At the Origins of Christianity: Ein Karem and Bethlehem

In the picturesque valley, among the Jerusalem mountains, there is the village of Ein Karem. In Hebrew, its name means 'Vineyard Spring.' This is all that was known about it 4000 years ago. 3000 years ago, it was conquered by King Saul, according to the Old Testament, who established the united Israelite kingdom. And 2000 years ago, Zechariah and Elizabeth (Elisheva) lived here, and John the Baptist (Johanan) was born. Virgin Mary stayed in their house until Joseph came for her and took her to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.

In Bethlehem (Hebrew: Beit-Lehem, literally 'House of Bread'), a thousand years before the birth of Jesus, David was born, the most famous of Jewish kings and, according to the New Testament, an ancestor of Christ. Events from the life of the biblical righteous woman Ruth also took place in Bethlehem.

All these stories, and many others, I will tell you during our tour. I will be happy to answer your questions on the subject.

Route

In Ein Karem, we will visit the Spring of Mary, the house of Zechariah, Elisheva, and Johanan, where the Church of the Visitation was built in the 20th century. If desired, we will visit the Gorny Convent of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In Bethlehem, we will visit the Church of the Nativity of Christ, erected by Empress Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. It is the oldest church that has not been destroyed since the 4th century! We will also visit famous pilgrimage sites such as the Milk Grotto and the Shepherd's Fields.

We will also visit the pilgrimage center where you can buy souvenirs: candles, oil, and icons that you can sanctify in the holy places. There is no public transport in Bethlehem, so you can either use the car offered by the store in case of buying souvenirs from them, or order a taxi (price $200).