We are back in Nazareth again, this time to begin our hike on the "Jesus Trail" across Galilee to Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, and the Jordan River. We really love this city! It's without a doubt our favorite Israeli city, and it's no coincidence that this is because it's Israel's largest Arab majority city. The Palestinians make up 70 per cent of the population, and so the government has built a brand new Nazareth suburb two kilometers out that is Jews-only. A large number of the Palestinian Israeli citizens in Nazareth are Christians. As Jesus' "home town", and more importantly the site of the Annunciation, Nazareth attracts many Christian pilgrims, but also Jewish tourists who want to experience Arab Israel. Unlike Bethlehem in occupied Palestine, Nazareth is not filled with armed soldiers, and the ubiquitous presence of ultra-Orthodox Jews is also notably absent in Nazareth. The result is a relaxed culture where friendships and peace projects between Jews, Muslims, and Christians are possible and do flourish.
"If you, even you had recognized on this day the things that make for peace!!" said Jesus looking towards Jerusalem. Here in Jesus' home town the residents are actively trying to do the things that make for peace. Our tour guide ( a volunteer at the Fauzi Azur Inn) took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Nazareth, which included a stop at a coffee shop where Muslims, Christians and Jews have played board games together since 1919. While we were drinking coffee and pomegranate lemonade, we heard the voices of men laughing and mock arguing with one another.
The things that make for peace are, obviously, relationships. Although there are no Jews living in Nazareth, they come to Nazareth to shop, to visit the very fine restaurants, and to experience the city. On our way home from dinner this evening, we passed by a building whose sign was written in Hebrew and Arabic. The symbol on the sign was a Menorah. We could not tell what the building housed, but we did feel that it represented, if even symbolically, the things that make for peace.
Location:Nazareth
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