bulletin cic 2013_1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Pope Benedict XVI Announces Resignation ...................................................................................................... 2

A new Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem ............................................................................................................ 4

ACOHL congratulates new Armenian Patriarch ............................................................................................... 5

Pope Congratulates New Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts ........................................................................ 5

His Beatitude Raphaël Louis I, new Patriarch of the Chaldeans ....................................................................... 6

Letter of Solidarity with suffering in Syria ........................................................................................................ 7

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the Holy Land January 19-27, 2013 ..................................................... 7

“Ecumenism in the Holy Land,” interview with Fr. Bouwen ............................................................................ 8

Sunday the prayer for peace in Holy Land in three thousand cities around the world ..................................... 10

The Chapel of St. Francis Ad Coenaculum reopens to pilgrims ..................................................................... 10

New General Library and Archives of the Custody of the Holy Land Inaugurated. ....................................... 11

Bishop Shomali: any consent of the Church to the Wall in the Valley of Cremisan was denied in court ....... 12

New Impetus at Bethlehem University with the help of the Custody of the Holy Land ................................. 13

Holy See and State of Palestine: Draft Agreement Plan Examined ................................................................ 14

Nuncio cautiously optimistic on Holy See-Israel Agreement ......................................................................... 15

Vandalism at Jerusalem holy site may have sought to erase traces of Muslim control ................................... 15

East Jerusalem, where the streets have no (political) names ............................................................................ 16

King Herod reigns at Israel Museum ................................................................................................................ 18

Israel's mosaics from Byzantium and Rome thrill to bits ................................................................................. 21

Pilgrims, but no progress: Israel's wasted tourist gold mine in the Galilee ..................................................... 24

Jesus and the Jordan River ................................................................................................................................ 29

Israeli population approaching 8 million; 4% live beyond Green Line ........................................................... 31

TO OUR READERS: While the editor tries to exercise the best judgment in the choice of items to report or reproduce in the bulletin, responsibility for the contents of items taken from other sources remains with the original authors or publishers.

Cover photo by Miriam Mezzera

January – February 2013/01

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POPE BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation of the See of Rome today (February 11.) during a consistory during which three canonizations were also announced.

In his statement to the cardinals present at the consistory, the Holy Father said: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths,due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not onlywith words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering," Pope Benedict XVI told the cardinals at the consistory.

He continued: "However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me."

Recognizing the seriousness of his ministry, Pope Benedict announced that on February 28th, at 8:00pm, the See of Saint Peter will be vacant. A Conclave to elect a new Supreme Pontiff will then be convoked.

Pope Benedict XVI concluded his statement by thanking the Cardinals for "all the love and work" with which they have supported him during his ministry, and "asking pardon for all my defects." Pope Benedict concluded: "And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our

Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."

A conscious, personal decision Addressing journalists at the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Lombardi stated that for several

months the Holy Father has contemplated this decision. When asked by one journalist if the Pope was saddened by his impending retirement, Fr. Lombardi stated that the Holy Father has experienced a "spiritual serenity in the face of this retirement."

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Fr. Lombardi also confirmed that there is no particular ailment affecting Pope Benedict XVI. "There is no specific sickness or ailment that is affecting the Holy Father at this time," Fr. Lombardi said. "He has recognized in the last few months with lucidity that his strength was weakening."

The decision to resign from the See of Rome"was a personal decision," Fr. Lombardi continued. "I don't believe that anyone has suggested this to him. This was a conscious decision that he made."

The new Supreme Pontiff is expected to be elected in time for Easter. As for Pope Benedict XVI, Fr. Lombardi stated that after he vacates the See of Rome, he will retire to a cloistered monastery within the Vatican.

By Junno De Jesus Arocho Esteves Zenit – February 11, 2013

A NEW ARMENIAN PATRIARCH IN JERUSALEM

Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian, 65, was elected the 97th Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Patriarch of Jerusalem, one of five custodians of the holy places, reported the AFP Thursday at the Armenian community in the Holy City.

His Beatitude Nourhan Manoogian I, who was Grand Sacristan of the Armenian Monastic Brotherhood of Jerusalem, and the de facto number two, in charge of protocol, succeeds Torkom Manoogian II, who died Oct. 12 at age 93.

He will lead the Armenian Orthodox communities in Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan.

After two voting sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, Nourhan Manoogian was elected by 17 votes to 15 for the “locum tenens” (alternate), Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, who temporarily replaced the deceased Patriarch. Two of the 34 members of the monastic brotherhood abstained, said a source Armenia.

The new Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem was born in Aleppo (Syria) in 1948. Ordained a priest in Jerusalem in 1971, he studied in Geneva before exercising his ministry in the United States, in New York and Texas.

He returned to Jerusalem in 1999, where he was elected Grand Sacristan of the Armenian monastic brotherhood.

The newly elected must be approved by Israel and the King of Jordan. The Armenian Orthodox Church shares custody of the holy places with the Greek Orthodox

Church and the Latin Church (Roman Catholic), the largest, and the Syriac and Coptic Churches. The number of Armenians living in Jerusalem today is estimated at 2,000. According to

estimates, there were 16,000 in 1948, at the time of the creation of the State of Israel. Present in the Holy Land since the 5th century, this industrious and commercially cultivated community, lives in one of the four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Latin Patriarchate – January 25, 2013


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ACOHL CONGRATULATES NEW ARMENIAN PATRIARCH

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land congratulated the new Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nourhan MANOOGIAN.

The Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land is very grateful to Almighty God that on Thursday, January 24, 2013, the distinguished Members of the Holy Synod elected you, Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian as 97th Patriarch of the Armenian Church n the Holy Land.

We express to your Beatitude, our sincere wishes for your new mission as Head of a great and ancient Church in Jerusalem, for your commitment in ecumenical endeavors, and for your stewardship of the rights of the Armenian community.

Armenians are a vibrant component of a much larger and more diverse society, visibly present here in the Holy Land, in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, in Ramallah, Amman and Haifa.

Your experience as Executive Secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee and Executive Director of the Middle East Council of Churches prepared you to be totally involved in our ecumenical work and aspiration ‘to be one’ in Christ.”

Armenians all over the world regard Jerusalem as their second most significant and enriching fount of spiritual regeneration and reinforcement. Your Patriarchs have traditionally held more influence in universal church affairs than the relatively small number of their fold merited.

Your Beatitude, we are full of hope because we can work together ‘hand in hand’ for the good of our faithful and we have a common responsibility to witness the love of God through our fraternal love.


POPE CONGRATULATES NEW PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA OF THE COPTS

The Holy Father has written a message to the new Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, His Beatitude Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak, in which he writes that his election to the patriarchal throne is "an important event for the entire Church". In the same letter he grants the "Ecclesiastica Communio", "in conformity with the custom and the desire of the Catholic Church".

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"I am sure," continues the pontiff, "that, with the power of Christ, victor over evil and death by His resurrection, and with the cooperation of the fathers of your patriarchal synod, in communion with the college of bishops, you will have the courage to guide the Coptic Church. … May the Lord help you in your ministry as 'Father and Head', to proclaim the Word of God, so that it may be lived and celebrated with piety according to the ancient spiritual and liturgical traditions of the Coptic Church and may all the faithful find comfort in the paternal care of their new patriarch."

Vatican Information Service – January 31, 2013

HIS BEATITUDE RAPHAËL LOUIS I, NEW PATRIARCH OF THE CHALDEANS

Archbishop Louis Raphael I Sako is, from February 1, 2013, the new Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. He succeeds Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly Karim. The Synod of 17 Chaldean bishops meeting in Rome Monday, January 28, elected Archbishop Sako, Archbishop of Kirkuk (Iraq) new Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. At age 64, H.B. Archbishop Louis Raphael I Sako succeeds Cardinal Emmanuel III Karim Delly who resigned for health reasons. His election was confirmed by the ecclesiastical Communion granted by Benedict XVI. The Chaldean Church is, in fact, one of the Eastern Rite Churches in communion with Rome.

Man of interreligious dialogue “This election is the fruit of prayer for Christians, but also Muslims,” said the new Patriarch

on the day of his election, not without a certain emotion. Words confirm the reputation of Archbishop Sako to be a man deeply involved in interreligious dialogue.

Born July 4, 1948, in Zakho in Iraq, he was ordained a priest in 1974 in Mosul and appointed Archbishop of Kirkuk, October 14, 2002. Through the merits of his commitment to the service of interreligious dialogue, he received in 2008 the Defender of the Faith Award and in 2010, the Pax Christi prize. The day after his election he told Vatican Radio: “Dialogue is the best means to peace”, “it’s necessary to escape from violence and jihad.” Finally, stating “dialogue is done face to face, not with bombs!” Let us remember that the Chaldean Church in Iraq suffered a real hemorrhage during the war, going from 550,000 to 150,000 faithful after the war. Archbishop Sako finally reiterated its willingness to work with all men of good will “for the good of all.”

By Amélie de La Hougue The Latin Patriarchate – February 5, 2013


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LETTER OF SOLIDARITY WITH SUFFERING IN SYRIA

To all the religious communities, priests, those who assist in Syria at the risk of their own lives, their generous service to the poor, to the suffering, the wounded, to those in need of help, we express our heartfelt spiritual closeness, our solidarity in prayer, and our appreciation for their tireless witness of charity and fraternal concern in the midst of desolation and in such difficult circumstances.

We are aware that Syria and its people are living, in this tragic hour, the drama of the Cross that can find light only in the Cross and Passion of our Lord. Our voice is raised in intercession for the dead and in defense of the living, for those who continue to remain in their land, and for the refugees who have lost everything and had to leave their country. The drama of one and the other is very great – as I felt during my recent pastoral visit to Mafraq in northern Jordan – and cannot leave us indifferent. So long, too long this situation continues. Our greatest humiliation and suffering lies in feeling powerless and unable to intervene to immediately put an end to the violence and to further help the victims.

We appeal for cessation of all violence, and to arm ourselves instead with mercy, mercy and compassion towards our suffering Syrian brethren. We join our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, who continues to ask for prayers for peace so that “in the various conflicts, the ignoble massacres of unarmed civilians cease, that all violence would end, and that we find the courage for dialogue and negotiation”.

I appeal to all those who can intervene to finally facilitate a constructive dialogue, because there is a way out, if we have the courage and the will to undertake it for the sake of peace and not for other interests.

May the Most Holy Mary intercede with her Son for these intentions. †Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch On behalf of the ACOHL


WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY IN THE HOLY LAND JANUARY 19-‐27, 2013

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated in many parts of the world, and is also an anticipated event in the Holy City, where Jesus addressed his Father on the eve of his death when he prayed: “so that they may all be one… that the world may believe...”(John 17:21).

It is a reminder that applies in all times and all situations, and is particularly urgent in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East, dominated by divisions and persecutions.

The theme of this year’s prayer, entrusted to the Christians of India (Christian Movement of Students in India), by the “Council of World Churches for the Promotion of Christian Unity”, refers to the issue of discrimination within the Indian society, as well as around the world.

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Like the words of the Prophet Micah: “What the Lord requires of us” (cfr Micah 6:8), in an invitation to refection and prayer; in order that the path that each one of us takes is oriented towards justice and mercy, and becomes a powerful symbol of love and hope in order to live, with humility, a radical choice of faith in the Lord.

This year, as in the past, the Christians of different faith communities will gather each day in the Churches of their brothers for common prayer.

The Custody of the Holy Land – January 16, 2013

“ECUMENISM IN THE HOLY LAND,” INTERVIEW WITH FR. BOUWEN

On the vigil of the Week of Prayer for Christian unity, Fr. Frans Bouwen, a White Father, specialist on Eastern Churches and dialogue with the Christian Churches of the East shares his vision of ecumenism in the Holy Land.

1. Can you give an account of ecumenism in the Holy Land? Ecumenism is a living reality that knows its ups and downs as with all living persons or

organizations. It is therefore very difficult to make a “report” or an “account”. We must be grateful to see that the relations between the Churches of Jerusalem are currently characterized by brotherhood and spontaneity. This is true at both the level of the Patriarchs and Bishops, and at the level of the faithful. Various initiatives undertaken jointly by priests or pastors or lay people, prove that ecumenism has good roots at the base. This is very important given the many changes that are going on in the Middle East. Our Christians are well aware that only together can they work effectively for their future in this region and it is very encouraging to see that these efforts are


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strongly supported by numerous priests and bishops. The fact remains that many of us continue to desire and hope for greater ecumenical collaboration in the pastoral area, being aware of the serious obstacles still present on this road.

2. Are the decisions of the Synod on the Middle East (October 2010) concerning the ecumenical dialogue beginning to be implemented?

Early last December, a large gathering of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of the Middle East was held in Beirut to study and promote the implementation of the broad guidelines of the Special Synod for the Middle East, in the light of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Medio Oriente” that Pope Benedict XVI gave to the churches of this region during his visit to Lebanon in September. Here in Jerusalem, we had little information on the specific decisions that were taken. In fact, in addition to decisions at the level of the entire Middle East, there must be a local application in each country due to the differences, sometimes great, in the situations of countries. In the meantime all bishops, priests, religious and laity are invited to deepen the spiritual ecumenism that the Pope strongly emphasized in this exhortation. It would be very useful that all meditate paragraph 12: “On the basis of the indications set forth in the Ecumenical Directory, the Catholic faithful can promote spiritual ecumenism in parishes, monasteries and convents, in schools and universities, and in seminaries. Pastors should ensure that the faithful come to see themselves as witnesses of communion in all areas of their lives. Communion in this sense is certainly not confusion. Authentic witness calls for acknowledgment and respect for others, a willingness to dialogue in truth, patience as an expression of love, the simplicity and humility proper to those who realize that they are sinners in the sight of God and their neighbour, a capacity for forgiveness, reconciliation and purification of memory, at both the personal and communal levels”.

3. The Christians of the Holy Land are preparing to celebrate Easter on the same day, referring to the Julian calendar. Is this a first step that recalls other concrete ways?

For many years, the Christians of the Holy Land insistently request the unification of the dates of Easter. They are above all the mixed families, Catholic and Orthodox in particular, that actually bear the practical consequences of the difference between the Eastern and Western dates that can be up to five weeks, as this year. Not being able to celebrate Easter together is also a counter-witness in the eyes of non-Christian majority. Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran parishes in the Ramallah region in fact already celebrate the Easter date of the East for fifteen years. Therefore,

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we must rejoice to see that the Catholic hierarchy has decided to respond favorably to the expectations of the faithful and to coordinate initiatives. It’s too early to assess the impact of this ecumenical decision, especially because the Greek Orthodox hierarchy shows much reticence on this point. We pray and hope that this year’s experience is the best possible so that better ecumenical coordination become feasible in the near future.

By Christophe Lafontaine The Latin Patriarchate – January 19, 2013

SUNDAY THE PRAYER FOR PEACE IN HOLY LAND IN THREE THOUSAND CITIES AROUND THE WORLD

On Sunday, January 27, three thousand cities around the world will pray for peace in Holy Land in the context of the Fifth International Day of intercession, promoted in 2009 by some Catholic youth groups. For years, "the people of Peace" make the invitation of the Holy Father Benedict XVI theirs, who continues to encourage the efforts of those who are working for peace.

The Pope encourages "to take bold decisions in favor of peace and put an end to a conflict with negative repercussions throughout the Middle Eastern region, troubled by too many fights and in need of peace and reconciliation."

The International Day of Intercession for Peace in Holy Land, according to the organizers, "has become over the yearsa sign and inspiration for those who really want to grow this strong desire that in Jesus' land peace and justice reign, which may be a sign of unity and growth throughout the world."

Agenzia Fides - January 23, 2013

THE CHAPEL OF ST. FRANCIS AD COENACULUM REOPENS TO PILGRIMS

Starting today, 1 February 2013, pilgrims can once again celebrate Mass in the chapel at the Convent of St. Francis Ad Coenaculum (familiarly known as the Little Cenacle), on Mount Zion, a few steps from the site of the Last Supper.

And the Franciscan friars will be able to return to live in their convent, now completely refurbished. The initial plan called for renovation of only a part of the structure. But after the first few months of works and removal of asbestos, it became clear that the scope of the project would have to be far wider than initially envisioned. The dedicated and constant attention of the Father President of the convent and the Bursar of the Custody of the Holy Land allowed the Custody's Technical Office, which had overall responsibility for carrying out the works, to do whatever was necessary to improve all aspects of the structure in both functional and aesthetic terms.


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Throughout the structure leading-edge technologies were applied, in particular for reducing rising dampness (humidity from the ground), while equipment and technical solutions were implemented, which will provide marked savings in energy. In addition, the project allowed the recovery of numerous areas that had previously not been used.

Over the coming months works, will continue to restore the garden and renovate the lower chapel in the convent, which will be embellished with stained-glass windows designed by the Italian artist Michele Canzoneri.

The restoration of the convent and the reopening of the chapel allowing services to be held beside the Cenacle, a place of fundamental importance for the numerous pilgrims who come to Jerusalem to follow in the footsteps of the earthly events of Jesus, is part of a larger project entitled “Jerusalem, Stones of Memory”.

Through this project the Custody of the Holy Land, with the support of ATS pro Terra Sancta, is restoring and maintaining sanctuaries and monasteries, as well as numerous residences for the Christians of the Holy City.

The Custody of the Holy Land – February 1, 2013

NEW GENERAL LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES OF THE CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND INAUGURATED.

On Thursday, February 28, in Saint Savior Monastery of Jerusalem, the new facilities of the General Library and Archives of the Custody of the Holy Land were inaugurated.

The day began with a presentation of the new General Library. Father Marcelo Badalamenti, Custodial Librarian, recalled that since the beginning of the 13th century, the Franciscans in the Holy Land owned books and, without doubt, a library, while toward the middle of the 14th century, they received custody of the sites connected to the life of Jesus. There is, however, no definite documentation. On the other hand, one of the volumes preserved here attests that beginning in 1521, when the friars were installed in the monastery on Mount Zion, there was a library and a German professor gave them some of his books. In recent years, there has been a complete renovation of the library at Saint Savior Monastery, where the Custody of the Holy Land’s headquarters is housed; it has been moved to a new site and a new online catalog has been produced.

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Those attending the inauguration were not only able to see the new arrangement of the books and collections, but were also able to admire some of the volumes from the two most precious collections, the cataloging of which has recently been completed. These are the collection of incunabula and cinquecentine, studied by Doctor Luca Rivali, and the collection of Itinera ad loca sancta, studied by Doctor Alessandro Tedesco. They were, in fact, presented by Doctor Alessandro Tedesco, who also supervised the exposition catalog, published by the Bibliographic Society of Tuscany, in collaboration with ATS Pro Terra Santa.

Participants at the inauguration also heard a presentation about what went into the new facilities: the long labor of organization, reorganization, and indexing of existing documents, terminating in the publication of the first printed catalog of documents preserved in the Archives (The Historical Archives of the Custody of the Holy Land, by Andrea Maiarelli, Milan. ETS, 2012, 3 v.). In his brief introduction, Father Narcyz Klimas, Custodial Archivist, spoke about the history of the archives, their formation, but most of all of their importance as the historical memory of Franciscan life in the Holy Places and their role as guardians. The Friars are still careful to collect every useful document and testimony about both major events and everyday life; the Custodial Archives are just one example of the many archives present in the various monasteries throughout the Mediterranean region.

In a very detailed presentation, Professor Andrea Maiarelli of the Theological Institute of Assisi then illustrated the new catalog and the layout of the archives, with its various collections and the documents they contain. Maria Cominancini, Tiziana Nandesi, and Valeria Vestrelli discussed their experience in the Custodial Archives, the work of cataloging, and the numerous difficulties encountered and resolved.

At the end of the morning came the talk by the Custos, Fra Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who, in discussing the work completed and the energy invested in the project, emphasized how "it is necessary to focus our identity, to have a clear perception of reality, to be capable of having a vision, to give ourselves perspective," because "in books, in documents, in the archives, — that is, in our history — is our future."

By Emilia Bignami The Custody of the Holy Land – February 28, 2013

BISHOP SHOMALI: ANY CONSENT OF THE CHURCH TO THE WALL IN THE VALLEY OF CREMISAN WAS DENIED IN COURT

"The lawyers of the Israeli army said the route of the separation Wall in the valley of Cremisan had received the consent of the Church. But this key issue of giving deposition before the judges has been denied, there has never been any kind of approval, by the Salesians or the Vatican." Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, reported to Fides Agency an important step in the hearing held yesterday in Tel Aviv on the case which opposes Palestinian Christian families and the Salesian Sisters to the Israeli army on the route of the Separation Wall wanted by the Israeli authorities in the Bethlehem area.


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At the hearing - which saw the presence of Bishop Shomali, along with several priests of the Patriarchate - the legal representatives of the parties exhibited for the last time their arguments before three female judges of the special section of appeals of the Court of justice in Tel Aviv. The lawyers of the 58 Palestinian families and of the Salesian Sisters owners of the elementary school in the valley, with the aid of maps and topographical material, documented that the route of the Wall wanted by the army seriously damages their clients, offering an alternative route nearer to the 1967 border between Israel and the West Bank.

"The judges - Mgr. Shomali told Fides - gave the impression of listening their arguments with great interest. " The representatives of the Israeli army called for reasons of national security, and referred to previous approvals of the route from ecclesial subjects. The argument was firmly denied by the opposing counsel.

In addition to the bishop and the priests, the hearing was also attended by the diplomatic representatives of France, Germany, Norway and the United Nations. "Now - said Bishop Shomali - we are waiting for the judgment. We pray that justice may be rendered to the sisters and their families who risk losing their farmland. " If the appeal is rejected, the case will be reproposed before the Supreme Court of Israel.

Agenzia Fides - February 13, 2013

NEW IMPETUS AT BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY WITH THE HELP OF THE CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND

Bethlehem University will be able to develop a new piece of land, not far from its historic home, thanks to an agreement with the Custody of the Holy Land. On January 31, 2013, Fra Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, and Bro. Peter Bray, vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University, signed an agreement, in which the custody of the Holy land has committed to finance the purchase of the property called “Mount of David” – a 12 thousand meter area of land in the upper area of Bethlehem, owned by the Latin Patriarchate. The Custody offered 6 million dollars toward the purchase of the land, adding to the 2.3 million more made available by other benefactors, covering 60% of the cost of the land. The university has launched an appeal to private donors in order to raise the remaining portion, equaling approximately 5.5 million dollars.

This agreement, which constitutes a shared property between the Custody and the university, has been called a form of “fraternal cooperation” between the two Catholic entities. It will allow Bethlehem University to develop a number of projects, as new classrooms, laboratories and offices will be built on more than half of the available space.

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This will help to make possible the launching of a new Masters Degree program in business management, governance and public administration, international diplomacy and foreign policy, as well as professional courses for social workers.

“We are approaching our 40th Anniversary,” Bro. Peter Bray explained, “and we can set a new standard for the training of future leaders of Palestine. I thank the Custody of the Holy Land and all the generous donors who have offered us this opportunity to better serve the Palestinian people.”

Bethlehem University was the first Catholic university in the Middle East. Pope Paul VI laid the first stone on the occasion of his historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1964; however, ordinary academic activities were only inaugurated 10 years later, in 1973. The university today offers a range of degree programs in both humanities (Arabic, English, social science and religious studies) and science (business management, nursing, sciences and education) as well as graduate and postgraduate degrees (international cooperation and development, biotechnology and tourism).

The university is under the direction of the Christian Brothers de La Salle, also known as the Brothers of Christian Schools, founded by John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719), and present in the Holy Land since 1876. Since the founding of the university, it is estimated that more than 14,500 young Palestinians – both Christian and Moslem – have received training in its classrooms. It is not uncommon for graduates of the university to achieve positions of responsibility, as can be seen in the example of Vera Baboun, who was elected last November as the first woman Mayor of Bethlehem. Ms. Baboun was also a teacher at the university.

The Custody of the Holy Land – February 1, 2013

HOLY SEE AND STATE OF PALESTINE: DRAFT AGREEMENT PLAN EXAMINED

Following the bilateral negotiations held in past years with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), an official meeting took place in Ramallah, Palestine on 30 January 2013, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine.

The talks were headed by Dr. Riad Al-Malki, minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, and Msgr. Ettore Balestrero, under-secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States.

The Parties exchanged views regarding the draft Agreement under discussion, especially the Preamble and Chapter I of the mentioned Agreement. The talks were held in an open and cordial atmosphere, the expression of the existing good relations between the Holy See and the State of Palestine. The Delegations expressed the wish that negotiations be accelerated and brought to a speedy conclusion. It was thus agreed that a joint technical group will meet to follow-up.

Gratitude was expressed for the Holy See’s contribution of 100.000 euro towards the restoration of the roof of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Vatican Information Service – January 31, 2013


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NUNCIO CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ON HOLY SEE-‐ISRAEL AGREEMENT

In an interview with the agency SIR, the Nuncio in Israel, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, cautiously expressed optimism about the possibility of a tax treaty between the Holy See and Israel. The Agreement under negotiation pertains to economic matters and financial institutions of the Church in the Holy Land.

Asked whether 2013 was a good year to conclude the Agreement between the Holy See and Israel, the Apostolic Nuncio said: “We are working. We hope so. We cannot give a date, and it would be wrong to do so, because negotiation is in progress. I would say that it is a possibility, some elements remain to be defined, but the opportunity to get there within the next year is a possibility.”

The interview was conducted this morning in Bethlehem, during a briefing with the Bishops of the Holy Land Coordination. The meeting is organized by the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land, in cooperation with the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land. During this exchange, the Nuncio also reiterated the position of the Holy See on the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: a two-state solution.

By Christophe Lafontaine The Latin Patriarchate – January 8, 2013

VANDALISM AT JERUSALEM HOLY SITE MAY HAVE SOUGHT TO ERASE TRACES OF MUSLIM CONTROL

Damage to tiles at King David's Tomb 'total.' An attempt to harm the fragile status quo at the building which houses King David's Tomb

and the room of the Last Supper may have been behind the smashing of centuries-old tiles at the site two weeks ago, informed sources indicated on Thursday. The Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which manages the site, said the damage to the tiles was 'total.'

The tiles, and the traditional site of King David's burial, are located on the lower floor of an ancient building on Jerusalem's Mount Zion that is sacred to the three monotheistic faiths. The Room of the Last Supper, where Christians believe Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples before he was crucified, occupies the second floor.

The tiles, which feature flowers and trees painted in shades of blue, turquoise and red, were installed at the site, which is also important to Islam, during an Ottoman renovation in the 17th century. They serve as evidence that the building – as indeed Jerusalem – was once controlled by the Muslims. They were damaged about five years ago during renovations carried out by the Religious Affairs Ministry; some were plastered over, and a Holy Ark was put on top.

About two weeks ago, a young ultra-Orthodox man was arrested after he was caught using a hammer to smash centuries-old painted wall tiles. He told police he did so because an older friend

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had advised him that “the tiles were stopping his prayers from reaching the tomb.” The man said he was hoping that his prayers for a bride would be answered.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said in response that "about five years ago the Antiquities Authority began a project of preservation and maintenance at the site of King David's Tomb. So far millions of shekels have been invested to turn the site into one of the most important places in the Old City (of Jerusalem). The Antiquities Authority sees great importance in continued preservation and development at the site, and calls on those responsible for it, plus the Israel Police and the Jerusalem Municipality, to assist in the safeguarding the site and preventing similar incidents.”

There have been efforts in the past to bring the tiles under the protection of the Antiquities Law, in the wake of research by Nirit Shalev-Khalif, a scholar at Jerusalem's Yad Ben-Zvi. Though the law still does not apply, conservation work at the tomb the National Center for the Development of Holy Places, the Jerusalem Development Authority and the Israel Antiquities Authority has included restoration of the tiles.

Shalev-Khalifa says the tomb’s tiles are part of a centuries-old Jerusalem artistic tradition. The genre reached its height in the 16th century when Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent covered the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount with decorative tiles. “This was the hottest art in the Ottoman Court, the highest art,” Shalev-Khalifa said. The King David's Tomb tiles date from the 17th or 18th century. The genre declined in importance in subsequent years, according to Shalev-Khalifa. “In the 20th century Jerusalem saw the establishment of the Armenian ceramic tradition, so there is continuity here in the city’s visual culture. The damage done is terrible. These tiles are part of the universal identity of the place,” she said.

By Nir Hasson Haaretz – January 3, 2013

EAST JERUSALEM, WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO (POLITICAL) NAMES

City sticks to neutral names like 'Flower' or 'Hotel' street. The Jerusalem municipality is continuing to name roads in the city's Arab neighborhoods, but is maintaining its policy of keeping politics off the streets.

Last week, the Municipal Names Committee approved 43 street names for Arab areas, but the names are devoid of any symbolism or historical significance.

In Beit Safafa, for example, streets will be given Arabic names meaning apartments, granary, sickle, pitchfork, mirror, flood, ladder, bridge, unity and faith. In the Old City, streets were named "Plaza" and "Hotel." In Umm Tuba, the approved Arabic names mean quarries, fountain, painting, western wadi and low place. Beit Hanina will be getting "Flowers" and "Teachers' Housing" streets.

While Jewish Jerusalem has its share of streets named for flowers, spices, foods or geographic features (for example, Hapisga, or "Summit," Street in Bayit Vegan is one of the highest streets in the city ), most roads in Jewish neighborhoods commemorate famous Jews - historical and religious figures, or people who played a role in the city's development - or major events in Israeli history.


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The municipality contends that the residents themselves proposed these street names. But residents say they were told before the process began to choose neutral names, so that they could be approved with no hitches.

"From the start, they told us they would not agree to the names of writers, or religious or political figures, so we just didn't go there," said Khalil Alian, a member of the Beit Safafa community council. "Of course I would have liked names of writers, of people from the world of culture, cinema or even politics. But they told us 'no' in advance."

In one case, in the village of Issawiya, residents wanted to name a street after Ahmed Assad al-Dari, a village notable from the Jordanian era, but the name was rejected. The official reason was that Dari wasn't well known enough. But unofficially, the city was warned away from the name because the man's grandson, Samir Dari, was mistakenly shot to death by a policeman in the French Hill neighborhood in 2005. The policeman's acquittal on all charges in 2007, sparked anger in the village, and Dari was declared a shahid (martyr ).

Deputy Mayor Joseph (Pepe ) Alalo of Meretz criticized the choice of names. "This is ugly behavior by the occupier toward the occupied," Alalo said. "I'm embarrassed by

the decision." He said he abstained in the vote, rather than vote against, "because I know the residents are

helpless without street names. But I couldn't accept that the names proposed were mostly of inanimate objects, as if the Palestinians don't have any cultural heroes, great scientists or thinkers, and have no past."

The municipality responded that "The names chosen for streets in East Jerusalem until now include dozens of names of historical figures from Islamic and Palestinian history, names of sites, singers, and others, like a street for [singer] Umm Kulthum; a street for Fatima Zahra, the daughter of the prophet Mohammed; Halima Sadia Street, after the prophet Mohammed's nursemaid; Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Street, after a Muslim theologian from the 10th-11th centuries ... and many additional ones.

"The process of choosing the names was done by the residents themselves under the guidance of the community councils, not by the municipality, and reflects their independent desire, with no direction from the municipality," it added.

The city also stressed the positive impact the process will have on the residents, "after decades in which the streets had no names and the residents had no addresses."

By Nir Hasson Haaretz – January 2, 2013

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KING HEROD REIGNS AT ISRAEL MUSEUM

An exhibition about the 1st century B.C.E master builder, his life, times and funeral procession, is about to open in Jerusalem.

A large stone bathtub stands at one end of the hall. It’s easy to imagine princes − and maybe even Herod himself − bathing in it 2,000 years ago. Beneath the tub are tiles of black and white, laid out symmetrically, their yellowish hues testifying to their age.

The bathtub is part of an exhibit at the Israel Museum entitled “Herod the Great: The King’s Final Journey.” Museum officials say that the exhibit follows in the footsteps of Herod’s funeral procession: from the winter palace in Jericho, where he died, to the Herodium, where he was buried. This long journey was made 2,017 years ago in the year 4 B.C.E., after a 33-year reign. Two millennia have passed since then, but the stations along Herod’s funeral procession are close, present and fascinating.

James Snyder, director of the Israel Museum, describes the exhibit as “the largest archaeological project in the museum’s history.” He says that the museum has never before mounted an exhibit devoted to Herod. While everyone has heard of him, no exhibit of his life and times of this scope and dedication has ever been created, Snyder noted.

The exhibit, which will last for nine months and is spread out over 900 square meters, involved the transport of stones weighing 30 tons to the Israel Museum. The stones were brought from Herod’s palaces in Judea, from the Herodium and from other locations. The building’s foundations had to be strengthened before the exhibit was mounted for fear that it might be too heavy.

The exhibit’s curator, Dudi Mevorach, who provided a comprehensive survey of the exhibit’s mounting several weeks ago, smiled and said, “We admit we made a mistake in taking on a task like this, but we’re enjoying every moment.” His fellow curator, Sylvia Rosenberg, nods in agreement. Both curators are dedicated to this project, which has lasted three years, because of its complexity and also because of the two giants involved. The first is King Herod himself, who ruled Judea during the first century B.C.E. The second is the late archaeologist Professor Ehud Netzer, who not only devoted his life to Herod’s era and to discovering his burial site, but also died at Herodium due to a fall in October 2010.

“Professor Netzer came to us in 2007, right after the big discovery of Herod’s tomb at the Herodium,” Mevorach says, recalling how the project began. “Even then, at that early stage, he said it was important that the museum be involved in the reconstruction and the exhibit. Netzer was


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involved in the practical preparations for the exhibit. He sketched suggestions, proposed a concept and even wrote the introduction for the catalogue. After he fell near Herod’s tomb − he died of his injuries three days later − the museum staff continued the preparations for the exhibit, which is now dedicated to Netzer − the one who knew Herod best of all.

“We were with him at the site when he fell,” Mevorach recalls. “He prepared sketches and plans, and we took photographs that we still use today. Everything changed after he died, but we kept on without him, in his memory.”

The winter palace in Jericho Mevorach describes Herod as an enigma. No portrait of him exists, we do not know what he

looked like and everyone agrees that he had awful PR. Josephus, the major − indeed, almost the only − source of information about Herod, emphasized the cruel, megalomaniac side of the monarch, who did not even spare members of his own family, including his sons. A few days before his death, he had his eldest son, Antipater, killed on a whim.

All these things, combined with the fact that he ruled Judea but was of Idumean extraction and his mother was evidently Nabatean, gave Herod a terrible image. But Mevorach says that everyone who has done research on Herod the builder has fallen in love with him. “We fell in love with him, too,” he says. “We all admire his great abilities. His reign consisted of 33 years of peace, development and prosperity.

Our great task is to show visitors the many sides of Herod and to give him back some respect.”

Archaeologist Roi Porat of Hebrew University, a member of the excavation team at the Herodium, worked beside Netzer for six years. No one, he says, can be apathetic about Herod. “He’s such a prominent figure in history that everybody is attracted to him. We, the archaeologists, like it that he was the king who left the most significant traces behind, with no comparison to other kings.”

Mixed feelings on Herod When I ask Porat whether he, too, is a lover or admirer of Herod, he is silent for a moment.

Then he says, “I have a lot of admiration for his abilities in building, organizing and finance. But personally, I don’t connect with prime ministers or leaders, and I don’t think we have to love him or not love him. It’s important to put his insane acts of murder into the context of the Roman rulers, but still understand that for Herod, everything was big and extreme.”

When we stand in the northern palace, one of three enormous palaces on the outskirts of Jericho, we cannot help but be awed by Herod’s abilities. It is a huge compound, and Netzer devoted 20 years of his life to the ongoing excavations there. Today, the site, which is one of the Israeli salients next to Palestinian Authority territory, is badly neglected, though it is under Israel’s responsibility. During the whole morning that we were in the palace, we saw no one else. Several Palestinian children from the nearby houses asked for alms and disappeared among the palace’s desolate rooms. Sections of mosaics, some of them covered in dirt, a labyrinth of walls and torn-up flooring are scattered around us. Rain fell steadily most of the morning, and torrents of water swelled the tributaries that ran into nearby Wadi Kelt (also known as Nahal Prat ).

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Binyamin Tropper, the guiding coordinator at the Kfar Etzion Field School, who guided me through the entire journey, explained that on a day like this, when the streams are flooding their banks, we can see the real value of the winter palaces. “Herod actually built large palaces on the riverbank here. The water enabled the cultivation of trees and the existence of this beautiful landscape,” said Tropper. The palaces are built on both banks of the stream.

In order to cross the stream, we step cautiously over a suspended stone bridge that is weak and unstable, and threatens to collapse beneath us. Tropper explains where the baths and the pools were; there were many of them in the Jericho palaces. Afterward, during a lull in the rain, he reads us Josephus’s description. “So Herod, having survived the slaughter of his son five days, died, having reigned thirty-four years since he had caused Antigonus to be slain, and obtained his kingdom; but thirty-seven years since he had been made king by the Romans. Now as for his fortune, it was prosperous in all other respects, if ever any other man could be so, since, from a private man, he obtained the kingdom, and kept it so long, and left it to his own sons; but still in his domestic affairs he was a most unfortunate man.” (“War of the Jews,” translated by William Whiston ).

As I waded unhappily through the deep mud between the palaces on the outskirts of Jericho, I realized that it was impossible to get any farther away from the professional, carefully-mounted exhibition at the Israel Museum. There is a magic about these abandoned palaces and ruins. Unlike Masada, Caesarea or other sites built by Herod that were restored and made into tourist attractions, the state of abandon and neglect of the Jericho palaces tugs at the heart. Sic transit gloria mundi. Here is all that remains of that powerful reign, backed by the great empire.

Here is all that remains of an enormous construction project, most of whose components were brought in glory and splendor from Rome. As the rain fell, everything looked like brown instant coffee powder that in a moment would leave no residue. The fact that even now, 2,000 years after Herod, this part of the country cries out for clear owners who will help it develop, protect it and defend it, makes the impression all the greater. The palaces in Jericho are still a border settlement, distant and cut off from Jerusalem.

In our conversation after visiting Jericho, Porat told me that Netzer had put a great deal of effort into presenting the site to the general public. Porat says the location’s geopolitical context, the fact that it is a salient, makes it more difficult to develop. “I have no doubt that this place has a promising future as a tourist site. It is bound up in the development of tourism in Jericho as a whole. To me, there needs to be Israeli-Palestinian cooperation that will bring visitors and tourists to the site.”

Josephus also described the magnificent funeral procession led by Archelaus, Herod’s successor. “For Archelaus, money was no object. He spent all the kingdom’s wealth on a magnificent burial.” Relatives, armor-bearers and several battalions of well-armed soldiers marched, surrounding the coffin. Hundreds of servants and slaves marched behind them.

There were eight people in our group, which was made up mostly of young, 18-year-old enthusiastic tour guides doing a year of service at the Kfar Etzion Field School. We rode comfortably in cars where hundreds of people had marched on foot − about 40 kilometers uphill. A winding road rises along Wadi Kelt toward Jerusalem.


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This is a road rich with splendor that passes near the wadi and has dramatic views. The road was in poor condition, but all the signs indicated that it was here that the Roman road had run. All that remained of it now were a few ruins and an aqueduct from a later period. The St. George Monastery, which is high up along the wadi, right next to the mountain, was built only about 400 years after Herod’s funeral procession. Several women covered in colorful scarves, with children scampering beside them, stood at the side of the road, watching the flood of water coming down off the mountain.

Porat explained that the conventional assumption is that the funeral procession passed through Jerusalem, though it may have passed along other routes east of the city. He added that it is reasonable to assume that Herod, who planned the procession’s route before he died, wanted to impress the people of Jerusalem who were not particularly grieved at his death. In light of that, it’s hard to believe that the king relinquished the idea of his procession passing through the city.

On the day we tried to follow the procession route, we skipped the Herodian Quarter and went straight to the Herodium. According to Porat, Herod’s funeral procession went through Bethlehem, which was then a small village. Today we traveled on a different road, and after passing through two army checkpoints (one at the entrance to the city where we enter Route 1 and the other at the city’s exit heading south ), we arrived at the Herodium in the pouring rain.

This appears to be the only place to which Herod gave his name. From the years 23 to 15 B.C.E., more than a decade before his death, a combined palace and fortress was constructed here. It contains halls, courtyards and luxurious baths. Several pools were built at the foot of the artificial mountain. The entire compound, on the edge of the desert, was surrounded by splendid gardens.

By Moshe Gilad Haaretz – February 11, 2013

ISRAEL'S MOSAICS FROM BYZANTIUM AND ROME THRILL TO BITS

The beautiful ancient mosaic floors around Israel prove that the genre's best artists lived 1,500 to 2,000 years ago

At Hirbet Hanut in the Jerusalem hills lies a small, damaged mosaic. It's definitely not one of the most beautiful in Israel, a powerhouse in ancient mosaics. Its magic lies in that it's covered. If you want to see it, you have to take a small broom lying nearby and sweep away a layer of sand, there to protect the artwork. Underneath is a floor made of small stones in geometric patterns.

The mosaic at Hirbet Hanut, apparently the floor of a sixth-century Byzantine church, boasts colorful vine tendrils and hexagons. Its depictions of animals were destroyed long ago. The sweeping away of the sand stirs the joy of discovery; then comes the amazement.

The huge effort by people here 1,500 years ago to beautify the floor is astonishing. They didn't want to live or worship in a room with a dull floor. Their patience reflects a love of aesthetics; it also helps us imagine their lives.

It's easy to assume that mosaics were a sign of wealth and power. Looking at them today, if they're lying in ruins without a roof overhead, we're reminded that wealth doesn't necessarily provide security – certainly not in the long run.

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Dr. Zvika Zuk, the chief archaeologist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, says mosaics have been found in Israel in homes (in Caesarea, Afek and Tzippori) and in public buildings like synagogues, churches and palaces (Ma’on, Beit Alfa, Ein Gedi, Kursi and Masada). The two main periods were the Roman era (about 2,000 years ago) and the Byzantine era (about 1,500 years ago).

According to Zuk, the genre peaked in quality in the middle of the Roman era. It peaked in quantity and popularity in the Byzantine era. A mosaic's quality is determined by the number of stones in a square decimeter (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters). In the Roman period, about 400 stones were set in this small area. In the Byzantine era, the number dropped.

There are hundreds of ancient mosaic floors in Israel. The huge number and wide distribution means you don't have to go far to see one. In some places, like Tzippori, there are dozens of mosaic floors, but sometimes a remote and not very spectacular piece, like the one at Hirbet Hanut (near Route 375), or the one at the synagogue in Ma’on leaves the strongest impression.

The following are some of the best mosaics in Israel.

Tzippori Tzippori was once a splendid city. In the third century C.E., Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi moved

there, lived there for 17 years and redacted the Mishna – "the Oral Torah." According to the evidence, there were 18 synagogues there, and during the period of the Mishna and the Talmud, the greatest Torah sages lived there.

Excavations at Tzippori over the past 20 years have unearthed some of Israel's most beautiful mosaics, notably those at the Nile House and the Dionysus House. At the Nile House, an astonishing mosaic depicts celebrations in Egypt and hunting scenes. At the Dionysus House, at the top of the hill, a mosaic depicts the life of the wine god Dionysus. In the frame surrounding the mosaic is the figure of a woman; she has become known as the Mona Lisa of Tzippori. The lighting there is excellent. The tiny stones leave no doubt that in the Galilee in the first centuries C.E., some of the genre's best artists worked.

Tzippori National Park, which charges an entry fee, is open all week. Get there via Route 79, Hamovil Junction-Nazareth, between the 22 and 23 kilometer markers.

Hamat Hamat Tiberias, south of Tiberias, was famous for its hot springs. There the third-century

Severus Synagogue has been excavated; in its center lies a colorful mosaic, the oldest found in an Israeli synagogue. During that period the Sanhedrin council met in Tiberias, and the name Severus was found in a Greek inscription at the synagogue.

In the mosaic at Hamat there are actually three mosaics. The central one shows a large zodiac wheel, with the sun god Helios at its center. In each corner is a woman representing a season of the year. At the edges are the Jewish symbols of a holy ark, a branched candelabrum and a ram’s horn. A similar Zodiac wheel appears in six other ancient synagogues from the period of the Talmud and the Mishna. In nearly all, Helios is in the center.

In May 2012 vandals badly damaged the Hamat mosaic, spray-painting it with graffiti and destroying other parts, but the Nature and Parks Authority has restored it.


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There is an entrance fee to Hamat Tiberias National Park, which is open all week. Get there via Route 90 south of Tiberias, on the Kinneret's shore.

Beit Alpha An interesting thing about the Beit Alpha mosaic on Kibbutz Heftziba is that we know who

created it. The fifth-century artists Marianus and his son Hanina signed their masterpiece. The mosaic is located in the main hall of the large synagogue there. It is divided into three

carpets with the holy ark and the zodiac wheel clearly visible, along with a moving depiction of the sacrifice of Isaac.

The mosaic is in a national park in an air-conditioned building open all week. There is an entry fee. Get there via Kibbutz Heftzibah on Route 669 between Hashita Junction and Beit She’an, about 10 minutes west of Beit She’an.

The Good Samaritan The Good Samaritan Mosaic Museum was dedicated in 2010. The museum is located at the

Good Samaritan Inn, an archeological site in the West Bank on the Jerusalem-Dead Sea Highway. Dozens of mosaics have been brought there from throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to be restored. Most were brought from ancient synagogues and a number of churches. At the original sites the pieces were at risk of being destroyed.

The Good Samaritan mosaics are beautiful but there's something unpleasant about them. A mosaic belongs to a certain setting for which it was built. Any sense of this vanishes at the Good Samaritan Inn.

Zur of the Nature and Parks Authority agrees that the transferred mosaics lose something of their authenticity;

he says that when the authority can it relocates mosaics to the original site. But the ancient synagogue in Gaza, for example, can no longer serve as a home for a mosaic.

The site is managed by the Nature and Parks Authority. It is open, with an entrance fee, all week. Get there via Highway 1, east of Ma’aleh Adumim.

Caesarea The bird mosaic at Caesarea is a very special site. Part of its charm lies in that it's not part of a

national park; it's in an ancient villa on tranquil Rothschild Street. This, apparently, was the splendid home of a Roman nobleman in the Byzantine era.

The site was unearthed more than 60 years ago but was covered up for protection; only in 2005 was it opened to visitors free. This is a huge and beautiful floor at whose center are 120 circular medallions, each housing a bird.

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Ma’on At the heart of the mosaic in the Hirbet Ma’on synagogue is a vine growing out of a jug. The

vine's tendrils form medallions housing birds and mammals. There are 11 rows of five medallions each. Jewish symbols (a candelabrum, a ram’s horn and a frond of a date palm tree) are at the side of the mosaic near the synagogue's stage. At the sides are palm trees and lions. Alongside the trees are doves.

An open-sided shelter protects the artwork; it's open all week, free. The synagogue is located between Kibbutz Nir David and Kibbutz Nirim, about 1 kilometer southeast of the entrance to Kibbutz Nirim. Get there via Route 241 (Gillat Junction-Ma’on Junction).

The Lod mosaic: an exiled beauty Connoisseurs consider this Israel's most beautiful mosaic; the only problem is that you can't

view it yet. The mosaic, apparently part of a Roman villa from the end of the third century C.E., was

discovered in 1996 during the paving of Hehalutz Street in eastern Lod. In 2009 it was exposed for one week only, during which more than 20,000 people came to see it. The mosaic was then transferred to the mosaic workshop at Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem.

Architect Eran Hemo, in charge of the project at the Israel Antiquities Authority, shows it off like a proud father. The mosaic is 17 meters long and about nine meters wide. One part, with dozens of fish, has been traveling for more than two years among museums in the United States. Hemo says that abroad it's more popular than the Dead Sea Scrolls.

One part has geometric designs and an impressive carpet of birds. Another part, with elephants, giraffes and other animals, is currently abroad.

At the site in Lod, footprints of a child and an adult were found under the piece, as well as a rare fresco that the mosaic was based on. All these are scheduled to return to Lod in 2014 as part of an exhibition in a museum still in the planning phase. Hemo says a museum like this, in which the local community will be involved, can change Lod's gray image and serve as an anchor for tourism.

By Moshe Gilad Haaretz – January 15, 2013

PILGRIMS, BUT NO PROGRESS: ISRAEL'S WASTED TOURIST GOLD MINE IN THE GALILEE

With a wealth of historical places revered by Christians in the Galilee, Israel is sitting on a potential tourist gold mine. However, a visit to the area reveals four painfully underdeveloped sites.

The monk smiled as he decorated the Christmas tree at the front entrance to the Church of St. Anna. The church is located on the outskirts of the moshav Tzippori, situated on the site of the ancient Roman city of Sepphoris. As he slowly walked around the tree, he wrapped its branches with a gold-colored ribbon, repeating the process several times. He apologized that he had not been expecting visitors and went to find the keys to the church, so he could show us the chapel.


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Returning with the keys, the monk says he comes from Argentina. He has been living in the Galilee for the past few years, with another monk, in a small stone house adjacent to the church. According to Christian tradition - he explains to us graciously and patiently - this was where Anne (or Anna ) and Joachim (Jesus' grandparents and the parents of his mother, the Virgin Mary ) lived. Beyond the path surrounding the structure are the ruins of a large-dimensioned ancient church with three impressive stone arches. The monk also informs us that near the church are remnants of an ancient synagogue, of which almost nothing remains today.

According to another tradition (which he did not mention ), at this site eight centuries ago, the "true cross" - the name Christians give to the remnants of the cross they believe Jesus was crucified upon - was seen. This happened (ostensibly ) in 1187, on the eve of the crushing defeat of the Crusaders by the army of Saladin at the Horns of Hattin, when the cross was transferred from Jerusalem to the church in Tzippori, its last known location. Since that time, it has disappeared without trace.

At noontime one day, a few days before Christmas, not a living soul can be seen around here. About 100 meters from the ruined church are the meticulously maintained houses of the moshav. A short distance from the church is Tzippori National Park, where visitors can see the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Sepphoris, an urban center during the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud. This was also where the seat of the Sanhedrin, the supreme council and tribunal of the Jews, was located, and where editing of the Mishnah was completed in the third century.

Although the church is beautiful, it is not considered an important station along the route that retraces Jesus' footsteps in the Galilee. A visit to the site of the Church of St. Anna produces rather melancholy thoughts, such as how little Israelis know about the Christian sites in their own country, and, more significantly, how much potential and how many opportunities are waiting for entrepreneurs who decide to develop tourism in the Galilee.

Ostensibly, it is not too complicated a task to persuade Christians and curious visitors from other religious faiths to come to the site where Jesus' grandparents may (perhaps ) have lived - especially since the place is so beautiful during this particular season. The bright green, fresh vegetation that has sprung up in the wake of the recent heavy rainfalls is the dominant color here; the Lower Galilee's landscapes are spread out before all those who stand beside the gate of the ruined church.

Our tour includes four sites - in the village of Nain, on Mount Tabor, in the town of Kafr Kana and at Tzippori. The New Testament relates that Jesus performed miracles at the first three

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sites. According to a relatively late Christian tradition, Mary's family was said to have dwelled in Tzippori. The sites are separated from one another by a short distance (less than an hour's drive ) and are all closely connected to religious traditions.

In comparison with other sites that have been sanctified by Christians in other countries - such as Fatima in Portugal, Santiago de Compostela in Spain and Lourdes in France - these four do not receive the tourist attention they deserve. Last year at Santiago de Compostela, more than 300,000 visitors walked hundreds of kilometers by foot in order to complete one of most celebrated pilgrimage routes (St. James' Way ) in the world. What a far cry from the meager tourist attention focused on the friendly monk who lives in relative seclusion in Tzippori!

A brown sign at the entrance to Nain, located not far from Afula, informs visitors in huge letters that the village is the site of the Widow's Son Church, and gives the impression that this is a well-organized tourist site. However, except for one highway sign (posted more than a kilometer from the village ), there are no other indications of the presence of this Catholic church. A stroll through the village revealed the church, which is surrounded by a metal fence and situated directly opposite a mosque (all of the village's modern residents are Muslim ). The church is a lovely, rectangular stone structure that was first built in the fifth century and is now undergoing major renovation. Hopefully, once it is completed, the site will be open for visitors.

The village can be identified as the "city called Nain" referred to in the New Testament. The Gospel According to Luke (7:11 ) relates that Jesus arrives with his apostles in Nain, where a funeral for a boy is in progress. The chapter relates that the mother of the dead boy is a widow and that Jesus, feeling compassion for her, performs a miracle and brings her son back to life.

In the fifth century, Nain attracted Christian pilgrims, but today they do not visit. Although the church is still intact, the village has disappeared from the list of sites that tourists visit while walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

Ghada (pronounced Rhada ) Boulos and Hana Bendcowsky are experienced and well-informed tour guides. After my visit to Nain, I contacted them and they offered various explanations for the village's disappearance from Christian pilgrimage sites in northern Israel. According to Bendcowsky, the chief problem of places such as Nain is the fact that pilgrims generally have a limited amount of time and money. Naturally, they want to visit the most famous and impressive sites and thus, Nain - which, despite its importance to Christian tradition, is less impressive than other sites - has been sidelined.

Boulos feels that one of the problems is the size of Israel's Christian community. Today, a tiny minority of the country's population, some 150,000 people, are Christians (81 percent of whom are Arab ). Furthermore, to develop a site like Nain, Boulos adds, there is the need for the cooperation of governmental and municipal agencies; unfortunately, she points out, such assistance is lacking at many such places.

"The problem," she explains, "is not just the business of providing the initial investment funds - you also have to know how to maintain the sites after the money has been invested in their development. What is needed is a process of educating the members of the local population to preserve and appreciate the treasures they have; this process is often, sadly, nonexistent. The best results are obtained when there is a local entrepreneur who is involved, who displays good will and


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capability, for whom the site's development has an importance that transcends commercial concerns. When there is passion, such projects always prove successful."

Breathtaking views The monastery at the top of Mount Tabor is one of my favorite local sites; indeed, I consider

it one of the most beautiful in the entire country. The Church of the Transfiguration at the summit is a white stone building, designed in 1924 by Italian Franciscan monk and architect Antonio Barluzzi (1884-1960 ). Barluzzi later built the octagonal Church of the Beatitudes on the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount (overlooking Lake Kinneret ) and the Dominus Flevit Church on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

According to tradition, Jesus performed a miracle of transfiguration on Mount Tabor: The New Testament relates that he ascended Mount Tabor with three apostles - Peter, James and John - and his face suddenly shone like the sun while his clothes became radiant. The church that Barluzzi built is symmetrical and shines in the sun, too; once it even had a translucent ceiling (it was later replaced ). The porches of its observatory offer a breathtaking view of the Kinneret and the entire region.

The central problem facing this site today is the fact that it can be accessed only by a winding, narrow road. On Saturdays, the crowded conditions and the traffic jams at the top of Mount Tabor are unbearable.

As for Kafr Kana, both Boulos and Bendcowsky agree that it is an important stop for Christian pilgrims. Nonetheless, there is not a single sign, in any language, directing them and other visitors to the two churches - Catholic and Greek Orthodox, respectively - located on the same street, facing one another. There is no organized parking area, nor has any route been mapped out for visitors who want to reach the churches.

The few souvenir shops selling small clay pitchers - alluding to the first miracle the New Testament reports in Jesus' short life, when he turned water into wine - are the only evidence that this is a central tourist site. The orange markings of the Jesus Trail, which stretches for 65 kilometers between Nazareth and the shores of the Sea of Galilee, appear on walls adjacent to the churches. However, in reality they seem to serve as a code known only to those who are party to the secret.

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A few weeks ago, two laborers affixed huge marble slabs to a wall in Kafr Kana. The slabs bore the inscriptions - in huge letters - of verses from the New Testament in English, describing that first miracle. Only a handful of visitors could be found at the two churches that day and, in contrast with the village's bustling main street, the atmosphere in the courtyards of the two churches was very tranquil.

Boulos works as a tour guide with Christians seeking to retrace Jesus' steps in the Galilee, and talks frequently with the visitors about religious traditions associated with the area. She explains that very few pilgrims travel there prior to Christmas and that the holiday is celebrated locally as a family event, when friends and relatives gather in private homes for a festive meal.

According to Christian tradition, Jesus and his disciples came to Kafr Kana - which is referred to in the New Testament as "Cana of Galilee" (John 2:1 ) - in order to participate in a wedding (a Jewish one, of course ). Jesus was asked by his mother to turn the water in six stone pitchers into wine for the guests. The miracle described in the New Testament creates a common denominator among the sites at Nain, Mount Tabor and Kafr Kana, which Boulos defines as the "metamorphosis axis": In all three of these places, Jesus is reported as having performed miracles of transfiguration.

The two churches that face each another in Kafr Kana are fascinating and yet very different. In the Catholic-Franciscan church - which was built in the 19th century on the foundations of a sixth-century church - remnants have been found of a fourth-century synagogue, as well as remnants of a mosaic bearing a Hebrew inscription. Visitors can descend to a lower floor, where they can see well-preserved remnants of the synagogue.

There is evidence that there was a Jewish community there until the 17th century. Today, there are 20,000 residents in the village; only 10 percent are Christians and the rest are Muslims. A plaque in the courtyard is dedicated to the memory of Father Giuseppe Leombruni, "who, with courage and determination, set out on July 22, 1948, to meet with the soldiers of the Haganah [pre-state Jewish underground] and persuaded them to show compassion for the residents of Kafr Kana."

The Greek Orthodox church across the road is decorated with colorful, breathtaking paintings depicting Jesus and his disciples drinking the wine that was poured out from the stone pitchers.

In both churches, many wedding ceremonies take place; Boulos explains that many couples from around the world come to get married there - although, in most cases, they are couples who have been married for a number of years and want to renew their vows. In the face of the village's popularity, how is it possible that there is not even one hotel in this village? The only rooms for visitors are available at a small, modest, family-owned inn.

How to reach the sites Nain: Take Route 65 from Afula and travel in a northeasterly direction. The road leading to

Nain is situated between Afula and Kfar Tavor. Mount Tabor: Travel north along Route 65. Just before Kfar Tavor, between road markings

56 and 57, turn into Route 7266, traveling north and crossing the village of Daburiyya. Proceed along the narrow road leading to the summit of Mount Tabor.

Kafr Kana: Take Route 77 from Golani Junction, traveling west. At the intersection leading into Route 754, drive south until you reach Kafr Kana.


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Tzippori: Continue along Route 77, traveling west. Turn onto Route 79, traveling south. Turn left at the intersection leading to Tzippori and travel northward to Tzippori. Cross the moshav until you reach the homes on its outskirts, where you will see a small wooden sign directing you to turn right toward the Church of St. Anna.

By Moshe Gilad Haaretz – January 11, 2013

JESUS AND THE JORDAN RIVER

Visit one of the most famous biblical Christian sights where Jesus was said to have been baptized.

The Jordan River flows through the Jordan Rift Valley into the Kinneret and then continues down into the Dead Sea with no outlet. It is a place of many important biblical events. However, for most Christians the first association with the river would be the scene of Jesus Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.

According to the Christian faith, the Jordan River is considered the third most holy site in the Holy Land, just after Nativity Grotto in Bethlehem and Golgotha in Jerusalem, because it is the site of the most important event of Jesus’ life - his baptism and beginning of his ministry.

It was John the Baptist who decided to baptize people in the Jordan River. Many scholars think that he might have been influenced by the Essens, who like John, were leading an ascetic life in the wilderness of Qumran or EinGedi. One of their principal religious rituals was a daily immersion in water to regain purity.

The Jordan River represented a perfect mikva of continuously running water.

John is also commonly referred to be a precursor of Jesus, and the Gospel of Matthew describes him as the person mentioned by Isaiah in his prophecy: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way

for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (Isaiah 40:3) John also announced that Christ - the Messiah is coming, with the words: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt. 3:11)

Jesus’ Baptism and its meaning Christ was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Baptism with water, practiced since

the beginning of the Church, represents admission into the Christian community and is essential for

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salvation. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (John 3:5) In Christianity, baptism is a sign of “repentance and forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4) and the beginning of the life in Christ within the Church. Christians are baptized in the name God: “Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). As well, through baptism Christians associate with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus: “And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you […] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21)

Different Christian denominations have various baptismal practices. Orthodox and Catholic Christians receive the sacrament when still infants. The Catholic baptism is done by effusion, meaning pouring water over someone’s head.

However, according to the rituals of the Orthodox and some other Eastern Churches, a baby would be completely submersed in water. Within the Anabaptist (baptised again) and Baptist practices, a person would receive baptism as an adult in order to understand the significance and be aware of accepting Christ as a Saviour.

Site of Jesus’ Baptism - Qasr el Yahud Qasr el Yahud, one of the most important sites for Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land,

is identified as the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism. The place is located in the wilderness of the Jordan River Valley, north of the Dead Sea and east of Jericho. Remains of a Byzantine church from the 4-5th century, still visible on the site, point to the ancient tradition associate with this site.

To be baptized in the same place where Jesus was baptized, is a uniquely spiritual moment for the Christian believer. Qasr el Yahud is furnished with facilities required to assist visiting pilgrims and enhance their experience. There are on site showers, facilities for prayer, wheelchair access and improved car parking. Baptismal robes are available for NIS 35.

The Baptism of the Lord Celebration is a feast commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by the John the Baptist. In the Holy Land, this event takes place at Qasr el Yahud.

According to the Catholic Church’s tradition, the holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the feast of Epiphany. This year, Catholics will make a pilgrimage to the site on January 13 and hold a mass in a chapel on the riverbank.

January 18 and 19 will mark the Feast of Theophany, which for the Eastern Churches denotes Christ’s baptism and first revelation as the Son of God and the revelation of the Holy Trinity. On the morning of January 18 a procession of Eastern Orthodox clergy and pilgrims would follow down to the river bank, where the celebration will be held. The Patriarch, by submerging the cross in the river will purify and consecrate its water, which then shall be sprinkled on the crowds of faithful. In the afternoon the Ethiopian Orthodox Church will celebrate the Baptism at the site. On the morning of January 19, the baptismal celebrations will be held by the Coptic Orthodox and the Syrian Orthodox Churches.

There are other biblical events also associated with Qasr el Yahud. Joshua, while leading the Israelites crossed the Jordan River there, and entered the Land of Canaan (Joshua 3). In addition, Elijah the Prophet ascended to heaven on a fiery chariot (2 Kings 11) at the site of Qasr el Yahud.

Qasr el Yahud is just north of the Dead Sea. If driving from Jerusalem, take the Route 1 towards Jericho’s bypass road, then turn north on the Route 90, drive approximately 2.5 km until


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you reach a grove, and then turn east in the direction of a sign saying Qasr al-Yahud. Currently, there is no public transportation which goes exactly to the site. Hiring a taxi driver or a private tour could be an option.

Opening hours: Qasr el Yahud is open daily from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. in the summer and till 4 p.m. during the winter, except on Fridays from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. (summer) or till 2 p.m. (winter). There is no entry fee. Pilgrims are advised to call before visiting on (02) 650-4844.

Yardenit Many pilgrims come to the Holy Land especially to be baptized in the Jordan River, thus the

site of Yardenit was established in 1981 as a result of the closing of Qasr el Yahud, which occurred at the time due to the unstable political situation in the region. This picturesque baptismal site, located south of the Jordan River's outlet from the Sea of Galilee, welcomes everyone who would like to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and follow Jesus’s life by experiencing the baptismal waters.

“The Wall of New Life” is Yardenit’s special feature that consists of panels in multiple languages that portray a verse from Mark describing the baptism of Jesus. "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven; "Thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well pleased." (Mark 1:9-11) “The Wall of New Life” is dedicated to all who have received baptism at this place, and symbolizes the beginning of their new life.

The site can accommodate several groups of pilgrims at once and at the site’s gift shop one can either rent or buy a white baptismal robe and a towel. In addition, there are spacious change facilities with showers and toilets.

How to get there: If driving a car, follow the signs leading to the Yardenit baptismal site along the road between Tiberias city and the Tzemach junction to its east. If you are thinking to take a public transportation from Jerusalem, Egged bus 961, which continues to Yardenit, leaves from Jerusalem Central Bus Station at 2:15 pm and 3:15 pm. After 2 hours and 35 minutes on the way, go off at the bus stop next to Ezori Beit Yerah School and then walk south around 250 meters.

Opening hours: March - November: Sun. – Thur. from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. and on Friday from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. December – February: Sun. – Thur. from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. and on Friday from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. Call on (04) 675-9111 to check site’s opening hours around the major Jewish holidays. There is no entry fee.

By Beata Adonia The Jerusalem Post – January 13, 2013

ISRAELI POPULATION APPROACHING 8 MILLION; 4% LIVE BEYOND GREEN LINE

According to a demographic study released by the Central Bureau of Statistics, 75.4 percent of Israel's population are Jews, 20.6 percent are Arabs and the remainder are mainly immigrants listed as non-Jews in the population registry.

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The Israeli population is quickly approaching 8 million residents, according to a demographic study released by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Monday. According to the report, 7,836,600 people live in Israel. Of these, 75.4 percent are Jews, 20.6 percent are Arabs and the remainder are mainly immigrants listed as non-Jews in the population registry.

Around 4 percent of the state's residents live over the Green Line. By the end of 2035, between 10 million and 12.8 million people are expected to live in the country. The Jewish population is predicted to be between 7.4 million and 9.3 million, while Arabs will number between 2.3 million and 2.9 million.

In the 35-39 age group, 16 percent of men and 12 percent of women are single. Between 2000 and 2010, the average age for marrying has risen among Jewish women from 24.4 to 25.5, while the average age among Jewish men climbed from 26.7 to 27.6. Muslims marry younger - women on average at 20.6, and men at 25.8.

Some 48,000 Israeli couples married in 2010, 75 percent of them Jewish. Some 13,000 couples divorced, 80 percent of them Jewish. Some 90 percent of the brides and grooms were marrying for the first time.

The report reveals that 166,296 babies were born in 2010, 73 percent of them Jews and 21 percent of them Muslims. Muslim fertility is still relatively high - 3.51 children per woman. However, this figure is a substantial drop from the rate of 4.74 children in 2000. The trend among Jewish women reversed, rising from 2.53 children per woman in 1995 to 2.98 in 2011.

Life expectancy for newborn babies rose by 8.6 years for boys and 8.9 years for girls since the end of the 1970s and the beginning of this decade. The Central Bureau of Statistics explains this change is due to a drop in mortality in the 45-74 age group and a reduction in infant mortality rates among Arabs.

Life expectancy among Israelis is among the highest in the world. According to statistics of the Office of Economic Cooperation and Development quoted by the Central Bureau, Israeli men are tied for second place with Japan, after first-place Switzerland. The situation among Israeli women is not quite as outstanding. Their life expectancy trails the leader, Japan, by three years.

Still, they are in a good group that includes Australia, Finland, Austria, South Korea, Iceland, Sweden and Luxembourg.

The report also reveals that 24 percent of all Israeli families have no children. Most couples - 80 percent of Arabs and 60 percent of Jews - have two children.

By Ofer Aderet Haaretz – January 14, 2013

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