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Holy Land Artisans

Welcome to Holy Land Artisans!

Featuring hand carved olive wood and handmade items from the Christians of the Bethlehem District, Jerusalem, Zababdeh and Taybeh.

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Jerusalem - view of the Old City

Our ministry was formed in 2003 in
an effort to help the impoverished
Christian artisans of the Holy Land
market their beautiful hand
carved olive wood carvings, embroidery
and other handmade products.  We
represent numerous Christian families
in the Bethlehem District (which
includes Beit Sahour, Bethlehem,
and Beit Jala), Jerusalem, the village of
Zababdeh (in the northern West Bank) 
and the village of Taybeh.

The Bethlehem District

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Grotto of the Nativity - Bethlehem

The Bethlehem area is home to one of the few remaining Christian populations in the Holy Land.  This ancient Christian community traces its roots to the time of Christ.  It is from here that Christianity spread throughout the world, yet today the Christian population in the Holy Land is dwindling.

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Relief of St George, Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Saint George, patron saint of the Palestinian Christians, is seen on many homes and buildings.

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The beautiful Shepherd's Field Greek Orthodox Church, Beit Sahour

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St James Church Armenian Quarter Jerusalem

The Christian Artisans

The area around Bethlehem has been known for centuries for its distinguished carvers of olive wood and mother-of-pearl.  It is an art handed down from father to son.  For years the Christian community made a very respectable living selling their carvings to the vast numbers of tourists and pilgrims who flocked to the Holy Land.  Today the situation is dramatically different.  The Palestinian economy is in shambles, the holy sites are empty, and there are few tourists to buy the beautiful carvings produced by local Christian families.  Unemployment is once again on the rise.  The artisans of the area desperately need to market their products.  This ministry is an attempt to help them do just that while providing our customers the opportunity to own a beautiful hand crafted product from the Holy Land.

The Palestinian Christians of the Holy Land desperately need our help in this difficult time.  Each piece of olive wood sold provides not only income and employment, but also dignity and hope to impoverished Christian families. 

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The village of Taybeh
Taybeh, the biblical village of Ephraim, is the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank.  Due to very high unemployment and severe travel restrictions the village population has dropped from 3,500 to a new low of 1,300.

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The village of Taybeh

* Original Music by Usama Al Lati a 22 year old Lutheran Christian from Beit Sahour.

Holy Land Artisans
Lissa Caldwell
157 Deer Glade Lane
Waynesville, NC 28786
Email: holylandartisans@msn.com
828-452-5961 or 828-734-8110