The Nazareth Trust is one of the largest Scottish Christian organisations, the third-largest employer in Nazareth and one of the largest Christian organisations in Israel.
We are a diverse organisation with individuals from different backgrounds working together. Our story traces its roots back to 1861 when Dr Vartan, a freshly graduated Armenian doctor and devoted Christian, opened the first clinic in Ottoman Galilee.
That clinic, which initially only had four beds, has grown into the Nazareth Hospital, the region’s main trauma and acute care centre, caring for over 180,000 patients every year. Our hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in Israel, and witnesses individuals from different faiths working together. 2022 is an exceptional year for us as we celebrate the 160th anniversary of our Christian medical mission in the hometown of Jesus.
But our work goes beyond the Nazareth Hospital. It also involves healthcare education (Nazareth Academic School of Nursing), Biblical tourism (Nazareth Village) and Christian volunteering (SERVE Nazareth).
The Covid-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a challenging period for many, including the Nazareth Trust. Our staff at the Nazareth Hospital are working hard to fight the virus during Israel’s fifth Covid-19 wave. Since the pandemic started, we have transformed our hospital, setting up several Covid-19 wards, a testing site, and a new ICU and labour wards.
Now more than ever, the work of the Pastoral Care Team has proven essential to mitigate the effects of isolation and anxiety, offering emotional and spiritual support to our staff, patients and families. Sadly, our annual fundraising event – the Nazareth Challenge – which helps raise funds for expanding the Pastoral Care Team, had to be postponed until October 2022 due to the pandemic. Our students and teachers from the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing, the second-top nursing school in Israel and the only Arab nursing school in the country, also had to adapt to the new normal by learning online, but resumed face-to-face lessons in September 2021.
Likewise, the pandemic has affected our ability to interact with the international community. Unfortunately, the Nazareth Village, our open-air museum where over 1million visitors have experienced Biblical teachings, closed its doors in March 2020. In September last year, we were delighted to welcome local groups back into the museum. But we cannot wait to receive visitors from all over the world again.
SERVE Nazareth, our Christian volunteering programme, also had to temporarily pause its activity in 2020. Many volunteers are eager to come back and others to join us for the first time, so we’re praying for SERVE to reopen soon.
Despite everything, we do have a lot to be grateful for. Last December, we had the honour of receiving a visit from Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, at the Nazareth Hospital. Mr Herzog visited the hospital to express his gratitude to the management and hospital staff for the outstanding medical services provided to the region, especially during the ongoing pandemic. He said: ‘The Nazareth Hospital is distinguished by faith, a faith in God where the three religions believe in saving lives and treating those who need it. Thank you for your great work serving this community with His grace.’
We cannot wait to see what the future holds. We are hoping to host several events this year to celebrate our 160th anniversary. Will you join us in the hometown of Jesus in 2022?
Mireia is Creative Content Writer for the Nazareth Trust
Further Information About the Nazareth Trust
The trust’s website says: 'Following the teaching and example of Jesus of Nazareth, the Trust, unique in its position in the Middle East, aims to reach out to the local population and to the wider world, irrespective of faith, political persuasion or tradition, through healthcare, education, proclamation and service.
'We aim to provide excellence in healthcare to the people of Nazareth and beyond, developing our clinical and academic services in accordance with the highest international standards and becoming a hospital of choice, not only for patients but also for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
'We aim to empower our young people through an expanded provision of education courses related to health care. We aim to develop the leaders of tomorrow, by establishing a leadership programme in partnership with other Christian institutions in Nazareth taught by top Christian leaders from around the world.
'We aim to affirm, explain and illustrate the teachings of Jesus using archaeologically and historically accurate portrayals of rural life in New Testament times.
'We aim to support and encourage local Christian ministries by attracting international Christian volunteers to serve alongside them and in so doing aspire to be a uniting influence across the Christian traditions. We aim to encourage our volunteers to grow in their faith and to strengthen their commitment to a lifetime of Christian service.'
