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She is Called Holy Land Trip

A Global Immersion Experience for Women and Men

Join us in a unique opportunity to explore the Holy Land and bring to life the transformative stories of women, past and present. 

  • Travel with others from varied contexts and receive the gift of relationship created through shared experience. 
  • Explore – with your feet, eyes, heart, and imagination – the culture and circumstances experienced by women of the Bible. 
  • Share your personal reflections and responses to these women’s stories, and how you plan to bring your learnings back to bless and transform your own community. 

The ancient women who followed Jesus journeyed all the way to the cross and beyond. As they served their Lord even in death, they became the first to proclaim his resurrection.

Led by Joshua Vis and Sally Vis in partnership with Women’s Transformation and Leadership and  RCA Global Mission.

Download the trip brochure

Interested in learning more about this global experience? Watch our informational webinar (passcode: zHG48.!m), recorded on July 12, 2022 with trip leaders Josh and Sally Vis, Liz Testa, and Denise Kingdom-Grier.

Enrich your understanding of the Bible by experiencing biblical and historical sites for yourself:

  • The Church of the Annunciation, where Mary made her bold response to God’s call to bear his Son. 
  • The Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.
  • Capernaum, Mount Arbel, the Mount of Beatitudes, and the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter. 
  • Magdala, Mary Magdalene’s home before she left everything to follow Jesus. 
  • The Mount of Olives churches and the Kidron Valley. 
  • The Church of the Resurrection, built on the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. 
  • The Israel Museum. 
  • Beer Sheva, Tel Arad, Ein Avdat, and Maktesh Ramon.

You will also experience Nazareth, Old City Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ein Karem, the place of the Church of the Visitation where we remember Mary’s visit with Elizabeth. You will climb through Ein Gedi, the oasis spot where David hid from King Saul and spend an afternoon at Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

We will walk the Via Dolorosa (“the way of suffering”) early in the morning, using the liturgy written by Father Kamal, a Palestinian Christian. 

Reflections from the 2019 tour

Enhance your understanding of the current political situation in Israel and Palestine particularly as they affect women and children. We plan to visit: 

  • The Temple Mount (Jewish) and Al-Haram esh Sharif (“the noble sanctuary,” Muslim), the site where the Jewish temples once stood and now home to the Dome of the Rock. 
  • Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial. 
  • Ramallah, a major Palestinian city, where you will hear from Sam Bahour, a Palestinian entrepreneur. 
  • East Jerusalem. 
  • Tent of Nations, the home and farm of a Palestinian family working to keep their land located near Bethlehem. 
  • Military Court Watch. 

On two evenings, we will hear from representatives from Parent’s Circle, a group of Israeli and Palestinian families that have lost loved ones in the conflict; and Sahar Vardi, an Israeli peace activist who discusses the militarization of Israeli society.

Registration and event details

Dates:
November 9-20, 2022

Registration for this event is now closed. If you are interested in joining a future She is Called global experience, please contact ssoderstrom@rca.org.

If you are a registered participant, final balance payments are due by September 1, 2022. Click below to make your final payments.

Complete payment

Helpful Information

Pre-trip Virtual Meetings

There will be four pre-trip virtual meetings which all participants are expected to attend. These will help us to get to know one another, prepare ourselves for our journey, and start to consider how we hope our learnings will support our current ministry context. These meetings, held via (free) video conference, are scheduled based on the groups’ availability and will last no more than two hours each.

Physical Activity

Be prepared to walk three to five miles each day over uneven terrain. Physical training before the trip will make it more meaningful, educational, and fun. Some hikes may be optional.

Passport and Visa Requirements

Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date of your return to the United States. A visa will be obtained at no cost to you at passport control when you enter Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Accomodations

Accommodations include 3 and 4 star hotels in Beer Sheva, Tiberias, and East Jerusalem, with traditional Middle Eastern food. Each hotel has access to WiFi at no cost to you.

Travel and Lodging Costs

$4185.00 per person with double occupancy and flight out of Newark, NJ (EWR). 

There is an additional cost of $700 for single occupancy accommodations. 

The cost includes everything except travel to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), any drinks besides bottled water, trip insurance, souvenirs, and any testing for or additional costs related to Covid-19.

Rev. Joshua Vis, Ph.D. and Sally Vis

Rev. Joshua Vis, Ph.D., and Sally Vis, serve as Church Engagement Facilitators in Israel and Palestine with RCA Global Mission. They stand alongside Palestinian and Israeli individuals who seek an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, in a ministry of peace and justice. They lead immersion tours that include a deep dive into both the history and archaeology of the Bible and the history and current realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Learn more about their ministry at joshvis.com.

Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier

Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier is the Pastor of Mobilization and Renewal at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. She is also the RCA Global Mission Liaison for Setshabelo Family and Child Services, which works with the local church and community in South Africa to secure loving families for orphaned and vulnerable children in the village of Botshabelo. She is also the founder of the 1Cor13Project.com. Rev. Grier is a longtime student of the Word who brings dynamic and prophetic insights to her preaching, teaching and pastoral life.

Rev. Liz Testa

Rev. Liz Testa, is the visionary leader for RCA Women’s Transformation and Leadership and Equity-Based Hospitality. She is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to embrace their gifts and live into their God-given callings, and helping faith communities create healthy ministry environments where all God’s children can serve freely and fully together.