At Treasures of the Holy Land gift shop you participate in an ancient tradition that pilgrims before you have partaken of since the beginning of Christianity. Pilgrims have been buying precious Christian artifacts, not for their commercial value, but in order to support the Christian communities who maintain the faith in the Holy Land.
It is said that the development of a nation is measured through its art. If this is true then pilgrims have been contributing to the development of the Holy Land for centuries. Their continued support has led to the development of great masterpieces crafted of olive wood and mother of pearl. By purchasing a treasure of the Holy Land you are encouraging artisans to return to their roots and reclaim their art, rectifying the relationship between pilgrim and Palestinian Christian to one of friendship instead of one between seller and consumer.
Each item has been lovingly crafted by artisans of the same families whose works are featured in the Museum. They have passed the trade down from generation to generation. Thus every piece sold is a legacy with true value that will only increase with time. You are not just taking home an item, but are taking home a piece of history connected to the land of Jesus Christ and to the families that have been here since His time.
Only authentic pieces created by Palestinian Christians are sold at Treasures of the Holy Land. You will not find any commercially produced products. This inspires artists to go back to producing artistic products of high quality, not commercial ones for the sake of bringing in revenue. Olive wood and mother of pearl crafting as well as embroidery is an art that has formed the Palestinian Christian identity and cannot be lost.
Olive wood, mother of pearl, and embroidery is an art that has that have formed the Palestinian identity and cannot be lost. By selling authentic pieces created by Palestinians at our gift shop, we support artists who understand their trade is more than a job; it is a critical part of their identity. With this policy we hope to inspire artists to return to producing high quality pieces of art, not commercial ones for the sake of bringing in revenue. Every piece sold is a legacy with true value that will only increase with time. You are not just taking home an item; you are taking home a piece of history connected to the land of Jesus Christ and to the families that have been in the Holy Land since his time.
At our Bethlehem Museum, you see how the products before you come from a long-standing tradition, passed down from generation to generation, to deliver the item you now hold in your hand.