A mere hour from Bethlehem and 40 minutes from Jerusalem, a journey to the baptismal site of Christ at the Jordan River near the city of Jericho is a descent to the lowest point of elevation in the world. It is also one of the most sacred places in Christianity. The...
Photo: Arab Bus Station in Damascus Gate Updated in May 2025 By Bus 234 If you are coming from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and you have to make your own way, you have to take bus number 234 from the Arab bus station in Damascus Gate in Jerusalem (Called Bab el-‘Amoud in...
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I...
It’s no great secret that millions of pilgrims and tourists come to Bethlehem every year to see the Church of the Nativity. That’s the way it should be, and the people of Bethlehem are very proud that Kineesa Al-Mahed, the Church of the Nativity as we call it in...
You will find useful tips and information for travelling around in Palestine in this blog. These are my experiences and thoughts that I would like to share with you as a local resident and a tour guide The number of visitors to the Holy Land has increased...
No matter what your faith or beliefs may be, everyone that comes to the Holy Land can appreciate that Christmas in Bethlehem is a special time of the year. The older I get and the more I work as a tour operator, the greater I appreciate the fact that I am indeed very...
Last time, I wrote about Mar Saba Monastery, located a short distance to the east of Bethlehem, and its great importance to the Christian heritage of the Holy Land. I’d like to continue our journey through the Judean Desert Wilderness, and towards Jericho via an...
A few miles to the east of Nativity Church in Bethlehem lies a treasure of great importance to the Holy Land; a living embodiment of the great monastic Christian tradition that once made the Judean Desert a colony of aesthetic Christian life from the city of Jericho...
A Renovated Church for Christmas This Christmas, Bethlehem is getting a special gift…a renovated Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus. Renovations on the Church in Bethlehem began back in July 2013 and were long overdue. As one of the world’s oldest...
My name is Michael Jackaman. I am a licensed English-language tour guide for pilgrims and tourists. I was born and raised in Bethlehem, and have lived here for my entire life. I’ve been working in tourism for over a decade now, and I can’t imagine myself doing...
Jerusalem is the central city and the base of almost most of the travelers, it holds significance for three of the world’s major religions – Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It is a popular city for pilgrimages, as well as cultural tourism. The city is divided, East...
A monkey bellboy installation at the entrance of “The Walled Off Hotel” in Bethlehem BETHLEHEM Banksy’s “The Walled Off Hotel” Secretive British street artist Banksy has opened a hotel next to Israel’s separation wall in Bethlehem, his...
