6th gaming Israel
pilgrimage

Sept 17-25

Fr. Anthony Ariniello,

Community of the Beatitudes

Lekh-lekha! Go! Pilgrimage means laying all aside to walk together with Christ, living simply, and shining his light in encounters with the Jewish and Eastern roots of our faith, and with the variety of persons we’ll meet along the way.

Info sessions

Wed 6/15, 9:30p CDT info and Q&A
Wed 6/29, 9:30p CDT, with Hebrew, guidance to prepare this summer with Scripture meditation, movies, music, etc., and time for Q&A
Wed 6/22, 9:30p CDT, info for Switzerland and Lisieux

Itinerary overview

Photos and descriptions of a previous Gaming trip

Flights
- Sat 17: 6:45a Ryan Air from Vienna, arrival 11:05a
- Sun 25: 7:50p (19:50) WizzAir from Tel Aviv, arrive Vienna 10:40p (22:40)
Basics we’d never miss:
- Nazareth: Incarnation
  - Fiat mihi
  - Dwelling in Him, and He in all things
- Sea of Galilee: camping the shore with Jesus
  - Beatitudes: Face of Christ
  - Bread of Life, Trust in Providence
  - Follow Me/Do you love me?
- Jordan Valley
  - Elijah, Elisha: Povery of Prophecy, Discipleship
  - Baptismal renewal immersing in the Jordan: Repentance and Abandonment
  - Jericho: Zachaeus, Walls
  - Floating in the Dead Sea
- Bethlehem: enough said!
- Jerusalem
  - Lodging at site of "Peter the Cock-crowing"
  - Jewish Western Wall, Temple
  - Divine Liturgy in Byzantine Melkite Cathedral
  - Mount of Olives, Gethsemane
  - Way of the Cross, Holy Sepulchre
  - Cenacle: Welcoming a New Pentecost
- Road to Emmaus: Reflection, Transformation, Mission

Minor sites we’ll miss: Visitation, Tabor, Bethany, Caesarea, Jaffa, Hebron, Negev, Pig Cliff –you’ll have to come again!!!

Special this time: Jacob’s Well
- If you knew the gift of God
- Joseph’s Tomb
- Joshua and the Covenant
- Mission to tiny Christian minority in city of 300,000 Muslims
- Evening with youth of St. Justin Martyr Parish

Challenges
- 4 nights sleeping on thin mats
- Discipline of quiet from ~9:30p to ~7a
- Limited “free time”: there is quiet personal time in the morning and evening, but only an hour or two every couple days when you are just "free"
- Service: each day, each person, a couple small moments of service, e.g., cooking, serving, dishes, song practice, carrying supplies, media (?)

Costs and Timeline

$925+airfare, or $875 if we fill the group with 36 student pilgrims. For students older than 26 or for non-students, e.g., sisters, professors, res assistants: $1800 for a double room, $1900 for a single.
Info zoom June 1, 15, or 29, 9:30p Central, click here to join
Apply by June 16
June 17 we will send you an email accepting you or putting you on the waiting list
Once accepted, reserve your spot with an initial non-refundable fee/deposit: $50; if we receive your deposit by July 1, we’ll give you $25 spending cash during the trip. $500 more due by August 1, and the final $375 due the day of arrival in Israel (euros or dollars).
Payments can be made through Venmo (preferable), Paypal, or check…see here. Also, here is our refund policy.
Cost covers eventual required Covid tests in Israel (none is required at this time for those who are fully vaccinated), most all meals (one you will be free to purchase in Israel), any meals during your travel from Israel (we’ll send you home with a picnic); costs do not cover souvenirs or optional drinks, snacks and street food (a couple times we’ll provide a picnic, but give the option to buy a falafel, shawarma, beer, coffee, etc.).
We suggest bringing $100-150 in euros or dollars for souvenirs and food. We’ll limit souvenir shopping, but bring you to the two lowest-cost shops run by Egyptian monks and nuns

The Community of the Beatitudes

Born of the Charismatic renewal in France, Fr. Jacques Philippe was our first priest, but our founders were married couples! The Community of the Beatitudes founded houses in Jerusalem in ‘75 and Denver in ‘99. Our priests and nuns at Emmaus will welcome us, equip us, and help us judge and respond to any emergency situations.

Spiritual Commitment

Daily Mass, morning offering, and night reflection or blessing
30-60 minutes daily for personal prayer
Confession or spiritual direction available
Quiet time after night blessing
Keep the schedule and to communicate personal needs
Media fast: keep your phone your pocket!
Dating fast: avoid pairing off. Those already dating see with the director

Travel

We meet and drop off pilgrims at the airport
Spirit of pilgrimage, ready for difficulties and cultural encounters, sensitive to group needs and limits
Most outings will be required
Between airport, cities, and Emmaus, we use a charter bus
Lots of walking

Formation

The pilgrimage is an encounter with Jesus, his People of the Jewish faith, the ancient eastern Christian traditions, and Muslim realities. Much of the Biblical teaching you will receive is in the context of question-and-answer and by engaging in the living reality of the Holy Land. Along the way, we take time to practice a bit of Hebrew language, as well as some Jewish and Byzantine music. It is a spiritual, human, and intellectual discipleship aimed at taking steps of discernment and preparation for the student’s unique call and path to a total self-gift to God and neighbor. The pilgrimage is experienced in a formative context of liturgical worship, community life, service, and cultural/ecumenical encounter.

Lodging

Nazareth: mats on floor of Anglican parish hall next to basilica of the Annunciation
Sea of Galilee: Capernaum beach camping
Jerusalem: Holy Site were Peter denied Jesu, bunkbeds in dormitories
Community of the Beatitudes, Holy Site of Emmaus-Nicopolis, mats on floor inside the Community house

Meals

I hope you like hummus! Sorry, not much meat.
Almost all meals are provided; we will do our best to meet dietary needs; some chances for a snack or a meal on your own budget.
Breakfast is casual, but at lunch and dinner, we begin and end together with a blessing and thanksgiving.

Emergency Contact

Participants, parents, or other concerned parties can contact the following at any time:

Fr. Anthony Ariniello, guide: anthony.beatitudes@gmail.com
Community of the Beatitudes, Emmaus, Israel: emmaus@beatitudes.org, 011-972-8-925-69-40 (house), 011-972-52-356-20-71 (cell, Br. Anton)
Sr. Rebecca Lescole, coordinator of the Community of the Beatitudes, Emmaus: rebecca.lescole@gmail.com

Other

Safety
The itinerary is physically and psychologically challenging.
Packing list includes compact sleeping bag and backpack that is 45-55L. We have a few of the above to lend, but not for an entire group. A detailed packing list will be provided upon acceptance.
In July, a mandatory preparation zoom, with a couple times

"typical" day

6:15 Wake up call, breakfast
7:30 Morning offering, teaching at lookout
8:30 Depart for Byzantine church
9 Quiet half-hour in Byzantine Cathedral
9:30 Byzantine Divine Liturgy
11 Walk to Mount of Olives,
12 Picnic at panorama, group photo
14 Gethsemane, holy hour
15 Free time or Hezekiah's Tunnel (40-min walk through cave in spring water half-way up your thighs)
16:30 Dinner prep
18:30 Praise and Dinner with Jewish musician

Eden Miqedem and his family

If not Israel for the 10-day, then...

Spend half (or a couple days, or all) of your break with our communities in Switzerland, France, Czech Republic, or beyond (locations). We are a new community, often living in remodeled old monasteries. Each Beatitudes house has members who are pirests/brothers, consecrated sisters, and lay families and celibates.

Daily life includes chanted liturgies, adoration, and joyful meal times. I recommend offering $25/night for room and board, if you help a bit with chores. If they take you out for adventures, you might offer a little more. We love hospitality, and so do many other religious communities I'm happy to recommend. I also love giving other travel tips, just ask!

You can get in touch with one of our houses directly, or even better, consider being the point person for Switzerland or Lisieux, and you could be the one to communicate with us on behalf of other students (e.g., a group of 6-8?). Let me know! anthony.beatitudes@gmail.com.

More info and Q&A Wed 6/22, 9:30p CDT, JOIN

-Switzerland

Gorgeous town on a mountain lake
A prayerful place with dynamic brothers and sisters who will take you hiking a couple times and maybe even to join a charismatic evening with Swiss young adults
Photos and contact

-Lisieux

The brothers and sisters will orient you to visit the Basilica and other Thérèse sites on your own. They work in the Basilica sacristy and welcome tours at Thérèse's home.
Photos and contact

August hike in colorado