Another short blog about Bethlehem, and no apologies given. This is a city that we all sing about and think of at this time, and yet it is a city that in reality is so different from the images that the carols portray.
There is a festival going on in London at St James church, Piccadilly from 29th Dec - 5th Jan, and it is called Bethlehem Unwrapped. The first thing that you see at it is a short replica section of the separation wall that has been erected in Israel to separate the 'Israeli' land from the 'Palestinian' land. Like all man-made boundaries, it isn't accurate, and it results in families being split up, or farmers not being able to reach their farmlands etc. And of course as it was erected by the Israeli's, they get the better deal.
When I was out in Israel several years ago, I walked along the side of the wall in Jerusalem for a short distance - it is so so oppressive and intimidating; and trying to cross at a border crossing was a very tense affair. I can't imagine what it is like for those that have to cross it every day, just to get to work, or to college, or to school, or to see family - it is so so wrong.
If you are in London in the next week and have the opportunity to get along to the Bethlehem Unwrapped festival then I'd recommend it - even if just to experience standing by the wall. Here is a link to a you-tube video about the festival, either if you want to know more before going there, or to make up for not being able to go!
and here is another one of interest - it shows the reality of getting to work each day for people from Bethlehem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkWryR1PkTg
Happy Christmas!
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