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Here you could find high quality
religious items for individuals and for Churches , our products are guaranteed
to have the highest quality and the lowest price that you
could find anywhere and that's because
We
work directly with dozens of families living in Bethlehem that
carve olive wood .
The carvers, who work
from their houses in Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahour and the refugee
camps in the Holy Land , have suffered dramatically since the military
siege began in the fall of 2000.
 The
overall income of the families has dropped by 85% since the Palestinian Intifada
began. As part of the collective punishment policies of the Israeli military
on Palestinian civilians, more than 15,000 olive trees have been uprooted
and destroyed, the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. The
olive tree and the prickly pear cactus have traditionally symbolized the spirit
of the Palestinian people and their connection to their homeland, a connection
that has remained strong, despite occupation and long years of exile and displacement.
Olive
wood carvings have been produced for millennia along the shores of the Mediterranean.
The
olive tree is an evergreen tree that grows in the Holy Land. It has numerous
branches and can survive up to 2000 years. According to the Bible, it was
an olive tree leaf that Noah’s dove brought back to the ark as a sign that
the waters were dried up from off the earth; " And the dove came in to him
in the evening, and lo, and in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked
off." (Genesis 8:11).
The
branches of olive trees have been the symbol of peace for thousands of years
and even monks have carved spoons and bowls from olive wood, both to use and
to sell.
All
carvings made of this hard wood have a varying and smooth grain, making every
piece extraordinarily unique. It is very difficult to match the grain of two
pieces since the pattern is completely hidden in the heart of the wood. Mediterranean
olive wood is heavy, dense and durable with a distinctive red pigment in its
grain. These Olive wood carvings come only from the trimmings of olive trees,
which is an essential process for healthy and proper growth of the trees,
and to promote environmental sustainability. The olive wood is then dried
and cured before it is used for carving.
Jesus
prayed in Gethsemane on his way to Jerusalem near an olive tree that still
exists today. The growth of the olive tree is subtle, its layer upon layer
creates a very curved
complex grain, making every piece unique.
Apart
form its direct Biblical associations and natural beauty it has many functional
uses. The oil extracted from the fruit is used in lamps to illuminate the
churches. Natural soap is often made from the rich, fragrant oil of this ancient
tree. All our wooden articles are made from the tree’s trimmings, an essential
process which allows a new and healthier growth.
The
livelihood and economy of the Holy Land craftspeople are dependent on
the sale of the works they produce. Nativity Church ; is dedicated to insuring
that olive wood carvers of Bethlehem do not slip into poverty simply
because they cannot sell their crafts. The skill of carving olive wood has
been passed down for many generations.
Bethlehem qualified artists hand- crafted
each part of the items below individually. Having had an exclusive hand
finish they represent exquisite environment friendly creations.
We
welcomes any of the carver's designs and are constantly encouraging the carvers
to reach new limits by providing them with new designs to produce.
We
are asking you to help your fellow brothers in
Bethlehem and in the Holy Land by buying your items directly
from them , there is no better place to get your Religious Items
than from Bethlehem , all items are made from the Holy land Olive trees and
by her children's hands .
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