Who Should Use this Website?
1: If you are interested in bringing your family to Israel and having an Experience no ordinary “tour” will provide, you and your family may join other homeschooling families from around the world on one of our Prearranged Experiences (details of each of our current Experiences are provided below.2: Or, if you are interested in organizing a group of your own from your homeschooling community, from your church, or from individuals/families you know, you may use the itineraries listed below as guides to begin to craft your own Israel Experience. We offer Experiences ranging from 10 to 20 days in length, with the 20-day Experiences being the most popular. Our staff has years of experience and is ready to help you pick appropriate dates, choose localities, determine the best accommodations, provide materials to prepare you and your families for your time in Israel and even help you gather the people. In Israel, we make all the detailed arrangements for you and provide the best-known guides in the Land. Depending on the number in your group, you may be able to enjoy Israel for free! (See the section: “I Want to Organize My Own Group”, below). When you contact us, ask us to send you an email from one of our travelers explaining how she put together her own homeschooling/church group.
About Us
"Us" is Chris Davis and Danny & Judy Kransdorf.I, Chris, am the father of four grown children. One of them, my youngest son, Blake, has been to Israel many times. I homeschooled my three sons throughout their entire schooling experience. I also founded The Elijah Company in 1988, one of the first Christian homeschool supply companies.
Since 2002, I have been taking homeschooling families to Israel annually through my company, Homeschool Travel. The main reason I chose Danny and Judy Kransdorf as my Tour Operators is that they are able to do what homeschoolers want: Create an Experience that homeschooling families will never forget. We believe we have accomplished this and we have the Experiences to prove it!
We, Danny and Judy are the parents of two sons. When we moved to Israel in 1997 we noticed that tour companies were bringing people to Israel to see the "normal" tourist sites; but were bypassing the areas where most of Israel's biblical history took place: the "heartland" of the country. We began a tour company to resolve this oversight. When we began working with Chris, arranging travel for Christian homeschoolers, we soon realized that homeschoolers are not normal tourists. Homeschoolers want Experiences, not tourism.
In 2008 I began working with Diesenhaus Unitours to bring the added influence of Israel's largest travel agency to our Homeschool Travel experiences.
Chris, Judy and Danny believe we have proven over and over again that Israel cannot be experienced any better!
Why We Are Different
Basically, the difference between us and any "tour" you might take is that we know homeschoolers! We have spent years (and many previous trips to Israel) perfecting the Experience of a Lifetime for homeschooling families. If you read the Testimonials page, you will see what other homeschoolers have said about their own Experiences. And, we urge you to go to the References You May Contact page and email any of the families who have traveled with us on our previous Israel Experiences. Don't take our word for it. Let them tell you!
Prearranged 15 Day, 2010 Experience
Note: When making flight reservations to Israel, be sure you arrive on "Day 2" of the itinerary. Day 1 is your overnight flight from the western hemisphere.
Day 1 - Tuesday, May 25:
We are really going
to Israel!
Today
is spent journeying from our hometowns to
the Land of
Promise
Day 2 - Wednesday, May 26: Arrive
at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv
We finally arrive in Israel! Transfer to our Guesthouse in the Tel Aviv area near the Mediterranean Sea and spend the afternoon/evening relaxing, swimming and napping after a very long flight. Group Orientation Meeting. Dinner and overnight in the Tel Aviv area
Day 3 – Thursday, May 27: Samaria
Our tour of Israel begins as we drive east to the first location in the Promised Land mentioned in the Bible, Alon Moreh. After lunch at a local army base we take in the city of Shechem, which was important throughout Bible times, and even to this day, from Mount Gerizim (home of the descendants of the Samaritan people). Then we will be invited to join our tour operator and guide in their home at Maale Levona for a Bar B Que dinner with some of their friends and neighbors. Overnight at the Samaria Guesthouse
Day 4 - Friday, May 28: Shiloh, Jerusalem
It is fitting that we begin the day with Israeli's first capitol: Shiloh, where Joshua placed Moses' Wilderness Tabernacle and where it stood for the next 369 years. We travel south
ascending to Jerusalem, which is the capital of Israel and, some may say, the center of the world. As we enter Jerusalem — the "City of Gold" — we will learn the difference between the names Jerusalem, City of David, Zion and the Temple Mount. We will stop at the spot where Abraham first saw the City as he took his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed at Mount Moriah. We will have dinner with our friends Scott and Teresa Johnson Overnight at the Guesthouse in Jerusalem
Day 5 - Saturday, May 29:
Moslem and Christian Jerusalem
We now visit the sites of Jesus' life that occurred in and around Jerusalem. We climb to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. We cross the Kidron Valley to the Old City where we will retrace Jesus' final steps along the Via Dolorosa. There will be time for shopping in the exotic Moslem Quarter. We continue to the Garden Tomb, possible site of Jesus' burial. In the evening we can shop at the Ben Yehudah outdoor mall. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse in Jerusalem
Day 6 - Sunday, May 30:
Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter
After an early breakfast we enter the Old City, where everyday life and customs within narrow, crooked streets have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. We will see the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. We hope to be among those allowed entrance to the Temple Mount where we may see the place Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac, where Jesus ministered, and where the ancient Jewish temples stood. We have the unique privilege of working alongside archaeologists as we sift through soil from beneath the Temple Mount looking for ancient Temple-era artifacts. In the reconstructed Jewish Quarter we can see the Ancient Cardo and Hezekiah’s Broad Wall, testaments of the past. Along the way, we will meet some friends who will answer many of your questions about Jewish life and will have some really great shopping tips! In the early evening we will stroll through Machaneh Yehudah, the wonderful outdoor market where native Jerusalemites buy their food. The sights and smells of everything from fish to fresh-baked bread will stir your appetite. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse in Jerusalem
Day 7 – Monday, May 31:
A day with the Kings David & Hezekiah
We enter the City of David and walk over the area of King David's palace and then take out our flashlights for a walk through one of the marvels of King Hezekiah's reign: the Water Tunnel. Leaving the Tunnel, we will stand beside the recently discovered Pool of Siloam. We will view Bethlehem where David and Jesus were born and continue to the valley of HaElah, where we will each choose 5 smooth stones from the battleground of David and Goliath. Dinner with some Christian home schooling families of Israel, overnight at the Guesthouse in Jerusalem
Day 8 – Tuesday, June 1:
Judea, Negev Desert
We travel today in the direction of Judea to Hebron, infused with the awesome sanctity of the Tomb of the Patriarchs, burial place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah and according to tradition, Adam and Eve. In Hebron we will see the possible archaeological site of King David’s Palace from the time when he ruled in Hebron for seven and a half years. We now drive south to Tel Arad, one of the richest archaeological sites in southern Israel. Here Moses' spies began to encounter walled cities and returned to camp with a bad report. We proceed to our camp area for a camel ride into the desert and dinner in a Bedouin Tent. Dinner and sleeping in a Bedouin Tent in the Negev Desert
Day 9 - Wednesday, June 2:
Masada, Dead Sea
We arise early and climb to the top of Masada, watching the sunrise over the Mountains of Moab across the Dead Sea in the country of Jordan. We will attempt to understand why King Herod would build such a fortress and discover how the Romans finally captured it after two years, only to find a great surprise awaiting them. Back at the camp area we’ll have breakfast and travel to the Dead Sea, the world's lowest point for a swim (float). We will climb the cliffs of Ein Gedi and swim in the beautiful waterfalls before arriving at the cave where David cut off part of Saul's cloak. Bring your bathing suit. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse near the Dead Sea
Day 10 - Thursday, June 3:
Northern Regions
Today we head north along the Jordan River Valley for the northern lands of the Galilee. We pass the world's oldest town, Jericho, home of Rahab the harlot, and the location where Joshua entered the Land after 40 years in the Wilderness. On the way we will discuss many of the people of the Bible: David's flight from his son, Absolom; Jacob wrestling with an angel; the hometown areas of Elijah and Elisha; Mt. Gilboa, and many more. We will explore Beit Shean, governmental seat of “Galilee of the Gentiles” (the Decapolis) and Israel’s largest Roman-era archaeological site containing theaters, baths, a central cardo, temples, a basilica and many monuments and fountains. It is one of the ancient Near East’s oldest cities. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee
Day 11 - Friday, June 4:
Around the Sea of Galilee we will stop at the Road to Damascus, Kursi, site of the demons in the swine and a wonderful overlook of the Sea of Galilee.
In the late afternoon we proceed to Yardanit, where the Jordan River flows from the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. We will spend some time in Yardanit's wonderful gift shop.
Traditional Shabbat dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee
Day 12 - Saturday, June 5:
Sea of Galilee
Today is Sabbath for Orthodox Jews the world over. It will be our special treat to experience a true Sabbath in the land of Israel. Most of the day can be spent relaxing and swimming in the Sea of Galilee. No ordinary "tour" offers this kind of experience! It has been one of the most memorable experiences for every one of our
groups — a treasure you will never forget! In the late afternoon you will have the opportunity to baptize your children (or be baptized) in the River and may also take some Jordan River water home with you if you wish and then we can watch the sun set over the Sea of Galilee as we sail on the Sea. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee
Day 13 – Sunday, June 6: Jesus' Ministry Area
This is our day to encircle the Sea of Galilee and become intimately acquainted with the towns and areas of Jesus' ministry as written in the Gospels.
You will never read your New Testament the same after today! We will explore Peter's Primacy, Capernaum (where Peter's house has been discovered along with the synagogue where Jesus taught), and the Mount of Beatitudes. At the village synagogue of Korazim you may sit in the "Seat of Moses", a stone chair possibly used by Jesus, Himself. After visiting Bethsaida, be sure to bring your waterproof camera because we are now going to raft the Jordan River!
Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee
Day 14 – Monday, June 7: Galilee
Traveling north we visit Banias (biblical Caesarea Philippi) where we will learn what Jesus meant when He spoke of “the gates of Hell” before moving on to Tel Dan, one of the sources of the Jordan River. We'll hike through the park, see foliage, rushing water and the remains of an ancient altar from the tribe of Dan. Dinner and overnight at the Guesthouse on the Sea of Galilee
Day 15 – Tuesday, June 8: Galilee, Airport
On our last day in the Holy Land we drive to Ein Harod (a special place for the kids and which must remain a secret until we get there). We drive to Mount Carmel for a retelling of Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal. From Carmel, we can look over the peaceful Jezreel Valley. Our next destination: the restored city of Caesarea, built by King Herod and site of the prison that held the apostle, Paul. Here Pontius Pilot ruled. We will sit in the arena and walk the floor of the great Hippodrome where chariot races were held. We end the day in the oldest port town in the world: Jaffa. Here Peter was staying with Simon the tanner when he received his vision to speak to the Gentiles in Caesarea. We will read the book of Jonah as we stand in the very place where Jonah fled from the call of God. We say our final "farewells" at dinner, before our departure for the airport and our flight home. Goodbye, Israel, until we return again.
You will be asked again and again, "How was your trip to Israel?" If you ever figure out how to answer this question, please let the rest of us know!
For Prices for the 15 Day May/June Experience
See Below Extension Section
“Extended Israel Experience” adds an additional week to your Israel Experience. Since you have paid the price to get to Israel, stay and see the rest of the Land… Look over our 6-DAY EXTENSION and stay to see the following amazing sites not included in our 2-week Experience!
Day 1 of Extension – Wednesday, June 9: Tel Aviv
Independence Hall is where Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, proclaimed the establishment of the new State of Israel after 2,000 years. We will see the room exactly as it was that day and hear the heart-warming story of the establishment of Israel. We will then travel to the Ayalon Institute which appeared to be no more than a kibbutz, but was actually a dangerous and clandestine "factory" prior to Israel's War of Independence. This will also be our day to leave our mark on the Land. Just as Ruth gleaned Boaz's fields after the harvest, we will join other volunteers to glean the fields after the harvest to be given to Israel's poor. Then it's on to Zichron Ya'akov site of Israel's oldest winery. We will tour the winery and, if you wish, taste the fruit of the vine. Dinner and Overnight in the Western Galilee
Day 2 of Extension – Thursday, June 10: Western Galilee
We will walk through Acco's (Acre's) impressive underground Crusader castle. If your family will be on this part of the trip be sure to rent and watch the movie Exodus before coming to Israel. We will visit the prison where "the greatest jail break in history" took place and which is one of the main scenes in the movie. We then travel up the coast to Rosh Hanikra, which is situated on the Lebanese border at the extreme northwestern corner of the country. We will take the cable car to the fabulous grottos and see the historic tunnels. Then we travel to Keshet Cave for one of the most awesome views in the entire country. This is a rare treat for us as this location is known only to locals and rappelling enthusiasts and is not a usual stop for visitors. Keshet Cave has been called "one of the places that must be seen before you die." Dinner and Overnight in Beer Sheba
Day 3 of Extension – Friday, June 11: Negev Desert
Tel Be'er Sheba is the remains of the biblical town of Be'er Sheva. We will walk through Abraham's town, among the foundations of the homes and along the streets where Isaac, Ishmael and Jacob played as children. "Timna, also" known as "King Solomon's Mines", is the Egyptian and Amalekite site which produced serpents as described in Numbers 21:6-9. Another site rarely seen by tourists. That is why we say, "This is no ordinary tour!"
Dinner and Overnight in Eilat
Day 4 of Extension – Saturday, June 12: Petra, Jordan
Petra has been called "a rose-red city half as old as time" and "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage." Petra has been designated a World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Dinner and overnight in Eilat
Day 5 of Extension – Sunday, June 13: Eilat, Mitzpeh Ramon
Eilat is first mentioned in the Bible in the book of Exodus where the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea. Eilat is presumed to be the location where the Queen of Sheba landed on her way to visit King Solomon. Take along your waterproof camera because we will have the opportunity to snorkel in the waters of the Red Sea where lies one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world! Then, we will visit Eilat's Underwater Observatory. Dinner and overnight in Mitzpeh Ramon
Day 6 of Extension – Monday, June 14: Ramon Crater, Tel Aviv
Ramon Crater is the world's largest erosion cirque. We will spend the night where the stars seem close enough to touch. Next day we take a jeep tour into the Crater before heading to our final dinner and to the airport for our trip home.
Prices for the 15 Day May/June Experience:
$1724.00 per adult (based on 2 adults + 2 children per room)
$1629.00 per child sharing room with 2 adults and 1 other child
Prices for the 6 Day Extension:
$1008.00 per adult (based on 2 adults + 2 children per room)
$938.00 per child sharing room with 2 adults and 1 other child
Child is until 18 years old
**Prices quoted are based on 2 adults + 2 children (under age 18) per room. Ask for pricing for other rooming options
Prices
include:
· All accommodations
· All entrance fees, admissions and special events
· Experienced tour guides
· Border Taxes and Fees in Jordan
· All meals except lunches (see below)
· All tips
Price does not include:
· Airfare to Israel
· Most lunches (we stop for lunch where several choices
exist)
· Souvenirs and other personal items
· Trip insurance (if desired)
I Want to Organize My Own Group
& Take $1,000.00 or More Off My Cost
We
have never taken a group to Israel where anyone felt the first sense of
concern
while in the Land. When asked how secure our people felt in Israel, the
unanimous
response has been as follows (and this is a direct quote from one of
our
group)...
"The
trip was
great, and
never for one moment did I feel that
I was in danger. The security provided us was superb."
Tourism
is
Israel's second most
important industry (next to
diamonds), and the State of Israel goes to great lengths to safeguard
every
Pilgrim. Today many people fear to leave their homes to go anywhere,
even
in the U.S. We believe the safest place one can be at any time is
wherever God
wants him to be. So, the real question is, "Does the Lord want you to
go to
Israel?" If so, you are safer in Israel than anywhere in the
world!
This is why we collect five smooth stones from
the brook in the valley where David faced Goliath so we can show those
back home
that we were actually "there". This is why we slosh through Hezekiah’s
Water
Tunnel, asking ourselves how such an architectural feat could have been
accomplish so quickly, with all its twists and turns, in 700 B.C.! This
is why we
give part of our time helping archaeologists sift through Temple Mount
dirt,
looking for ancient Temple treasures. This is why we spend a Sabbath
weekend as
the guests of an Orthodox Jewish community, experiencing, first-hand,
what it's
like to be a pioneering Jew in the Land of the Jews.
Yet,
with all this, we visit every
site a normal "tour" would
visit &mdash we are just never "tourists".
In
Israel, every village, town and
turn-in-the-road leaps out
at you from the Bible. Our guides are Bible scholars as well as experts
in points
of Jewish history and law. The Bible is our Tour Book &mdash we will read from
it daily.
Bring it with you on the bus!
Israel is a place unique in the world. It can be a mirror to one’s soul and travelers to this Land often meet themselves and members of their families in ways they did not expect. When families are hot and tired, personal and family issues tend to surface and each individual, or family, will handle their issues differently.
Also, because Israel’s culture appears “western”, it is easy to forget that you are in a foreign country complete with its own inconveniences, inconsistencies, irritabilities and conflicting spirits.
Disappointments arise from unfulfilled expectations. If you are a person who doesn’t appreciate the unexpected, who doesn’t like surprises or who doesn’t like things to change, then this Experience may not be for you.
However, if you love the excitement of new adventures each and every day, then this is the group for you to join! And, you can be assured that—like virtually everyone who has gone before you—you will definitely meet God in ways you have never known Him.
What you are about to join has been prepared to give each participant the maximum possible experience of the biblical history of God’s People and their Land. This may include participation in archaeological work with Temple Mount artifacts. Also, because Israel’s biblical history has always been related to her political history, you and your students will have the rare opportunity to become educated in the complex relationships of the entire Middle Eastern region. For this understanding, your students will be eligible to receive credits in Biblical and Middle Eastern History and Archaeology.
"Thank
you, thank you, for making
my dream of a family trip to
Israel a reality!"
"I
would most heartily recommend
this tour to anyone. Not just
tourist traps and time-worn sites, but a living history that comes to
life right
from the pages of the Holy Scriptures."
"...an
experience I will cherish
the rest of my
life."
"The
trip was great, and never for
one moment did I feel that
I was in danger. The security provided us was superb."
"We
have been back nearly four
weeks and we simply cannot seem
to get back to the routine of life. We truly were so amazingly and
profoundly
changed by the trip! We have spent the better part of four weeks
talking about
the Land, the people, and the impact made on our understanding of the
Bible."
"Having
a guide who was clearly
devoted to God's word was
central to this experience."
"Having
the opportunities to meet,
spend time with, and talk
to Israeli citizens, especially Orthodox Jews, was a true highlight.
The Shabbat
experience at Ma'ale Levona was one of the best features of the
trip."
"It
was incredible to see the
sites, smell the smells, hear
the Word of God and interact with the people."
"You
may be uncomfortable at
times—thirsty, hot and dirty—but
you come home with such memories that all those things seem
insignificant."
"[This
Experience] changed my life
and that of my children
forever. This is an educational and spiritual opportunity I will be
eternally
grateful for."
"The
beauty and history of the
Land is surpassed only by the
depth and passion of the people. As visitors to Israel there is joy in
both
praying at the Wall and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. There is
excitement in
making your way through Hezekiah’s ancient tunnel and walking through
one of
Jerusalem's gates for the first time. The smells, flavors and colors of
the
markets and shops are intoxicating. We enjoyed every
minute!"
We do not recommend bringing extremely young children who need the kind of
personal attention that could hinder the experiences of the rest of the
group.
Maximum
Age: We have had
grandfathers
and grandmothers up to age 80 on our Experiences. These individuals
paced
themselves, occasionally choosing not to climb or walk distances; but
they
enjoyed the time with their families. It is a special treat when
children can
have deeply satisfying experiences with a grandparent, such as one of
our
youngsters who was baptized in the Jordan River by her
grandfather.
Because
we are homeschoolers
offering this Experience for
other homeschoolers, we know you expect materials from us. Here is what
we
provide for everyone attending one of our Israel
Experiences:
A dozen set of "Notes to Travelers" containing everything you will need to know: what to pack and what to expect; what money to bring and how to spend it; what to do when you arrive at the airport; how Jews view Christians and Christianity; a history of Zionism and modern Israel; how to assign credits to your students for their time in Israel; and much more
You will
want to
give your
student(s) educational credits for
this incredible Experience. One of the Notes we send will tell you how to do this.
You
may either join one of the prearranged Experiences you see on this
web site,
Or...
You
may organize your own group and take at least $1,000.00 or
more off the cost of your own trip!
If
you are
considering this option, we need to
hear from you right
away!
Is Israel Safe?
What You Will Experience
Most
"tours" visit sites:
Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, the
Mount of Beatitudes, etc. But, there is a difference between visiting a
place and
experiencing the biblical history of that place. An experience should
not only
teach, it should also give an individual—especially a young person—a
tie to that
place which he or she will never forget.
What You Will Learn
Testimonials
Each
statement that follows is the
heart-felt expression of a
homeschooling family on one of our previous Experiences:
"I
cannot describe the impact the entire
experience had on me personally"
"I have
talked to other
Christians who have toured Israel, and none of them got to know Jewish
families,
participated in Shabbat, or were invited to a synagogue. None of them
heard the
history of the Jewish people, or went to communities and actually dwelt
in the
midst of the people."
"My
expectations were so high
I honestly expected to be disappointed; however, this trip was much
more than I
had ever thought it could be."
"Our
children discovered a world they had only read about and
dreamed of; as parents, we knew their understanding of that world grew
immeasurably."
"It was
wonderful to not only
walk the land and talk to the people, but to watch us become a
'family'."
"You
did a fantastic job,
and the experience was over and above all that we could have hoped for
or
imagined. Thank you again for all your work and vision for this
pilgrimage. It
has forever changed our lives!"
References
You May Contact
The following names are some
only a few of the many
families who have traveled with us in the past (click on name for
e-mail address).
They have agreed to answer any questions you may have about our Israel
Experience.
They receive no benefit for doing this other than their desire—as
fellow
homeschoolers—to help with your decision to visit Israel.
Perkins Family
Lodien Family
White Family
Roland Family
Hoskins Family
Huff Family
Kowalski Family
Tucker Family
Anton Family
Moore Family
Wiebe Family
McCullough Family
Cotton Family
(Spain)
Foster Family
Who Should Come
Entire
families, extended families
and partial families (even
couples and individuals) have joined our Experiences. Fathers have sent their families (or, sometimes their children) for three weeks and have joined them the first (or last) two weeks.
Who should come?
Everyone who
can...don't put it off!
Recommended Ages
Minimum Age: You
know your own children: The amount
of sharing they are capable of absorbing; their personal attention
spans; their
ability to handle hot climates and different kinds of food; their
ability to be
interested in an experience such as the one we are providing are all
necessary
considerations.
Materials We Provide
Earning Educational Credits