Two thousand years after the historic journey of Joseph and Mary, the modern city of Bethlehem is announcing the reopening of the Nativity Trail. Originally inaugurated in 1999, the walking trail has been modified to suit new changes on the ground. The trail promises to provide unique meeting opportunities for hikers, who will converse with the Franciscan priests on Mount Tabor, meet Muslim clerics at village mosques, visit Greek Orthodox monks in desert monasteries, chat with hillside farmers and their families, experience Bedouin shepherds watering their flocks at ancient cisterns and much more. It also promises to be an opportunity to better understand the geopolitical situation in the Holy Land and experiencing it first hand. The Nativity Trail isn’t just a hike, but an experience in dialogue, openness and understanding. Participants will also learn about the regions flora and fauna, much of which is discussed in the Bible and to embrace the cultural heritage of the regions people.
Tours are available during the following dates:
Mar 12, 2009 –Mar 23, 2009
Apr 23, 2009 – May 4, 2009
Oct 8, 2009 – Oct 19, 2009
Oct 29, 2009 – Nov 9, 2009
Nov 12, 2009 – Nov 23, 2009
Dec 13, 2009- Dec 24, 2009 (Christmas Trail)
For more information about the trail, please contact the Alternative Tourism Group of the Siraj Center for Holy Land studies. www.sirajcenter.org or atg.ps
Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Christmas Events in Bethlehem
This years Christmas tourism theme for Bethlehem is known as "Shepherds Nights". It will occur on two evenings, December 24th and December 25th, 2008. Events are to include the following:The First night, 24 Dec 2008: Palestinian art consisting of music, folkloric dances, highlights of local theater groups, marching bands, art exhibits, other artistic expressions. The location is suggested to be the YMCA grounds in Beit Sahour. There will special performances for children, and vendors who will be selling handcrafts and food.
The Second day, 25 Dec 2008: Tourists and locals can make home visits to impoverished areas to bring the Christmas spirit to the needy etc. Afternoon programs to include Children’s program and Christmas Carols. In the evening, a “Candle Light Procession” from Shepherds Field. The candle procession for this year will be titled “Light a Candle for the Land of the Shepherds"
First Night: December 24
16:30 - 18.-- Christmas Eve service at the Cave
18:00 -18:50 - Children's Show (Alhara Theatre)
19:00 - 20:10-Rim Al Banna
20:20 - 20:40-Al Ghad Al Haded Dabka
20:50-21:20 Christmas Carols
21:30-21:50-Kazar Dabka
22:00-22:30-Said Zarzar
Second Night: December 25
16:30 Candle Procession
17:30 - Local Choir Groups
18:30 - Tornado Lights Rap Song
Arabic Coffee and Oriental Sweets to be Served
Sunday, September 7, 2008
A Different Kind of Bethlehem -Bethlehem in the Galilee
Most pilgrims and Christian tourists will make it a point to visit Bethlehem when they journey to the Holy land. Few, however, have even heard of Beit Lechem HaGlilit, Bethlehem of the Galilee.
An idyllic town adorned with beautiful European-styled stone houses, set deep into the hilly countryside of the Galilee this quaint village is very reminiscent of Provence. Interestingly, some scholars have even suggested that this town might have been the actual birthplace of Jesus, due to its proximity to Nazareth, approximately 25 minutes away.
Its European roots stem from its establishment as a farming village by Christian Templars in 1906. Over the next two and a half decades the village atracted an additional 20 Templar families. Two oterh neighboring villages, Waldheim and Arnhem also attracted a Christian german population and together the three towns became the heart of what would later be during the rise of Hitler, a resident enemy population.
The village is easy to explore by foot or bike and the local historian, Kobi Fleishmann (04-953-2901), will gladly take around tour groups for a two hour stroll through the village by pre-arrangement. Kobi and his family live in a beautiful historic old Templar home and have converted a portion of it to a bed and breakfast as well as a local museum, chronicling the Templar roots of the village as well as the rise of the local Hitler Youth movement, which rose to prominence in this town during the 1930's. Photographs on display in the local museum chronicle this dark period of local history and provide visual evidence of the Nazi Youth parade that occurred in the village to mark Hitler's birthday. The museum showcases much of Kobi's collections of historic Nazi memorablia including flags, pictures and other artifacts, that were from the area.
During the war the British rounded up the local "enemy" German-sympathizing residents and put them into local interment camps where they remained until they were deported. Some 222 of the local prisoners were swapped with 222 Dutch prisoners of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. During our tour, Kobi showed us the actual list of the prisoners released from Bergen-Belsen and we, coincidentally, found the names of our relatives on the list.
An idyllic town adorned with beautiful European-styled stone houses, set deep into the hilly countryside of the Galilee this quaint village is very reminiscent of Provence. Interestingly, some scholars have even suggested that this town might have been the actual birthplace of Jesus, due to its proximity to Nazareth, approximately 25 minutes away.
Its European roots stem from its establishment as a farming village by Christian Templars in 1906. Over the next two and a half decades the village atracted an additional 20 Templar families. Two oterh neighboring villages, Waldheim and Arnhem also attracted a Christian german population and together the three towns became the heart of what would later be during the rise of Hitler, a resident enemy population.
The village is easy to explore by foot or bike and the local historian, Kobi Fleishmann (04-953-2901), will gladly take around tour groups for a two hour stroll through the village by pre-arrangement. Kobi and his family live in a beautiful historic old Templar home and have converted a portion of it to a bed and breakfast as well as a local museum, chronicling the Templar roots of the village as well as the rise of the local Hitler Youth movement, which rose to prominence in this town during the 1930's. Photographs on display in the local museum chronicle this dark period of local history and provide visual evidence of the Nazi Youth parade that occurred in the village to mark Hitler's birthday. The museum showcases much of Kobi's collections of historic Nazi memorablia including flags, pictures and other artifacts, that were from the area.
During the war the British rounded up the local "enemy" German-sympathizing residents and put them into local interment camps where they remained until they were deported. Some 222 of the local prisoners were swapped with 222 Dutch prisoners of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. During our tour, Kobi showed us the actual list of the prisoners released from Bergen-Belsen and we, coincidentally, found the names of our relatives on the list.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
