We had a wonderful group of Christians from California come to Israel on February 24th, 2026. They first visited Joppa where Peter had a vision from the Lord which opened the door to the gentiles being accepted into the church. They then traveled to Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, and many places in Galilee including Capernaum, Mt of the Beatitudes, stayed at a Kibbutz, and finally went on a special boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

The next day they went to Ein Geddi, and Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. That evening, they came to Jerusalem and spent the next several days there during the beginning of the war with Iran. They enjoyed being in the holy city of Jerusalem and when called into the shelter at the hotel protecting them from missile debris, they worshipped and prayed for Israel. They decided to leave Israel through Taba, Egypt, then to Athens and the U.S. The pastor of this group shared with me what a deep, rich, spiritual experience this trip provided for everyone in his group, and they already have a sign-up list for next year’s tour.

Rabbi Weiss, our guide, summed up the experience as follows: “We travelled from one end of the country to the other, dealing with the natural elements of rain and dark, and the concern of war with Iran, and yet the group’s energy never wavered, thanks in most part to Pastor Valverde. It was a very moving and meaningful experience, and I am looking forward to the day when we will see Israel together again.”