In the last month, I’ve traveled to both Denver and Palo Alto to share my experiences in the Holy Land and help raise money for Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a nonprofit that promotes peace and justice in Palestine through Bethlehem’s Dar al-Kalima University of Arts & Culture. Policymaking in the US and the Middle East has been impulsive and erratic lately, making it more important than ever for American citizens to reach out and gain a little context on the Holy Land — and that was the focus of my talk.
I put this report together after traveling to the Holy Land to produce a public television special, which you can stream at www.ricksteves.com/holy-land — but I’d say it’s more important to watch this hour-long talk, recorded at Grace Lutheran Church in Palo Alto. While the production is simple, the content is both timely and important.
We don’t need a one-sided narrative about the Holy Land told by someone dug-in on this complicated issue. To understand this situation, we need a “dual-narrative” approach that respects both sides. And that was what I shared in this talk: the lessons I learned by walking with caring people on both sides of the wall that divides this land.
