Trip Preparation
Insurance
All course participants are expected to have travel insurance to cover the cost of flight cancellations, as well as international medical insurance for medical care while abroad.
Travel Documents
* You must have a valid passport. Most countries require a passport which is valid (doesn’t expire) for at least six additional months from the date of entry into the respective country. If your passport is about to expire, please renew it prior to your trip.
* Pre-arrival visas to enter Israel are not required for citizens of Australia, Canada, the United States, Western Europe and many other countries. You will be issued a tourist visa, usually valid for 90 days, when you arrive at the airport. This is a small slip of paper which is very important. You must keep it safely with your passport until departure.
* However, it is your responsibility to know whether or not Israel requires a pre-arrival visa for citizens of your passport country. Please consult the nearest Israeli Consulate or your travel agent well before the start of the course to see if you need an Israeli visa as it may take several weeks to obtain an Israeli visa. St George’s College cannot obtain a visa for you.
* If your personal travel plan involves an excursion back and forth between Israel and another Middle Eastern country (e.g., Jordan, Sinai/Egypt or Turkey), you will need a multiple entry visa for Israel. For courses that include travel to another country, such as Jordan, a group travel visa will be obtained for you by the College.
Arrival and Departure Information
If you are making inter-continental travel, it is a good idea for you to arrive in the country at least a day or two prior to the beginning of the course in order to recover from travel fatigue and jet lag. Accommodation may be available at the College before and/or after the course. If you wish to stay additional nights at the College, you should contact the College registrar before making your airline reservations.
Please note that extended stays before or after the course are not always available. The charge for extended stays at the College is $90.00 per day, per person, which includes bed and breakfast.
Once you finalize your travel plans, please let us know the date and time of your airport arrival, so we can plan for your arrival at the College. Please fill in the flight information form on our website. If you are staying somewhere other than the College on arrival, prior to course commencement, please inform us.
There is a staff member on duty at the College twenty-four hours a day. Regardless of when you arrive, there will be someone here to welcome you and to show you to your room.
In any case . . .
You are expected to be in the College in time for the opening Eucharist service in St George’s Cathedral at 18:00 on the first date given which is followed by the evening meal.
The opening night (room and board) is included in your course fees.
The course ends with a farewell gathering, reception and final dinner on the final date of the course. Breakfast the next morning is included in your course fees.
Please plan to depart after breakfast.
Transportation from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
As you exit the front of the terminal (outside), you will find the transportation area.
You have three options, all of which require you to have cash in either shekels or dollars.
Tell the driver to take you to St George’s College, Jerusalem (33 Salah Al-Din Street).
The College is opposite the Jerusalem District Court and near American Colony Hotel.
- A shared or service taxi, which is called a sherut (she-root). The sherut stand is located just outside the terminal building and is clearly marked in English: ‘Service Taxi to Jerusalem’. The price per person is NIS 70 Shekels, equivalent to US $22.00, which is subject to change. Once the mini bus is filled with passengers, it will drive to Jerusalem, eventually dropping you off at the College.
- Private Taxis are in the same area as the sherut taxis. You should negotiate the price before getting in the taxi. It should approximately $100 for a standard size car.
- Train: The train is now another option to bring you from the airport to Jerusalem. The train terminus is in Jerusalem at the Central Bus Station, and you will have to take a taxi to the College or the light railway (seven stops alighting at Shivtei Israel) to the College. For more information, click on the link https://www.rail.co.il/en
Money and Finance
Currency in Israel/Palestine is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). The College does not change money.
We recommend that you change some money into shekels before you depart for Israel. There are (ATMs) and money changers near the College. US dollars are widely used.
- The College accepts credit and debit cards as well as cash payments.
Full fees must be paid one month before the first day of the course. The Finance manager will send you an invoice with the full amount.
- Gratuities for the College staff and course services (e.g. bus drivers, restaurants, etc.) are not included in your course fee. Then no additional gratuities are required during the course. This supplemental fee will be added to the balance of the fees and can be paid in cash as well.
- You will need to budget for personal expenses, including stamps, laundry, bottled water, photocopying and, of course, souvenirs. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are not included in your course fee.
Climate and Clothing
The winter climate in Jerusalem from November through March is wet and chilly. Winter temperatures generally range between 10 – 15°C during the day and between 5 – 10°C at night. It occasionally snows in Jerusalem. The summer climate in Jerusalem from May through September is hot and dry. Summer temperatures generally range between 30 – 35° C during the day and between 20 – 25°C at night. Temperatures in the Jordan River Valley, including Masada, the Dead Sea and Galilee (Tiberias) are generally 5-10°C warmer year round, than in Jerusalem. All year round it can be cool and breezy in the evening in Jerusalem.
Therefore, clothing requirements and preferences vary. We recommend that you bring comfortable clothing for the following activities: long bus rides, walking over rough terrain, swimming (a towel and a swimsuit) and a few informal social occasions. Layered, loose fitting, drip-dry clothing works well in all seasons. Sweaters, jackets and rain gear are needed in the winter: December through March. Good walking shoes suited for both rough terrain and slippery stones are a must. We also recommend a pair of sandals for use in the College but not for walking on day trips.
In all cases, clothing must be modest. No sleeveless tops (shoulders must be covered) or shorts are allowed for visiting holy sites. For a few holy sites, legs must be covered all the way to the ankle. Women must wear a long skirt down to the ankles, a long sleeved top with a high round neck and a headscarf which also covers the neck if visiting a mosque. On certain field trips, wearing shorts is appropriate. A hat or head covering is essential in both the summer sun and the winter cold. St. George’s College baseball caps and light-weight fleece jackets, t-shirts and sweatshirts are available for purchase at the College.
A clerical shirt and collar for clergy are not essential, but can be worn at any time.
Fitness
It is impossible for buses or cars to come close to most of the locations our courses visit. Therefore, pilgrims who enroll in the St. George’s College courses must be able to walk three miles (6 – 7000 steps) at once at a normal pace (at least 2.5 miles or 4.0 kilometers per hour) without assistance from others. This pace ensures that the pilgrims may move as a group through the planned visits of the day without undue delays or the necessity for staff or others to assist a pilgrim routinely who may be having mobility difficulties. Also, the ability to move freely helps the pilgrim avoid potential injury.
Laundry
The housekeeping staff can wash and dry your laundry for you for a small fee, or you may rinse clothes by hand and hang them on clothes lines on the roof of the College (4th floor). You can purchase laundry detergent in Jerusalem. An iron and ironing board are available at no charge.
Miscellaneous Items to Bring
Prescription medicines
Basic medicines (e.g. Imodium, pain relievers, allergy medication, etc)
Alarm clock (if you do not have one on your phone)
Flashlight/torch (if you do not have one on your phone)
A pocket-sized Bible containing both the Old and New Testaments
A journal or notebook
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Money belt (to be worn under your clothing)
A small backpack for use on thew daily trips
Shampoo/shower gel (which is not provided in bedrooms)
A refillable water bottle is essential
Plug socket adapter also essential
Please pack lightly. You must be able to carry the luggage that you bring. The College does not provide porters to help you with your suitcases.
Rooms
Each of the College bedrooms has comfortable beds, wardrobes, bedside tables and lamps, desks and chairs, a sink, a mirror and a telephone. Each room also has an en suite toilet and shower. The bedrooms, toilets and showers are cleaned every day. Towels and bed linens are changed regularly. For overnight trips away from the College, we stay at guest houses with similar amenities.
Single Rooms:
The College has a few single rooms, which are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The single supplement at the College is $30 USD per night. Single supplements outside the College range approximately from $30 – $60 USD per night.
Internet and Email Access
The College has WiFi access for course members.
Telephones
Long distance phone service is available in the College for a charge, or you can purchase phone cards in Jerusalem. If you bring your mobile phone from home, please ensure that you will have access to international service through your phone company once you are here.
Electricity
Power sockets in the rooms need to be adapted to fit 2/3 round pin plug. Many countries require adapters and it is wise to check. Israeli sockets look like this:
The electric current in Jerusalem is 220 AC, 50 cycles. All College bathrooms have a wall outlet/converter for shavers only. If you come from the US, you can convert your 110 AC, 60 cycle items by using a transformer. You may need both a transformer to convert the electricity and an adapter plug to fit the socket. Transformers and adapters are not available at the College. You should purchase them at home or at the airport.
Health
For course members who are 70 years old or older, the College requires a doctor’s certificate stating that you are fit and healthy for the course. Please also refer to the health and fitness requirement seen on the College website. Please note the walking on our courses is quite demanding, so a realistic assessment is vital.
Library
The St George’s College library contains more than 21,000 volumes. The library is available for your use during the course.
College contact Information
All mail should be sent Air Mail to: St. George’s College Jerusalem
Post Office Box 1248
Jerusalem 91000, via Israel
Mail to and from Jerusalem can take two to three weeks.
Please do not plan to receive parcels and packages at the College.
College phone number: 972-2-626-4704
College fax number: 972-2-626-4703
E-mail: registrar@sgcjerusalem.org
Web Page: www.saintgeorgescollegejerusalem.org
Further information
If you have any questions about the course, please contact the staff at St George’s College.
The College can also provide names of past course members and supporters as a source for additional information. Please note that three regional committees (North America, United Kingdom and Australia/New Zealand) support the work and mission of the College.
Trip Preparation
Insurance
All course participants are expected to have travel insurance to cover the cost of flight cancellations, as well as international medical insurance for medical care while abroad.
Travel Documents
* You must have a valid passport. Most countries require a passport which is valid (doesn’t expire) for at least six additional months from the date of entry into the respective country. If your passport is about to expire, please renew it prior to your trip.
* Pre-arrival visas to enter Israel are not required for citizens of Australia, Canada, the United States, Western Europe and many other countries. You will be issued a tourist visa, usually valid for 90 days, when you arrive at the airport. This is a small slip of paper which is very important. You must keep it safely with your passport until departure.
* However, it is your responsibility to know whether or not Israel requires a pre-arrival visa for citizens of your passport country. Please consult the nearest Israeli Consulate or your travel agent well before the start of the course to see if you need an Israeli visa as it may take several weeks to obtain an Israeli visa. St George’s College cannot obtain a visa for you.
* If your personal travel plan involves an excursion back and forth between Israel and another Middle Eastern country (e.g., Jordan, Sinai/Egypt or Turkey), you will need a multiple entry visa for Israel. For courses that include travel to another country, such as Jordan, a group travel visa will be obtained for you by the College.
Arrival and Departure Information
If you are making inter-continental travel, it is a good idea for you to arrive in the country at least a day or two prior to the beginning of the course in order to recover from travel fatigue and jet lag. Accommodation may be available at the College before and/or after the course. If you wish to stay additional nights at the College, you should contact the College registrar before making your airline reservations.
Please note that extended stays before or after the course are not always available. The charge for extended stays at the College is $90.00 per day, per person, which includes bed and breakfast.
Once you finalize your travel plans, please let us know the date and time of your airport arrival, so we can plan for your arrival at the College. Please fill in the flight information form on our website. If you are staying somewhere other than the College on arrival, prior to course commencement, please inform us.
There is a staff member on duty at the College twenty-four hours a day. Regardless of when you arrive, there will be someone here to welcome you and to show you to your room.
In any case . . .
You are expected to be in the College in time for the opening Eucharist service in St George’s Cathedral at 18:00 on the first date which is followed by the evening meal.
The opening night (room and board) is included in your course fees.
The course ends with a farewell gathering, reception and final dinner on the final date of the course. Breakfast the next morning is included in your course fees.
Please plan to depart after breakfast.
Transportation from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
As you exit the front of the terminal (outside), you will find the transportation area.
You have three options, all of which require you to have cash in either shekels or dollars.
Tell the driver to take you to St George’s College, Jerusalem (33 Salah Al-Din Street).
The College is opposite the Jerusalem District Court and near American Colony Hotel.
- A shared or service taxi, which is called a sherut (she-root). The sherut stand is located just outside the terminal building and is clearly marked in English: ‘Service Taxi to Jerusalem’. The price per person is NIS 70 Shekels, equivalent to US $22.00, which is subject to change. Once the mini bus is filled with passengers, it will drive to Jerusalem, eventually dropping you off at the College.
- Private Taxis are in the same area as the sherut taxis. You should negotiate the price before getting in the taxi. It should approximately $100 for a standard size car.
- Train: The train is now another option to bring you from the airport to Jerusalem. The train terminus is in Jerusalem at the Central Bus Station, and you will have to take a taxi to the College or the light railway (seven stops alighting at Shivtei Israel) to the College. For more information, click on the link https://www.rail.co.il/en
Money and Finance
Currency in Israel/Palestine is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). The College does not change money.
We recommend that you change some money into shekels before you depart for Israel. There are (ATMs) and money changers near the College. US dollars are widely used.
- The College accepts credit and debit cards as well as cash payments.
Full fees must be paid one month before the first day of the course. The Finance manager will send you an invoice with the full amount.
- Gratuities for the College staff and course services (e.g. bus drivers, restaurants, etc.) are not included in your course fee. Then no additional gratuities are required during the course. This supplemental fee will be added to the balance of the fees and can be paid in cash as well.
- You will need to budget for personal expenses, including stamps, laundry, bottled water, photocopying and, of course, souvenirs. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are not included in your course fee.
Climate and Clothing
The winter climate in Jerusalem from November through March is wet and chilly. Winter temperatures generally range between 10 – 15°C during the day and between 5 – 10°C at night. It occasionally snows in Jerusalem. The summer climate in Jerusalem from May through September is hot and dry. Summer temperatures generally range between 30 – 35° C during the day and between 20 – 25°C at night. Temperatures in the Jordan River Valley, including Masada, the Dead Sea and Galilee (Tiberias) are generally 5-10°C warmer year round, than in Jerusalem. All year round it can be cool and breezy in the evening in Jerusalem.
Therefore, clothing requirements and preferences vary. We recommend that you bring comfortable clothing for the following activities: long bus rides, walking over rough terrain, swimming (a towel and a swimsuit) and a few informal social occasions. Layered, loose fitting, drip-dry clothing works well in all seasons. Sweaters, jackets and rain gear are needed in the winter: December through March. Good walking shoes suited for both rough terrain and slippery stones are a must. We also recommend a pair of sandals for use in the College but not for walking on day trips.
In all cases, clothing must be modest. No sleeveless tops (shoulders must be covered) or shorts are allowed for visiting holy sites. For a few holy sites, legs must be covered all the way to the ankle. Women must wear a long skirt down to the ankles, a long sleeved top with a high round neck and a headscarf which also covers the neck if visiting a mosque. On certain field trips, wearing shorts is appropriate. A hat or head covering is essential in both the summer sun and the winter cold. St. George’s College baseball caps and light-weight fleece jackets, t-shirts and sweatshirts are available for purchase at the College.
A clerical shirt and collar for clergy are not essential, but can be worn at any time.
Fitness
It is impossible for buses or cars to come close to most of the locations our courses visit. Therefore, pilgrims who enroll in the St. George’s College courses must be able to walk three miles (6 – 7000 steps) at once at a normal pace (at least 2.5 miles or 4.0 kilometers per hour) without assistance from others. This pace ensures that the pilgrims may move as a group through the planned visits of the day without undue delays or the necessity for staff or others to assist a pilgrim routinely who may be having mobility difficulties. Also, the ability to move freely helps the pilgrim avoid potential injury.
Laundry
The housekeeping staff can wash and dry your laundry for you for a small fee, or you may rinse clothes by hand and hang them on clothes lines on the roof of the College (4th floor). You can purchase laundry detergent in Jerusalem. An iron and ironing board are available at no charge.
Miscellaneous Items to Bring
Prescription medicines
Basic medicines (e.g. Imodium, pain relievers, allergy medication, etc)
Alarm clock (if you do not have one on your phone)
Flashlight/torch (if you do not have one on your phone)
A pocket-sized Bible containing both the Old and New Testaments
A journal or notebook
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Money belt (to be worn under your clothing)
A small backpack for use on thew daily trips
Shampoo/shower gel (which is not provided in bedrooms)
A refillable water bottle is essential
Plug socket adapter also essential
Please pack lightly. You must be able to carry the luggage that you bring. The College does not provide porters to help you with your suitcases.
Rooms
Each of the College bedrooms has comfortable beds, wardrobes, bedside tables and lamps, desks and chairs, a sink, a mirror and a telephone. Each room also has an en suite toilet and shower. The bedrooms, toilets and showers are cleaned every day. Towels and bed linens are changed regularly. For overnight trips away from the College, we stay at guest houses with similar amenities.
Single Rooms:
The College has a few single rooms, which are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The single supplement at the College is $30 USD per night. Single supplements outside the College range approximately from $30 – $60 USD per night.
Internet and Email Access
The College has WiFi access for course members.
Telephones
Long distance phone service is available in the College for a charge, or you can purchase phone cards in Jerusalem. If you bring your mobile phone from home, please ensure that you will have access to international service through your phone company once you are here.
Electricity
Power sockets in the rooms need to be adapted to fit 2/3 round pin plug. Many countries require adapters and it is wise to check. Israeli sockets look like this:
The electric current in Jerusalem is 220 AC, 50 cycles. All College bathrooms have a wall outlet/converter for shavers only. If you come from the US, you can convert your 110 AC, 60 cycle items by using a transformer. You may need both a transformer to convert the electricity and an adapter plug to fit the socket. Transformers and adapters are not available at the College. You should purchase them at home or at the airport.
Health
For course members who are 70 years old or older, the College requires a doctor’s certificate stating that you are fit and healthy for the course. Please also refer to the health and fitness requirement seen on the College website. Please note the walking on our courses is quite demanding, so a realistic assessment is vital.
Library
The St George’s College library contains more than 21,000 volumes. The library is available for your use during the course.
College contact Information
All mail should be sent Air Mail to: St. George’s College Jerusalem
Post Office Box 1248
Jerusalem 91000, via Israel
Mail to and from Jerusalem can take two to three weeks.
Please do not plan to receive parcels and packages at the College.
College phone number: 972-2-626-4704
College fax number: 972-2-626-4703
E-mail: registrar@sgcjerusalem.org
Web Page: www.saintgeorgescollegejerusalem.org
Further information
If you have any questions about the course, please contact the staff at St George’s College.
The College can also provide names of past course members and supporters as a source for additional information. Please note that three regional committees (North America, United Kingdom and Australia/New Zealand) support the work and mission of the College.