It is an acknowledgement that this journey about to be undertaken is a microcosm of life’s pilgrimage with the Bible as map. It means setting out in the spirit of Abraham to go where God is leading; it means living the Exodus experience of the journey from bondage to the liberty of the children of God. To go on a pilgrimage…
1. What is a pilgrimage?
It is an acknowledgement that this journey about to be undertaken is a microcosm of life’s pilgrimage with the Bible as map. It means setting out in the spirit of Abraham to go where God is leading; it means living the Exodus experience of the journey from bondage to the liberty of the children of God.
To go on a pilgrimage, though, is much more than a journey into the past. It is rather a making present, a living experience of God acting in our lives today. Just as God acted in the lives of the patriarchs, so too, God is speaking to us now, not only through our contact with the places where past events took place, but through the life that is being lived in that same land today. In Jewish terms, the whole of the people’s history in encapsulated in this generation; in Christian terminology, the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ is being lived today.
The essential is that a pilgrimage to the Holy Land can only have lasting value if it is seen within the context and as symbol of our whole pilgrimage through life to God.
2. Who organizes the CBAC groups?
In 1972, the Catholic Biblical Association of Canada (CBAC) was founded in response to a request from the Bishops of Ontario to return to the Scriptures as a main source of spiritual nourishment and growth. CBAC has a special mission and privilege: to foster the knowledge of and reverence for the Bible. In our faith journey we encounter God and God’s saving message in a variety of times and places, but most particularly in the prayer, pain, joy and quest which have found expression in our Bible.
CBAC offers a wide spectrum of services: Bible Study Programs and Resources, Sale of Bibles, “The Word is Life” Journal, Lectures and Pilgrimages to biblical lands. For further information, please call 905 568 4393 or visit our Website: http://www.catholicbiblical.ca/
Sr. Jocelyn Monette has been the Executive Director of the Catholic Biblical Association of Canada since 1985. She is a Sister of Sion who lived in Rome, Italy for three years and in Jerusalem for six years. Prior to this, she taught High School in Saskatoon and Calgary.
Jocelyn is an experienced pilgrim leader making the journey a prayerful and fascinating experience. She has organized and facilitated over 100 groups to the Biblical Lands (Israel, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Europe).
For Jocelyn, the land of Israel is the best classroom for teaching the Bible. The Bible makes the land come alive and the land makes the Bible come alive. The setting of the Bible had a great effect upon the teachings found in the scriptures, for the land was the classroom of the Savior and his prophets. Their illustrations and many of the symbols they used to explain spiritual concepts came from their surroundings. In 1992 Bargil Pixner, OSB, a Benedictine monk who lived in Holy Land for 25 years wrote, “… Five gospels record the life of Jesus. Four you will find in books and one you will find in the land they call holy. Read the “fifth gospel” and the world of the four will open to you.”
Jocelyn leads Morning Prayer, plays the guitar at daily liturgies and animates the evening with PowerPoint presentations and faith sharing.
Joanne Cothran is one of Canada’s foremost experts on Exclusive Customized Group Travel. She is a knowledgeable professional with over twenty five years of experience and in particular, is an authority on group travel to the Holy Land.
Joanne says…Exclusive Customized Group Travel is a symphony of organization where every detail must be fine-tuned and tailored to the needs of a special interest group. Exclusive Customized Group Programs have limitless possibilities constrained only by one’s imagination.
“There is nothing like a carefully executed customized program that bonds people together. At the end of their journey, baggage of course would have grown, as is usually the case on such trips, however, the biggest item to be taken back home are memories, and these weigh nothing, pass easily through customs and can be enjoyed for a long time. ‘Life time friendships are forged’”.
All CBAC travel arrangements are made with:
Joanne Cothran
SKYLINK HOLIDAYS
Tel: 416 849 6629
Toll Free: 1 866 296 3345
Fax: 416 391 0986
Email: joannecothran@skylinkholidays.com
3. Travel: Practical Resources
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Information for leisure and business travelers including passport and consular services, visa requirements, government travel reports and publications, Canadian representatives overseas, and obtaining emergency assistance while abroad.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Information about vaccinations and info on preventing illnesses – a government agency and leading authority on travel health around the world.
Time Zones
TimeTicker – International Time Converter
Explore time zones around the world and even set your computer’s time clock
Flight Tracking
Links to the flight status facilities of major global airlines as well as many regionals.
Currency Conversion
XE – The World’s Favorite Currency Site
Weather Worldwide
This site not only give you the current weather forecast, but also the average weather year around for anywhere in the world.
Climate in Israel
Table of average temperatures in major cities in Israel
Temperatures can vary widely so just pack for the “right” weather and you’ll be fine. Seasons overlap of course, but general guidelines are:
SUMMER (Jun/Jul/Aug/early Sep): Temperatures in the high 80º’s, 90º’s. Tel Aviv, and Tiberias will be hot and humid (like New York or Miami). Jerusalem is dryer and cooler, particularly at night. Masada and Eilat are extremely hot (110º+!)…but dry. There won’t be a drop of rain.
SHOULDERS (late Mar/Apr/May/late Sep/Oct/Nov): Daytime temperatures will be very pleasant: 60º-70º-ish in most of the country (still hot, though, at the Red and Dead Seas). Jerusalem will be in the 40º’s, 50º’s in the evening. There’ll be some rain – nothing torrential.
WINTER (Dec/Jan/Feb/early Mar): Winter weather can fluctuate. Some winters are mild and sunny, some severe and overcast. There’s often heavy rain and, in January and February, even snow sometimes. It’ll probably be in the 50º’s, 60º’s most places, but in the forties in Jerusalem and the Galilee hills – and very cold at night.
Embassy of Canada to Israel in Tel Aviv
The Embassy of Canada in Tel Aviv represents Canadian interests in Israel and serves Canadians who are travelling or doing business in the area.
Address, phone, fax, email
Street Address:
3/5 Nirim Street
Tel Aviv, 67060 Israel
Postal Address:
The Embassy of Canada
P.O. Box 9442
Tel-Aviv, 67060 Israel
Tel: (011 972 3) 636-3300
Fax: (011 972 3) 636-3380
Email: taviv@international.gc.ca
Israel wired for wireless
Thanks to these hotspots all over Israel, you can continue to check in with your family, church, ministry, or workplace while you’re in Israel. You don’t have to worry about not being able to respond when something comes up that needs your attention. With our Wi-Fi, you can always feel connected.
Plus, you can also share memories, photos, and even video footage of your life-changing trip with family and friends around the world. If you are hosting a group tour, you can post regular updates on a blog or via email, along with digital photos and videos, so that the rest of your congregation or constituents can experience Israel with you and perhaps be inspired to join you on your next tour of the Holy Land!
