#bethlehem
4 stories
The Bethlehem Star
Layla Khalidi•3 min read
Tour guide Mariam shows pilgrims the holy sites by day—but it's the astronomer Karim who shows her the real stars, and a different kind of heaven.
palestinianarabicbethlehem
The Bethlehem Widow
Layla Khalidi•5 min read
Omar, a young carpenter, takes a job restoring the home of Umm Elias, a beautiful widow whose loneliness mirrors his own.
palestinianarabicbethlehem
The Debka Teacher
Layla Khalidi•4 min read
American-born Nadia joins a dabke troupe in Bethlehem to reconnect with her roots—and finds herself falling for instructor Kareem, whose steps are as precise as his passion.
palestinianarabicbethlehem
The Stone Mason of Bethlehem
Layla Khalidi•3 min read
Master mason Yusef restores ancient churches for a living—until architect Rima arrives to document his work and becomes the most beautiful thing he's ever built.
palestinianarabicbethlehem