The Olive tree is considered sacred by Christians. In the Old Testament, olive oil was used to anoint prophets and kings, and to light the lamps at the temple of Jerusalem, the house of God. Olive oil was important for nourishment, healing, cleansing, lighting, and symbolic purposes.

Later in the New Testament, Jesus Christ was described as the "Anointed One", the Messiah. Christians were called Nozreem or Masseheen, which in Aramic and Arabic means anointed with olive oil. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who used oil for healing.

When Jesus went to Jerusalem, he went up to the Mount of Olives where he prayed and taught his disciples the word of God. The agony of our Lord was in the Garden. After the oil has been pressed out of the olives what remains can be used to make soap. Jesus was pressed down in pain in the Garden. His love for people washed away the sins of the World.

Jerusalem Cross is an acent cross that Christians used. In the 11th Century, the Crusaders used this cross for their war.

Then we, the people of the Holy Land, add some of our love and faith to make these beautiful carvings that you have. We hope that your olive wood carvings will bring joy and blessings into your life.

Written by a Christian Palestinian carver

In some of the excavations in Gaza and some other cities in the holy land, the archeologists found some drawings on walls that go back to the 2nd thousand B.C.E. These drawings show women with decorated dresses and cloths. The people in the past were making beautiful clothes for themselves and their children. This gives a good picture about the civilization in that land!

The heritage of decorating the dresses was carried from one generation to another. Two thousand years later all of the women of the bible, Sara, Ruth, Debora, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and Mary the Magdalena had a decorated dress. The material of a dress may deteriorate and disintegrate. But the section (such as with the embroidery bodice) will last for more than a hundred years.

In the markets in Bethlehem and Jerusalem a person can buy just the antique bodice embroidery section and put it into a new dress. These pieces of embroidery are passed from generation to generation.

A woman is known to be from a certain village by the color and embroidery of her dress, usually a panel down each side of the black dress and the bodice in front. Each village has a unique embroidery design and color. Usually the decoration of the dress serves the occasion--the bright colors for happy occasions and dark colors for sorrow.

Today, many Palestinian women are skilled at making these beautiful embroideries, which are used by women and men at the weddings parties and special occasions. Some people believe clothes with embroideries bring good luck and happiness!

Also for the beauty of the designs, some people decorate their homes with different embroideries in this unique art.

This embroidery is a type of cross stitch that allows use of a wider range of colored threads than embroidered on black material which is the hardest color to work on in homes with very little electricity. Red is a favorite color of the Palestinian people, but other colors are used in different villages.

This beautiful hand craft has become a major income for many Palestinian families in these very difficult days, especially for unemployed women. There are many families that have the selling of embroidery as a main income for the whole family today.

This purchase helps women and girls in refugee camps and in villages to provide food for their families and also to continue a unique and beautiful Palestinian art.

Enjoy your beautiful embroidery.

Written by a Christian Palestinian artist

'When I went to the Oasis Workshop, I went with curiosity. I realized that to me "oasis" meant water, greenery, trees, hope in the middle of a desert. How was that involved with this project?

When I toured thru the small workshop I could understand why the name, Oasis. This was indeed a place of hope, a place of creativity, a place of love, and place of employment and dignity for those people with special needs. I saw all ages who had lack of muscle control, whose minds had not developed fully, whose bodies were misshapen. But they had a ministry--a beauty to create.

This worker is applying colored sand to the artwork as a last step in the process.. 

When it is dry in large sheets it is cut into the size of cards or sheets they want. 

The sand pictures have been prepared with glue and then sand lovingly sprinkled to make the designs. Bethlehem mountain wild flowers which have been collected from the hills are expertly placed as are green leaves. When the cards are complete they are dried and ready for sale.

Tourists are extreamly scarce in the Bethlehem area and therefore the Oasis is dependent upon outside sources to tell their story and sell them. Bethlehem Imports is delighted and thrilled to offer these cards to tell their story -- that each person, whether handicapped or not, has a unique value and can contribute particular talents and gifts to the building of society-at-large. 

The Oasis Workshop provides an opportunity for the integration of people with special needs into the local community. It is indeed a special place and their work a special gift of art."
Bonnie Jones