Nazareth Village was a breath of fresh air for me. After seeing so many holy sites covered over with churches, walking through this little recreation of the village Jesus grew up in was wonderful and touching. It reminds me of a small version of the SLC pioneer village called This is the Place Heritage Park.
We were four Americans with a 40-ish group of Germans, so the Christian Jewish man would speak and then wait for the German translator to interpret throughout our tour.
Before they built the reconstruction of Nazareth Village they found ruins of terraces, which means a vineyard or garden was here.
They also found a wine press, which they used their bare feet to squish the grapes into grape juice. Our guide said they didn't use sandals on their feet for this, because that would open up the seeds and make the wine bitter.
A watch tower built next to a vineyard, to guard the vineyard from robbers or animals. Our guide reminded us of many of Jesus' stories and parables being based on his local Nazareth life - vineyards, watch towers, sheep, mustard seed, finding a lost coin, and so on.
A cute little shepherd. A baby sheep kept getting loose as he could fit through the fence. Everyone loved watching the shepherds chase him down and "bring home the lost sheep."
Nazareth Village is a "working farm," meaning they grow and harvest here. At harvest time they use these two pieces of equipment to make olive oil (photo above and below).
A recreation of a woodworker's home in Nazareth, similar to what Jesus would have been raised in.
A young man working with the wood. This may have been what Jesus looked like if we could take a peek into the past.
The roofs were made from reeds with Cyprus tree wood supporting them.
A weaver.
The weaver's helpers.
A bedroom. Notice how small the windows are and how high up. No glass window panes back then to keep out the rain, bugs, or lizards. Mom noticed the small size and height would keep out robbers.
A synagogue in Nazareth. This is similar to the one where Jesus quoted the Isaiah scripture and then said he was the fulfillment of that prophesy. When the people in Nazareth rejected him "Is this not Joseph's son?" he left Nazareth and we have no record of him returning there.
Inside the synagogue.
Joni and Amy in the synagogue.
Me holding a scroll like Jesus read from when he announced he was the Messaih.
An oil lamp they used during Jesus' time.
Leather sandals in the gift shop like the ones we think Jesus would have worn.
Beautiful flowering tree next to Nazareth Village. I pressed a few flowers for me and Malia and Grace to make a bookmark with. The flowers dry thinner than paper.
Joni at the flowering tree.
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