Palestine Peace & Justice Pilgrimage 2017

Including Bet Lahem Live Festival

Trip Details

Friday, July 28 - Monday, August 7, 2017

Organizational partners: United Theological Seminary - Center for Global Mission and Renewal - Director, Peter Matthews and Micky ScottBey Jones - Justice Doula, Faith Matters Network

Trip facilitators: Micky ScottBey Jones and Peter Matthews - guided by Holy Land Trust

Total Cost $3,025.05 

What:

A small, carefully curated pilgrimage of the area often referred to as “the Holy Land” where you will have the opportunity to explore the spiritual teachings of nonviolence, peace, shalom, resistance and healing known in many faith expressions. Through stories from, meals shared with, and stories exchanged with Jews, Christians, Baha'is, and Muslims living in a land that has experienced many years of conflict, peace, creativity and confusion, we will explore our own stories and learn more about generative moral imagination and revolutionary love.

We will explore historical sites (especially those related to the story of Jesus), places of religious and spiritual significance and engage in conversation with people negotiating various ethnic and religious identities. This pilgrimage will challenge your ideas of the “land of the Scriptures” and perceptions of peacemaking, land rights, oppression, political engagement, social justice and multi-faith living, loving and organizing. PLUS we get full access to the inspiring Bet Lahem Live Festival - an international festival of peace, justice and culture celebrated with music, art and workshops - for four nights!

Sites and leaders we will interact with include the following:

• Church of Annunciation in Nazareth & Nazareth Village ( model of Nazareth in Jesus time)

• Cana & Haifa - Mt Carmel and Bahai Temple

• Sea of Galilee, visit the ruins of Capernaum

• Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and the Chapel of the Primacy at Tabgha. We will stop on the Mount of Beatitudes; the scene of the Sermon on the Mount.

• Grotto of the Nativity

• Visit with the Palestinian African community (Jerusalem and/or Jericho)

• Visit with the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel

• Bethlehem Bible College (Christian)

• Geo Political tour of Bethlehem including refugee camps, youth centers, the wall and checkpoints.

• Tent of Nations – a Christian family’s vineyard and organic farm where people from many different countries come together to build bridges of understanding and hope.

• Roots Initiative where local Palestinians and Israeli settlers who have come to see each other as the partners work together to make changes and end the conflict

• Jerusalem - Temple Mount, the Old City of Jerusalem (Via Dolorosa and Church of Holy Sepulcher)

• Geo-Political Tour of East Jerusalem with Israeli Committee Against Home Demolition ICAHD.

• Yad Vashim Holocaust Museum

• Visit the Palestinian Expelled village West Jerusalem (Lefta) to understand the Palestinian history of 1948

• Dead Sea and Jordan Valley - Qumran settlement, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written over 2000 years ago and time in the Dead Sea

• Jericho to visit the Sycamore Tree and Mt Temptation.

• Hebron - Abraham Mosque and Synagogue at the Old City of Hebron, Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, lunch with local family in the Old City, move to the Jewish side of Hebron and meet the spokesperson of the Jewish Community there.

• Meet with Christian Peacemaker Teams

• Ramallah - meet Bir Zeit University Students (Right to Study Campaign), meet Mrs. Jean Zaru from Quaker House in Ramallah, visit Al Haq Organization for Prisoners Rights and meet representatives from the Palestinian Negotiation Office.

• Bet Lahem Live Festival - Opening Ceremony and evening activities. http://www.betlahemlive.com/

Who:

Anyone interested in pilgrimage as spiritual formation, contemplative practice, theological education, and individual & social transformation. This trip is organized by Micky ScottBey Jones of Faith Matters Network in partnership with United Theological Seminary’s Peter Matthews, Director of the Center for Global Renewal and Mission and is open to all. It may be of most interest to seminary or divinity school students or alumni, faith leaders, faith rooted organizers and activists, peacemakers, healers and those who want to be a part of bringing more shalom into the world.

We are partnering with experienced peacemakers in the region who have relationships with all kinds of people. You must be a spiritual pilgrim open to dialog with all who live in the land no matter the ethnicity or religion. We subscribe to an intersectional understanding of justice and believe everybody gets free or nobody is free. This trip is recommended for adults only.

Where:

We will be visiting sites in the area generally referred to as “the Holy Land” including Bethlehem, Hebron, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cana and more. See the list of places and people for more information

When:

We will depart from NYC, USA on Thursday, July 27, 2017 and leave Tel Aviv on Monday, August 7, 2017.

Why:

To learn, dialog, exchange ideas, be inspired, be challenged, grow as leaders and individuals and connect with others engaged in peacemaking, justice movements, healing, theology, spiritual care and nonviolence work  around the United States (our group) and in the Middle East (those we meet there).

Cost: $3,025.05*

• Accommodation in Bethlehem (Al Beit Guest House – Arab Women Union or Host Families) for 8 nights breakfast and Dinner

• Accommodation in 4 Star Hotel in Nazareth for 2 nights breakfast and dinner

• Transportation in a modern bus includes airport pickup and transfer

• English license Tour Guides and Escorts

• Entrance Fees to all historical and religious sites

• Boat Ride in Sea of Galilee

• Daily Lunches

• Honorarium Fees for all speakers and organizations

• Bet Lahem Live Festival

• Minimum Tips for Driver and Tour Guide

• All applicable taxes

• HLT and US partner administrative costs

• Flight from NYC area airport (Newark or JFK) to Tel Aviv

• Accompaniment from NYC to Tel Aviv and daily guidance from Micky.

• Reflection, discussion and facilitation by Micky ScottBey Jones and Peter Matthews.

Rate does not Include:

• Travel & Health Insurance We strongly encourage our participants to purchase travel insurance in advance.

• Personal Expenses & spending

• Any other services unspecified in tour program

• Flight or other transportation to and from your home city to NYC (JFK airport) where we will all fly out of and return to.

• Passport or visa fees as needed

• Food in airports

*Flight is included in the full price package. IF YOU BOOK YOUR OWN FLIGHT - YOU MUST MATCH OR CLOSELY MATCH OUR ITINERARY TO ARRIVE AND DEPART AT THE SAME TIME IN ORDER TO USE THE SAME GROUND PICKUP. Contact Micky - iammickyjones@gmail.com for information on the trip only fee if you have other flight arrangements.

*Breakdown of fees: $3016 includes  airfare at approximately $1,502.58. Flights are priced from JFK airport and purchased as a group. Flight details will be communicated once you have paid your deposit. You are responsible for any air or ground transportation to and from the originating NYC airport. If you must fly separately (not recommended), see Micky for details on flight arrangements.

Additional expenses could include: snacks, meals while in airports, personal purchases, souvenirs, tips, financial gifts to the communities we visit if you choose, etc. **Private room lodging is available for an additional fee of $370 per person. All lodging is a double room. Indicate at time of registration if you would like to pay extra for a single room. Payment for single room must be made with your second payment.

Travel Requirements: You must have a current passport with 1 blank page (check expiration dates). Visas are not required for tourism or business meetings and for less than 90 days. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your stay and you must have a round trip ticket. No additional vaccines are required.. You are responsible for passport costs. See the U.S. Department of State information here for information on safety, and travel warnings: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/israel.html

Fee payment schedule:

Deposit: $302 (to secure spot - NON-REFUNDABLE)

Deposit due upon registration. Pay immediately to hold spot.

The rest of the fees are divided into 5 equal payments for your convenience but payments can be made at anytime for any amount - including fundraising gifts from friends and family as long as these minimum amounts are paid by each deadline. Deadline is 6pm Eastern on the due date.

March 3

April 14

May 12

May 23

Payment is $544.61 each payment.

You may make payments at anytime before or on deposit deadlines.

Registration includes creating a personalized secure payment and fundraising site through Pure Charity upon registration and payment of deposit. Through the site (with your own link) you can accept financial support for this trip and make your own payments easily. The Pure Charity team will help you in setting this up and supporting your fundraising efforts as needed. This is a HUGE bonus of fundraising support as you prepare for the trip!

We are available to answer any questions about payments and due dates. Just ask!

Cancellation policy

In the event you cancel before May 12, all but the deposit ($302) will be refunded - on trip expenses (non-flight) only. Flight fee refunds are subject to airline and/or travel agency policies and may not be refundable.

In the event you cancel after May 12, only one payment will be refunded (544.61) in total. All other funds you have already paid in are forfeited.

Deposits are nonrefundable. Deposits are transferable until May 12.

In the event the organizers must cancel the trip, all of your trip expenses (non flight) will be refunded.
For more information contact:

Micky ScottBey Jones 

iammickyjones@gmail.com

615-414-4982 (central time)