Bethlehems

Bethlehems refers to multiple places named Bethlehem, as well as to other uses of the term in geography. The name derives from the Hebrew Beit Lehem, meaning “house of bread,” and it is biblically significant as the birthplace of King David and, in Christian tradition, of Jesus. The name has been applied broadly to towns and districts in various countries through history.

The most prominent Bethlehem is in the West Bank, a Palestinian city just south of Jerusalem. It is a major religious and tourist site, anchored by the Church of the Nativity. Its population includes Muslims and Christians; the city has hospitals, universities, markets, and a long history of crafts and trade. It has seen multiple administrative and political changes since the mid-20th century.

In the United States and other parts of the world, several municipalities are named Bethlehem. In the United States, the best-known are Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (a city in the Lehigh Valley known for Bethlehem Steel and historic architecture), Bethlehem, New Hampshire (a town near the White Mountains), and Bethlehem, New York (a town in Albany County). There are additional Bethlehems in Georgia, Ohio, Vermont, and other states, as well as in South Africa (Bethlehem, Free State), and in several European localities.

In common usage, “Bethlehems” may refer to any of these places collectively or to the general phenomenon of towns named after the biblical Bethlehem.