Bethlehem 2000 - Past and Present
by Mitri Raheb and Fred Strickert
photography by Garo Nalbandian
foreward by Yasser Arafat

Known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Bethlehem is one of the most important places of pilgrimage and tourism in the world. This lavishly illustrated book describes in detail the history and culture, religion and traditions, as well as the political situation of Bethlehem today and the everyday lives of Palestinians at the end of the twentieth century.

About the Authors
Mitri Raheb is Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and Director of the International Center of Bethlehem. Fred Strickert is Professor of Religion at Wartburg College in Iowa. Garo Nalbandian is a leading Palestinian photographer living in East Jerusalem.

Reviews
"Clearly a labor of love: a textual and photographic history of Bethlehem...The text is informative and the photographs spectacular....It is a beautiful book typographically and pictorially that would make a marvelous present for the home or a valued addition to a parish library."
-Currents in Theology and Mission

"For those who won't have the chance to tour during the upcoming months as we move into the millennium, Bethlehem 2000 is the perfect way to make that visit without ever leaving home.

A magnificent collection of photographs, Bethlehem captures the textures, the Mediterranean light and the remarkable scenes of past and present. From the countryside to the city marketplace, photographer Garo Nalbandian has caught the essence of Palestinian life at its best and at its most ordinary.

If one can pull one's eyes away from the striking pictures, an informative, yet easy-to-read text, is woven throughout this volume. Raheb and Strickert have created a remarkable work which traces Bethlehem's history, as well as that of some of the surrounding villages...the two authors bring their readers quickly through the area's history with their pity narration. Most notably, they take on summarizing the political situation since 1995 and its outcome: refugees, emigration and settlements.

Without a doubt, Bethlehem 2000 is a worthwhile buy."
-Via Dolorosa