Join BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz for a learning and solidarity delegation to Palestine & Israel. We will be traveling to the West Bank, specifically engaging with Palestinian activists, freedom fighters, and with special visits to Jericho, Jerusalem, and Hebron. It is an exceptional opportunity to learn, grow and connect with leaders and communities committed to creating another world possible.
This trip is open to all, across generations. Be aware that there is a significant amount of walking over uneven terrain.
Cost
The cost of $2,900 will cover transportation, special guides, honoraria, meals, and accommodation in a double room. (A single room will increase the cost by $600.) Please note the cost does NOT include airfare, tips, snacks, or souvenirs.
A $500 deposit is due on Sunday, September 1. A second payment is due on Tuesday, September 10. A final payment is due on Thursday, October 10.
You can pay by Venmo @revashlee or Zelle at 617-823-7181.
Flights
Flights will be booked individually. Please plan to arrive by Monday, November 4, in the afternoon at Ben Gurion airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv. This means your flight should leave in the evening of November 3.
We recommend you do not fly on the EL AL airline.
Trip organizers will do their best to coordinate transportation together from the airport to Bethlehem.
Zoom Gatherings
There will be 3 online gatherings before the trip:
Thursday, August 29
8 p.m. Eastern, Puerto Rico / 7 p.m. Central, Mexico / 6 p.m. Mountain / 5 p.m. Pacific
Introductions
Logsitics
Readings
Framing as a spiritual encounter
Friday, September 27
Movie night
Thursday, October 17
Final details
What to Bring
Passport (with a copy in your suitcase)
Insurance information (you can get travel/medical insurance with companies like GeoBlue)
Weather-appropriate clothing
Summer: pants, knee-length skirts, t-shirts (no bare shoulders), sandals, sneakers or comfortable walking shoes
Winter: pants, sweaters, coat, hat, gloves, comfortable walking shoes
Women should bring a scarf and long-sleeve shirt or sweater for visits to Muslim religious sites
Prescription medication in original bottles. Over-the-counter medications are easy to buy
Credit card or cash for extras and souvenirs
Trip Facilitators
The trip is organized and facilitated by Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird and Rev. Allison Tanner and is sponsored by BPFNA~Bautistas de la Paz.
Ashlee is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain (Boston), MA. She lived in Bethlehem for a year in 1995-1996 when she volunteered full-time for Sabeel Liberation Theology Center and the Middle East Council of Churches in Jerusalem. She has returned many times and spent 5 weeks of sabbatical in Palestine in 2022. The tour is assisted by several local organizations and individuals, particularly Grace Tours based in Beit Sahour.
Allison is Pastor for Public Witness at Lakeshore Baptist Church in Oakland, CA and the National Organizer for the Apartheid-Free Communities Initiative. She has been working for Palestinian justice since 2017 and has made four trips to the region. She partners closely with Kairos Palestine, a Palestinian Christian liberation movement.
Useful Sites
Required Readings
Suggested Readings
I Am a Palestinian Christian by Mitri Raheb
Mitri has a number of other great books including the recent Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, The People, The Bible
Justice and Only Justice by Naim Ateek
The Question of Palestine by Edward Said
Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine by Jeff Halper
The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe