From Berlin to Bethlehem

I think about the irony of the 20th anniversary of the Berlin wall coming down during our peacemaking trip to Israel and Palestine.

As we observe mile after mile of the wall built to separate not only the Palestinians from the Israelis, but also village from village of Palestinian people, I have to wonder about the timing of our group here now.  Might our presence put a small crack in this wall?  Twenty years ago, the permanance of the Berlin wall and the Iron curtain were unquestionable.  Is there hope, then, that this wall will also come down?

Ken Papa

                                                

Christians in the West Bank

St. George Melkite Church, Zababdeh, West Bank-Nov. 8

On Sunday nov 8th , we were all dressed nicely to participate in the liturgy of the mass with Abuna (Father) Firas in Zababdeh, a predominantly Christian village in the west bank. Abuna Firas, a Melkite priest which is a rite of catholicism still aligned with the vatican. Fr. Frias is a remarkable person, humble but with gray, steely eyes that befit his strong, unwavering character. St. George is a modest church, the pews on either side do not match, but can probably accomodate 125 parishioners, However, he explained to us that amount of space was not necessary at first since the church has been closed since 1982 with the death of the priest and at that time no other priest was sent by the bishop. After much delay and assistance from Abuna Chacour, Firas was ordained and then appointed as priest to St George’s church by request . By this time it was 2002 and from all the years of neglect and abuse, the church was in terrible condition, with windows broken, no front entrance door and several other damages. When he first went to the church, Firas found it inhabited by hundreds of rats eating at the walls and a snake that stared him in the face. The bishop told him there were no funds for repairs therefore, Firas and his wife, Doris along with a few local laborers did the repairs themselves. The first mass Abuna celebrated only 5 people were in attendance and one of them was he, that was in 2002. Over the years the congregation has increased to 50 families, however, many are unable to attend Sunday mass regularly since Sunday is a regular working day in the West Bank.

St. George’s church is so modest that Abuna Firas has no sacristry to dress in, therefore, he donned his vestments right at the altar and then proceeded to start the mass by incensing the altar. The service was spoken mainly in arabic, the vernacular of the area. His singing voice was quite strong and hypnotic and many of our group felt that the service was the most visceral they had ever experienced, His sermon was done in both arabic and english. He thanked our group for coming to witness the lives of the palestian christians and exhorted us to spread their message of peace, love and reconciliation. He graciously invited all to partake in communion-local bread and dipped in wine placed on our tongues.

After mass, coffee was served in the church courtyard with bread and cookies. He explained in his Christian rite that a child gets baptized, first communion and confirmation all at once and by the priest only; the bishop does not participate. He this was done since the population of the Palestinian Christians has decreased to 2% of Palestinian Arabs, although this area has had the earliest christians, dating back 2000 years ago when the original disciples of Jesus preached his word of love. He further stated that this was so because the Palestinian Christians feel that their plight is the hardest to contend with, being stuck between the Israeli Jews and Arab Muslims, and that they were the forgotten faith as far as attention and aid from internationals is concerned. Therefore, many Palestinian Christians leave if the opportunity arises to provide a better future for their families.

Firas stated that he has become “God’s businessman”-helping his flock to sell their homemade products such as olive oil soap and olive wood creches and assisting with adopting of local christian children by internationals for $500 /yr so that the christian children can go to the christian school and have a chance at a better tomorrow and profession, so that they will stay in palestine.

Abuna Firas, himself, is married with four children, In order to protect them and the rest of his flock he has shown himself to be a man of strength, acting like a human shield at check points so that others can pass by the soldiers and get to their olive groves, jobs, etc. He also reported that when the Jenin refuge camp was attacked in 2002 that his village was also under siege and that soldiers actually came to his home leveling their automatic rifles at his door, demanding that he come out, he refused saying no weapons could be carried into the church. He then was able to contact the Israeli Defense Force commander who called off his soldiers.

All in all, it was a very enlightening visit with this holy man,” God’s businessman”, a true "living stone”. While thousands of Christians visit traditional holy sites, very few bother to meet and worship with their brothers and sisters in Christ who live in the Holy Land. Christians in the West Bank desperately need to know they have not been forgotten by Christians in the west. They need not only our affirmation, but our help.

Bil'in protesting land confiscation

Bethlehem (posted again). New Jerusalem post below.

Jerusalem--traditional walk for Jesus' trial, crucifixion, resurrection

Jerusalem--traditional walk for Jesus' trial, crucifixion, resurrection

Dinner plans

Walked around Jerusalem all day.  Heading to the House of Hope, a muslim peacemaking org, for dinner on the Mount of Olives.

O little town of Bethlehem

The Forgotten Living Stones of Palestine

Our olive harvesting experience in the Jenin area was so enjoyable and fascinating.  A very close-knit three generation family welcomed us with big smiles began training us regarding the picking of the olives.  The grandmother sat on a mat while kindling a small fire with olive branches brought to her by the children.  The younger ones would snuggle next to her off and on-loving her hugs, plus taking short naps as they nestled their heads in her lap. Then they would scurry around gathering olives on the ground, placing then in the center o a larger mat. They were always smiling as they helped all of us.  One toddler has also learned to hit the olive trees with a small stick, causing the olives to fall to the ground. The children were never bored.

To prepare for the picking procedure, large plastic sheets were place under each tree. Women used hand-held comb-like devices to scrape olives from the branches. Men used ladders to climb to the tops of the trees. A few of us sang folk songs as we worked (sort of like the seven dwarfs ho whistled while they worked!)

After a tree was stripped of its olives, the sheets were folded over the olives and carried to a burlap bag for further transfer.

The grandmother served hot mint tea during our mid-morning break.  She had been steaming the water over her small fire,then pouring it into an ancient-looking tea kettle.

At noon, the father served lunch on another tarp, filled with a variety of vegetable spreads, fruit, sliced eat and falafal.  The family and guests sat in a large circle around the food.

After 3-4 bags were filed with olives we experienced a warm good-bye, exchanging may hugs and,kisses and the familiar "shukron" (thank you.) Theirs was probably the happiest family I've ever seen-an experience I will never forget.

Jane Foster

Flicker of Hope

Doris Shahedah was born into a long established Arab Christian family in Jerusalem during the finals days of WW II,  When fighting broke out during conflict between Jews and Arabs for the control of Palestine, her family was forced from their home and fled to Jordan. They were told they could return when the fighting ended.  When they tried to return they had to settle in East Jerusalem far from their former neighborhood.  Doris's mother pled with authorities to be permitted to at least see their former  home. She was never permitted to visit and died with a broken heart.

Having been born during the time of turmoil Doris's citizenship was classified as "indeterminate status."  It was only  recently that she was granted Israeli citizenship.  As the wife for many years of an Episcopal priest who is an Israeli citizen it was unnecessarily difficult.

Doris was astonished to learn that our group planned to visit the West Bank city of Jenin and stay with Palestinian families.  Having lived for a few years in the U.S. she has a positive view of Americans,  She has found them to be warm hearted and kind.  However,  she has continued to be saddened by their lack of knowledge about the problems of Arab Christians in Israel and the difficulties created by the occupation of

Palestine by Israel. She said she felt no hope about things improving in her life time.

We talked about our plans to attend the olive festival planned by the Fair Trade cooperative and to visit the Jenin refugee camp. We also planned to pick olives.We told her our group had come to learn more about the conflict and to meet peace makers.

During the evening her husband talked about the necessity of non violence as a solution and the need for justice with love. There were many questions from our group about options for change.

At the end of the evening Doris said our group represents a flicker of hope that others in the rest of the world will learn more about their plight and try to find ways to institute change.

                                                                                                                                                        Suzi Pifer

Barrier to Peace

Checkpoint closure

Tomorrow we will travel south to Nablus and then to Jericho.  Our intentions were to return the way we came, but we have been informed that the checkpoint 15 minutes to the north of us will be closed on Sunday at noon.  We will worship with a Melkite congregation in the morning in Zababdeh and will not make the random noon closure.  A minor inconvenience to us; a strangle hold on Palestinian livelihood.

Jenin Olive Harvest Festival

The Rev. Dr. Shahedah Shadedah and Doris Shahedah

It is a powerful evening, indeed. Dr. Shahedah Shahedah arrives at the Ginosar kibbutz with his wife, Doris. They join us for dinner and he is remarkably “western” in dress with his dark suit and Episcopal priest’s collar. Except for her simple but elegant and traditional Arab black dress, Doris does not easily fit the image of a Middle-Eastern woman. Her hair is short as well as stylish and there is no head covering. Their graciousness and level of comfort with this group of strangers is immediately apparent.
There is small-talk including a discussion of the family’s two years in Chicago while he completed a degree at McCormick Theological Seminary as well as his visits to 41 of our 50 United States for the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

After dinner, we move to a quiet area of the downstairs lounge and create a circle of fifteen Christian brothers and sisters. It is immediately more than a grouping of chairs - the bond, the passion for peace and reconciliation within this gathering is evident in each and every face.

Shehedah is a man who has spent an entire lifetime in the pursuit of peace and understanding between Jews and Palestinians and even those of us who have followed the events of recent years within Israel are surprised by his initial and very personal comments related to the flickering light of hope for his goals of peace and reconciliation between these peoples. Like so many of his generation, he has concluded that these things will not come to pass during his lifetime. Sadness? Certainly. Despair? Not this man!

Now, his faith and tenacity in ministry seem to seize the moment and he changes course. In the shadow of the dwindling numbers of Israelis and Palestinians alike, who now believe that peace is possible, he talks enthusiastically of dialogue being the only avenue of true peace and of the year-long work of his Reconciliation and Peace Department of the Episcopal Church. Leaders of all the major faiths, Muslim, Christian and Jew have unanimously agreed to, and have begun, regular direct conversation.

Next, he says, “We must start with the children,” and we are instantly transported to the home of the Shahak family and to school in Tel Mond! Was that only yesterday? In that one tiny corner of Israel, that part of the dream is already a blossoming reality! Hope!

We tackle some tough issues and questions in group discussion but now there is a renewed sense of energy and mission. When someone asks, “What can we do?” the reply is immediate and passionate. “That is a very good question. You can tell our story to others.” That is our calling...to be become his storytellers. Perhaps it is yours?

His final words will remain with me throughout the years ahead. They echo of another time and another wall. “I dream that the wall will be knocked down from both sides and that we will share the land and harvest the peace.”

Shalom and Salaam
Bob Forbes

Jenin checkpoint

We arrived in Jenin this afternoon. On our way we talked about what might happen at the check point. We prayed. As we approached, we saw fencing, gates, and an obvious military presence. Would we be hassled, delayed or let through to attend the Olive Harvest festival in Jenin? Or would we have to drive four hours further to try another check point? Fortunately, after a brief wait we were let through. Sadly, we as "tourists" were allowed in when many Palestinians had been waiting all day and had not been let through.

Mixed emotions: relief that our passage was smooth, tears that the Palestinians had to wait to go to their homes. How long will they have to wait?

Carol Papa

Tel Mond Day one

A conversation with Eliyahu McLean, peacenik

A conversation with Eliyahu McLean, peacenik

Eliyahu McLean: Building Interfaith Relationships | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

Eliyahu McLean: Building Interfaith Relationships | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Don't forget to bring some black.

Beginnings in Israel
Women in Black as we know it today began in 1988 in Israel. In 1987, 20 years after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza, the Palestinian intifada began. In response Israeli Jewish women began to stand in weekly vigils in public places, usually at busy road junctions. Starting in Jerusalem, the number of vigils in Israel eventually grew to almost forty. In the north of Israel, where the concentration of Arab communities is greatest, Palestinian women who are Israeli citizens were also active in Women in Black groups. Many local WIB groups made contact with women across the Green Line engaged in support work, e.g. visiting Palestinians in Israeli prisons.