Raphael Ben Hur

Summary Background of Mr Raphael Ben Hur

Raphael Ben Hur

Mr. Raphael Ben Hur is Managing Director and  co-owner of the new incoming tourism company in Israel under his name, Raphael  Ben Hur Tourism Ltd. Mr. Ben Hur holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in  International relations and Political Science (Hebrew University1979) and a law  degree (International Center Herzyilia 2000) as well as certificates and  studies in mediation (2001) and public management (1977).

Mr. Ben Hur has served in many  senior government positions in Israel throughout a career that has spanned over  32 years (1979-2011). He has held senior executive positions in the Israel  Ministry of Transportation and the Israel Railways (1984-1997). For the last 14  years he has served as a senior Director General, in the Israel Ministry of  Tourism (1997-2011).  Mr. Ben Hur is also a member  of the Maaleh Edomim City Council since being first elected in 1998. Maaleh  Edomim is a growing community approximately 10 kilometers east of  Jerusalem.

For the last nine years (2002-2011) Mr. Ben Hur has  been the Senior Director General for Tourism Services. In this capacity he has  been involved in many important development projects and services which have  been of particular importance and benefit to the Christian Pilgrimage Community.  These include:

• the development of tourism services, facilities and  sites in Nazareth;
• the  reopening and development of the authentic baptism site of Jesus, Qasar Al  Yahud in the Jordan Valley across from Jericho;
• the  restoration of the access road to the St. George Monastery;
• The development of the Gospel Trail, a 60 kilometer  trail through the Galilee hills highlighting the life and Ministry of Jesus in  the Galilee.

Through his office:

• a Christian Tourism Services unit within the Israel  Ministry of Tourism has been created;
• a joint Israel Palestinian Mini-Marathon for Peace  is run every year in Jerusalem in the memory of Pope John Paul II;
• Special  services and border crossing procedures are put in effect to ease and speed up  the flow of pilgrimages and visitors to the holy sites in Jerusalem and  Bethlehem during the Christmas season.

Over the years of his service at the Israel  Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Ben Hur has met with Christian leaders from all over the  world, assisting them to achieve their goals and dreams in their activities in  Israel. His efforts include his work with the National Nigerian Pilgrimage  Commission in their work to bring nearly 20,000 Nigerian pilgrims to Israel  annually and similarly Christian pilgrims from far over the world.

Raphael Ben-Hur speaking to group

He has greeted thousands of Christian pilgrims  during his many years of service. He communicates to them his deep religious  beliefs that Jew and Christian have a for everlasting bond in their love and  adherence to the teachings of the Bible and their love and reverence for the  Holy Land, the Land of the Bible. He believes in the importance and direct  personal physical and spiritual benefit all receive in coming to Israel to walk  and pray in the holy places and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Israel, the  Holy Land is holy to all the monotheistic religions

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