Israel Trip 2020

Join us for 1 or 2 weeks in the Holy Land and participate in a real archaeological dig in the ancient city of Shiloh. Register for 1 week of the dig, 1 week of a tour, or both! Epic Archaeology is very excited to partner with our good friends at Associates for Biblical Research for our very first EXPLORER’S TRIP TO ISRAEL! This will be an experience of Israel unlike anything else out there! If you’ve ever wanted to take part in an archaeological excavation and then explore ancient Biblical sites with an archaeologist, then this is YOUR TRIP!

EXPLORING ISRAEL WITH TED WRIGHT (EPIC ARCHAEOLOGY) & GARY BYERS (ASSOCIATES FOR BIBLICAL RESEARCH)

Week 2: Saturday June 13th through Monday June 22nd

Possible Post-Dig Tour Sites MAY include: Caesarea, Cana, Nazareth, Megiddo, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Beth Shean, Jericho, Qumran, Bethlehem, Elah Valley, City of David, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Israel Museum, Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea, Western Wall, Temple Mount, Old City, Holy Sepulcher.

This includes check in on Saturday June 13, 2020 and check out on Monday June 22, 2020. Each person will receive full room and board. Park entrance fees and bus driver tip are also included. All rooms are double/triple occupancy.

Cost: $1,399 per person (airfare not included)

To register for both, pay combined amount with a small discount: $2,475  In order to register, sign-up through the Associates for Biblical Research website. First steps:

1. APPLY: Click on this link to fill out our Online Application Form (off-site link).

2. LIABILITY WAIVER: Download the Liability PDF Form, print it out, sign it and initial it, including the signature of two witnesses. Minors must have a guardian signature as well. Please scan and email the liability form to: comments@biblearchaeology.org

3. PAY: To pay your deposit ($500) online or make full payment, please follow these instructions and pay at the secure donation page:

a. Click the ONETIME GIFT field, and then enter the proper dollar amount in the OTHER AMOUNT field toward the bottom.
b. Then, under COMMENT, type: EPIC ARCHAEOLOGY PAYMENT-DEPOSIT FOR SHILOH DIG and/or post-dig TOUR 2020.

We look forward to seeing you on our Explorer’s Trip to Israel, in June 2020! 

Ted Wright, Founder and Executive Director, Epic Archaeology

PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINT BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

VII. SAFETY
SAFETY IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE ON THIS EXCAVATION. EACH YEAR, THE ISRAELI ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY (OR KAMAT) AND THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE (IDF) REVIEW THE SITUATION LOCALLY, AND DETERMINE IF IT IS SAFE FOR ABR TO DIG AT THE SITE. OUR PERMIT IS NOT GRANTED UNLESS THEY ARE SURE OUR SITE IS SAFE. SHILOH IS A NATIONAL PARK AND IS ENCLOSED, AND IS LOCATED ALONG THE MAIN SECURITY ROAD. THE EXCAVATION IS VERY SAFE.
VIII. ACCOMODATIONS
WHILE DIGGING AND ON THE POST-DIG TOUR, WE WILL BE STAYING AT THE RITZ HOTEL JERUSALEM HOTEL JERUSALEM, LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN EAST JERUSALEM (8 IBN KHALDOUN STREET, JERUSALEM 9710204). IT IS NESTLED IN THE HEART OF THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, AN ENJOYABLE STROLL TO THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM WITH MAGNIFICENT HOLY AND HISTORICAL SITES, AND IS LESS THAN 45 MINUTES FROM SHILOH. THE HOTEL IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE OLD CITY, ALLOWING VOLUNTEERS TO EASILY VISIT PROMINENT HISTORICAL AND BIBLICAL SITES DURING OFF-TIME AND WEEKENDS. YOU WILL EASILY BE ABLE TO VISIT SITES SUCH AS: THE TEMPLE MOUNT, WESTERN WALL, CITY OF DAVID, CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE AND MANY MORE. INDIVIDUAL TRANSPORTATION FROM BEN GURION AIRPORT TO RITZ HOTEL / JERUSALEM TO GET FROM BEN GURION AIRPORT TO RITZ HOTEL / JERUSALEM, TAKE A COMMUNAL TAXI KNOWN IN HEBREW AS A “SHEROOT” OR “NESHER”. TAKE THE TAXI/SHEROOT SERVICE STAND TO JERUSALEM, WHICH IS ON THE CURBSIDE JUST OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT ARRIVAL HALL. TELL THE DRIVER YOU WANT TO BE DROPPED OFF AT: RITZ HOTEL / EAST JERUSALEM, IBN KHALDOUN ST # 8. TEL (02) 6269900. THE DRIVERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION. OTHER PASSENGERS WILL RIDE IN THE SAME TAXI/VAN WITH YOU. THEY RUN 24-7, EXCEPT ON YOM KIPPUR. GETTING A SHERUT ON A SATURDAY CAN BE DIFFICULT AT TIMES, SO PLAN TO USE A TAXI IF YOU ARRIVE/DEPART ON A SATURDAY. THE COST IS $20.00 (70.00 SHEKELS) FROM THE AIRPORT TO RITZ HOTEL. FOR A PRIVATE TAXI THE COST IS AROUND $80.00 (300.00 SHEKELS).

IX. INTERNET ACCESS IN THE HOTEL IS SPOTTY AT TIMES. THERE IS ONE PUBLIC COMPUTER AVAILABLE FOR USE. THERE IS AN ATM NEAR THE HOTEL. THE ROOMS HAVE SAFES.
X. LAUNDRY– A. WASH CLOTHES BY HAND IN BATHTUBS OR SINKS AND THEN TO HANG OUT THE CLOTHES ON THE BALCONY (IF THE ROOM HAS ONE). WITH THIS OPTION, DIGGERS SHOULD USE DETERGENT FROM ISRAEL (US DETERGENT DOES NOT WORK WELL WITH THE ISRAELI WATER). B. THERE IS A LAUNDRY SERVICE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HOTEL. A FULL LOAD, WASHED AND DRIED, IS ABOUT $20. DIGGERS CAN DROP OFF OF THEIR CLOTHES AFTER WORK AND PICK THEM UP THE NEXT DAY AFTER WORK.

XI. SINGLE ROOMS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE BY REQUEST, AND ARE LIMITED.
XII. TRAVELER’S AND HEALTH INSURANCE
ALL TRAVELERS MUST PURCHASE TRAVELERS INSURANCE IN THE EVENT OF A FAMILY EMERGENCY, ILLNESS, ETC. ABR CANNOT GUARANTEE THE RECOVERY OF ANY MONIES PAID FOR THE TRIP! BE SURE YOUR INSURANCE COVERS TRAVEL IN THE WEST BANK, WHICH IS WHERE OUR SITE IS LOCATED. TOKIO MARINE COVERS TRAVELERS IN THE WEST BANK. ALL TRAVELERS MUST HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THIS TRIP. ABR CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY FOR ANY HOSPITAL OR DOCTOR VISITS OR AMBULANCE TRANSPORT NEEDED BY TRAVELERS, WHETHER THE RESULT OF SICKNESS OR INJURY. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, MEDICARE IS NOT ACCEPTED OUTSIDE THE US! ALL TRAVELERS MUST THOROUGHLY DOCUMENT THEIR MEDICATIONS, AND PROVIDE FAMILY AND DOCTOR EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION. MEDICAL EVACUATION INSURANCE AS WELL MUST BE PURCHASED AS WELL, IN CASE A TRAVELER NEED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE US. WITHOUT INSURANCE, THIS COULD COST MORE THAN $75,000.

XIII. PASSPORT
NO VISA IS REQUIRED IF YOU HAVE A PASSPORT FROM AN APPROVED COUNTRY AND ARE STAYING LESS THAN 90 DAYS. IF YOU HAVE OTHER PLANS OR HAVE A NON-US PASSPORT, PLEASE VISIT THE ISRAELI EMBASSY WEBSITE. PASSPORT MUST HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE THAT EXPIRES SIX MONTHS BEYOND YOUR LAST INTENDED DAY OF STAY IN ISRAEL. FOR PURPOSES OF THE ABR DIG, YOUR PASSPORT MUST HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE THAT POSTDATES YOUR LAST DAY IN ISRAEL BY SIX MONTHS. IF YOU PLAN TO STAY FOR THE POST-DIG TOUR OR ON YOUR OWN, PLEASE BE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOUR PASSPORT POSTDATES YOUR LAST DAY IN ISRAEL BY SIX MONTHS. THE ISRAELIS WILL NOT LET YOU INTO THE COUNTRY!

XIV. TAX DEDUCTIBILITY
THE MONIES PAID TOWARD THE SHILOH EXCAVATION ARE NOT CONSIDERED A DONATION TO ABR. HOWEVER, BECAUSE YOU ARE PROVIDING VOLUNTEER WORK FOR ABR, ALL EXPENSES RELATED TO THAT WORK MAY BE DEDUCTIBLE AS EXPENSES OF VOLUNTEER WORK FOR A NON-PROFIT MINISTRY. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY TOURING. IF YOU LIVE IN THE US, YOU WILL RECEIVE A RECEIPT IN THE MAIL IN THE JANUARY FOLLOWING THE DIG. PLEASE CONSULT A TAX PROFESSIONAL FOR ADVICE.

XV. TOOL DONATION
IF YOU ARE ABLE, PLEASE BRING A MARSHALLTOWN TROWEL WITH YOU AND LEAVE IT AS A SMALL TOOL DONATION. THIS IS DIFFICULT TO FIND IN ISRAEL, AND IS EXPENSIVE TO TRANSPORT EN MASSE. SO, YOUR HELP IS APPRECIATED! IT IS AVAILABLE AT HOME DEPOT (CLICK HERE). NOTE: DO NOT PACK THE TROWEL IN YOUR CARRY ON LUGGAGE! IT WILL LIKELY BE CONFISCATED.