Beit Jamal Monastery

The name Beit Jimal means "beauty house" in Arabic, the name of an Arab village that existed here in the past. In Christian tradition, the place is known as Kfar Gamla or Gamaliel and is identified with the burial place of Rabban Gamaliel II, the president of the Sanhedrin in Yavneh and the grandson of Hillel the Elder. Christians also believe that Rabban Gamaliel was the teacher and mentor of St. Paul before converting to Christianity.

A local tradition identifies the site of the burial of Saint Stephen, he was considered the first martyr in Christianity, the one who died in the sanctification of his religion, and the belief that Rabban Gamaliel appeared in the dream of the priest Lucian at the beginning of the fifth century and asked him to locate the burial place of Saint Stephen, and indeed, the bones were found in Beit Jimal, and a Byzantine church was built on the same site.

This church was destroyed in the conquest of Persia in 614. In 1869, the Salesian Order acquired the land designated for the construction of a building to serve as an orphanage and an agricultural school. In 1932, a new church was established on the remains of the Byzantine Church in the courtyard of the monastery, St. Stephen's Church. In the church there are stained glass windows depicting important events from the life of Jesus in the New Testament such as: Transfiguration - Moses, and Elijah with Jesus The birth - Mary and Jesus the baby Baptism - John and Jesus Crucifixion of Jesus The resurrection of Jesus on the third day after the crucifixion There are also mosaics related to Christian stories such as St. Stephen's stoning, the Last Supper, figures from the Torah of Adam and Eve and the prophets of Israel. In addition, the concert hall holds concerts of classical music on Saturdays.