A
Third Millennium Guide to Pilgrimages to the Holy Land
(London, Melisende, 2000)
Edited by Duncan Macpherson.
Other contributors include Chris Doyle, Peter Miano and Michael Prior.
Perspectives include an historical treatment of pilgrimages to the Holy Land;
Past and present circumstances for the Palestinian Christians; denominational
identitites; prospects for peace; sample itineraries; contacts and addresses
of travel agents and agencies in Britain and Palestine.
Review
of Guide Books to the Holy Land
So you are planning to visit the Holy
Land. You want to make the most of it. You want to be prepared. Which guide
book should you buy? Here is a biased assessment of 22 you might consider. There
is no one guidebook that will suit everyone. It is hoped this review will save
you some money and make your tour or pilgrimage more memorable for having chosen
one or more really useful guidebooks. And if you come across one not listed
here please let me have your evaluation.
Ratings
Indispensable
*****
Valuable
****
Useful ***
Doubtful **
Avoid *
Every Pilgrim's Guide to the
Holy Land: Norman Wareham & Jill Gill
(Norwich: Canterbury Press; 1996. 207 pages. £6.50. ISBN 1-85311-123-6)
This is the kind of small guide book you can easily carry around with you in
the Holy Land. A no nonsense explanation of each site is given on a separate
page covering location, access, history, opening times, phone numbers, availability
of toilets together with pithy 'author's comments' which are wise and to the
point. It does what it says in the title. Quite simply the best. (Rating
*****)
Israel and the Occupied
Territories: The Rough Guide: Shirley Eber & Kevin O'Sullivan
(London: Rough Guides; 1989. 451 pages. £7.99 ISBN 1-85828-067-2)
Sadly out of print. If you like conspiracy theories, perhaps this is because
its controversial content upset the Israeli government and Jewish interest groups
pressured the publishers to drop it from the series. Apparently last year the
publishers pulled out of a contract to reissue the book shortly before the authors
had completed their update. This book is unique and well worth searching for
second-hand. The only authoritative guide to travelling around the West Bank
as well as Israel. No glossy photographs or fancy paper, simply detailed knowledge
not only about the biblical and historical sites but also on just about everything
else from bus numbers to visiting the refugee camps. Written from a perspective
sympathetic to the Palestinians. (Rating *****)
Baedeker's Israel
(Stuttgart: Baedeker (available through the AA); 1993. 445 pages. ISBN 0 671
87132 3)
Baedeker have been producing guidebooks to the region since the mid 19th Century
which has given them a wealth of knowledge and experience. I have a copy of
the fifth edition of Baedeker's Palestine and Syria, dated 1912. This latest
edition is probably the most comprehensive guide book to the Holy Land, and
the standard by which all others should be judged. The book is printed on high
quality paper so that the maps, diagrams and coloured photos are clear. It contains
comprehensive information on the topography, climate, flora and fauna, population,
religion, languages, history, etc. For the traveller there are suggested routes
as well as an A-Z of practical information. The guidebook also includes a large
useful map to the Holy Land, both of which are kept clean by a removable plastic
cover. (Rating *****)
Pilgrims and Peacemakers: A Journey
Towards Jerusalem:
Garth Hewitt (Oxford: Bible Reading Fellowship; 1995. 160 pages. £5.99.
ISBN 0 7324 0946 2) This is an exciting book combining Bible reflections, prayers
and meditations linked to geographical locations around the Holy Land. You are
also introduced to the 'Living Stones' the local Christians and hear their story
as they strive for peace and reconciliation alongside fellow Jewish and Moslem
peacemakers. This is an essential tool for pilgrims but particularly pilgrimage
leaders. An audio tape is also available from BRF on which Garth reads some
of the reflections and sings a election of songs written about the Christians
of the Holy Land. Garth's passion for holiness, peace, justice and reconciliation
shines through in this book and it is highly infectious. (Rating
*****)
The Holy Land: Everyman
Guides
(London: David Campbell; 1995. 480 pages. £20. ISBN 1 85715 891 1)
This is one of the most recent guidebooks published. Its also one of the heaviest,
lavish and most expensive but well worth the investment. It combines historical
and contemporary information with high quality photographs, three dimensional
maps and coloured drawings which illuminate the mind like no other guide book.
It also finds a balance between the needs of the Christian or Jewish pilgrim
as much as the secular tourist. The expanded pull out pages on the walls of
Jerusalem, Masada and the Via Dolorosa are particularly useful. Nor do the authors
shy away from the contemporary political struggle between Jews and Palestinians
but contain very moving poems and prose from authors such as Amos Oz and Mahmoud
Darwish. There is also a wealth of practical information on weather, transport,
and living in the country. This is my favourite. (Rating
*****)
Israel including
the West Bank and Gaza: Insight Guides
(London: Harrap/APA; 1987. 384 pages. ISBN 0 245 54400 3)
This guide comes closest to a thick National Geographic production. The book
is the product of 20 journalists, reporters and world class photographers. The
text is vivid, the maps detailed, the photos simply stunning, the information
practical. Special essays cover subjects such as archaeology, kibbutzim and
ecology. Dealing with secular Israel as much as the religious sites, this book
is probably broader and more comprehensive than is needed by pilgrims, aimed
at the wider tourist market. While dwelling on life in Israel today, the book
honestly addresses many of the issues faced by Palestinians living in the Occupied
Territories. (Rating *****)
Come See the Place:
Ronald Brownrigg
(London: Hodder & Stoughton; 1988. 273 pages. £4.95. ISBN 0 340 42578
4)
This is a revised and expanded edition of a tried and tested guidebook providing
a unique combination of the historical, devotional and practical. The book contains
detailed information on how to contact the local Christian communities and religious
sites as well as bus routes and archaeological courses. The Church Times
goes as far to claim, "It is the best informed and most comprehensive of all
the Holy Land Guidebooks that have come my way, and I found it hard to put down."
Had it contained more information of the contemporary political scene it would
have deserved five stars. (Rating *****)
Holy Land Pilgrimage: A Guide
For Visitors
(London: CCBI Middle East Relationship Committee; 1992. 33 pages. £1.95.
ISBN 0 85169 226 5) Strictly speaking not a guide book but an essential read
before you go. Encourages contact with the local Christians as well as those
of the other faith communities. (Rating *****)
The Holy Land: An
Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700: Jerome Murphy O'Connor.
(Oxford: Oxford University Press; Revised 1998. 320 pages. ISBN 0 19 285088
1)
This is a very readable guide to the archaeology and history of the Holy Land.
The back cover describes this as "Concise, readable and wittily erudite... an
ideal companion for those who intend to go and see for themselves." Quite so.
(Rating *****)
Companions of God:
Praying for Peace in the Holy Land: Janet Morley
(London: Christian Aid; 1994. 71 pages. £4.99. ISBN 0 904 379 19 1)
This is a prayer guide for pilgrims which will not only assist you in following
in the footsteps of Jesus but also "'pray with your eyes open' for a just and
lasting peace in the land where he walked." As the back cover continues, "Poignant,
biblical, but sharply contemporary, these reflections and images will resonate
in the hearts and minds even of those who cannot travel there. For those who
can, it will be an enduring resource - before, during and after your visit."
Small enough to slip into the pocket although I doubt if it will stay there
for long once you have begun to devour it. (Rating ****)
Arabs and Israel
For Beginners: Ron David
(New York: Writers and Readers; 1993. 215 pages. £6.99. ISBN 0 86316 161
8)
This is not a guide book as such but is included because it is a brilliant satirical
look at the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The back cover claims, "Arabs
and Israel for Beginners is one of few books to cover the issues of both Jews
and Arabs objectively, insightfully and in an easy-to-read style." 'Objectivity'
is a risky word to use of any book on the Middle East but in my opinion, and
I am writing this review, this comes closest to anything else I've read. Particularly
useful for those confused by facts that just don't seem to add up. (Rating
****)
Introducing the Holy
Land: A Guidebook for First-Time Visitors: J. Maxwell Miller
(London: SCM; 1982. 185 pages. £6.50. ISBN 334 02085 9)
Maxwell Miller is an archaeologist and distinguished Professor of Old Testament
at Emory University, Atlanta. He focuses on the history, archaeology and geography
of the Holy Land. Not so much a travel guide as a handbook for pilgrims with
maps, diagrams and Bible readings. (Rating ****)
Bethlehem 2000: A
Guide to Bethlehem and its Surroundings: Sawsan & Qustandi Shomali.
(Waldbrol: Flamm Druck Wagener, 1997. 144 pages ISBN 3 9802690 8 6)
This is the first tourist guide written specifically about Bethlehem and by
local Palestinian authors, both of whom are on the staff of Bethlehem University.
It rates favourably for style, detail, content, beautiful photos and imaginative
use of colour as any Western production. It provides all you ever need to know
about the historical and archaeological sites, as well as traditional arts and
Palestinian culture. That the authors know and love their homeland is obvious
on every page and I hope this will set the standard for more Palestinian authored
guide books to the Holy Land. Available from all good Palestinian hotels or
Flamm Druck Wagener, Tel 02291 4005, Fax 02291 4500. Incidentally, this is also
the first guide book I have read that invites readers to send their suggestions,
comments or corrections for the next edition. (Rating
****)
The Blue Guide: Jerusalem:
Kay Prag
(London: A & C. Black; 1989. 331 pages. £11.95. ISBN 0 393 30480 9)
This is the most comprehensive guidebook I know of dealing with Jerusalem. It
offers 17 detailed walking routes for long stays as well as short visits through
the Old City, the suburbs, Bethany and Bethlehem. This is a book for academics
as much as for pilgrims. There is much detail here on the history and architecture
of Jerusalem, its geology, topography and population. There are also plenty
of historical and route maps as well as 50 monument and city plans. Indispensable
to anyone concentrating on Jerusalem. (Rating ****)
Simon Mayo's Breakfast
in the Holy Land: Simon Mayo & Simon Jenkins
(Basingstoke: Marshall Pickering; 1988. 144 pages. £4.99. ISBN 0 551 01739
2)
For those who don't know, Simon Mayo is a Radio 1 presenter, and this 'unorthodox'
guidebook is based on a BBC Radio 1 programme voted best programme at the 1987
International Radio Festival of New York. The front cover gives a clue to its
pedigree, "A Pilgrim's Guide to Israel's Holy Places." and the back cover reveals
all with an El Al Airline logo. Inside a note acknowledges that El Al Israeli
Airlines and Superstar Holidays helped in the compilation of the book. Forgiving
Simon Mayo for such biased sponsorship, this is a book designed for young people
and in this really excels. The style is punchy and witty, and the photos just
like those we take as tourists. The maps and plans show off the skills of Simon
Jenkins who also edited and illustrated "The Bible Mapbook" and "The Bible from
Scratch" for Lion Publishers. The weakness of the book is that, despite its
spontaneity and freshness asr recording Simon Mayo's first impressions of the
land, it also reveals his, then, superficial acquaintance with the complex issues
of the Arab-Israeli conflict. What I would like to see is a second edition incorporating
the kind of material contained in Ron David's "Arabs and Israel for Beginners"
(see above). (Rating ***)
Travel Diary of the
Holy Land: John Bimson
(Tring: Lion: 1989. 95 pages. £4.95 ISBN 0 86760 996 6)
As the title indicates this is really not a guide book as such but a companion
guide with a diary for you to add your own comments about particular sites visited.
It reminds me a little of those 'I spy' books we used to take on summer holidays
as children. John Bimson is an Old Testament lecturer and archaeologist and
the historical and biblical information given about each location is clear and
concise. Although limited, this will probably satisfy many people who travel
to the Holy Land. Others will find it a handy supplement. In the back, practical
information is provided about clothing, weather and opening times. There is
also a brief introduction to the history of the Holy Land as well as an overview
of the various peoples and faiths who share it. As with all Lion books, the
photographs are stunning and the booklet comes in a nice plastic sleeve to keep
it clean. (Rating ***)
Pilgrim to the Holy
Land: A Practical Guide: Hubert J. Richards
(Great Wakering: McCrimmons: 1988. 256 pages. ISBN 0 85597 321 8)
For pilgrimage leaders, already familiar with the contemporary political situation
in the Holy Land, this is a useful book combining not only archaeological and
historical details on the important sites but also biblical quotes, prayers,
hymns and other liturgical material. Richards has apparently spent twenty years
leading Easter pilgrimages and the content on the 'Way of the Cross' is useful.
There is though one glaring omission - in his recommended "nothing left out"
14 day itinerary there is not a word about meeting with or worshipping with
the indigenous Christians (p. 23). Richards, for the most part, avoids reference
to the contemporary political situation but when he does, makes a number of
erroneous statements. For example, he claims Bethlehem is a town in Israel (p.
98). Without comment he notes with reference to Jericho how, "When Israel extended
its borders to this West Bank in 1967..." (p. 133). Again, appearing to acquiesce
over what amounts to ethnic cleansing he mentions how Nablus, "was called Shechem,
as Israel now insists on calling it again." (p. 149). A useful book in parts.
(Rating ***)
A Devotional Guide
to the Bible Lands: Batsell Barrett Baxter & Harold Hazelip
(Grand Rapids: Baker; 1980. 295 pages)
Both informative and inspirational. Dwells on geographical and historical overviews
with devotional messages. One of the best and most comprehensive including Egypt
and Jordan. On locations like Megiddo the authors gently refute the speculative
apocalyptic scenarios of some more fundamentalist authors. Probably out of print
hence two stars. (Rating **)
Michael's Guide:
Jerusalem: Dror Wahrman
(Tel Aviv: Inbal; 1987. £6.95. ISBN 965 288 008 6)
Teddy Kollek, former Mayor of Jerusalem, wrote the foreword for the book, claiming
"This guidebook is an essential companion for the discerning visitor to our
city." Dror Wahrman is a Jewish historian and guide and the book provides sixteen
comprehensive, if biased, walking tours through the city and its neighbourhoods.
On the current political scene Wahrman gives the impression of living on another
planet. "Although the question of Jerusalem's political status evolved into
one of the harshest points of controversy in the Arab-Israeli dispute, it is
rarely debated today." (p. 36). Nice try. (Rating **)
The Holy Land Today:
Basilea Schlink
(London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott; 1975. 364 pages. ISBN 3 87209 610 9)
This is indeed, as the back cover promises, 'a guidebook with a difference.'
Through prayers, devotional readings and even hymns complete with music, the
reader is confronted with the deeply emotional challenges of the holy places
and the moving events associated with the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ.
I confess to having used much of it when leading pilgrimages. Basilea Schlink
has provided a helpful devotional tool based on years of ministry associated
with the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary. Unfortunately she is also a deeply
committed Zionist and while this is not evident in this particular book her
other writings demonstrate a lamentable hostility toward the Palestinian cause.
For example in her book, 'Israel at the heart of world events' she berates the
Palestinian Intifada as 'terrorism... aimed solely at destroying Israel.' (Darmstadt-Eberstadt,
Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, 1991:29). 'Anyone who disputes Israel's right
to the land of Canaan is actually opposing God and his holy covenant with the
Patriarchs. He is striving against sacred, inviolable words and promises of
God, which He has sworn to keep.' (1991:21). Her uncompromising views are typical
of many other Zionists who elevate the State of Israel to a privileged status
far above any human sanction or criticism. (Rating **)
Travelling Through
the Promised Land: Donald Bridge
(Fearn: Christian Focus Publications; 1998. 224 pages. ISBN 1 85792 272 7)
The cover promises that this is "The best for background information" touching
on 4000 years of cultural history; recent archaeological discoveries; tour itineraries;
2000 years of church history; evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls. The question
is, "Does it deliver?" The simple answer is 'no'. The author's uncritical sympathy
for Israel spoils an otherwise useful background to the Bible. Unfortunately
Donald Bridge slanders Moslems on virtually every occasion possible. In describing
the significance of Jerusalem to Jews, Christians and Moslems, for instance,
he writes, "Jews world-wide mark their calendars with events that took place
here. Muslims world-wide are eager to engage in holy wars here..." (p. 55-56).
It doesn't live up to the promises made on its cover. (Rating
*)
Israel on a Budget:
Nava Bloch
(Tel Aviv: Israel Tourist Guides; 1989. 360 pages. ISBN 965 222 163 5)
This is a guidebook probably designed for the Jewish American student market.
In the foreword by Zion Ben David, former director of the Israel Tourism Ministry,
under the blunt heading 'Is it safe to go to Israel?' we are told that the intense
security measures inflicted on travellers is justified to catch hijackers and
terrorists, in one instance 'disguised as a pregnant woman'. We are not told
why it is also necessary to humiliate and interrogate all Palestinians travelling
to and from Israel, nor that a distinction must be made between legitimate security
measures and obtrusive intelligence gathering. This is a useful book, politically
and sociologically, in that it shows how important tourism is perceived to be
to Israel. Zion Ben David continues, 'Israel is now in a situation that it does
not want contributions - it would rather tourists came and enjoyed themselves.
For world Jewry, a visit to Israel is the right step to support the State.'
Christian pilgrims must recognise how the Israeli government will seek to ensure
our visits will 'support the State'. Inevitably the maps show the Occupied Territories
as part of the State of Israel. The entry for Gaza reads like something out
of George Orwell's '1984'. Tourists are recommended to visit one or more of
the 14 Jewish settlements and tourist sites built in the sand dunes in the southern
part of Gaza still occupied by Israel. You are encouraged to view dune agriculture,
enjoy a motor boat, kayak ride or jeep tour through the sand dunes. You can
eat at the rustic style Hof Temarin restaurant and stay in the hotel or holiday
village at the Nof Katif settlement. Apparently a 38 bus can take you there
from Ashkelon, three times a day. Although the most densely populated place
on earth you can enjoy a holiday in Gaza without ever having to meet a Palestinian.
(Rating *)