A Journey of a Lifetime
Our Israel tour took 2 years to plan. The campaign was led by Pastor Jon Mejica who campaigned for two other churches to join. As a result, a total of 49 personnel went on the trip. A website and app (available to android and apple users) were prepared to communicate the itinerary, history, and the places that will be visited on the 10-day tour. Coordination - Donny Akrush was very responsive and informative throughout the trip. I took our group’s input and relay all questions to Donny. He even flwew from Florida to San Diego to properly brief us for the trip. His passion and desire for us to visit Israel was very evident. Airport - We were met by a representative form our tour inside Ben Gurion in the airport. She assisted us to ensure a smooth trip through customs, security, and immigration. Even on our way back, the group was assisted how to claim for Value Added Tax (VAT) at Israeli Customs. VAT are any items need to be declared for VAT before storing away in luggage. Once complete, a ticket will be issued and once through security, a refund is received. Hotels/Accommodations/Breakfast and Dinner (complementary) - The hotels selected for the tour seemed about 3-4 stars. Though average accommodations, the complementary food provided was superb. Most meals had authentic kosher options such as poached eggs on red sauce, eggplants, a variety of cheese and hummus, lots of vegetables cooked in extra virgin oil, different kinds of breads and they are all healthy and delicious. Ultimately, it will depend on your palette of course, so if you are a picky eater, you still have a lot of choices or settle for bread and jam and americano coffee. If you happen to get booked at the “Galei Kinneret '' hotel, the chef was awarded a Michelin star, a prestigious award for restaurants. If you have a connecting flight, you need to verify your passport at the check in counter for Israel security check. Our tour – our driver Jacob safely drove us to all places without any incidents. Help support him by buying bottled water for a dollar. Ana, our awesome tour guide is knowledgeable on the historic events that took place at each location on the Isreal tour. It covered BC Before Christ, also known as “Before Common Era” and AD or “After Common Era”. You will be fascinated by how thoroughly she explains the different eras as they occur on the historic land of Israel. You have to witness and set foot on this journey to actually see and believe it yourself. Having this experience is a life changing experience especially when you start reading and meditating on the Word. Overall, Tradition Tours is a well organized company. The 10-day Israel tour covers both historical and biblical facts that can sometimes be overwhelming when simply reading.