A Season In Bethlehem

Newsweek's Jerusalem bureau chief Joshua Hammer arrived in the West Bank in October 2000 -- just after Ariel Sharon made his inflammatory visit to the Haram al-Sharif, otherwise known as the Temple Mount. Sharon's trip ignited the worst violence the Middle East had seen in decades. Overnight, the peace process gave way to an ever-worsening cycle of attack, revenge, and retaliation, destabilizing the entire region, killing thousands, and culminating in Israel's reoccupation of Palestinian towns in 2002. A Season in Bethlehem is the story of one West Bank town's two-year disintegration, as witnessed by a reporter who was there from the beginning. Woven together from Hammer's own firsthand reportage plus hundreds of interviews, it follows a dozen characters whose lives collided on the streets of this biblical city. They include a Bedouin tribesman who rose to become the commander of Bethlehem's most feared and brutal gang of gunmen; the beleaguered governor, an opponent of the al-Aqsa intifada, who believed he had a mandate to stop the violence, only to discover that Yasser Arafat was undermining him; a Christian businesman who watched helplessly as his community was squeezed between Muslim militants and the Israeli army; an eighteen-year-old female honors student turned suicide bomber; and an Israeli reservist, son of a leader of the Peace Now movement, who wrestled with his left-wing convictions as he rode to battle through the predawn streets. The narrative reaches a climax with a moment-by-moment recreation of the epochal drama that drew many of these characters together: the thirty-nine-day siege of the Church of the Nativity. A clear-eyed chronicle of deepening chaos and violence, in which Hammer lets the opposing sides speak for themselves, A Season in Bethlehem is both a timely and timeless look at how longstanding religious and political tensions finally boiled over in a place of profound resonance: the birthplace of Jesus.

Newsweek's Middle East bureau chief offers an unparalleled--and balanced--insider's perspective on the Palestinian intifada between 2000 and 2002.

The world changed forever one Bethlehem night. Best-selling author Charles R. Swindoll invites us to sit back and enjoy his personal and engaging retelling of the first Christmas story. Combining both regal mystery and humble human experience, the book focuses on four major characters: Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, and Immanuel. A Bethlehem Christmas provides biblical insight with the heart and warmth of a gifted storyteller to bring what happened at the nativity to life and renew the joyful hope of Christmas.

Christmastime is always magic, but this year seven-year-old Eddie is determined to put his own special touch on the holiday. He is given the task of setting up the manger scene at his church, and wants to add something to the traditional stable and figures that will reflect the joy he's feeling. But what should it be? Eddie's friends offer suggestions from their own customs and cultures, and the result is a nativity display like no other! "Candy Canes in Bethlehem" reminds us that the celebration of Christmas is as colorful and boundless as the imagination of a child. Interested in learning more about Christmas customs from around the globe? Visit www.DiscoveringChristmas.com for craft ideas, recipes, 'Merry Christmas' translations, stories, carols, and more. www.MiriamVanScott.com

These books combine clear text with lavish, colorful pictures to help readers understand the foundations of the Catholic faith.

In a style that is reverent and faith-filled, Anne Weems reflects on the mystery of the Christmas season. Included in this collection are twenty-six new poems as well as popular selections from her earlier works, especially Reaching for Rainbows and Family Faith Stories. Capturing the spirit of joyful celebration, they can be used in worship services, read aloud at family gatherings, or used by individuals for quiet reflection.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.