Page 3 - Holyland Magazine - 2009 Edition

Ministry of Tourism
North America

Our Regional Directors

Dear Reader, 2009

For three millennia, the land of Israel has been Michal Itzik Published by:
attracting visitors. And for close to two millennia, Director, Northeast Region, Lishar Publications Ltd.
we’ve been a magnet for Christian travelers from
every continent, intent on visiting the land where New York Publisher & Editor in Chief
the Bible was written, the land where Jesus lived michali@imot.org Itzhak Shani
and ministered.
Joe Diaz Content Editor & Writer
Last year – 2008 - more tourists came to the land of Israel than in any Director, Southern Region, Yoni Shapira
year in three millennia. How remarkable! And many of 2008’s three
million visitors came to Israel specifically to visit sites associated with Atlanta Supervising Editor
Jesus of Nazareth. joediaz@imot.org Doron Livneh

What comes as one of the most exciting surprises to first-time visitors Uri Steinberg, Consul Text Editor
is when they first come upon a highway sign that says “Jerusalem,” or Director, Israel Government Margery Morgan
“Galilee” or “Nazareth.” To realize that the places one has read about
for decades in the Bible are more than just spiritual phenomena, but real Tourism Office Creative Director
places, is immensely stirring and inspiring. Midwest Region, Chicago Design & Production
Yael Volberg
Another of the surprises is how normal life in Israel really is. The kids uris@goisrael.org.il
go to school, the grown-ups go to work, everyone goes to movies and Production Manager
restaurants and to the beach, and tourists and tour buses are calmly and Mali Azran
safely traveling throughout the country.
Editorial Coordinator
This booklet was designed to share with North American Christians Esther Shani
many of the joys of traveling to Israel. I hope you enjoy it and will be
encouraged to learn more at www.goisrael.com and from the special Marketing & Sales
materials we have created to share with Christian travelers the supreme Liron Eshel, Avi Sharon
wonders of visiting my homeland.
Shipping Coordinator
We hope to have the opportunity of greeting you in 2009 in Israel. Moshe Globerman

Visit Israel. You’ll never be the same. Editorial Offices
18 Jabotinsky Street
Shalom, 75229 Rishon Lezion
Israel
Arie Sommer, Consul Tel. 972-3-967-4031
Tourism Commissioner Fax 972-3-967-4035
for North and South America
Administration
The HOLYLAND MAGAZINE - Digital version Tel. 972-3-967-4032

This edition of the Holyland Magazine will reach 100,000 more Marketing & Sales
subscribers via e-mail, in a digital version. Tel. 972-3-969-9181

You, too, can read the digital version all year long by going to Email
www.lishar.com or www.goisrael.com info@lishar.co.il

CONTENTS At the Crossroads of History 4 Sea of Wonders 10 Hezi Sheli
Director of Marketing,
Go with the Flow 14 © All rights reserved. Commercial or
Western Region any other use of the material contained
Crawling through the Labyrinth of History 20 igtolax@aol.com in this magazine is prohibited except
by prior written permission of the
From Baths to Baptism 24 Following the Scent 30 Oded Grofman, Consul publisher.
Director, Israel Government
Port of Myths and Miracles 32 The content of the advertisements
Tourist Office Canada in this issue of THE HOLY LAND
A Transformative Experience 36 odedg@igto.ca MAGAZINE is the sole responsibility of
the advertisers.
Knights, Saints and Markets 38
Front cover: The Church of the
Traveling with Twain 42 The Georgian Connection 48 Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, with its
stunning view of the Jezreel Valley
Through the Eyes of the Past 52 below. Photo: Israelimages

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