The EvangelicalLutheranChurch
in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)
May, 2005
Six Confirmed at the LutheranChurch of the Redeemer inJerusalem
Five young women and one young man of the LutheranChurch of the Redeemer confirmed their faith May 1 during a special worship service at the Church of the Ascension atop the Mt. of Olives. Confirmation programs here are tailored each year to the number and ages of the children, Pastor Ibrahim Azarexplained. Last year no students were confirmed, but in 2003 24 were confirmed.
In his sermon, Bishop Munib Younan told the young men and women, among them his daughter, Marta,that their roots as Palestinian Christians would be the grounding they need for an abundant and faithful life.
ELCJHL Overseas Partners' Committee
(COCOP) Holds Annual Meeting
Representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the US, members of COCOP (the Coordination Committee for Cooperation between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holyland and her Overseas Partners) met with the Bishop, staff and guests of the ELCJHL the last week of April to hear reports about the past year and strategies for furthering the challenging ministry of the ELCJHL. The Committee thanked the Rev. Said Ailibouni from the ELCA in the US for his leadership as Vice Chair the past 4 years, and voted OKR Inken Wohlbrand from VELKD in Germany as the new Vice Chair.
O, JERUSALEM, WHEN WILL YOU LEARN THE WAYS OF PEACE?
Jesus' lament over Jerusalem echoes timelessly over the hills of Jerusalem, as Palestinians and Israelis attempt to convert this "window of opportunity" for peace into a serious chance to actually achieve meaningful progress toward a just peace. As the world focus is riveted on Gaza, however, the lives of Palestinians in the OccupiedTerritories become more and more restricted. Tensions in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem have been mounting this spring as this next stage of the Wall's completion draws near amidst expectations that this summer the openings will be closed, checkpoints will tighten and special permits will be needed for people to cross back and forth. Several developments in Jerusalem are raising anxieties even higher.
The withdrawal of 8,000 settlers from Gaza has triggered much uproaramong the more extremist groups of settlers, although a large majority of Israelis support it. Several times in the past months, the OldCity has been clogged with scores of police and army on hand because of rumors that thousands of settlers would swarm the TempleMount and cause damage to the Muslim Holy Sites there, the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa mosques. The Western Wall, probably the most Holy Site of Judaism, is right on the other side. No serious injuries resulted.
A shady land deal involving the long-term leasing of key Christian property in the Old City to rumored Jewish extremists has left the Christian community here angry and in fear of losing even more ground in maintaining a presence in Jerusalem. With the continued shrinking Christian population trying to live in fewer and fewer houses with fewer and fewer business opportunities, any sale of Christian property by any one is resisted. The following statement explains the view of the Palestinian Lutheran, Latin Catholic and Episcopal churches:
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P.O.Box 14076, JERUSALEM91140
Tel: 00972 – 2 – 6276111; 6285764; E-mail:
Website:
+HB Patriarch Michel Sabbah
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
+ Bishop Riah Abu Al-Assal
Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
+Bishop Munib Younan
The EvangelicalLutheranChurch
in Jordan and the Holy Land
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P.O.Box 14076, JERUSALEM91140
Tel: 00972 – 2 – 6276111; 6285764; E-mail:
Website:
What is Life Like for Christians Behind the Wall?
Congregational Life at Redeemer in Jerusalem:
From Pastor Azar's Annual Report to the COCOP Annual Meeting:
The Jerusalem congregation is now divided in three parts: About 55% of our members live around the OldCity before the checkpoint; another 25% live between the checkpoint and the Wall; and the remaining 20% live outside the Wall. This fragments the congregation, alienates one from one another and makes it almost impossible to come together as a whole community.
EXAMPLES OF FAMILIES AFFECTED:
- Another family of 6, father, mother and four children, will have to move from the home they own which is now behind the Wall and rent in Jerusalem (where rent has now risen dramatically) so that they will not lose their Jerusalem IDs. This will mean having to pay 50-60% of their salaries in rent, while they own a big family house that will stand empty in the now devalued neighborhood. Their house is now worth about 20% of its original value. The other 13 relatives will also have to move, paying their own rent and costs.
- Another family of 14 (parents and 3 adult children and their families) now lives in the OldCity in three rooms because of the housing shortage. Rent has risen so dramatically due to the high demand for housing inside the wall. Many large families like these, which contain many daughters and sons with their own families, are living in extremely crowded conditions.
These are just a few of the countless stories I hear every day. Much of my time is now spent counseling these families, which now because of increasing movement restrictions takes an enormous amount of time. I used to be able to do 6 visits in an afternoon, now I often spend hours at checkpoints getting to do just one visit in an afternoon.
Interfaith Dialogue in Jerusalem
The Jonah Group
The Jonah group, a Jewish-Christian dialogue group begun by Bishop Younan more than 10 years ago to deepen mutual understanding, continues to meet. This week more than 40 people were invited to celebrate a Seder meal for the first time in order to learn more about this tradition and better understand the Jewish Pesach (Passover). As the Pesach is a celebration focused on the liberation of the Jewish people from oppression, Rabbi Kelman spoke about his family's suffering as Jews in Poland and I spoke about my family's suffering as Palestinians in Ber Sheva. We said that we must not allow this suffering to cause us to continue bitterness and hatred, but to commit ourselves to working toward forgiveness, reconciliation, justice and liberation for all. Orthodox, Reformed and Conservative rabbis led us through the meal, sharing with us about their experiences and traditions about Pesach.
Topics of discussion have included the understanding of fasting, reconciliation and forgiveness and how Jews and Christians understand the biblical meaning of justice and peace. In a recent meeting, we discussed different views of what "just peace" means to Jewish Israelis and Muslim and Christian Palestinians. Jewish participants agree on a two-state solution and a shared Jerusalem, but the real problem is the right of return. There is a certain understanding that acknowledging the historical injustice is something, but there is great hesitation about how many should return to Israel. A vivid discussion is still going on about issues of forgiveness and the ability of each side to truly understand the other's suffering.
An Interfaith Group of Christian, Muslim and Jewish Women has met several times at Kibbutz Nes Amim. Suad Younan reports that they are discussing real issues of understanding the other, including the real tensions of every day life and how mothers together might change our world.
The Jerusalem Committee for Jewish-Christian Relations Interfaith Initiative with ELCJHL
Five Jewish and ELCJHL Christian families meet monthly to foster understanding and fellowship.
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Greeting from Dr. Charlie Haddad, ELCJHL Schools Director
In a serious and diligent attempt to honor and implement the strategic goals developed for the ELCJHL Schools following our recent comprehensive strategic planning workshops, we are encouraging and training members of our faculty to introduce drama into their curricular lessons. This new emphasis not only helps our students to think and act creatively, but the lessons themselves also become much more enjoyable. Self-based learning,as opposed to traditional teaching styles, is also emphasized through the introduction of drama in the classroom. Moreover, children traumatized by the prevailing violence and the effects of the Israeli occupation are learning to express their feelings and bring out their emotions in a constructive and targeted manner.
All the School’s a Stage
Students Express Hopes, Fears and Dreams through Drama
I have to go to Hollywood to meet Brad Pitt!” shouts a student waking from her boredom-induced nap during a dull school lesson in the play “Dreamers”, written and performed by the 8th grade class at the Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour this April.
“You have to go WHERE?” inquires her teacher, amidst giggles and snickers from her classmates.
Theatrical productions like this one are becoming a common sight in all the ELCJHL Schools, both as extra-curricular activities and as components of academic coursework. “Dreamers” was produced as part of the 8th grade English language curriculum at the EvangelicalLutheranSchoolin Beit Sahour this spring.
“Drama is very much a part of the goals of the Lutheran Schools,” said Mr. Salameh Bishara, principal of the EvangelicalLutheranSchool in Beit Sahour. “Theater encourages students to develop their creativity and explore their own ideas.”
The ELCJHL Schools administration is encouraging the use of drama throughout the ELCJHLSchool system as a way for students to improve their public speaking ability and self confidence, as practice to increase fluency in foreign languages, and as an important creative outlet in an often stressful and oppressive political environment. Ms. Gillian Kerr-Sheppard, a drama teacher from Western Australia, has been volunteering in the ELCJHL Schools since January of 2005, teaching drama in a variety of contexts in the schools.
“Drama means being part of a whole that is greater than the individual,” said Gillian when asked about the importance of theater for young persons. “Students work together toward a common goal and learn the satisfaction this sort of work can bring.”
In working on “Dreamers” with the 8th grade class, Gillian and Mr. Salim Jaber, the students’ English teacher, asked the students to think about their own dreams for the future. Through a collaborative process the students and teachers transformed these wishes into a theatrical production, set in a fictional classroom. One by one, students fall asleep during the lesson, and the audience is given a window into each one’s dream.
Students dreamed about things common to teenagers throughout the world—from meeting Brad Pitt and being invited to his movie set, to dancing on stage with the pop star Shakira, to becoming a doctor and saving a young girl’s life. They also dreamed in uniquely Palestinian ways: one student imagined himself going to Jerusalem and being welcomed by the Israeli soldiers guarding the checkpoint with a handshake.
“Welcome to Jerusalem!” said the imaginary soldier. “I hope you enjoy your visit!”
Juxtaposed with the play’s other dreams, this one seemed no less fantastic or absurd than being invited to a Hollywood movie set. Though Jerusalem is only 10 km from Beit Sahour, a West Bank village just east of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour residents are prohibited from passing through the Israeli military checkpoint leading to the HolyCity. Permits are extremely difficult to obtain, and as a result, most students in the EvangelicalLutheranSchool in Beit Sahour haven’t been to Jerusalem in years, if they’ve ever been at all.
“I just ask the students questions to make them think,” said Gillian of the playwriting process. “I offer them guidance and help them express themselves in an artistic structure. This way, the play is really their own.”
Drama fever is fast catching on in the schools. Salameh reports that a number of classes and individual students have recently approached him about planning further theater projects and clubs in the future.
“I must go to Jerusalem!” the boy shouted with a start when he awoke from his dream on the stage.
His classmates laughed harder than ever.
Please keep in your prayers
- The students working in all art media in the ELCJHLSchools and the teachers and staff helping them to express themselves with creativity, thoughtfulness, and honesty
- The ELCJHL Schools administrators, faculty, and all working to design and implement the new ELCJHL Schools strategic plan, that they guide the work of the schools effectively for future years.
The Rev. Julie Rowe
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P.O.Box 14076, JERUSALEM91140
Tel: 00972 – 2 – 6276111; 6285764; E-mail:
Website: