Click for larger.As they are every year in December, my thoughts are drawn to Bethlehem -- from the Hebrew Bet Lechem, House of Bread, in Biblical times likely a village of bakers just a bit south of Jerusalem.
The difficulties the Israeli government and military (IDF) have put in the path of Pilgrims trying to reach Bethlehem on Christmas may not be the worst thing of hatred and hostility in the Middle East, but they are one of the most insulting, painful scabs in a region sacred to three of the world's most populous faiths.
I would say "Christian Pilgrims," but I dream so much of being in Manger Square one Christmas soon. About ten years ago I saw newsfilm of Christmas in Bethlehem, and there, with the hugest grin of happiness I have ever seen on a human's face, was the guitarist Carlos Santana. Ever since I've wanted to know if being in Bethlehem on Christmas might do to my smile what it did to his. I'm going to find out.
I don't know the Path to Peace/Salaam/Shalom in the Middle East. But the roadsigns that point to more and to worse hostility and violence and war are pretty easy to see. In the past seven years, particularly since the erection of The Thing -- what the government of Israel calls The Separation Barrier which snakes around, isolates and nearly suffocates Bethlehem -- trying to reach Bethlehem on Christmas has been nearly impossible, and nothing but a vile insult to all human beings who wish for Peace/Salaam/Shalom.
It's not just a Christian thing. You don't have to be Christian to feel Bethlehem represents something very special, very important, very beautiful on Christmas, and radiating beyond Bethlehem and beyond Christmas. You don't have to be Christian to feel disgust and anger at all that prevents Pilgrims from reaching Bethlehem on Christmas.
So much of our energies and attention are drawn toward Christmas in this season. Please devote a little of it to where, as the story tells us, Christmas began, and to the difficulties faced by the Palestinians who live and have such trouble making a living in Bethlehem today. Please devote a little energy to making it possible or making it easier for Pilgrims to come to Bethlehem. This is where Christianity began, and it would be a perfect place for Peace/Shalom/Salaam to begin today.
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The Associated Press
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Bethlehem Expects
Christmas Tourist Boom
by Rory Kress
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — There's a reason for Christmas cheer in Bethlehem this year — more tourists are on their way now than in any holiday season since Israeli-Palestinian fighting broke out seven years ago, the mayor said.
Relative calm between Israelis and Palestinians has apparently helped persuade Christians that it's safe to visit, after years of violence frightened many away.
Around 65,000 tourists are expected to visit the traditional site of Jesus' birth, Mayor Victor Batarseh said Tuesday at his traditional pre-Christmas news conference, basing expectations on the number of visitors who came to Bethlehem in November — about 64,000.
That's four times the number of visitors who came in Christmas 2005, when only 16,000 tourists trickled into the town.
"We are all set to move ahead," Batarseh said. He attributed the tourist surge to churches abroad urging their congregations to visit Bethlehem, and word-of-mouth by those who had
already visited the city.
But it's not beginning to look a lot like Christmas, at least not yet. Christmas trees, tinsel and neon reindeer are markedly absent from the town and its expansive plaza facing the Church of the Nativity, because of problems between Bethlehem city hall and the Palestinian Authority.
It's hoped the problem is only temporary.
The authority has set aside a budget of $50,000 to deck out the town, and it's expected to be decorated by next week, Batarseh said.
The tourists are coming despite the Separation Barrier, which encloses Bethlehem on three sides with grim concrete walls, which has ravaged the town's economy, he said.
Israel says it built the barrier to prevent Palestinian suicide bombers from reaching Israeli population centers. Palestinians view the structure, which dips into parts of the West Bank, as a land grab.
"It is imprisoning us and making life almost impossible," the mayor said. But tourists are helping the town, he said, by breaking "the wall of the separation barrier — not physically, but psychologically."
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Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
3 comments:
Here is the Bidding Prayer from the Service of Nine Lessons & Carols from King's Chapel, King's College Cambridge, UK. This prayer was written by The Very Rev.d. Eric Milne-White, and is only prayed on Christmas Eve.
DeanBeloved in Christ, be it this Christmas Eve our care and delight to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels: in heart and mind to go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, and with the Magi adore the Child lying in his Mother's arms.
Let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience unto the glorious Redemption brought us by this Holy Child; and let us make this chapel, dedicated to his pure and lowly Mother, glad with our carols of praise:
But first let us pray for the needs of his whole world; for peace and goodwill over all the earth; for unity and brotherhood within the Church he came to build, within the dominions of our sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth, within this University and City of Cambridge, and in the two royal and religious Foundations of King Henry VI here and at Eton:
And let us at this time remember in his name the poor and the helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed; the sick in body and in mind and them that mourn; the lonely and the unloved; the aged and the little children; and all who know not the loving kindness of God.
Lastly let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no man can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom we for evermore are one.
These prayers and praises let us humbly offer up to the throne of heaven, in the words which Christ himself hath taught us:
All: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Dean: The Almighty God bless us with his grace: Christ give us the joys of everlasting life: and unto the fellowship of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us all.
You know, the American and Israeli governments should take a page from history.
Walls to keep out The Other do not work.
China knows this.
Germany knows this.
And the results of their spectacular failures at wall-building are printed in very nice history books that most schoolchildren should have read.
This ridiculous Wall in Jerusalem/Bethlehem will go the way that all walls eventually do...down.
Martin Luther King Jr. said that the arc of history is always towards justice. I firmly believe it.
And I firmly believe that some day, Israel will be a peaceful place where Jews, Christians and Muslims, Persians and Arabs or whatever identifier you choose will realise that they live in a special place and MUST SHARE IT.
It is all over the Torah about being kind to the stranger and alien in your land.
It is all over the Bible (much of which is borrowed from the Torah) about being kind to the stranger and alien in your land.
It is all over the Qu'ran (again, much of which is borrowed from the previous books) about being kind to the stranger and alien in your land.
All three religions, even in largely secular Israel, still have great influence.
How about being nice to the stranger and alien in your land? How about being nice to the stranger and alien in our own land?
I
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