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At Selah, we are deeply saddened by the loss of life and freedom caused by the Israel-Hamas War, and we continue to pray fervently for peace. We also recognize the importance of having a thoughtful plan for resuming our biblical tours to the area in 2025.

We are using a proposed three-stage ceasefire plan to determine when it will be safe and appropriate to recommence our tours. The stages are as follows:

Stage 1: A six-week ceasefire and the return of some hostages.
Stage 2: A permanent ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages.
Stage 3: The lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Once Stage 1 commences, our Director, Lisa Tarzia, will travel to Israel on a reconnaissance trip to ensure all preparations are in place to welcome our clients. Selah tours will resume once Stage 2, the permanent ceasefire, is established.

The focus of Selah tours to Israel and Palestine is to explore and experience biblical sites, aiming to deepen and transform our Christian faith. While we want to support all those affected by the war, we believe it is inappropriate to conduct leisure activities during an active conflict in the region.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation and, more importantly, continue to pray for peace and the spreading of the gospel of good news and great joy.

What a blessing it is for Christians to be able to travel together, as we do with Selah Christian Tours.

In creation, we see God’s lordship on display in his control over all things, his authority over all the universe, and his presence in every part of creation.

The bible tells us: “For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11.

We read in Genesis 1 that “God created the heavens and the earth.”  Furthermore in Colossians 1:16, it gives the added detail that God created “all things” through Jesus Christ. The plain teaching of Scripture, therefore, is that Jesus is the Creator of the universe.

The wonder of creation should encourage us to worship the triune God who, in His benevolence, has given us all good things to enjoy
(1 Timothy 6:17).

We must be careful, however, to not allow this wonder and awe to degenerate into creature or creation worship. Scripture is full of reminders that God sits enthroned above His creation. Nature is not God. God is not subservient to the laws of nature; rather, He authored those laws.

As sinful humans we so often take things to the extreme and distort God’s truth for our own truth. We even hear people cry out, pray and ask the “Universe” for help & direction.

Romans 1 reminds us that:

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. v20

We exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the One having created v25

So let’s reset, with the help of the Spirit, and fix our eyes on God the Father, his son Jesus Christ who created all things.

We are blessed to be able to travel, see the world, God’s creation, meet people created in His image, enjoy delightful food, stunning sunsets, beautiful mountains. Please let us remaind fixed in worshipping the Creator God and not turn our idolatrous hearts to worshipping the created things.

Selah.

One of the organisations we partner with, The Parent’s Circle has joint CEO’s – one Palestinian and one Israeli. They have a shared understanding of the grief, loss and heartache that is felt, culminating in this current conflict.

We want to share with you their words and ask that you use them as a prayer to pray for peace in this place.

Dear Valued Selah Community,

This week, with both joy and a heavy heart, we share a significant update regarding our tours to Israel and Palestine. Due to the ongoing war, we’ve had to cancel many tours, resulting in refunds totalling over $700,000 to our cherished clients, with more to come. While it’s a bittersweet moment, we’re immensely proud that our clients received a maximum refund, a testament to our decades-long partnership and friendship with our suppliers in the Holy Land.

🤝 Decades-Long Partnership: Our strong ties with suppliers in the Holy Land allowed us to prioritise our clients’ well-being during these challenging times. The maximum refunds wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support and understanding from our friends and partners in Israel and Palestine.

🌟 Values of Honesty and Integrity: In the face of adversity, our commitment to honesty and integrity shines through. We believe in transparency and ensuring that our clients receive the best possible outcome, even in difficult circumstances.

💔 Impact on Our Business: The current situation has undoubtedly hit our business hard. Yet, we remain resilient and hopeful for a future where peace reigns in the Holy Land. We have always trusted God with this business and know that He will sustain us.

🙏 Looking Ahead: While we navigate these challenging times, we encourage you to explore the other amazing tours we have on offer. Your support means the world to us, especially during these trying moments.

🕊️ Supporting our Suppliers: When peace finally graces the Holy Land, we ask for your continued support. Our suppliers, who are enduring immense challenges, will need assistance to rebuild and revive their businesses. Your support will make a meaningful difference in their lives.

🌐 Explore Our Tours: https://selah.au/trip-type/tour

In unity and hope, we look forward to the day when we can resume our tours to the Holy Land. Please continue to pray for peace and healing in this special place.

With Gratitude, Selah 🙏

#SupportHolyLand #PeaceForIsraelAndPalestine #TravelWithPurpose #Selah #Bestillandknow

Please join us in continuing to pray for the following needs in the days and weeks ahead:

• God’s comfort and consolation for all those grieving the loss of loved ones from the horrific violence of the past few days

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1

• Healing for those who have been wounded and are recovering in hospitals across the country and in Gaza and for the hospital staff treating them

“He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” Psalm 107:20

• Healing of hearts and minds from the deep trauma that people have and continue to suffer

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

• A speedy end to the current hostilities and that it will not escalate and expand to other areas

“He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.” Psalm 46:9

• For leaders and decision makers, that they may be inspred by wisdon, compassion, and a desire for peace.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6

• That God’s love and peace may transcend the divisions and hatred that have plagued this region for so long.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

• Pray for the Christians and Church in Gaza and Israel to be instruments of peace, promoting justice, understanding, reconciliation, and a just peace in the Holy Land.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

If you’ve ever sat on the floor while packing for your next trip wondering how on earth you are going to fit everything in then we’re here to help. Channeling Marie Kondo (a Japanese organising consultant) might help you pare it down a bit but packing for a holiday with only items that spark joy may see you missing the essentials.  So we’ve got a few hints and tips that will help you pack like a minimalist while not missing any important items.

Do you really need it?

Look at every item you are planning on packing then think back to your last holiday, did you actually use it or was it more a case of ‘I might need one’?  Also think about what would happen if you needed it but didn’t have it? Would you be able to purchase one if the need arose? Those small items add up to taking up a lot of valuable luggage space for the possibility of needing it, maybe, but probably not.  Another question to ask yourself is can you live without it for the duration of your holiday? If the answer is yes then ditch it.

Double duty items

If you usually take books to read poolside, consider taking a tablet or downloading an e-reader app onto your phone because books are heavy and you end up leaving them wherever you are when you finish them anyway.  Moisturiser with a built in sunscreen is a great addition to your toiletry bag, as is liquid castille soap which can be used as shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, clothes detergent and so much more. Think about packing items that have more than one purpose.

Wash your clothes

If you are travelling for more than 7 days, taking clean outfits for every day just isn’t feasible so you should look at ways to wash every couple of days.  When choosing your clothes to pack, choose items that are lightweight, are easy to wash, don’t wrinkle easily and can be used in a variety of different outfits.  This will also reduce your laundry time.

Reduce the size of your bag

It’s inevitable that if you have a large bag you will fill it, take a smaller case or bag than normal and you’ll find yourself only packing what you really need.  If you find that it means you only have carry on size luggage then think of all the time you are going to save in airports not having to check and collect your luggage!

Did you know that in addition to the tours on our website we have a whole lot going on behind the scenes doing tours for private groups?

We love to put together tours for church groups, Bible Colleges, even just a group of friends.

What does this look like?

We usually arrange a time for a free consultation. In this meeting (in person, online or over email) we discuss what the itinerary could look like, your budget, inclusions, guides, special Selah moments, etc.
We tailor each tour according to your demographic, objectives and travelling style. We help you as a tour leader understand what your responsibilities are, and how to work with your local tour guide.

We talk you through the options on tipping, use of free time and what airline you might fly to get there.

We look at the size of your group and what cost factors need to be shared across the group.

Once we agree on all of this, we will present you with a Draft itinerary and look at potential travel dates. There are lots of holidays and seasonal events to consider as well as weather.
If you are travelling to Israel and Jordan there are loads of Jewish, Muslim and Christian holidays to navigate, which creates a bottleneck of demand around these dates.

We then secure pricing for the tour – this is always in foreign currency (USD/EUR) so we need to agree on an exchange rate and finalise a per person price for the tour in Aussie dollars.

Once the tour is booked and priced, we can then let your interested travellers know about it. It is really great to then gather for an Information Session where we go through the tour itinerary day by day – this is largely to get people excited – and it works!
We talk about the tour cost and what is included and not included, and how to budget for extras. There is always a time for questions.

We also talk about safety & security as many parts of the world can have ongoing tensions that we need to be aware of. Selah will NEVER allow a tour to go ahead if your safety is at risk. We have a comprehensive risk assessment document for every tour.

When it is time for travellers to book, we have a fabulous and experienced team to assist in that process. Each person registers their place on the tour and pays a deposit. We take care of all financial transactions, passports and visa advice and any special extras and needs your traveller may have. We are a fully accredited IATA travel agent so we can book flights, extra tours, accommodation, cruises before or after the tour, and help with travel insurance.

Then about 90 days before departure we will raise invoices for the balance for the tour to be paid. Again, we will meet 4-6 weeks before departure. This is a great opportunity to bond as a group and prepare well for the adventure ahead. In that meeting we will again review the itinerary (exciting!) and talk about the practical stuff – money, weather, packing, mobile phones, internet, drinking water as well as tour etiquette – how to be a great tour member!

At Selah we are passionate about Christian travel – it is our absolute life mission to ensure that every tour is a spiritually significant, uplifting, transformative experience. We believe that a tour to a Biblical destination changes how you read the Bible for life! What an investment that is.

We have been running Christian tours since 2007, and based on our customer feedback we do a great job. When asked to rate the Selah experience out of 10, our average is 9.4. We are privileged to partner with you to get your trip of a lifetime underway.

To arrange a free consultation, please contact us on 03 9245 2131 or by email to [email protected]

Travel Trip Map Direction Exploration Planning Concept

Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, a 25-hour “day of rest” that begins at sundown Friday evening and ends Saturday night when, according to Jewish tradition, it’s dark enough to see three stars in the sky.

During Shabbat, Jewish people take time out from the busy workweek to light candles, eat a delicious meal with family and friends, perhaps attend services at the synagogue or just go for a long, leisurely walk. Shabbat is more than a “day off;” according to the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) it’s a holy day blessed by God.

“Shabbat is different in Israel because the entire country goes on pause for 25 hours.

Regardless of if you’re observant or not,

Shabbat feels different in Israel and that’s a special feeling”.

The Bible reminds us in Exodus 20:
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.”

The Torah says very little about how exactly Jewish people are supposed to observe Shabbat, but the great rabbis of the Talmudic period (roughly 70 to 500 C.E.) had plenty to say. In a thick chapter of the Talmud called “Shabbat,” the ancient sages trade opinions on the subtlest minutiae of Jewish law, resulting, for example, in the 39 types of work that are forbidden on Shabbat.

No cooking, no washing, no sewing, no planting, no reaping, no burning, no extinguishing, no carrying … it’s a long list. For the most strictly observant Jews, known as Orthodox, the faithful keeping of Shabbat means not violating any of these rules. In practice, that often requires some creativity, or at least a lot of planning ahead.

For example, you can’t tear paper on the Sabbath, which includes toilet paper. So Orthodox bathrooms are stocked with pre-torn sheets of toilet paper for Shabbat. You can’t turn on a light on Shabbat because electricity is akin to a “spark,” which is the same as fire. You know that little lightbulb inside your refrigerator that turns on when you open the door? You either need to remove that during Shabbat or buy a Shabbat-approved refrigerator that is programmed to turn off the light one day a week.

You can even purchase a Shabbat-approved toothbrush! Technically, you wring out the wet bristles when you brush your teeth and wringing falls under the same prohibited category as washing. The Shabbat toothbrush is made with rubber bristles that don’t hold water and therefore can’t be “wrung” out.

In some Orthodox communities, a non-Jewish person called the “Shabbat goy” (Yiddish for “Shabbat gentile”) is contracted to visit Jewish homes on the Sabbath to carry out prohibited tasks like turning on the stove or the lights.

The one exemption for all of the Shabbat laws is to save a life. Jews aren’t supposed to drive or work on the Sabbath, but if a doctor needs to rush to the hospital to attend to a patient, they can both drive and work without fear of divine retribution.

It’s easy to get caught up in the rules and restrictions of Shabbat and forget why those things were forbidden in the first place. “Shabbat should be a ‘holy’ day, which in Judaism literally means a day that is distinct and unique. We are commanded to work the other six days of the week, so what we do on the seventh day should be completely different.”

In other words, all of those prohibitions are highly specific and complicated ways of saying, “please don’t work.” Do something special on the Sabbath. Spend more time with your family, go to the synagogue and say prayers, eat home-cooked meals and unplug from electronics. It’s a day of physical rest, but also emotional and spiritual rejuvenation.

“In Judaism, when you wish somebody a happy Sabbath,

you say ‘Shabbat shalom,’

which means ‘Sabbath peace'”

So how does Shabbat affect our travel plans in Israel?

During Shabbat there will be noticeably less traffic in Israel’s major cities. However, due to the prohibitions on the use of engines and electricity, the hours leading up to and after Shabbat is usually peak travel time so we often have a shortened tour itinerary on Fridays.

While Israel’s airports still operate as normal during Shabbat, many public transport and domestic flight schedules will be affected. This can include total cessation of services from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening.

Border crossings between Israel and Jordan or Egypt are open but can become bottlenecked with traffic created in the lead up to Shabbat. The Allenby Crossing into Jordan does observe Shabbat and will be closed, starting earlier during the day on Friday than official Shabbat observance.

Because of the rules around conducting business during Shabbat, businesses owned by observant Jews may close to the public, including restaurants, bars and cafes. Like restaurants and bars, attractions and historical sites may be open depending on the city you’re travelling in. Major tourist sites may have altered visiting times or are completely closed.

Local Jews like to check in to hotels and enjoy Shabbat there. You will often find locals in the dining room on Friday night, not just eating dinner, but praying and celebrating the Shabbat traditions.Some hotels have Shabbat lifts which stop at every floor so that you don’t press the floor button (considered work), otherwise the lifts are closed and you need to use the stairs. Breakfast on Saturday morning will be a little different too, with no toasters or cooking and sometimes not even coffee!

This is all part of the rich and interesting experience that is Shabbat.

Most of the Selah tours, if in Jerusalem for Shabbat, will include enjoying Shabbat dinner with a local Jewish family. This is a truly enriching cultural experience – often a highlight of the visit to the Holy Land.

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat ritual objects

I know on New Years Eve 2021 that I was hopeful and expectant of a better 2022. Having had two years of travel pause, I was prayerfully asking the Lord to make a way for Selah to re-open. Our travel partners in Europe, Israel, Greece and beyond were constantly emailing me “Come!”. But when I dug deep and looked at the practical realities of running Selah tours in 2022 it became apparent that the time is still not now.

Imagine with me if someone on your tour tested positive to Covid-19. They would need to immediately isolate in their hotel room or cruise cabin for 5 days. Meanwhile the tour itinerary stipulates that the tour moves on to the next city or town, leaving these people behind. How do they ever “catch up” with the group? What about the other passengers on the tour? Are they now considered close contacts? Do we stop our scheduled visits for the day & all go and get tested? As you can see, this is not fun and it is not a holiday!

So it was a sad but easy decision not to proceed with our planned tours for the European summer of 2022, including the much anticipated Oberammergau Passion Play, which will be next performed in 2030.

I have peace about this decision, even though it has come at great financial cost to both Selah and many of its clients.

I am grateful that I am a saved by grace Christian who can trust & commit every aspect of my life to the Lord, knowing His plans and purposes are far more amazing and beneficial than anything I could ever imagine.

So for now, my team are furloughed and working elsewhere, and I am about to join a wonderful mission organisation that is passionate about sharing the Gospel with the unreached.

There will be a time when Selah will indeed rise from the ashes and facilitate meaningful and wonderful travel opportunities for Christians to enjoy. You can be assured you will hear from us when that time comes!

Love and blessings

Lisa Tarzia
DIRECTOR

The Coronavirus pandemic has changed all of our worlds. Entire nations have been ordered to stay home; airlines and travel agents and tour operators have collapsed or dramatically scaled back.

When things return to “normal”, a new covid-normal, what will international travel look like? Here are a few of the changes that we anticipate, or are already in place.

INFLIGHT

Leaving the middle seat empty has been bandied around by the media, and some US airlines tried it for a while, but the airlines have made it clear that that is not an option for them economically speaking.

We expect that wearing a face mask inflight will be mandatory for both passengers and crew. Crew will also have some form of PPE such as protective eye wear, gloves and possibly disposable coveralls.

You know those times when you snag a flight with lots of empty seats and as soon as the door is closed or straight after take off there’s a scramble for a row of spare seats. With the need to track close contacts it is unlikely that moving seats without the permission of the crew will be possible.

The inflight amenity kit has already changed with the additions of a mask, gloves and hand sanitiser with a special covid announcement in flight of how to safely dispose of your personal PPE.

Even the good old inflight magazine (now seen as a major source of potential contamination) could have to be reviewed.

ENTRY & EXIT

Many airlines and countries are already demanding a COVID-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test certificate with a negative result to be presented at check in. The test must be taken no more than 96 hours prior to departure. Some countries like Iceland are performing a covid test on arrival as well. There is research going on the UK to produce a covid test that will give a result in 20 seconds making a covid test on arrival more likely worldwide.

If and when a vaccine is found you can expect to have to show proof of vaccination, a bit like Yellow Fever is currently.

COVID SAFE COUNTRIES

Travel will normalise more quickly in countries that have coped well with COVID-19. The suggestion of “travel bubbles” between Australia and countries such as New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Japan, Israel, Greece and recently Hawaii (which is not a country?) have fallen flat due to fresh outbreaks and second waves. The new lingo is a “travel corridor” or safe country list (with colour coded status) where depending on the destination, you don’t need to self isolate on arrival or agree to covid testing within 3 days of arrival.
The many approaches being trialled or adopted are constantly changing and evolving with the conditions.

WHO WILL TRAVEL AND WHEN?

What type of return traveller are you? Research indicates different types of travellers and when they will return to international travel after the pandemic.

TIP TOE TRAVELLERS will be the first to get onboard. Some will be business travellers but interestingly most are expected to be primarily leisure travellers. These are the people that are considered “cabin fever escapes”. Yes we can relate!

PIONEERS are the next wave of travellers. This group is largely made up of business travellers and mid to high tier frequent flyers who clearly love to travel.

FAST FOLLOWERS are exactly that! They can see that things are getting back to normal and start to jump on board for fear of missing out #FOMO

Of course, many will choose not to travel at all. The elderly or those with existing medical conditions will need to reassess any travel at all.

WHEN WILL TRAVEL BE BACK TO NORMAL?

We don’t think the travel will ever return to what it was. It’s a bit like changes that were made after the September 11 terror attacks, life changed forever.

Some estimates suggest that fully “back to normal pre covid travel numbers will take 24+ months to achieve. These changes are all in place to keep travellers and staff safe.

The current international travel ban for Australians is in place until 24 October 2020, so we will wait and see what the future looks like beyond that. Selah.

Selah Moments

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Yes we are at home for a while, but this season will also pass. And once again we will discover God’s marvellous world and awe inspiring creation.

Take a moment each day to rest and reflect. That is what Selah moments are all about.

Here is a personal update from the Selah team.

Lisa

Lisa is grateful to have young adult/teenage children that don’t need to be home schooled! She is volunteering with her church to co-ordinate a sewing team to make fabric reusable face masks. So far they have distributed over 700 masks to individuals and organisations that are vulnerable and struggle to access masks.

Melanie

Melanie has adopted a #pandemicpuppy named Zende to keep her family company during lockdown.
Melanie is working with our European partners to plan for the re-scheduled Oberammergau Passion Play in 2022.

Matt

Matt is enjoying working from home and the more relaxed pace of life during isolation.
Matt has been working hard chasing airlines and tour companies for the outstanding refunds that we are still waiting on.

Selah News and Information

Refunds from cancelled travel

Most of our incredibly patient clients have received refunds for cancelled travel arrangements.

There are sadly a number of outstanding refunds that we are chasing up regularly. This is made up largely of airlines that are still processing thousands of refunds. Making personal contact has been a real challenge, so we continue to follow up by email and whatever means we can.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to get an update on your refund by emailing [email protected]

Making use of Travel Credits

A large number of airlines and travel companies have offered credit in lieu of refund.

Once we have a clearer indication of when the international travel ban will be lifted, we can them assist in making new travel plans.

We suggest for now to do your research on what your trip might look like, but wait a little longer before you actually book.

Travel Insurance

As you can imagine travel insurance companies have been swamped.

Many of them have suspended the sale of travel insurance while the international travel ban is in place.

Sadly the majority of insurers exclude cover for pandemics and we expect any future policies will include this.

If you need assistance with a claim (& you purchased your insurance from Selah), please let us know how we can assist.

The site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is identified as the place both of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.

According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, “the place of the skull” (Matt. 27:33–35; Mark 15:22–25; John 19:17–24). This has been identified as an area of abandoned stone quarries just outside the city wall of the time.

About 10 years after the crucifixion, a third wall was built that enclosed the area of the execution and burial within the city, and this accounts for the Holy Sepulchre’s location inside the Old City of Jerusalem today.

Roman emperor Constantine I, a convert to Christianity, had the temple of Venus in Jerusalem demolished to make way for a church. In the course of the demolition a tomb was discovered that was thought to be the tomb of Jesus.

The first Church of the Holy Sepulchre was approached by a flight of steps from the Cardo, main street of Jerusalem.

Then pilgrims went through a narthex; a basilica; and an open area, the “holy garden,” which had in it the rock of Golgotha, finally reaching the Holy Sepulchre itself.

In 614, a Persian army destroyed the church but in 631 the Byzantine emperor Heraclius negotiated its return. The Arab conquest in 638 was initially less disruptive, as Christians were treated with tolerance, but 300 years later the entrance to the basilica was converted into a mosque, and in 966 the dome was destroyed by fire during anti-Christian riots.

The Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachus (1042–1055) funded its rebuilding, but on a different plan, with the entrance on the south side.

The liberation of the holy places, the foremost of which was the Holy Sepulchre, was an important motivation for the First Crusade between 1096 and 1099.

restaurandocoracoes / Pixabay

pompi / Pixabay

After the capture of the city by the crusaders in 1099, eyewitnesses tell how the survivors of the expedition prayed in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which struck them as unusual because it was open to the sky.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was reconsecrated on July 15, 1149, 50 years to the day after the capture of Jerusalem by the First Crusade, but in fact work continued on the building for some years afterward. Nevertheless, the church of the crusaders is essentially the church that is to be seen today.

A visit to the church is a standard inclusion in all of Selah’s Holy Land tours to Israel.