31st of March 2022
While Christians continue to observe Lent, Muslims will begin fasting for Ramadan next week. Local residents and visitors will be taking part in religious ceremonies in the sacred city of Jerusalem during the coming month, with Easter celebrations for Christians, Ramadan for Muslims and Passover for Jews.
- Lord, we pray that Jerusalem will remain a city of peace through this significant time. We pray that worshippers will be granted access to their places of worship without fear of unprovoked attacks.
Lord, in your mercy…
On Tuesday, the 29th of March, the Sabeel Women’s Group took part in a special journey to Jericho. During their visit they shared in a Lenten Bible study and discussed religious and social issues together.
- Lord, we give thanks for the way the Sabeel Women’s programme is helping Palestinian Christian women to gain a deeper insight and understanding of their faith and of ways they can support each other.
Lord, in your mercy…
In a number of larger Palestinian cities voting for municipal elections took place on Saturday, the 26th of March. While the level of participation in voting for mayoral candidates is often high in Arab localities in Israel, levels are much lower in the West Bank.
- Lord, we pray for young and dynamic leaders to emerge from the Palestinian community with a passion to defend human rights and to support democratic values.
Lord, in your mercy..
Sabeel has again invited people to join their healthcare initiative. They open for enrolment every three months. Sabeel has brought together churches, non-profit organizations, lay people and businesses to develop a Health Insurance Plan which is available to the whole community.
- Lord, we are so encouraged that many Palestinian groups and individuals are signing up to the Sabeel Health Insurance Initiative to give support to those in greatest need in their communities.
Lord, in your mercy…
A new non-fiction book for young adults has recently been published which aims to tell the story of young Palestinians living in Silwan, near the Old City of Jerusalem, through their own voices. ‘Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for Their Village’ by Jody Sokolower tackles the issues faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in bite sized chapters relating to life for youngsters in Silwan.
- Lord, we pray that this new resource will help young people around the world to gain some understanding of the pressures and traumas faced by Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.
Lord, in your mercy…
Four people were killed on Tuesday, the 22nd of March, in a stabbing and car ramming attack in Beersheba in southern Israel. The assailant, Mohammed Abu Qian, a Palestinian citizen of Israel from the town of Hura, was shot by a bus driver at the scene.
- Lord, we pray for a speedy recovery for the wounded in this incident and for the grieving relatives of those who died. We pray that tensions in al Naqab region may ease and that the Bedouin will not be forced from their land by the Israeli authorities.
Lord, in your mercy…
On Monday, the 21st of March, religious leaders came together in the heart of Jerusalem to pray for peace in the Ukraine. Christian, Druze, Jewish and Muslim leaders met in Moscow Square and stood by the Russian Orthodox Church. They prayed beside a letter posted on the wall. It was written to the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and asked him to bring his influence to bear on President Putin to take immediate steps to de-escalate the conflict.
- Lord, we join with the faith leaders in Jerusalem and around the world in their prayers for an end to the hostilities taking place in Ukraine. We pray for the millions of refugees and for all those who are trying to support them.
Lord, in your mercy…
- We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
Lord, in your mercy…