Nov 24 Day 8 Part 2 Today we depart theSea of Galilee and travel southward to Beit She’an/Scythopolis, an archeological site in Israel, located at the strategic juncture of the Jezreel and Jordan valleys. Like Jericho, it has been almost continuously occupied throughout history. It is also the location that the Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and his son Jonathan after defeating them on Mt. Gilboa. During the time of Jesus, Scythopolis was one of the chief cities of the Decapolis - a league of ten cities sharing Greek culture and government. Next, we travel down the fertile Jordan Valley southward, where our guide will point out the incredible agricultural restoration of the, “Land of Milk and Honey” as well as Israel’s intricate modern irrigation system. As our journey down the valley heads toward Masada, we will pass ancient Jericho, Qumran and Ein Gedi. Upon arriving at Masada, we will take an cable car ride up to the mountaintop fortress of Masada. Here our guide will teach us the history of the famous zealot stand. Following our visit at Masada, we head northwest and travel back up to Jerusalem through the mountains of the Judean wilderness. After arriving in Jerusalem, we will stop and take in a panoramic view of the city while standing atop the Mount of Olives - where Jesus ascended into heaven and where He will return as the triumphant King of Kings!