Frequently Asked Questions
 

Why travel with TSCM?

TSCM Tours provides numerous tour benefits. Guests will enjoy teaching and encouragement for months prior to the tour and on site from Tom Short and TSCM helpers, and the hospitality and education services of Israeli guides (knowledgeable guides make the difference between mediocre and great tours). And our group's luxury motor coach saves guests from spending hundreds of dollars per day per person in car services and/or many hours on local public transportation, as we travel the length and breadth of Israel, in comfort.

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Besides touring over 80 Bible locations and museums in person, our group will photograph additional Bible locations daily as we travel the length and breadth of the Holy Land. TSCM Tours provides outstanding quality lodging, including delicious, abundant meals, with both Western and Mediterranean specialties available at every meal. Tour guests also save hundreds of dollars per person in admissions fees and taxes, while enjoying expert commentary on site, signature gifts, and private escorted visits to special locations, including unique, fascinating tour sites that are rarely visited by other Israel tour groups.

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Why tour with TSCM instead of make my own tour?

Group touring with Tom Short Campus Ministries provides great amenities, and at a discount. Consider what is provided:

• Nearly 200 pages of study guides covering all tour stops, and bimonthly videoconferences, leading to the tour with fellowship and study in Israel

• Expert help in Israel, where signs, menus and healthcare products are typically labeled in Hebrew or Arabic only

• Our luxury motorcoach saving hundreds of dollars per day in rentals or rides, relieving the stress of travel and parking overseas

• Private site reservations on site—imagine group space versus waiting behind 1,000 tourists ahead of you!

• When you take the trip of a lifetime, you don’t want to waste time between locations—we visit sometimes a dozen stops in a single day—on your own, you might reach one-third as many locations by yourself—TSCM and our hosts work together throughout the tour to update routes and itineraries based on traffic and weather conditions

• Totaling lodging, transportation, guides, meals, admission fees and taxes, our tours would cost individuals more than joining our tour groups

• We research to assure that you receive the best tours possible—TSCM doesn't tour much church architecture (although we sing in some magnificent facilities together)—rather, we walk, pray and learn where Jesus Christ walked, taught and ministered, including some unique, out-of-the way places that aren't included on most Israel tours

• Make friendships on tour lasting a lifetime—guests are from across the USA and Canada and everyone will fellowship with other believers comfortably

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Is it safe to travel in Israel?
For years, our own Roz Short and others were afraid to visit Israel because of news reports of terrorism and political unrest. When we went, however, we were pleasantly surprised with how safe we actually felt. Our feelings, of course, are grounded in the reality of the great safety in Israel, provided by Israel's government, military, police and security forces. And every place our tours visit or drive through is vetted for safety.
 
Although there’s risk involved in any travel, the TSCM team, including our experienced Israeli Guides who help Tom on site, along with our motorcoach driver and our support staff monitoring from the U.S., always have safety as our top priority. Tourism in Israel is strongly on the rise, and nearly 4 million tourists visit Israel annually, all of them enjoying safe visits to Israel! We have a satellite radio aboard our motorcoach to stay in touch with news, and never tour anywhere unsafe.
 
How do I purchase airline tickets?
Our TSCM team is here to help you find and book travel. We will help you find convenient flights to meet our Tel Aviv group shuttle on arrival day and to depart in a timely manner following our group’s return to Ben Gurion Airport. Remember, this might be a great trip for cashing in those airline miles!

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Our TSCM Tour Director is happy to advise you on popular additional stops to enhance your tour. Recent tour guests have enjoyed visits to Cairo, Madrid, Rome, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Petra in Jordan, and more!
 
Do I need a passport and visa?
No visa is required to travel for American or Canadian citizens to visit Israel. But to be admitted to Israel, your passport must be valid for six months after entry, so with an arrival date in February, your U.S. passport must be valid through September 1, 2024.
 
Need a passport or a passport renewal? Our TSCM Tour Director will help.

 
What if I have dietary restrictions?
Daily breakfasts and dinners include ample buffets, with a wide variety of food to choose from and with American and Middle Eastern specialities at all meals. And the chefs at each hotel and restaurant accommodate dietary restrictions. (Our own Roz Short is gluten-intolerant but we’ve experienced exceptional Israeli hospitality to accommodate her needs.)

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Please inform the TSCM team in advance of your tour of any health or dietary concerns. Our chefs will gladly take you through our menus and there are many options without gluten, dairy or etc.
 
What does the tour pricing include?
Your tour price includes all of the following: live study, fellowship and instruction from July through February to prepare, hundreds of pages of study guides and handouts, first-class hotels nightly, dinner on arrival day, and breakfast and dinner on all tour days including our special farewell dinner, our St. Peter's celebration luncheon in Galilee, snacks for lunch breaks, ground transportation aboard our deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach, services of TSCM's team, our Israeli guides and motorcoach driver, all museum admissions, taxes and most gratuities for restaurants, luggage portage, free shuttle to and from Ben Gurion airport, boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, swimming at the Dead Sea, and most everything else.

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Not included: Round trip airfare to Tel Aviv, guide and driver gratuities.
 
Do I need cash on tour?
We suggest about $20 per day, for souvenirs or an occasional snack (although most of the group brings something from the breakfast buffet for a midday snack). Obviously, you’ll need to pay for any souvenirs you want to bring home. Most places we visit accept U.S. credit cards and/or U.S. dollars.

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In addition, it is customary for tour guests to tip $100 per person U.S. at the conclusion of the tour (all of which is distributed to our guides and driver). This amount is voluntary, but we know you will find our helpers earn generous gratuities for their fine service. All museum and restaurant gratuities and hotel portage, etc., are paid by TSCM, so you need not tip anyone at any time, for any service, besides our trusted driver and guide(s) following the tour.
 
What about Internet access?
We have WiFi most of the time, at our host lodging and on our tour bus (bus satellite service permitting). We recommend free-of-cost smart device apps (WhatsApp, Zoom, etc.) for toll-free calls or video to reach home via WiFi.

No international text or data plan? Leave your devices in Airplane Mode and also with WiFi turned on while in Israel to avoid roaming charges.
 
What about my electronic appliances?
Most outlets in Israel run on 220 volts (as opposed to 120 volts in the USA). We will guide you in the type of plug adapters (and perhaps converters) to bring overseas.
 
Can I arrive early or stay late?
Our tour group meets in Israel on Wednesday for dinner and departs the following Thursday/Friday, but our TSCM Tour Director can assist with early and late flights and lodging.
 
How should I prepare for the Israel tour?
Study guides with tour tips are sent to all tour participants in advance, so you enjoy our tours to the maximum! Our Zoom videoconferences will further detail all locations visited, along with Bible study, history, maps and local culture, plus everything you need for a safe and informative tour.

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We also strongly recommend reading through the four gospels, a chapter per day, highlighting Bible locations—since our tour features over 95% of the locations in the gospels, along with dozens of other sites from both Bible testaments!
 
What is the TSCM Tour registration process?
If you are interested in learning more about our tours, fill out the online registration form by selecting LEARN MORE above (it takes less than one minute to complete your tour registration). There is no obligation for registering, we will simply touch base for you to learn more.

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Please note: We expect our tours to sell out in full by June 15! Your place on tour is not guaranteed until you pay the initial deposit of $1,000 per tour guest.
 
What are my payment options?
You have the convenience of paying by check or money order, or by credit (credit card and PayPal payments incur a 3% surcharge to offset fees).
 
Payment may be mailed to:
 

  ATTN. ISRAEL TOUR

  TSCM
  PO BOX 224
  WORTHINGTON, OH 43085
 
Be sure to write “Israel Tour” in the memo section of any check, then e-mail to tell us your deposit is in the mail, to hold your space before the tour sells out!
 
When are payments due?
Deposits are welcome anytime, with balance of payment due on or before December 1, 2023. We accept deposits until the tour sells out in full.

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Do I have other payment options?

There is no penalty or interest charged for paying in installments, as long the deposit and December 1 deadlines are met. Let us know if you'd like to set a payment plan.
 
What is your cancellation policy?
Deposits are nonrefundable, since we must reserve motorcoach, museum, hotel and meal space, etc. Final payments, likewise, are nonrefundable, as the above and more all have to be paid for the group in their entirety 60 days before the tour. Should you have an emergency requiring you to cancel, we may have a waitlisted guest replace you or you may find someone to take your place on tour (subject to TSCM approval).
 
Should I purchase travel insurance?
Please consider the two types of travel insurance, tour/flight/travel insurance, and overseas healthcare insurance.

TSCM does not provide travel insurance, however, a large number of U.S. and other credit cards and health insurance plans fully or partially cover travelers overseas. We recommend you 1) purchase flight insurance or those flights with free itinerary changes for emergencies and 2) check with both your credit card and health insurance providers. If you need guidance, TSCM's Tour Director can recommend travel insurers, thought most tour guests have adequate coverage and do not purchase added coverage.
 
Is this a physically demanding trip? How much walking will we do?
We have hosted all ages of guests up to people in their 80's, and want to accommodate everyone. But walking is a must. Although we enjoy a deluxe bus, the bus cannot enter most locations, so this is not sightseeing from a bus, but includes five miles of walking or more daily. Also, the Old City in Jerusalem has many staircases and uneven cobblestones, and we spend a full day there, walking where no bus can drive. People with joint or knee pain or who have difficulty walking will not do well on this tour.
 
Is there free time overseas?
Our typical tour days run after breakfast until late afternoon. Evenings offer hours of free time for added strolling, shopping and sightseeing. We will offer a mix of optional evening outings and suggestions for local fun!
 
What about questions not in this FAQ?
Contact TSCM's Tour Director for any special needs, logistics questions or travel help, at tours@tscmweb.org.

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