Hebraic Roots of Christianity in the Shadow of the Roman Empire:Judaism at the Time of Jesus

We will gather at JFK airport in New York to begin our overnight flight, arriving in Tel Aviv the next day.

We will spend the day traveling to the Sea of Galilee, stopping first at the impressive archaeological site of Caesarea Maritima. Through the eyes of our resident archaeologist the pulse of a living Roman city will emerge to reveal the influence of, and tension between, the Greco-Roman culture and that of ancient Israel. We will then visit Beit She'arim where Yehudah HaNasi resided and composed the Mishnah. Here we will begin to explore the Judaism at the time of Jesus, and what happened to it after the destruction of the Temple. From Beit She'arim we will pass through Zippori (Sepphoris), an ancient Greco-Roman city located on a hill that overlooks the region known as the Galilee. Zippori is not far from Nazareth over which it undoubtedly exerted extensive influence. During a stop in Nazareth we will begin our adventure of the gospel narrative in its relationship to the powerful Roman Empire.

A strong Jewish presence existed among the small agricultural and fishing villages on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. We will spend the day exploring several of these ancient sites including Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida. The ancient Israelite culture will emerge in stark contrast to the Roman world, and our resident Bible scholars will help us explore the rich biblical imagery from this region. We will also visit Tiberias where the Jewish sages collected after the destruction of the Temple. Here they began a process to organize and preserve Judaism. This is the period in which the Gospel of John was composed, which reflects increasing tension between Christianity and Judaism.

Caesarea Philippi was a Roman cultic site on the slope of Mount Hermon. It was against this setting that Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The clash of values, beliefs and practices that this question precipitated still resonates today. As we travel to the east side of the Sea of Galilee, the Gentile side, the tension between the two cultures becomes even more striking. Kursi, for example, is where Jesus healed a man possessed by demons. The Roman influence was especially strong in this area. We will visit Gamla, where the Jews made a tragic stand against the Romans, and will examine Josephus as an historian of this period. If time permits, we will visit the archaeological remains of the decapolis city of Hippos. If you were an archaeologist, what conclusions might you draw from the surface remains at Hippos? Where would you begin to dig and what might you expect to find?

We will spend the morning at the remarkable archaeological site of Beth Shean, a Roman Decapolis city that has undergone extensive excavation so one has a sense of actual presence in the ancient world. Then we will consider the universal human need for health and wholeness by comparing the Greco-Roman approach at the ancient site of Hamat Gadera (that was built around natural hot springs) and the astonishing new teaching by Jesus of Nazareth.

We will spend the day in the area of the Dead Sea, traveling to Masada where the Jews made one last agonizing stand against the  might of the Roman Empire shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. We will then visit the archaeological site of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, before finally arriving in Jerusalem. Here we will begin to consider the many Jewish sects that existed at the time of Jesus, including the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Christians.

We will begin our Jerusalem experience early in the morning with a visit to the Temple Mount in order to explore the site of the Temple, the spiritual center of ancient Israel and the heart of Jerusalem. We will then visit the Mount of Olives, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We have planned an unusual experience for the afternoon when we will visit the little known archaeological site of the Essene Gate that reveals the ancient Essene quarter of Jerusalem, the probablyesite of the Last Supper. Who were these Essene people and how did Jesus interact with them? We will also visit a yeshiva, and will consider Paul's traiining in the beit midrash of Rabbi Gamaliel.

We will visit the extraordinary remains of the Herodian Palace, which is located east of Jerusalem. Who was Herod, whom the Romans titled "King of the Jews"? His influence on the gospel story far exceeds the few New Testament references. In the afternoon we will visit the Israel Museum, which offers an impressive overview of what you will be experiencing in Jerusalem, including a model of first century Jerusalem.

We will spend considerable time with our resident archaeologist in the Archaeological Park that is adjacent to the Temple Mount on its southern side. We will walk through the rabbinical tunnel on its west side in order to expand our understanding of the Temple Mount before its destruction by the Romans. We will consider the Sanhedrin, where it would have met, its influence at the time of Jesus, and what happened to it after the destruction of the Temple. Then we will visit the Jewish quarter of today's old city of Jerusalem to explore its fascinating archaeological evidence of the ancient "Upper City" where the priests and wealthy citizens of Jerusalem would have lived at the time of Jesus. Here we will take an in-depth look at the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducess, and will compare their scriptural positions with those of Jesus of Nazareth.

In the morning we will travel east of Jerusalem to visit Neot Kedumim, a captivating Biblical landscape preserve of 640 acres that has recreated the land and times of the Biblical narrative. The afternoon will be free for shopping and exploring Jerusalem's Old City with an option to visit local artists and artisans.

Tour Includes

• Round-trip airfare from New York to Tel Aviv
• Breakfast and dinner daily from days 2-11
• 9 nights accomodation in Israel including
  1 night at the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv
  4 nights at the Ron Beach Hotel in Tiberias
  4 nights at the Notre Dame Hotel in Jerusalem
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• 3-4 instructors in biblical archaeology and biblical studies
• Government licensed English speakiing guide
• Touring by a private motor coach
• Entrance fees to national parks and special exhibits

Tour does not include

• Airport departure taxes
• Daily mid-meal
• Personal travel insurance
• Tips to the licensed Israeli guide and driver
• Expenses of a personal nature such as gifts, beverages and laundry

Cost

• The current special tour price is $2,900 double occupancy. Single supplement an additional $385.
• Since airlines will not commit to a group rate more than one year from the departure date, we expect to have a final cost no later than June 10, 2007.
• For more information email Dr. Anne Davis or call 505-662-0416.