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9 REASONS ISRAEL SHOULD BE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST

Israel is where east meets west; where the ancient collides with the modern. Jerusalem is the city of Gold, just 3,000 years young and a melting pot of culture. Is a trip to the Holy Land resting gentle on your mind if not on your Bucket list? 9 Reasons Israel Should Be On Your Bucket List 1. Go in 2019. I was six decades into my life before I visited Israel.  Don't wait that long. The very existence of Israel is reason enough to experience it. Its very survival is testament to its uniqueness. 2. Jerusalem is the center of the world. The city hosts the most sacred site of the world’s three major religions – Mount Moriah. It was here Abraham…
Bob Jones
June 1, 2018
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PRESIDENT’S BIGGEST MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE?

JERUSALEM - DECEMBER 6, 2017 Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The Palestinian Liberation Organization called it “the biggest mistake of his life." The French called it “a contravention of international law.” Chinese officials expressed concern for escalated violence and a setback in the peace process. Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Turkey all rejected the decision. The Canadian government was conspicuously careful by not criticizing the decision but declaring that Canada's embassy would remain in Tel Aviv. The Democrats piled on for good measure. Why The fuss? President Donald Trump declared that the US Embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, “the capital of Israel.” Interesting enough, former President Obama declared on June 4, 2008 - "Jerusalem will remain the…
Bob Jones
December 6, 2017
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JESUS AND KELLY AT THE GATES OF HADES

In the "region of Caesarea Philippi" Jesus asked his Jewish disciples "Who do men say that I am?" What happened next turned their world upside down. Why Here? Why Now? North Pointe's Israel team visited Caesarea Philippi in February 2017. The ancient city stood in a once lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon. Now, its a unexceptional locale visited primarily by tourists. Caesarea Philippi was like a red-light district in the Jewish world and the devout would have avoided any contact with the despicable acts committed there. It was a city of people eagerly knocking on the doors of hell. Our Jewish guide questioned, "Why would Jesus - a good Jew - bring his Jewish disciples to the…
Bob Jones
March 1, 2017
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ITS A SIGN

I like watching for signs when I travel. Not the directional or apocalyptic kind - the ironic kind. The beauties above adorned a hillside in Galilee, Israel. Keeping The Door Closed At All Times Some signs are a fuzzy kind of funny. I saw the one below at Pearson International in Toronto. A manager wanted to insure that shoes or anything else did not collect on their watch. The open door where this sign was posted revealed shoes all over the floor. This one was on the side of a boat we sailed in on the Sea of Galilee. Savvy store owners capitalizing on the value of humor in marketing. Are you a reflection of what you eat? Some signs…
Bob Jones
February 26, 2017
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ISRAEL TODAY: A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Eleven days in Israel and Jordan are more than enough to rock your perceptions of the Middle East. Thirty-two of us traveled halfway around the globe to be reminded that it's a small world after all. On February 8th our team bid a fond farewell to -30C Canadian weather. Sixteen hours and eleven thousand km's later we were embraced by the 17C shalom of Tel Aviv, Israel. (Scroll to the bottom to see updated photos of the trip.) Milk, Honey and Rocks The landscape was the first to rock our perceptions. Literally. Israel is in a desert. Rocks and sand are everywhere. Even the green pastures surrounding the Sea of Galilee are littered with stones and rocks. Sheep and goats…
Bob Jones
February 20, 2017
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15 UNFORGETTABLE PICS FROM THE HOLY LAND

Imagine going back in time to a place that has been unchanged for over 2,000 years. That's what's in store in Petra, Jordan and underground in the city of Jerusalem. Take a tour through fifteen photos that capture a myriad of memories. Camel selfies! O, the friends you'll make. Unforgettable travel arrangements. Take a second look in Bethlehem. No need to look for camel fare. The ride is included. A 2,300 year old gender neutral washroom. The sign says it all. At the Top of the World near Petra, Jordan. Scrumptious and calorie free. Some frankincense with your Pepsi? For Canadians, there's no escaping the snow...even in Jordan. The good shepherd and his flock. The view from Masada where 960…
Bob Jones
March 27, 2016
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15 THINGS I DISCOVERED IN 2015

When you're done learning, you're done. 2015 was a year of firsts - first grandson; first trip to Israel, Germany, France; first Caribbean cruise; first book published. It was a year of learning and discovery. 15 Things I Discovered In 2015 In random order of importance: 1. If you leave the window of your hotel room open overnight in Tiberias, Israel don't be surprised if you wake up to find pigeons roosting on your lampshade in the morning. 2. Grandkids are God's gift of family that can be returned to the manufacturers after every use. 3. Spider Mable is the greatest superhero in Edmonton. 4. Israel is a miracle. Jerusalem is unforgettable. Pilgrimage should be experienced by every believer. Walking…
Bob Jones
December 28, 2015
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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MOSHE

When was the last time you had to pinch yourself so you wouldn’t miss the moment you were living? For me it was feeling the sea breeze on my face and the wooden deck of the boat beneath my feet as we silently glided across the surface of a sea called, “Galilee.” PINCH. Could this have been the very place that 2000 years ago, Jesus, awakened by his anxious disciples, spoke calm to a furious storm? Were the hills on the horizon the long ago home of the Gaderene who was possessed by a legion of demons? Might it have been at this spot that Jesus appeared, walking on the water on a moon lit night, and invited Peter to become…
Bob Jones
February 22, 2015
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10 IRRESISTIBLE ASPECTS OF JERUSALEM

In January 2014, I sat in Row B at IMAX for a one-of-a-kind, 3D immersion into parts of Jerusalem and the Holy Land that most tourists and pilgrims never see. I was hooked. Over the past three decades I've always declined invitations to lead a tour to Israel. Not that I don't revere "the Holy Land" but I never felt compelled to travel there. Now, Jerusalem had become irresistible. Within a week of viewing the film we booked a tour to Israel and Jordan with International Tours. We're going back again in March 2019 and you could join us. 10 Irresistible Things About Israel and Jerusalem 1. Jerusalem, not Toronto, is the center of the Universe. Jerusalem lies close to…
Bob Jones
January 26, 2014