Biblical Travels' Guides and Personnel Bios

OLENE E. CARROLL, Tour Leader A life-long Christian Scientist, Olene Carroll was introduced to the Bible at home and in Sunday School. The study of Christian Science in her family reaches back to the early 1900's in Canada. Olene's Bible interest was heightened when she and her family lived from '76 to '77 in Rome, Italy. After acquainting herself with ancient sites relevant to Biblical times, she led several small private tours of the Coliseum, the Vatican, and its outstanding Biblical art, the Forum, as well as of various museums of Florence. From '77 to '82, Olene and family lived in Athens, Greece. There, her appreciation of the New Testament grew as she learned to apply her new understanding of the Greek language and its vital importance as the language of the gospels. She conducted several private tours, plus two Christian Science school field trips, to ancient Biblical and archeological sites in Athens (Parthenon, Mars Hill, National Museum) and in Corinth and the Peloponnese. Olene has traveled in other parts of the world--the Middle East, Northeast Africa, and South Asia--centers of Moslem population. After returning to live in West Palm Beach, Florida, Olene continued to feed her passion for Biblical scholarship. Over time, she has built an extensive library of resource books. In the early 90's she published 300 consecutive issues of a weekly research newsletter for Christian Scientists (approx. 40 pages an issue), entitled "The Diggings." Subscribers included over 200 Bible students nationally who appreciated its detailed historical and etymological background on Biblical texts, frequently praising it for inspiring them to deeper Bible study. For nine years Olene served in the Activities Department at Daystar Care Facility in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Guests and visitors alike enjoyed her ongoing weekly Bible talks. She has also shared some of her Biblical findings and research methods in churches as part of their Reading Room activities. As a dedicated member, Olene has served four churches in various capacities including Sunday School teacher and Superintendent, Board Member and Chairman, First and Second Reader, as well as many committees. She created displays for her church's successful historical Bible exhibit to which the public and local clergy were invited. She has given talks on biblical subjects at churches for Reading Rooms, Sunday Schools and Lectures. In late 2000, she and Nancy Fischer assisted in the research and writing of several products for The Christian Science Publishing Society including the "The Ten Commandments" and "Beatitudes Cards," and in 2001 the interactive "Bible Time Line," all sold in Christian Science Reading Rooms. The team then branched out into a series of books entitled Jesus' Healings, Parts 1,2 & 3, and New Testament Healings-Peter, Paul and Friends, which are written to be understood by young people, but appreciated by all ages.  Olene has written several Biblical articles for The Christian Science Journal in 2005 and 2006. Olene has participated in a number of Bible Study seminars. She is prepared to speak on a number of subjects. Many of her talks are available on cassette tapes. She has also prepared monologues in costume for three Bible characters - Ruth, Rahab and the Syrophoenician Woman. One summer she joined other speakers to present a study of "Joseph" to a camp for young students of Christian Science in Switzerland. She gave a similar presentation to Principia Upper School. She has also given a Bible-related address to a non-Christian Science audience at a local Methodist Church. She has given regular Bible workshops at the Ft. Lauderdale Homeless Shelter. For several years Olene and Nancy have co-hosted group tours of the Holy Land, Greece, and Egypt for Christian Scientists and their friends. Olene and Nancy provide Biblical insights for the various sites. In 1997 the two of them participated in an archaeological dig at Bethsaida in Galilee. Their experience paved the way for Principia College students to dig for three weeks a year later. They also provide an actively-paced Holy Land tour. Olene has a degree in education from Florida State University. She lives in Clayton, CA with her husband, Paul, a retired airline pilot. They have two grown daughters, Wendy and Amy. The children of Wendy and Christian Herman, Matthew and Emma, are sixth-generation Christian Scientists who should be ready for Bible research any year now!

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MISHI NEUBACH, ISRAELI GUIDE and BEVERLEY ROBB, OWNER OF OMEGA TRAVEL and coordinator of all of Biblical Travels' Holy Land travel, have worked together since 1990 to provide outstanding Holy Land Tours.

MISHI NEUBACH, Biblical Travels' Israeli Guide

Besides being a guide, Mishi has a BA degree in Architecture and Environmental Design, as well as an MA degree in Comparative Religion Specializing in Early Christianity.  He also continues to pursue his special interests in art, archaeology, and history.  Like every Israeli, he spent 3 years in the military and as part of the Reserves, served in each war since 1967.  He's had a varied civilian history, from running a dairy farm in a kibbutz, serving as a high school activity coordinator, to being a social worker in England for several years!  His wife, Avigail, is a translator for Israeli television and teaches at Hebrew University. They have 3 sons and a young granddaughter.

During his regular visits to the USA, Mishi speaks to various Church organizations about touring in the Holy Land and about the current political situation in his country.  He has been the guest speaker in a Principia College Bible class and in Current Issues classes at Prin Upper School! He and Bev have also had several brief tours of The Mother Church, which included viewing some of its antique Bibles.  In the spring of 2000, he assisted The Mother Church with a special video project of the Holy Land.

Mishi's guiding career began in 1970, and he is a master at it!  Besides the many "regular" tourists he's led, through the years he has been asked by the Israeli government to guide a number of VIPs including George Bush, Margaret Thatcher, the Former President of the Soviet Union Mikhael Gorbachov, the Queen Mother of Holland, the Crown Prince of Thailand, the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament - and celebrities such as Goldie Hawn, Sylvester Stallone, Peter Ustinov and Larry King - live!

Mishi loves what he does and he loves people!  He says guiding never gets "old" to him because each group is unique.  Mishi has a wealth of knowledge and a keen interest in everything.  But more importantly, he has a great ability to understand and communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds.  When asked what he feels his main purpose as a guide is, he replied, "For most of the people I guide, it's the first time and probably the last time they'll see my country.  It excites me each time to remember that they are actually seeing the country through my eyes.  When I first started as a guide, I thought the most important thing was that the people get all the knowledge in the world.  Now I know that I  have to see that they have a good time while they're learning about and experiencing the country.  That's what I think is really important!"

FADI HADDAD, Biblical Travels' Jordanian Guide

Here is how our delightful Jordanian guide, Fadi Haddad, describes
himself:

Born in the northern city of Irbid (ancient Arbila) and living in Amman the capital of Jordan (ancient Amon or Philadelphia ), I grew up with so
much history around! The fact that our Lord Jesus lived and taught in my land was always something very special to all the Christians in this land .

I was born Christian. Actually, our family tree goes back as far as the 4th century A.D , a time when most of the people in this land were Christians. Born as an Orthodox , married in a Catholic Church and attending Baptist, Evangelist, etc. meetings, I certainly feel like a real Christian !!! My one and only rule: "I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the father but by me." (John 14:6)

I studied Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan. After graduation I joined Noor Al Hussein Foundation - a foundation headed by H.M Queen Noor (the wife of late King Hussein of Jordan). Spending 5 years with this great foundation, I had the opportunity to see most parts of Jordan besides meeting with H.M Queen Noor and many members of the royal family and their VIP guests. My main mission was designing, implementing and training of projects aimed at the improvement of life of people (especially women) in the countryside of Jordan.

Having then decided to study History and Archaeology, I passed the test held by the Ministry of Tourism in Jordan to become a tour guide, obtaining license "A" and the highest result in that exam for that year.
Now after some years in this field, the most important thing for me is to say many thanks to people who travel long distances to see my country. I am doing that by letting my guests feel home! "Feeling home, you must know what this home is like, and this is my job!"

I am a strong supporter of a just peace between Israel and the Arabs. I was invited in 1995 to accompany a Jordanian peace delegation, organized by the Royal Court, that visited Israel. We had a great chance to meet with late Israel Prime Minister Rabin and to talk with him about peace. We also met many ministers and parliament members in Israel .

Finally, we always say to people who are coming to this part of the world: "If you are in the Middle East, don't miss Jordan. There is so much to see here!" And to people who are visiting Jordan: "We wish that you stay for a longer time; there is many more!"

FADI HADDAD - A Christian, Arab, Jordanian tour guide
- Member of the Jordan Tourist Guides Association
- Licensed by the Ministry of Tourism - Jordan
- B.Sc. in Engineering - the University of Jordan
- Many courses in history, archaeology and politics
- Lecturer in local Church meetings
- Has guided groups from many English-speaking countries, working with well-known tour organizers such as : OMEGA (USA), A&K (USA), A&K ( Australia), O.A.T ( USA), Inspirational (USA), API(USA), CONI (U.K), Jasmine (U.K), Pouri ( Indonesia), Global (Indonesia), Faith (Malaysia), Sun Flower (Hong Kong) ... and many more .

- Has guided groups for various Catholic Churches (USA and around the world), Benny Hinn Ministries (USA ), International World Ministries (Dr.Aril Edvardsen -Norway ), Christian Science (USA & UK), Church of Singapore, graduate and undergraduate classes in Jerusalem University

- Married to a Dentist (so dental care is free for all groups !!! )
- Has one son and one daughter

YIANNIS VENTIROSA, Greek Guide (a brief introduction)

John C. Ventiroso comes from the Greek island of Syros in the Cyclades, Aegean Sea. His father had a chocolate factory in Alexandria, Egypt and the family spent the winter there and the summer in Greece. Later the family left Egypt for good, as lots of Greeks did, and John "Yanni" (the Greek form of John is Yannis, or Yanni for short) studied Ancient History and Literature in France as well as Art History in Florence. John spent some time in England and has the Cambridge Proficiency Diploma in the English Language. He is fluent in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and of course, Greek. He takes tours all over Greece and gives lectures on Greek civilization to cultural organizations and Friends of Museums. John escorts many religious groups in the steps of St. Paul.

   A delightful and personable man, Yiannis is married to a Canadian woman and they have a young son.

TULU CIFTCI, Turkish Guide 

E-Mail                           tuluciftci@hotmail.com                                                               

Education                    1982-1988  Bosphorus University, BA in History

1976-1982  Kadikoy High School, Istanbul

& Organizer                2002-2003      ETS-Ersoy Touristic Services, Tour Leader in Egypt

2001-2002  KOCAELI UNIVERSITY, Derbent School of Tourism

Visiting Lecturer & Instructor Guide

2001-2002      MOSS Travel, Tour Leader in Egypt

1998-2003      ITS-International Travel Services, City Tours for the Cruises

1996-2000  TEKSER Tourism, Cultural & Biblical Tours in Anatolia

1993-1996      BALTAC Tourism, Elder Hostel Study Tours

1992-1994      VISTA Travel, Incentives & City Tours, Freelance Guide

1991-1992      GINO Yachting, Operations Executive

1989-1991      VIP Tourism, Cultural Tours & Conferences & Incentives

1989-1991   SONAREX Tourism, Cultural & Biblical Tours, Freelance Guide

1988-1989       HILTON Hotel Ankara, Restaurant Supervisor

Voluntary Work    July 1986 - March 1987, Whitmore Vale House Surrey, England

                                    IVS-International Voluntary Service, Social Worker for the 

                                    Mentally Handicapped 

Licenses                      Guiding License, Driver’s License, PADI Open Water Diving License

BEVERLEY ROBB, Owner of Omega Travel
Bev grew up in Ohio and graduated from Asbury College with a degree in secondary education (history and French).  She and her husband, Ed, a Methodist minister, have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
  
After taking a 1988 tour to Israel with her church, Bev was inspired to arrange one herself so she could assure the quality of the tour.  After a number of tours and with "the Lord putting it all together," she opened Omega Travel in 1993.  Unlike most travel agents, Bev accompanies her Biblical tours to make sure all arrangements go according to plan.  (On our 3/97 tour we celebrated Bev's 25th trip to Israel, and she's done many tours there since then!)

Everyone likes Bev!  In addition to her talents at organizing, she loves dealing with people and caring for them.  In a recent interview she explained, "It never gets boring to me.  It's always a thrill to watch people see the Bible Lands for the first time and to see the excitement they sense!  For so many people, this is the only time they leave the U.S., and I want it to be a good experience for them."  With Bev's mothering touch, it always is a wonderful experience for all!


For further information and a free color brochure, email us today or call us at (800) 347-2842...and watch Friday's Christian Science Monitor for Carroll/Fischer Tours!

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