Olive Wood Heart

Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative was founded in 1981 in the town Beit Sahour near Bethlehem in the central West Bank, strives to alleviate poverty, increase employment, decrease emigration, and sustain the Palestinian handicrafts industry for the benefit of the traditional handicrafts workmanship. It is also a member of WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization) and upholds fair trade principles and practices.

The Cooperative is located across the street from the Shepherd's Field where, according to tradition, the announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds by the angels took place. The Cooperative consists of 35 family-run workshops where artisans carve crosses, nativity scenes and jewelries from local olive-wood and mother-of-pearl. Olive-wood carving is an ancient heritage that dates back to as early as the 4th century with the start of Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In the 17th century, Franciscan monks introduced the art of mother-of-pearl carvings, which, together with olivewood, developed and flourished with the pilgrimage tourism in the Bethlehem area.