Two churches commemorate two important events in the life of John, two events that gave rise to two of the known Christian prayers – the Magnificat and the Benedictus. We will visit these two churches, the Church of Visitation, where Mary, carrying Jesus, visited Elizabeth, carrying John, and St. John Ba Harim Church, where John was born and grew up. We will walk through the picturesque alleys of the village that has not changed much during the last 2000 years and attempt to better understand John’s childhood. And in between these two churches we will learn about the Jewish passion, almost an obsession, with purification of that time, of unique individuals that came to live in Ein Kerem following the carisma of John. These include Major General Charles Gordon, the Ratisbonne brothers, two Jews who converted to Christianity and formed the Sisters of Zion Order, Eliszabeth, sister in law of the last Russian Zar, all followed the forerunner’s place of birth and where he grew as a child, some learning about him and others setting up convents and churches.