pact of peace prevailed. when the romans took over this area they issued laws that guaranteed the jews freedom of worship. by the first century by the time of jesus jews were building to accommodate these assemblies. we happen to be sitting in a first century synagogue building in the town of gamla. all seats going around and little bit of you see some of the columns and original decoration. it is more than worship. romans did not interfere with the jewish laws for daily living. but it did not exempt jews from being counted in the ro he man census. he was forced to travel with pregnant mary to bethlehem his ancestral home. he talked about the journey from nazareth to bethlehem. which route would they have taken from nazareth to