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Christian Tours
Christian Tours For Israeli Business People
We are all aware of the value of advanced information. It is important for decision making, it is instrumental when choosing, and it is good for personal relations with your customers. When your customers realize that you know the difference between Catholics and Protestants, or when you take them into the Last Supper room and explain that the room’s location was determined based on Peter’s words linking the location with the room above David’s tomb, or when you lead your Catholic guests down the Via Delarosa… this will leave a lasting impression on your guests, and give them a sense that you care about them, and not only their money (which is also important…).
For example, you can invite your guests to an observation point on the Mount of Olives that overlooks the Old City, and point out to them all the sites Jesus visited, explain that here he spent his last week, show them where he was crucified and resurrected, and where he rose to the heavens after 40 days – not far from the observation deck. This will not only demonstrate to your guests that you know your stuff and did your homework – it will bring you closer. And a customer / supplier who feels close to you will make an effort to “repay” the people who took the time and trouble for him / her.
I do not intend to give a course on Christianity. There are excellent schools and teachers who can do this. But I will help you get to know important sites, explain the difference between different Christian denominations, show you around the sites and direct you to the areas that you won’t notice unless they are pointed out to you: the direction in which Dominus Flevit (The Lord Wept) church is situated, pointing west, contrary to the traditional direction, so as to enable worshippers to see the view that Jesus saw while weeping for the impending destruction of the Temple, or the trunk of an olive tree that the Pope brought to the Last Supper room during his visit before the turn of the millennium – a trunk that symbolizes the decline of Judaism, according to Christianity, with the new, young branches symbolizing the growth of Christianity out of Judaism as it continued in its path, or when you reach Capernaum and discuss its importance as the home of Saint Peter, the first Pope.
A bit of advanced information – and you’re way ahead, because knowledge is power!
“Oren you were amazing. To say thank you would not do it justice but thank you for teaching and treating my family like family. It’s been an amazing week and my best trip to Israel ever. Zachary wants to live here. So I guess you’ve done something right! Thanks again for being you. Hopefully next year in Jerusalem with Oren!”
Christian Tours For Incoming Business People
Christian tours for businesspeople are characterized by schedule and regional limitations. Since this is the case, these tours are adapted to suit these limitations. Tours may focus on several sites located in close proximity, or be scheduled for unusual hours. The entire tour is planned according to the business people’s schedule, which often changes during the visit. I even pay attention to my guests’ clothes and shoes, since business suits and shoes are not always suitable for long walks, especially in the bumpy lanes of Jerusalem. In some cases, I try to avoid walking altogether during the hot summer period, so that my guest won’t suffer from the extreme heat in their suits…
The purpose of business trips are the appointments, visits to plants, meetings with executives and teams, tours among company plants, etc. Therefore, the time left for sightseeing is limited – but often there is a “window” between a morning meeting and a business dinner, or a tour can be scheduled for the morning and then continue in the evening.
In general, I propose a general outline for the tour, and modify it according to business constraints, since business is the guest’s primary objective, with tours and visits to various sites scheduled around business engagements.
Following are some examples:
Complete Christian Tour day in Jerusalem (begins and ends in Jerusalem):
We begin at an observation point overlooking the Mount of Olives. It is from this location that Jesus came during the last week of his life. Here he predicted his death, perspired blood, and lamented his demise.
Along the route from the Mount of Olives to the Old City are several sites of supreme importance: Dominus Flevit Church (The Lord Wept) symbolizes the tears that Jesus wept for the approaching end of Jerusalem, and in Gethsemane we’ll visit the Basilica of Agony and tomb of Miriam, that commemorates his agony and the place of burial of Miriam’s body, that according to the New Testament ascended to the heavens.
From there, we will continue on to Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, that commemorates Peter’s denial of Jesus, and in its lower floors contains the rooms where Jesus was taken after his arrest, as well as the sacred stairs on which he walked – Terra Santa. Near the church, we will park the car and take a taxi to the Lions Gate (the taxi ride is on me), and from there will begin our tour of the Old City at the Saint Anne church, in memory of Anne, Miriam’s mother, and Bethesda, also known as the Sheep Pool, where cattle was washed before being sacrificed in the Holy Temple.
From there, we will continue on Jesus’ “Path of Sorrow” – the Via Dolorosa, and we will stop at each station where I will explain which event it commemorates.
We will end the tour at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was buried and resurrected three days later.
We’ll take a break from religion, and walk among the stands of the Arab market until we reach one of the city’s finest and most authentic Arab humus restaurants.
With a smile on our faces and a full belly, we’ll continue to the Jewish Quarter, through the Cardo and reach the Kottel (Wailing Wall, Western Wall). This is a site that is sacred to all religion, and particularly Jews. The Wailing Wall is the western flank that supported the plaza leading to the Holy Temple, and was the only remaining part of the structure that was accessible to Jews following the destruction of the Second Temple – the tradition that the Wall is Judaism’s most sacred site dates back to this period.
We will end our visit to the Old City by exiting the walls via the Zion gate, and advance towards Dormition complex, that includes the church commemorating the site of Mary’s death, the tomb of David and the location of the Last Supper, during which Jesus told his disciples that one of them was about to turn him in. This will also be our last stop.
The proposed tour plan is a framework, and we will try to visit as many sites as possible within the time constraints.
Sea of Galilee, Tavor and Nazareth:
This tour focuses on the story of Jesus and his deeds. Nazareth is sacred to Christianity because this is where his mother learned of her pregnancy. In nearby Kafr Kanna, Jesus performed his first miracle. On Mount Tabor, the Transfiguration of Jesus occurred. It was around the Sea of Galilee that he assembled his first disciples, and it is here that he walked on the water, exorcised demons, performed miracles and was revealed to his disciples after his resurrection.
We can either make quick visits to all the sites, or take a more leisurely approach and visit several selected sites. Some of the sites have limited visiting hours, while others are not much fun to visit on a rainy day. We will plan our tour together, so as to tailor it to conditions prevailing on that specific day, so that we will have sufficed time to see the sites, yet stick to the schedule of meetings and site opening hours. Sometimes this is a bit complicated, but with proper planning (and experience), it is possible to see quite a lot.
