. This is the place where John the Baptist baptized many people, including Jesus. Many people choose to be baptized here, so the gift shop offers white robes and towels (for a fee) for those who want to be baptized in the same place as Jesus. (Matthew 3:15 and Mark 1:9)

Qumran Caves

You won’t find an exact mention of Qumran or the caves in the Bible, but they are very important to Biblical history. In the 1940s, local shepherds found the first of nearly 1,000 scrolls that would become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. They are the earliest copies we have of the books of the Old Testament, with the exception of the book of Esther. 

The dry climate at the Dead Sea – and inside these caves – is perfect for preserving manuscripts like these. The scrolls themselves are on display in a handful of museums around the world, including several at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. 

Dead Sea

Part of the Dead Sea lies within the borders of the West Bank, part of it lies within the Israeli border, and of course the eastern side belongs to the country of Jordan. The same is true in the Bible: The Dead Sea, the Salt Sea, and the Valley of Siddim are all terms used to describe this unique lake in the Bible as the eastern border of Israel. (Numbers 34:12)

Bethlehem

This is the birthplace of Jesus, so there are several important sites visitors want to see here. You can visit the Shepherds’ Field, birthplace, and caves where the family stayed while they were in Bethlehem. If you’re a Christian, you may want to tour the sites with a Palestinian Christian guide for a truly local perspective – their home church will be one of the churches built over the sites you came to see. How cool would it be to know that the place where you worship every Sunday is the same place where Jesus was born? (Luke 2)

Also interesting is that this isn’t just Jesus’ first hometown. It was also King David’s hometown. Before he knocked out Goliath and became King of all Israel, David was the youngest son of a local family and a shepherd in the fields you came to see. (1 Samuel 16:1-13) Going back even further in Jewish history, this is also the hometown of Ruth and Boaz. (Book of Ruth) These people—among others—were all from Bethlehem and mentioned in the lineage of Jesus. (Luke 3:23-38)

The Top 10 Sites to Visit in Galilee

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Jesus was born in Bethlehem and lived in Egypt as a baby, but he did his growing up in and around the Galilee region. This is the place where many of his miracles happened, and where many of his disciples lived and worked as well. It was an important region to Jesus and his life’s work, so it’s important for many Christian visitors to Israel as well. Plan to spend a couple of nights here on your trip, and put these sites on your “must see” list!

Capernaum

Wow. What didn’t happen in Capernaum? It comes up many times in the Bible because Jesus made it his home, and some of the Apostles lived here as well (Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew). He preached in the synagogue after being run out of Nazareth. After just beginning his ministry, he healed many people from sickness, including Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others from demon possession. (Luke 4:31-44)

This is also where Jesus healed the paralytic man who had to be lowered through the roof by his friends (Mark 2:1-12). He also gave his sermon here about how he is the bread of life (John 6:22-59). He healed a bleeding woman who merely touched his garment (Mark 5:25-34) on his way to raise the daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue (Mark 5:21-43). A day in Capernaum alone will give you plenty to see and read about!

Mount of Beatitudes

This is the site of what is possibly Jesus’ most famous sermon: The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5. You should read this sermon here (it’s not long!) while you look out over the Galilee region. There is also the Church of the Beatitudes that was built here in 1938 to mark the spot where Jesus gave the sermon.

Nazareth

This town is famous as the place where Jesus grew up, but don’t forget it’s also the place where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:36-38). And an angel also appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him to marry Mary despite her miraculous pregnancy (Matthew 1:18-25).

You can visit the churches built over Mary’s house and Joseph’s workshop. You may also be interested to see the “Synagogue Church” where Jesus may have attended as a Jewish boy growing up in Nazareth. This is the same synagogue where he spoke and read from Isaiah 61:1-2.  (Luke 4:14-27)

Mount Precipice

While speaking at the synagogue mentioned above, the people there became angry about what he was saying and tried to run him off of the cliff that the town sat upon – Mount Precipice. But somehow, the Bible says that “passing through their midst, he went away.” (Luke 4:28-30)

Cana

Jesus did a lot of miracles in his lifetime, including his very first one at a wedding in a place called Cana. There are plenty of jokes and memes out there about turning water into wine, and this is where it really happened, at a wedding where Jesus was a guest. This is also the event that made the disciples believe in him. (John 2:1-11)

There is a church here on the site, where you can, in fact, buy communion wine if you wish. There is also an ancient wine vessel you can see here like the ones they would have used at the wedding. 

Bethsaida

Why stop at Bethsaida? This is the place where Jesus fed the 5,000. He came here by boat and tried to get away from the crowd, but they followed him here anyway. Despite looking for seclusion, he saw the people in the crowd (all 5,000 of them) and had compassion for them anyway. He also spent time healing the sick people who had come here. 

Because it was such a secluded place, and it was getting late in the day, the disciples suggested that Jesus send the people away so they could start making their way to a nearby village to get food. Instead, Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish, prayed to thank God for them, and started breaking them up. By the time he finished, all 5,000 people had been fed, and there were still twelve baskets of bread and fish left over! (Matthew 14:13-21, John 6:1-15)

Magdala

Magdala: As in, Mary Magdalene. Located in present-day Migdal, beside the Sea of Galilee, Magdala is the home town of this important woman from the Bible. Not only was she an early follower of Christ, she was part of a miracle he performed when he drove seven demons out of her in Luke 8:2. She was also there at Jesus’ tomb when the stone was rolled over the entrance (Matthew 27:61), as well as when the stone was rolled away the following Sunday morning. She and “the other Mary” were the first people Jesus appeared to after rising from the dead. (Matthew 28:1-10)

The archaeological park here is relatively new, so discoveries are still being made often. They’ve uncovered house foundations and other parts of an ancient town here. It’s worth a visit, especially if you’re interested in archaeology.

Bet She’an

If you’re into a bit of gore and parts of the Bible that are not rated G, head about half an hour south of the Sea of Galilee and visit Mount Gilboa and Bet Sheen National Park. This is the site of the Battle of Gilboa, and as a result, it’s also the place where Philistines killed King Saul’s three sons. King Saul was also wounded here by Philistine archers, but he chose to fall on his sword and kill himself instead of allow the Philistines to kill and mistreat him. (1 Samuel 31)

Yoga Allon Museum

You might also see or hear this referred to as the “Jesus Boat Museum.” It’s a museum in Ginosar, beside the Sea of Galilee. While the boat on display itself likely has no ties to Jesus, it is a first century boat similar to the type he and his disciples would have used in their daily lives, like the time Jesus calmed the storm in Matthew 8:23-27.

The Sea of Galilee

This is it, right? This is where Jesus walked on the water, where Peter walked on water and then faltered, where Christians learn one of the most important lessons in the Bible: Keep your eyes on Jesus and have faith, no matter what. (Matthew 14:22-34, Mark 6:45-53, John 6:16-21)

One of the coolest experiences a Christian can have is to go out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and take in the view from the middle of the massive lake. It’s so large, it creates its own microclimate, complete with storms and waves. You can imagine what it would have been like in a first century boat when a storm came up, like the one Jesus calmed here in Mark 4:35-41. Don’t miss a chance to go out on the Sea of Galilee while you’re there.

How a Visit to the Holy Land will Elevate Your Faith

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A trip to Israel and the Holy Land is on nearly every Christian’s bucket list. We want to walk where Jesus walked, stand on the Mount of Olives, and see the crumbled walls of Jericho. Faith is believing in what you can’t see, but there is something to be said for physically seeing what you profess to believe. Here’s how a trip to Israel and the Holy Land will elevate your faith. 

The Bible Will Become More Real

Jonah and the Whale. David and Goliath. Mary and Joseph being turned away at every inn in Bethlehem. Whether you learned about these events in vacation Bible school or read about them for the first time as an adult, it’s wild to think that those are real places, those events really happened, and that those are places you can actually visit. It’s one thing to read about these places, or even look at them on a map, but it’s a totally different experience to be there, stand where the people in the Bible stood, and see what they saw.

One of the best things you can do as a Christian visitor to the Holy Land is to bring your Bible with you while touring, or download your preferred version on a Bible app. When you come to a place mentioned in the Bible, stop and find that passage, then read it in that place, either out loud or to yourself. The verses you’re reading will become more than just a Bible “story” to you because you’re there, experiencing the place for yourself. 

You Will Gain a Deeper Understanding of Your Own Faith

Israel and the Palestinian Territories are home to some of the most hotly contested land in the entire world. Jews, Muslims, and Christians all consider this land holy and of utmost importance to their respective faiths. You will inevitably learn something new about a different faith, which will likely give you a sense of empathy you didn’t know you needed.

It may seem counter-intuitive living in today’s world culture, but that’s the essence of Jesus’ teaching. Being exposed to and learning about a different faith can give you a deeper understanding of your own faith, maybe because learning about a different faith will prompt you to put into words why you believe the way you do. 

The Spiritual Experience You Have Will be Uniquely Yours

The experience you have in Israel and the Holy Land will change the way you live your faith for the rest of your life. Being in the Garden of Gethsemane and reflecting on Jesus’ prayers there may change the way you pray in your own life. Touching the water in the river where Jesus was baptized may give you the confidence to confirm your own commitment to your faith. Reading or listening to the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus spoke it himself may change the way you see yourself or the way you feel toward others. 

However God intends to use this trip for you, it will be for your good, your benefit, and your spiritual life. You may feel that as soon as you step off the plane, or you might not have your own spiritual experience until you’re back home and able to let it all sink in. Your trip to Israel and the Holy Land will be what God needs it to be for you and your faith.