Today is the second edition of Taste of the Holy Land.

We traveled to the Holy Land with friends and pastors from our church and were led by a Washington-based, pro-peace organization called Telos (see telosgroup.org). Bethlehem was a stop early in our trip.  Have you ever visited Bethlehem?  I would like to share some striking features of Bethlehem with you. First, it is located within the walls -the "barrier"- of the West Bank. "Checkpoint 300" is located in Bethlehem and serves as a main crossing point for Palestinian laborers entering Israel, which is known for long queues starting in the early morning hours. British graffiti artist Banksy has artwork displayed on the barrier wall (as pictured above) and in his 'Walled Off' hotel in Bethlehem.  Also of course, the Church of the Nativity is in Bethlehem which contains the site known for Jesus' birth.

Unfortunately, tourism has declined as visitors often do day trips to this Christian holy site and do not stay overnight.  However, our group stayed 2 nights in Bethlehem, and I am so glad we did!

It was a bright sunny morning in Bethlehem. 19-year-old Rua introduced us to her home in the Aida Refugee Camp. Her family was one of the many displaced in the 1948 Nakba (when the state of Israel was established). Now, after 70 years and three generations, they continue to live as displaced refugees. Unfortunately, the cuts to Palestinian aid made by the U.S. in January closed this Camp's nearest healthcare clinic the day before we arrived for our visit.  Regardless, Rua had an inspiring family story to share. Rua has a twin brother with special needs.  Rua's mother -- along with some other moms-- started teaching cooking classes in 2010 to raise necessary funds to support the needs of their children with disabilities. With that, they've funded their own school for these children. Now they’ve expanded their help by offering physical therapy, speech therapy, and rehabilitation services to hundreds of children with special needs in the camp. Click here for more information!

Featured recipe: 

Spinach Soup with Chickpeas

(It's green, just in time for St. Patricks Day)

This original recipe is found in Zaaki; a cookbook from the Noor Women’s Empowerment Group (Noorweg) with Rua’s mother, Islam, as the Project Coordinator. I had a chance to speak with Islam on our visit and we quickly bonded with our shared experiences as cooking class instructors. I truly hope to be a student in her class one day!

GET RECIPE HERE!

Check out my complete collection of recipes!