Perillo Tours

Located in the central West Bank of Israel, modern Bethlehem is a Palestinian city, just about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem is best known as the the birthplace of Jesus, according to the New Testament, as well as the birthplace of David and where he was crowned King of Israel. Bethlehem remains home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

Modern Bethlehem is devoted largely to tourism, and still retains much of its atmosphere – Arab markets, colorful bazaars and shepherds tending pasture.

Bethlehem is first mentioned in Genesis, with news of the death of Rachel. The ancient site of Rachel's Tomb, along the biblical Bethlehem-Ephrath Road, is widely considered to be the third holiest site in Judaism, and has been visited by Jewish travelers since around 1300.  The current building was built in 1841, with permission from the Ottoman Turks to restore the tomb.

The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is considered the place of Christ's birth, and is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world.  The site is sacred to both Christianity and Islam, who believe Jesus to have been a messenger of God and a predecessor of Muhammad.

The current structure is built over the cave that ancient tradition marks as the actual site of the birth, and the lower level contains many relics. The basilica is now on the Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund. Preservation efforts would require the cooperation of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church and the Franciscan order, as well the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority.