Changes

With the rise of the State of Israel, pilgrimage gradually gave place to a more general interest in Israel as a nation and as a people - "tourism" as we know it today. With the influx of Protestant visitors from all over the world conversant with the Bible, the Land as a whole and the places "where Jesus walked"  began to attract attention along with the traditional holy sites and churches.  The rise of archeology and the intensification of the discovery of the actual sites mentioned in the Bible, with, now, the support of the Israeli Department of Antiquities, broadened "pilgrimage" into "tourism". People now wanted to see the places that they had read about in the Bible, and now, thanks to the archaeological endeavor, had been made accessible.  "Support for Israel" played its part, too, as greater numbers of Evangelical Churches, along with the Jewish communities of the Diaspora, saw that being faithful to the God of Israel entailed faithfulness also to the new nation of Israel, itself a fulfillment of prophesy. And it is so today. In the times of the most turmoil  and threat of war and terrorism (see [[Suicide bomber: a personal account]]), such as during the two [[Intifada]]s, and the most recent "[[Second Lebanon War]]", it has been the Evangelical Churches which have enabled the continuance of the Israel tourist industry.

With the rise of the State of Israel, pilgrimage gradually gave place to a more general interest in Israel as a nation and as a people - "tourism" as we know it today. With the influx of Protestant visitors from all over the world conversant with the Bible, the Land as a whole and the places "where Jesus walked"  began to attract attention along with the traditional holy sites and churches.  The rise of archeology and the intensification of the discovery of the actual sites mentioned in the Bible, with, now, the support of the Israeli Department of Antiquities, broadened "pilgrimage" into "tourism". People now wanted to see the places that they had read about in the Bible, and now, thanks to the archaeological endeavor, had been made accessible.  "Support for Israel" played its part, too, as greater numbers of Evangelical Churches, along with the Jewish communities of the Diaspora, saw that being faithful to the God of Israel entailed faithfulness also to the new nation of Israel, itself a fulfillment of prophesy. And it is so today. In the times of the most turmoil  and threat of war and terrorism (see [[Suicide bomber: a personal account]]), such as during the two [[Intifada]]s, and the most recent "[[Second Lebanon War]]", it has been the Evangelical Churches which have enabled the continuance of the Israel tourist industry.

Tourism today, cresting on an over 20% increase in 2007 than in 2006, is a rapidly developing movement still holding its place, having displaced the diamond cutting industry, and now second to the "High Tech" industry in providing revenue for the State of Israel. Muslim nations still not having diplomatic relations with State of Israel, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, now have a steady stream of tourism and it is not infrequent that Israeli tour guides learn their languages. But there too, it is largely the small evangelical minorities of these nations, however great the numbers, that are providing the tourists. Some Nigerian states are now almost completely sponsoring their Christians, Catholic and Protestant, making it possible for them to make pilgrimage to Israel, just as other Nigerian states are sponsoring their people for the [[Haj]] to Mecca. The Jewish communities of the United States bring large numbers of their youth to Israel through the "BirthRight" program enabling them to "taste" Israel and in the process, to do as the other tourists do -- tour Israel. Russians are now a common sight in the tourist hotels. This time, they come as curious tourists, not as Orthodox (in the main) pilgrims, and are guided by Russian speaking new immigrants to Israel, driven in buses owned by other Russian new Israelis. Tours to Israel, nowadays, are organized and promoted not only by the traditional tourist agencies abroad, but large churches and well known Christian pastors and "media magnets" are the new tourism promoters and organizers. It is considered now as part of their ministry. P

Tourism today, cresting on an over 20% increase in 2007 than in 2006, is a rapidly developing movement still holding its place, having displaced the diamond cutting industry, and now second to the "High Tech" industry in providing revenue for the State of Israel. Muslim nations still not having diplomatic relations with State of Israel, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, now have a steady stream of tourism and it is not infrequent that Israeli tour guides learn their languages. But there too, it is largely the small evangelical minorities of these nations, however great the numbers, that are providing the tourists. Some Nigerian states are now almost completely sponsoring their Christians, Catholic and Protestant, making it possible for them to make pilgrimage to Israel, just as other Nigerian states are sponsoring their people for the [[Haj]] to Mecca. The Jewish communities of the United States bring large numbers of their youth to Israel through the "BirthRight" program enabling them to "taste" Israel and in the process, to do as the other tourists do—tour Israel. Russians are now a common sight in the tourist hotels. This time, they come as curious tourists, not as Orthodox (in the main) pilgrims, and are guided by Russian speaking new immigrants to Israel, driven in buses owned by other Russian new Israelis. Tours to Israel, nowadays, are organized and promoted not only by the traditional tourist agencies abroad, but large churches and well known Christian pastors and "media magnets" are the new tourism promoters and organizers. It is considered now as part of their ministry. P

==The Tour Agenda==

==The Tour Agenda==

 

Tourists usually enter Israel through Ben Gurion International airport, but other possibilities are through either Jordon or Egypt if either of these countries are also being visited  prior to Israel. If entrance is through Jordon, tourists enter Israel through the King Hussein bridge (Allenby bridge) or the Sheikh Hussein bridge. If Egypt is visited prior to Israel, entrance is through the Taba border into the resort town of [[Eilat]]. At these entrances, the tour bus is waiting. If in the morning or early afternoon, the tour begins immediately, and if in the late afternoon, tourists are brought to their hotels. A day's touring usually ends at anywhere between 5pm and 7:30 pm - depending on the itinerary for the day and the size and interests of the group. The morning tour will begin after breakfast at anywhere from 7:30 am to 8:30 am.

Tourists usually enter Israel through Ben Gurion International airport, but other possibilities are through either Jordon or Egypt if either of these countries are also being visited  prior to Israel. If entrance is through Jordon, tourists enter Israel through the King Hussein bridge (Allenby bridge) or the Sheikh Hussein bridge. If Egypt is visited prior to Israel, entrance is through the Taba border into the resort town of [[Eilat]]. At these entrances, the tour bus is waiting. If in the morning or early afternoon, the tour begins immediately, and if in the late afternoon, tourists are brought to their hotels. A day's touring usually ends at anywhere between 5pm and 7:30 pm - depending on the itinerary for the day and the size and interests of the group. The morning tour will begin after breakfast at anywhere from 7:30 am to 8:30 am.

The tour either begins to the north, around the Sea of Galilee taking in the sights connected with the life and ministry of Jesus, or at Jerusalem, taking in the sites connected with the last days of Jesus on earth (Bethlehem is included in the Jerusalem portion), or, if the tour is primarily a Jewish group, visiting the sites connected with Judaism and the various Jewish communities. There are also tours connected with Islamic sites but these are rarer and arranged with specialized tour agencies from abroad. The usual tour may be anywhere from 6 to 10 days. There are usually side tours for the longer tours. These will extend the Sea of Galilee portion to include the Golan heights to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the area near Mt. Hermon with its streams and Tels to the north of the Sea of Galilee. The Jerusalem portion of the tour is extended to take in the Dead Sea to the south east of Jerusalem (the Dead Sea may be visited even on the shorter tours). Jericho is usually included on all tours as it is along the Jordon river corridor connecting the Jerusalem and Galilee sections. Tours to Israel may include a side trip to Petra in Jordon with entrance to Jordan accessed near Eilat and may include a side trip to  Mt.Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with entrance through the Taba border crossing . There are also specialized tours that may feature visits to archaeological sites or kibbutzim, as well as one or two day "cruise tours" with cruise ships making the circuit of the Aegean islands, Roades, Cyprus, Turkey, and visiting Israel with entrance and exit through the port of Ashdod.

The tour either begins to the north, around the Sea of Galilee taking in the sights connected with the life and ministry of Jesus, or at Jerusalem, taking in the sites connected with the last days of Jesus on earth (Bethlehem is included in the Jerusalem portion), or, if the tour is primarily a Jewish group, visiting the sites connected with Judaism and the various Jewish communities. There are also tours connected with Islamic sites but these are rarer and arranged with specialized tour agencies from abroad. The usual tour may be anywhere from 6 to 10 days. There are usually side tours for the longer tours. These will extend the Sea of Galilee portion to include the Golan heights to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the area near Mt. Hermon with its streams and Tels to the north of the Sea of Galilee. The Jerusalem portion of the tour is extended to take in the Dead Sea to the south east of Jerusalem (the Dead Sea may be visited even on the shorter tours). Jericho is usually included on all tours as it is along the Jordon river corridor connecting the Jerusalem and Galilee sections. Tours to Israel may include a side trip to Petra in Jordon with entrance to Jordan accessed near Eilat and may include a side trip to  Mt.Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with entrance through the Taba border crossing . There are also specialized tours that may feature visits to archaeological sites or kibbutzim, as well as one or two day "cruise tours" with cruise ships making the circuit of the Aegean islands, Roades, Cyprus, Turkey, and visiting Israel with entrance and exit through the port of Ashdod.

==Today's Variegated Tourism==  

==Today's Variegated Tourism==

===Tourism can be vertical===  

===Tourism can be vertical===

Such as at Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Entering the room below that of the Last Supper of Jesus, one views the huge remembrance stone of King David from Crusader times. But behind the wall, one can see the niche in the wall at the exact height above the ground for the biblical scrolls to be placed. So this room was originally a synagogue. Walking around the outside of the room, one sees the "Herodian" stone blocks with their characteristic and tell-tale incised borders. So this room was originally built in the first century. And then you will be told by the Guide that an artillery shell from the 1948 War of Independence landed in the courtyard, shattering the successive layers of plaster, until the last layer, that did indeed extend down past the Ottoman Turk, Early Muslim, Crusader, Byzantine period levels, and ending with the original 1st century floor, was inscribed in first century Greek with prayers to Jesus. So this was a Jewish Christian synagogue, the first Church and home to the original Believers in Jesus before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The "Church House" that would later be called "The Holy Church of the Apostles" and the Mother of all Churches.  

Such as at Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Entering the room below that of the Last Supper of Jesus, one views the huge remembrance stone of King David from Crusader times. But behind the wall, one can see the niche in the wall at the exact height above the ground for the biblical scrolls to be placed. So this room was originally a synagogue. Walking around the outside of the room, one sees the "Herodian" stone blocks with their characteristic and tell-tale incised borders. So this room was originally built in the first century. And then you will be told by the Guide that an artillery shell from the 1948 War of Independence landed in the courtyard, shattering the successive layers of plaster, until the last layer, that did indeed extend down past the Ottoman Turk, Early Muslim, Crusader, Byzantine period levels, and ending with the original 1st century floor, was inscribed in first century Greek with prayers to Jesus. So this was a Jewish Christian synagogue, the first Church and home to the original Believers in Jesus before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The "Church House" that would later be called "The Holy Church of the Apostles" and the Mother of all Churches.  

*[[Christmas in the Holy Land: an essay]]

*[[Christmas in the Holy Land: an essay]]

==External Links==

==External links==

*[http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2011/05/07/clergy/journey-to-israel-day-1/ Journey to Israel, Day One]

*[http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2011/05/07/clergy/journey-to-israel-day-1/ Journey to Israel, Day One]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zegXBwGBPZs Video: Israeli Govenrment licenced tour guide at work, English, Tagalog, Hebrew]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zegXBwGBPZs Video: Israeli Govenrment licenced tour guide at work, English, Tagalog, Hebrew]

[[category:Israel]]

[[Category:Israel]]

[[Category:Tourism]]

[[Category:Tourism]]