Yella 2012: A Middle Eastern Learning Tour
May 6 – 29, 2012
THE GALILEE: JESUS' WORLD: HOPE AND FEAR
Accommodation: Fauzi Inn – Old City, Nazareth
Sunday May 6
Depart from Toronto Pearson Airport
Mon. May 7
Arrive Ben Gurion at 07:20 – transfer to Nazareth. Introduction to Nazareth – lunch –
Nazareth Village tour and rest. Short orientation after dinner.
Tues. May 8
Nazareth Village volunteering and teaching
Wed. May 9
Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, swimming at Gan HaShlosha (warm springs) or meet Fr.
Chacour if possible.
Thurs. May 10
Galilee area – boat from Ein Gev to Ginosaur (Jesus Boat museum), Kursi, Tabga,
Mount of Beatitudes, etc.
Fri. May 11
Golan Heights, Dan, Caesarea Philippi, etc.
Sat. May 12
Wrap up of first week, and afternoon free.
Sun. May 13
Jesus Trail – Walk from Nazareth to Sephoris, the primary city of the Galilee, lunch,
then on to Cana, site of Jesus’ first miracle. Evening reflections.
Mon. May 14
Jesus Trail – Cana to Yarok Az. Overnight on goat farm. Evening
reflections.
Tues. May 15
Jesus Trail – Yarok Az to Arbel. Catch view of the Sea of Galilee.
Overnight Arbel guest house. Evening reflections.
Wed. May 16
Jesus Trail – Arbel to Capernaum. Visit Tabgah, traditional site of feeding of the
5,000, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum. Transfer back to Nazareth. Overnight in Fauzi
Azar.
ANCIENT AND MODERN ISRAEL
Accommodation: Kibbutz near Oranim
Thurs/Fri
May 17-18
Shdemot program. Israeli society and religion
Possibilities include mifgashim (encounters) with students, soldiers, Shahaks and other
Israelis. Visit Oranim College, have couple of lectures, Ghetto fighters museum.
Possibility of Synagogue service and/or Shabbat dinner in families.
BETHLEHEM: THE HOPE AND FEAR OF OUR WORLD
Accommodation: home stays in Bethlehem area
Program organized by MCC
Saturday, May 19
Morning: Tour of Canada Park – Eitan Bronstein, Zochrot
Zochrot, which means “remembering” in Hebrew, is an NGO working since 2002 to raise awareness in Israel
of the Nakba, the Palestinian catastrophe of 1948. We will tour Canada Park, which sits between Jerusalem
and Tel Aviv, built on top of three Palestinian villages that were destroyed in 1967.
Afternoon free
Sunday, May 20
Morning: Various Church Options
12:00 p.m. – Lajee Center, Salah Ajarma
Lajee Center is a community center in Aida Refugee Camp. Aida Camp is one of three camps in Bethlehem.
While at Lajee, we will hear about the life of Palestinian refugees and take a tour of the camp. Lunch will be
served at the center.
3:00 p.m. – Coffee with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
Mennonite Central Committee has been working in Palestine since 1949. They first came here to help with the
refugee crisis after the War of 1948 and provided vocational training and aid to the refugees. Since then, MCC
has developed and expanded its program. In partnership with local organizations, MCC works in the fields of
humanitarian relief, sustainable development, and peacebuilding. We will discuss the history, philosophy, and
programming of MCC.
Monday, May 21
9:00 a.m. – Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem (ARIJ), Dr. Jad Isaac
ARIJ represents 20 years of combined organizational experience in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the fields of economic, social, management of natural resources, water management,
sustainable agriculture and political dynamics of development in the area. We will see a presentation
at ARIJ and then head out for a field visit to meet farmers and see some water projects.
11:00 a.m. – Wi’am Center, Zoughbi Zougbhi
Wi’am is a Palestinian conflict resolution center that has programs that span Palestinian society. We will meet
with Zoughbi Zoughbi, the director of the organization, and hear about the various programs they provide. We
will also learn how the occupation affects local society. Lunch will be served at Wi’am.
2:00 p.m. – Stop the Wall, Jamal Juma’
Stop the Wall is an umbrella organization for many of the activist communities in villages around Palestine. We
will visit the communities of Al-Walajah and Al-Masara to see how the construction of the Separation Wall
affects their daily life and to meet the nonviolent activists who are trying to stop the incursion of the wall.
Tuesday, May 22
8:30 a.m. – Ten Thousand Villages olive wood factory tour
We will see how olive wood products sold at Ten Thousand Villages are made and have the opportunity to
purchase these traditional Palestinian crafts.
10:00 a.m. – Bethlehem Bible College, Alex Awad
Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) is an evangelical Christian college. We will tour the college, meet with Alex
Awad, author of the book Palestinian Memories, and hear about Christian Zionism and alternative ways to
interpret the Bible.
11:30 a.m. – YMCA Rehabilitation Program, Nader Abu-Amsha
The East Jerusalem YMCA Rehabilitation Program is a non-governmental organization that was launched in
1989. It renders comprehensive rehabilitative services to persons with disabilities, including those who have
experienced trauma or torture. The program provides services all over the West Bank either in the
beneficiary’s community or at the program’s referral center in Beit Sahour. We will learn about the
Rehabilitation Program from director Nader Abu-Amsha and visit a program participant in the Bethlehem area.
1:30 p.m. – Leave for Jerusalem
2:30 p.m. – Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD) Tour
ICAHD is a non-violent, direct-action group originally established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of
Palestinian houses in the occupied territories. We will hear a short briefing from a staff member about house
demolitions and then go on a driving tour around Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM: THE POWER OF HOPE IN THE FACE OF FEAR
Accommodation: Old City of Jerusalem
Wed. May 23 – Mon. May 28: Activities this week will likely include:
 Jerusalem tour with Jared Goldfarb. Visit Wall excavations
 Old City tour, and time to explore the markets
 Mt. of Olives
 Via Dolorosa
 Garden of Gethsemane, Garden Tomb
 Dome of the Rock
 Western Wall
 Stations of the Cross with Sabeel
 Holocost Museum
 Hike Wadi Qilt (hike) Jericho (Old and New Testament sites)
 Masada, Dead Sea (swim), Qumran
 Free day in Jerusalem – celebration dinner in evening
Depart for Tel Aviv 8:30 PM – Flight departs Tel Aviv after 12:00 AM May 29
Arrive Toronto 6:20 AM