LOCAL PRODUCTS

Palestinian hand made products are some of the finest in the world and available at fair prices. The tourist trade created by Christians traveling to the Holy Land enhanced the demand for these wonderful crafts and provided livelihood for many craftspeople, who learned their skills from previous generations. With so many outbreaks of unrest recently, the tourist trade has all but disappeared. Busses now make only a 2 hour pilgrimage trip to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity. Local hotels and associated travel businesses have been devastated in Bethlehem. The Gaza strip can no longer be visited at all!

Behind the 30' high concrete wall that will be 400 miles long are many items for sale from excellent craftspeople. They include famous Hebron glass, intricate embroidery, delicately carved olive wood figurines, olive oil, olive oil soap and foods. Many of these items have been exported to the U.S. as various Fair trade groups have worked hard to bring the Palestinian products to your door.

Please browse below, click on the specific web sites of interest and support Palestinian people with your purchases. Or consider a Fair Trade bazaar at church, featuring all of these products.

SOURCES FOR PRODUCTS

• Import Peace "seeks to foster economic growth opportunities and improve the quality of life for Palestinians in Palestinian Territories occupied by Israel. The goal is to ease poverty and hardship through the creation of export markets for fair trade products made in Palestine by crafters or farmers."

• Pal Craftaid, Inc., by "purchasing skillfully wrought olive wood and embroidered handcrafts...provides much needed income to artisans who carry on the handcraft skills of their people in the face of an oppressive occupation."

• Sindyanna, based in the Galilee region of Israel, "combines commercial activity with work in the community, thereby enhancing Arab women's empowerment while developing the olive industry."

IDEAS FOR SELLING PALESTINIAN CRAFTS

• Display and sell products at Craft Fairs in churches, malls, presbytery meetings, women痴 gatherings and in other special events in your community
• Hold House Parties in your neighborhood, or with friends
• Start a study group before selling to learn about traditional Palestinian works of art that identify the people and are symbols of life and hope for them
• If you have a fair trade coffee cart on Sundays, add fair trade Olive Oil and small inexpensive Palestinian crafts
• Once a month feature a Palestinian craft as a gift for birthdays, anniversaries
• In larger churches, create a gift shop with items from many different countries
• In your Church Newsletter:
  • feature a particular craft article with its history and personal stories
  • feature an article on olive trees in Palestine
• Put pictures of Palestinian Crafts on the bulletin board, especially in October, November and December before an alternative market or holiday craft fair
• Use olive wood candles for monthly Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East on the date assigned for your state
• Adopt an artisan to help sell their products
• Cooperate with other churches and organizations to sell crafts at fairs around the community