Every day, tour buses come to Bethlehem, drop off a load of passengers at the Church of the Nativity, and then load them back up and leave Bethlehem and the West Bank. For many, all they see of Bethlehem is the church (a very famous church, granted). After living a few miles down the roadContinue reading “Bethlehem Beyond the Church”
Tag Archives: church of the nativity
The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem
Bethlehem is just a few miles down the road from us. There’s not a ton to see there after you tour the church where Mary is said to have delivered Jesus and after you stock up on all the nativity scenes you’d care to display in your home. But during this past weekend’s visit toContinue reading “The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem”
Searching for Christmas in the Holy Land
Last weekend, hoping to catch the Christmas spirit, I went on a tour of Bethlehem (which is just a 15-minute drive from Jerusalem, a fact I was totally oblivious to until arriving here two months ago). While my new city is the place where Jesus is believed to have died and been resurrected, JerusalemContinue reading “Searching for Christmas in the Holy Land”