Holyland: A Visit to the Land of Palestine & Israel
In July 2023, we traveled on a tour of the Holy Land of the three Semitic religions, spending time in the places where Jesus slept, ate, lived, and ministered. These locations, steeped in stories passed down through generations, brought the narratives of the Bible to life, providing a profound context to the scriptures.
As we traveled, we encountered a spectrum of human experiences—hardship, adversity, and resignation, alongside resilience, creativity, and openness. Through the lived experiences and viewpoints of people in Palestine and Israel, one reality became unmistakably clear: a segregated system exists, where movement, livelihood, and access to fundamental human resources are entirely controlled and regulated, with two distinct systems based on religious supremacy.
Our visit offered deeper insight into the everyday realities of occupation—checkpoints that disrupt daily life, the pervasive presence of walls and barriers, and restricted access to essential resources like land and water. These experiences highlighted the profound impact of occupation on the lives of those living under its shadow.
Here, we share our stories and impressions.

Old City East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Israeli Checkpoint between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine
Aida is a refugee camp about 1.2 miles north of the historic center of Bethlehem. It was established in 1950 by refugees from Jerusalem and Hebron and supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Bethlehem, Palestine
An entrance gate to Aida Camp features a large key that represents the Palestinian Right of Return. The key refers to the keys kept as mementos by many Palestinians who were displaced from their homes during the Nakba in 1948 and Six-Day War in 1967.

Aida Refugee Camp
Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine
Aida Youth Center was founded in 1968 and serves the youth and community of Aida Refugee Camp.

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine
Bullet holes created by a US-produced Apache helicopter during the First Intifada 1987-1993.

Aida Refugee Camp
Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Beit Sahour, Palestine
The location where the announcement of Jesus' birth to shepherds by angels took place.

Bethlehem, Palestine
UK artist Banksy produced several murals throughout the West Bank and Gaza to raise global awareness of the ongoing occupation.

The Walled Off Hotel
Bethlehem, Palestine
Bethlehem, Palestine
“Scar of Bethlehem” is a modified nativity scene UK artist Banksy created for the Walled Off Hotel in December 2019.

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine
Er Sorry refers to the role that England played in the creation of the state of Israel when it issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917.

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine
Shireen Abu Akleh was a Palestinian American journalist who worked as a reporter for 25 years for Al Jazeera before she was killed by Israeil forces while wearing a blue press vest while covering a raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-oocupied West Bank.

Bethlehem, Palestine
Grotto of the Nativity, location of the fourteen point silver star under the main altar making the traditional spot where Jesus was born.

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Bethlehem, Palestine

Nazareth, the birthplace of Jesus, is the largest city in the Northern District of Israel and serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic, and commerical center for Israeli Arabs.

Nazareth, North Israel

Nazareth, North Israel
The Grotto of the Annunciation, where according to the New Testament, the archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she was to be the mother of Jesus.

Nazareth, North Israel
The Grotto of the Annunciation, where, according to the New Testament, the archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she was to be the mother of Jesus.

Kafr Kanna, North Israel

Kafr Kanna, North Israel

Kafr Kanna, North Israel

Nazareth, North Israel

Tiberias, North Israel

Golan Heights, Occupied Syria

North Israel

North Israel
Mount of Beatitudes is commeroated as the site where Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount that emphasized his moral teachings.

Kfar Nahum, North Israel
The location of Jesus's public ministry later in his life.

Tabgha Miracle of Loaves & Fishes, Kfar Nakhum, Northern District, Israel
This is the location where, according to the book of Matthew, Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fishes so there was enough to feed 5000 hungry people, with enough to fill 12 baskets with leftovers.

Bethlehem,Palestine


Tel Megiddo, North Israel

Mount of Olives - East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine
This site is believed to be where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer to his disciples.


East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine
The pathway where, according to the Gospels, Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover riding on a donkey.

East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Old City, East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Occupied Palestine

Occupied Palestine

Jerusalem cross is also known as the five-fold cross and symbolizes the Five Wounds of Christ. The cross dates to the 11th century.

































































