Greek Catholic Church – Beit Sahour
28/10/2011

Eleven women, wives of clergy members from the Jerusalem and Bethlehem area, attended an informational and fellowship meeting in Beit Sahour, Palestine at the Greek Catholic Church.
Mrs. Linda Touma, the wife of the Greek Orthodox priest in Jerusalem, gave reflection on John 8:32, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” She spoke about truth with love, and she also interpreted the meaning of freedom, and how we translate this into our daily lives. After her presentation, a lively discussion took place.
After a break in which the women enjoyed a tasty cake made by Mrs. Maha Ateek (wife of clergy member Naim Ateek), the meeting continued with a presentation by Mrs. Cedar Duaybis. Mrs. Duaybis is one of the authors of the KAIROS Palestine document, a statement which speaks “a word of faith, hope, and love from the heart of Palestinian suffering.” She helped the clergy wives to understand the contents of the KAIROS document and explained why it is important.
Sabeel staff discerns with community members which programs and topics are the most pertinent to discuss. A teacher and well seasoned public speaker, Mrs. Duaybis (who is also a board member at Sabeel) elaborated with appropriate examples and historical background which was important because most of the clergy wives were not familiar with the content or the significance of the KAIROS Palestine document. It was gratifying to see that this document was so well received by the women, who asked for additional copies to distribute and make available to a broader audience in Palestine.
The meeting concluded with a wonderful meal provided by the church.

On the 19th of July, 2011, fifty-five young adults from twelve different countries arrived in Jerusalem. After many months of planning, fundraising, and publicity, participants came from Sweden, Canada, South Africa, the Netherlands, France, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Norway, the United States and Palestine- Israel. Gathering from near and far, we congregated as a Christian community of faith to bear witness to the truth of the situation of Jews, Christians and Muslims alike in the Holy land. The first few days… Report

On October 14, Sabeel’s women’s group hiked through the depopulated (1948) village of Lifta, now a suburb of Jerusalem. Fourteen women participated, navigating the steep path down to the valley where the ruins of Lifta remain. The women expressed mixed feelings as they walked around the village; the beautiful scenery was breath- taking yet heart- breaking as the forcibly deserted Palestinian homes, shops, and places of worship and play formed rubble piles all around. The rocks, burned homes, and remaining structures are reminders of lives destroyed by the Zionist Para-military forces during the Palestinian Nakba.
The buildings that survived the onslaught are architecturally beautiful. Lifta is only one of about 500 villages and locations forcibly depopulated in Palestine, but it is the only one around Jerusalem not yet repopulated by Israel. Unfortunately, there is a plan in place to convert this important landmark into 212 luxury apartment buildings and shops. Rather than returning the village to its rightful owners, Israeli developers are planning to make use of it for shops and the comfort of wealthy Israelis. As it may be the last days for Palestinians to visit this area, the hike orgnized by Sabeel came at an important moment. It was the first time for these 14 women to closely experience the history, nature and fateful future of Lifta. The program ended with prayer for the people of Lifta, hoping one day they will go back and restore their lives in the their village.

Oct. 9-11, 2011
Mar Ephraim Guest House, Taybeh

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:11-12

The Annual Ecumenical Clergy Retreat was held in Taybeh from Oct. 9-11, 2011 at the Mar Ephraim Guest House. Eighteen clergy from different church denominations attended. Clergy members came from parishes in the Galilee, Bethlehem area, Ramallah, Birzeit, Taybeh and Jerusalem. Additionally, Patriarch Michael Sabbah attended the first day of the retreat.

Reverend Naim Ateek, founder and director of Sabeel, opened the retreat with a prayer and gave introductory remarks about the three-day program.

Father Jamal Khader, the Roman Catholic priest, gave a session on the Kairos Palestine document: two years after its declaration. He gave a full report on how the Kairos document has been used all over the world, naming areas such as Holland, England, and the United States. He challenged the retreat participants to maintain the ecumenical spirit that the document reflects. Importantly, Fr. Khader also mentioned that the Palestinian Authority has adopted the spirit of the document.

The clergy from Galilee asked why the document does not reflect their concerns. The response they received was that the Kairos document focused primarily on the Israeli occupation. Recognizing that the occupation is not the primary issue for people in the Galilee—rather issues of equality and identity formation dominate—perhaps there needs to be a Kairos declaration written for the Galilee.

Recommendations regarding the Kairos document:
1. To be given to our Muslim brothers and sisters in the region
2. To be translated to Hebrew
3. To have special sessions on the document in the different villages
4. To use the different Christian websites to spread it
5. To be distributed widely in the churches

The day ended with a prayer led by Fr. George Shahwan, from Beit Jala, according to the Orthodox tradition.

The second day, Oct. 10, 2011, Rev. Ibrahim Simaan from the Baptist church in Nazareth led the morning prayer and devotional. Reverend Naim Ateek then introduced the second session. He focused on “Jesus and Cesar,” and led a reflection on Mathew 5:1-20. After introducing the text and sharing various interpretations, the clergy worked with the text in working groups. Each group had discussion, guided by few discussion questions provided for them by Sabeel.

Miss Gloria Nasser introduced the third session. As an educator from Bethlehem, she spoke about “The future challenges of the clergy.” She presented a film in which she interviewed young people about what they expect from clergy and church administration. One of the things that many young people mentioned was that they would like church leaders to stand up for the truth and Human -Rights especially in the political sphere. Also they do not like to see clergy who are materialistic—for example driving expensive cars—rather they would like to see the priest have a humble economic status. An interesting discussion took place after seeing the film. The clergy agreed with some of the youth concerns, and affirmed their desire to see true servants of God rather than simply servants of the Church.

The final session of the second day (the forth session) was on “Betahone (security) Israel’s Alternative God” given by Rev. Naim Ateek . He introduced the subject, then gave the participants more time for discussion in small groups. They reflected on key Biblical passages from the Old Testament (for example, Numbers 33:50-56, Deuteronomy 20:16-18, and Ezekiel 47:21-23, and Psalm 87:1-7), and used the discussion questions provided.

The day ended with an evening prayer led by Fr. George Daaboub from the Roman Catholic Church in a village near Beit Jala called Irtas.

The third day started with a morning prayer led by Fr. Suheil Khoury from the Melkite church in Ikrit, one of the depopulated villages in Galilee. The fifth session was introduced by Rev. Naim on the “Spirituality of Nonviolence,” based on the ten nonviolence points that Fr. John Dear presented at the 8th Sabeel International Conference (Bethlehem in November 2010).

The sixth session was an open discussion about “The Impact of the Clergy Program.” Sawsan Bitar, coordinator of Sabeel’s clergy program, and Rev. Naim explained the difficulties and the challenges that are facing the program. They asked the clergy to be honest with them. Clergy showed appreciation to the role that Sabeel is playing toward the ecumenical work, saying that what they found in Sabeel meetings they will not find in any other gathering. The retreat participants asked Sabeel to hold more such programs and specifically to work more in Galilee.

 Fr. John Dear Ten nonviolence Points (arabic)

Over 25 people gathered at the Sabeel office for this month’s Open Forum. The title of the session was “Betahone, (security) the new god of Israel.” Reverend Naim led the reflection on the following biblical verses:
1 Peter 4:12-16
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 14If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief-maker. 16Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. Bottom of Form

1 Peter 5:5-11
5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
‘God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.’
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 11To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

After the Holocaust, many western Jews doubted God and God’s love for God’s people. They started to lose their faith because God allowed such evil to happen to them. Believing that God was unable to sufficiently protect them, they sought to protect themselves. When the state of Israel was founded, it immediately began to build its military force. Planted in the Middle East, it is now one of the world’s largest nuclear powers, despite its small area. In a way, military and nuclear security has become the god in whom Israel trusts. Yet, in the Old Testament as well as from the new (such as the mandate given to us in the passages from 1st Peter, mentioned above), God is the source of power and strength. Even when we are passing through terrible evil, it is God in whom we are to put our trust, rather than in nuclear weapons or other so-called security measures.

Towards the end of the Open Forum, Rev. Naim asked 2 questions:

1. What is the difference between believing in a God of Security that allows for military build-up and the God revealed in the Old Testament?

2. How does the example of Christ and the persecuted early church provide a way for us as Palestinian Christians to avoid the militaristic mistakes of the past and be obedient to the God of love, peace and Justice?

Participants had a chance to respond. The Forum concluded with Rev. Naim asking for continuous prayers that the family of nations will reach the decision to accept Palestine as a full member state.

Sabeel’s open forum continues this month with reflections over the importance of prayer for the Palestinian leadership. They are going to the United Nations in order to press for full recognition of Palestine as a state, Thirty three Palestinian Christians joined Sabeel Jerusalem for its monthly community program “Open Forum” The title was “The Palestinian People Deserve” by Rev. Naim Ateek. He explained the significance of seeking justice. He emphasized the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their determination to get full recognition for their state regardless of the fact that the USA may use its right to Veto the proposal
.
The Biblical reflections were from:

Romans 13: 8-14
Love for One Another
“ Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Matthew 18:15-17
Reproving another Who Sins
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector.”

The program ended by Rev. Naim’s encouraging words that to love one another is the core of Christian faith. The Palestinian people deserve to be loved and to live in hope and justice.

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center invites you to join us for 9 nights to experience the reality of life in today’s Holy Land:

Printable Flyer

– Worship with Palestinian Christians

– Experience the realities of the Palestinian community living under Israeli Occupation: the Wall, settlements, checkpoints, confiscated and demolished homes, refugee camps, and environmental degradation

– Meet and reflect with Palestinian Christians and Muslims as well as with Jewish Israelis and internationals who partner with Sabeel in non-violent resistance to the breaking of international and humanitarian law.

– Learn about the loss of civil and property rights of Arab Israeli citizens

When: September 14- 23, 2011 inclusive (9 nights)

Where: Nights in Bethlehem, Jerusalem

and to the Sea of Galilee Holy Sites

Cost: $1500 per person in a double room

$1850 per person in a single room

This cost includes a non-refundable registration fee of $300, all accommodations and meals for 9 nights, all transportation and honoraria during the visit. It does NOT include airfare, transportation to and from the airport, personal expenses and souvenirs, or travel insurance.

For more information please email: Maurine Tobin at mmtobin38@gmail.com or sabeel@sabeel.org or call: + 972 2 5327136

Registration Deadline: 25 August 2011

Apply Now – Registration Form

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS RIGOROUS TRIP THAT INCLUDES CLIMBING OF STAIRS AND MUCH WALKING,SOMETIME OVER ROUGH TERRAIN.

Dear friends,

We are enclosing two statements from Sabeel:

1.“The UN: Problem or Solution.” This is a short statement (844 words) to help our friends understand what might happen in the UN after September 20, 2011. This was circulated on August 24, 2011 to a limited number of friends due to technical reasons. We are making it available now to all our friends.

2.“Dilemmas and Opportunities Facing the Palestinian People.” This is a much longer version (2284 words) offering our friends a more detailed background material about the pros and cons of what might transpire later on this month.
I hope you will find these statements helpful. With best wishes,

Naim Ateek
Sabeel, Jerusalem
September 5, 2011

On the afternoon of Thursday the 19th of July, Sabeel organized a potluck gathering in the garden of St. Andrew’s Church in West Jerusalem. Twenty-one young women attended the event. For ten of them, it was their first encounter with Sabeel.

While sitting around the tables, each one of them introduced herself in a few sentences. Then it was time for the second icebreaker, the mirror game. Two wrapped boxes were placed on a table away from them. The first box had a mirror in it, and the second box had multi-colored pieces of paper with the verse from Ephesians 2:10 written on them, “For we are what He has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of li

They were told that inside the box there was something very special, something unique that God gave to the world as a special gift. The gift God gave to the world is so unique, it is one of a kind.

Each lady was asked to walk to the table, to look inside the first box and to pick a piece of paper from the second box and think about God’s gift after reading the piece of paper. This was followed by a short reflection about how we are God’s masterpiece of art.

Later they were given a short description about Sabeel’s work, its vision, mission and activities, and the need for their energy and input in order to enhance our Palestian roots in Palestine.

We all joined together in the Lord’s Prayer, and then enjoyed the food that they had all brought with them.

The program ended with requests for more such gatherings, and for brainstorming for future agendas.

On Friday, the young adults listened to a lecture by Jamal Khader on Kairos Palestine. After the lecture, we crossed the Bethlehem checkpoint into Jerusalem (singing along the way) and talked to a representative from Machsom Watch, an organization that observes and tries to facilitate movement across checkpoints. In Jerusalem, we stood vigil with the Women in Black against the occupation. Then, after lunch, we saw the beautiful depopulated village of Lifta and heard of the lobbying efforts to save it from being destroyed. Then, we went to visit the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where we learned about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian solidarity struggle, heard Rabbi Arik Ascherman discuss the work he does with Rabbis for Human Rights, and heard one family’s story of how they were forced out of their house while standing right in front of the house that was once theirs, now occupied by Jewish settlers and a full-time military presence for security.
On Saturday, the young adults visited Hebron and the South Hebron Hills. We visited the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee and toured Hebron with them, appreciating the beauty of the Old City even more with an understanding of the process of its rehabilitation. After a walk along Shuhada Street (the central street in Hebron, closed to Palestinians), we ate lunch with several local families whose homes are threatened by neighboring settlers. Afterwards we headed to At-Twani, a village located near two settlements, and talked to the local community and the Christian Peacemaker Team stationed there about their nonviolent struggle to live and work in security. We ended the day flying kites with the children of the village.

On Sunday, we went to worship in local church communities in Bethlehem. Following church, we spent the afternoon having lunch and visiting with local families. Later on we had a tour of the Church of the Nativity with one of the men who stayed there during the long seige of 248 people in the church in 2002. Mazin Qumsiyeh, a local activist, then gave a lecture about the history of popular resistance in Palestine since 1880. We ended the night with good Palestinian food and hookah at a restaurant in Beit Sahour.