Bethsaida, a recently rediscovered city located near the northern shore of the biblical Sea of Galilee, was founded in the 10th century BCE as the capital city of the biblical kingdom of Geshur. Nearly a millennium later Bethsaida came to be one of the most frequently mentioned cities in the New Testament as a center for the activities of Jesus of Nazareth and the home of his first disciples, namely Peter, Andrew and Philip. Just a few generations later Bethsaida lay abandoned and in ruins, covered over by the dust of the ages until its rediscovery and identification in the early 1990s. There is still a great deal to discover; so we invite you to become part of (or return to) our growing family of Bethsaida volunteers.

DAILY SCHEDULE (Mon-Fri)
Daily work includes digging and sifting dirt, washing pottery and other finds, and sorting, identifying, and recording our discoveries.

5:30 a.m.                Bus depart Ginosar for Bethsaida site
9:00--9:45 a.m.       On-site Breakfast
11:30--11:45 a.m.    Popsicle Break
12:30 p.m.              Return to Ginosar and have lunch
4:30 pm--6:30 p.m.  Lab work and pottery reading
7:00 p.m.                Dinner
8:00--9:00p.m.         Lecture
Sat. and Sun.          Extensive sightseeing throughout the region

AIR TRAVEL
In light of the fact that group fares no longer offer the most favorable rates, it is suggested that each participant make his or her own air travel arrangements, scheduling your arrival in Tel Aviv (TLV) for Sunday morning, June 15, 2008, and departing Tel Aviv no earlier than June 29, 2008. Those wishing to stay in Israel for a longer period may certainly do so at their own expense and continued assumption of risk.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Expedition participants are housed at Ginosar Inn, located on beautiful Kibbutz Ginosar overlooking the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and transported by bus to the dig site every day.  There are four tiers of accommodations at Kibbutz Ginosar. Costs for food and lodging for the two week stay at Ginosar are as follows:

Dormitory (3-5 per room) = US $   954.00  per person
Triple                             = US $ 1052.00  per person
Double                           = US $ 1346.00  per person
Single                            = US $ 1486.00  per person

In addition to food and lodging during your stay at Ginosar, the costs reflected above also include transportation from Ben Gurion airport to Kibbutz Ginosar and daily transportation to and from the site.  Please note that these costs do not include airfare, tuition, or the (optional) excursion fee.

WEEKEND EXCURSIONS
An intense, optional sightseeing program is conducted in connection with the special two-week session with visits to several archaeological and pilgrimage sites, including but not limited to: Mount of Beatitudes; Tabgha; Capernaum; Hazor; Tel Dan; Nimrod's Fortress; Banias (Caesarea Phillipi); Beth She'an or Sepphoris, Beth She'arim, Megiddo, and Caesarea Maritima or Tel Dor.  It also includes Masada, Qumran, En Gedi, and two nights in Jerusalem's Old City at the end of the expedition (longer stays are available).

The cost of the excursion package will be made available to participants as soon the figure becomes available. In the interest of an early, rough and good-faith estimate, the total cost for the expedition should range around $475, affected most significantly by total number of participants sharing chartered bus costs (so invite your friends to come dig with you!)

For additional information contact:

Dr. Nicolae Roddy, Co-Director
BETHSAIDA EXCAVATIONS PROJECT
nroddy@creighton.edu
tel. 402.280.3272
fax 402.280.2502

Note: The brochure and accompanying application have been designed to accommodate a special two-week session beginning June 15, 2008.  If this conflicts with your summer schedule you may contact Dr. Roddy for information about other sessions.  Please be advised that Bethsaida Excavations is not a Creighton University program and that as an institution Creighton University is not affiliated with the Bethsaida Excavations Project in any way.