VOICE OF THE COPTS

June February 29, 2016 Voice of the Copts, a nonprofit organization, fights the spread of Islamic supremacy and Sharia throughout the Western world through education, advocacy and action. By drawing attention to the suffering of Coptic Christians in Egypt, it endeavors to educate the Western world as to the chilling effect of Sharia (Islamic law). Founded in 2007 by Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, Voice of the Copts focuses on three key issues: freedom of religion, cultural identity and women’s rights.  Save Biography of Dr. Ashraf Ramelah   ​ Dr. Ashraf Ramelah is the founder and president of Voice of the Copts, a human rights nonprofit organization 501 (c) (3). The organization has offices in Italy and the United States.  Dr. Ramelah is dedicated to the Coptic cause and believes that this life’s mission is to speak up for the oppressed Copts who cannot speak up for themselves, hence the name, Voice of the Copts. When he is not meeting with political figures and policy makers, Dr. Ramelah spends his time travelling throughout the country giving talks about the Coptic issue and explaining to the West the oppression against the Copts in Egypt. Dr. Ramelah was invited to address the European Parliament (2010) and to be the keynote speaker in the Italian Parliament (2011) on the issue of Coptic persecution in Egypt. He has done various interviews with Italian newspapers and appears frequently in the Italian and Arab Media. Dr. Ramelah is a featured author at American Thinker.com, Family Security Matters.com, and Canada Free Press.com.   Dr. Ramelah is well known to the Egyptian government due to his advocacy for the Egyptian Copts as well as for Voice of the Copts’ lawsuit against them on behalf of Muslim convert to Christianity Mr. Hegazy and his family in 2009-2010. Ashraf Ramelah also appears as an entry in the Coptic History Encyclopedia (http://www.coptichistory.org/new_page_5260.htm).   Dr. Ramelah, himself a Copt, was born in Cairo, Egypt. At the age of 17, he travelled to Italy to study architecture. He graduated with a doctorate in architecture from La Sapienza – Universita’ Degli Studi di Roma, Italy. His special study is restoration of old monuments and history of architecture.   His career as an architect took him to work and live in Italy, Saudi Arabia, Gabon and the USA. His personal interests are Egyptology and Coptic history in the period after the Arab invasion of Egypt in 651 AD.   Voice of the Copts is dedicated to bringing fair, correct and balanced information to the entire world regarding Copts and Christians in countries with an Arab-Muslim majority.   Dr. Ramelah is managing editor of a website in both English and Italian with the same name. Education Advocacy Action Donate         11 Days Orthodox Group    Registration dead line is March 14th, 2016 Friday April 22 {arrive at Ben Gurion Airport}  Monday May 2,2016 {departure fromt Ben Gurion Airport}                         Price for shared Room :            $1,790.00                         Private  Room :                                $1,790+$960   Air fear*:                                             JFK -TLV:                    from $760.00                                              Rome -TVL:                from $480.00                                              Cairo TVL:                    from  $370.00     *You can purchase  your own ticket Detail about visit and Itinerary   Friday, April 22, 2016 Arrive Ben Gurion Airport. You will be met after passport control and assisted through customs to meet your guide and driver. Transfer to Jerusalem. Check into your hotel Dinner and overnight, (D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Dinner   Saturday, April 23, 2016 After a wonderful Israeli breakfast, most of this morning will be touring in Jerusalem. We shall begin by returning to the Mount of Olives, then follow the Footsteps of Jesus. Visit Dominus Flevit (Luke 19.41) where He wept over the city. Down at the bottom of Kidron Valley we will visit the Greek Orthodox Church marking the tomb of Mary. Visit The Garden of Gethsemane the site of the arrest of Jesus and taking Him to the house of the High priest Caiaphas (Matt. 26.34, Mark 14.30 and Luke 22.54-70). We continue to Mount Zion to see the tomb of King David and the nearby Room of the Last Supper (Mark 14.13, Luke 22. 10-38). Return to the hotel for dinner. (B.D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast. Dinner   Sunday, April 24, 2016 Today is Sunday and we are in the holy city of Jerusalem, we will have a special Liturgy at the Coptic Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After the service we will tour the new city of Jerusalem. We will visit the Israel Museum and see the Dead Sea scrolls display here, we will also visit the miniature model of Jerusalem as it looked during the period of Jesus. We will continue to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1.39-80) to visit the Church of the visitation. Later we will drive by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and the Government offices. (B,D)  Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner    Monday, April 25, 2016  Today we will visit Bethlehem; the birthplace of the Lord Jesus and part of our tour will include a visit to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Nativity, followed by a visit to the one of the most ancient Greek Orthodox Monasteries in our region; The 4th century Mar Sava Monastery built on the banks of the Kidron dry river canyon. On the way back we will visit the Greek Orthodox Church at the Shepherds Fields. As we enter Jerusalem we will visit the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Monastery commemorating Prophet Elijah. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem. (B,D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner    Tuesday, April 26, 2016  Today we leave Jerusalem on our way north to the Galilee. We will drive along the Jordan Valley highway until we reach Beit Shean one of the Decapolis cities in the roman period today one of the largest excavations in Israel. From here to the city of Nazareth. Visit to the Greek Orthodox Church in Nazareth known as May's well here Mother Mary received the good news from the Angel Gabriel. Continue to see the site of the first miracle of the Lord Jesus, visit the Greek Orthodox Church at Cana of Galilee (John 2. 1-11). From here to Tiberias for our dinner and overnight near the shores of the Sea of Galilee.(B,D) Overnight: Tiberias, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner    Wednesday, April 27, 2016  Depart after breakfast for a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (John 6. 1, 6.23). We shall visit this morning the Orthodox Church in Capernaum where most of the ministries of Jesus took place (Matt.4 13, 13.54, 17.54, Luke 7, Mark 1.2, John 4.46-54). A visit to Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 5,6,7,8) the Sermon on the Mount. Visit Tabgha where Jesus fed multitude with just 2 fishes and 5 loves (Matt..13,Mark .33-45 and John 21). We will drive along the eastern shore of the lake where we will visit the Byzantine site of the miracle of the Gederenes at Kursi (Luke 8. 26-39, Matt 8. 28-34 and Mark 5). Drive to Yardenit the Baptisamal site on the Jordan River.Return to our hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight. (B,D)Overnight: Tiberias, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner    Thursday, April 28, 2016  We will be taking leave of the Galilee today - After breakfast we will drive to Mt Tabor, site of the transfiguration of our Lord, visit the Orthodox Monastery located on the top of the Mountain. Continue to Mount Carmel to see where Elijah the prophet performed the miracle of the fire against the false prophets of Baal (1st Kings 18). Also here we will visit the Stella Maris Monastery center of the Carmelites in the Holy Land. From here we travel to Caesarea Maritime (Acts 9.30 Acts 10 24-48). Visit the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins including the Theatre and the Aqueduct. Continue to Old Jaffa to visit the site of St. Peter's vision taking place on the roof of Simon the Tanner (Acts 10:5 ). We will walk around the Artist colony. We return back to Jerusalem and check into our hotel for dinner and overnight, (B,D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast   Friday, April 29, 2016 Breakfast at your hotel. Today we drive towards the Judean Wilderness; Our first visit will be to the view point at Wadi Kelt (security pending) to see the 4th century Greek Monastery Of St George, next we arrive at the Biblical city of Jericho. We will visit the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Karantal built on top of the Mount of Temptation, this is where Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the Devil for 40 days! We will also visit the ancient “Tel” and view the spring of Elisha. We will continue on to the Orthodox Monasteries built on the bank of the Jordan River east of Jericho commemorating the baptismal of Jesus by John the Baptist. Continue driving along the Dead Sea, stop in Qumran, site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here we will also have time to float on the Dead Sea waters. Return to Jerusalem on the way we will visit the Inn Of The Good Samaritan and the village of Bethany with the Church commemorating the resurrection of Lazarus. Dinner at our hotel in Jerusalem. (B,D)  Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast   Saturday, April 30, 2016 Following breakfast, the entire day will be spent in the old city of Jerusalem with visits of the Cardo - ancient Byzantine Street, the Western Wall. In the afternoon, we visit the 6th century Orthodox Monastery at the Valley of the Cross, the long time tradition say that from here the olive tree used for Jesus cross was cut. (B,D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner    Sunday, May 01, 2016 Following breakfast, the entire day will be spent in the old city of Jerusalem in Celebration our Easter Sunday. We will walk along the Via Dolorosa where Jesus carried his Cross all the way to Golgotha. The Antonia fortress and the Lithostrothos (John 19.13) and finally the Church of the Holy Sepulcher with the Coptic Orthodox church in it (matt. 27.33-57, 28.10). At the end of the day we will return to our hotel for final dinner. Tomorrow we return home. (B,D) Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Monday, May 02, 2016 Transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B)   Contact e mail: easter2016@voiceofthecopts.org                   *********************************************************************************     For more information regarding Voice of the Copts please visit www.voiceofthecopts.org   To schedule Ashraf Ramelah for an interview, please write to:  http://voiceofthecopts.org/index.php/contact   P.S. Your support is meaningful, impactful and potentially will save the lives of Christians around the world living under persecution.