tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239954384667308632024-02-19T08:52:02.794-08:00AlgodonThis blog is intended to provide easy access to those interested in my reflections on experiences in Israel/Palestine and in issues related to finding a just peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-4865124758373226262015-07-13T17:05:00.000-07:002015-07-13T19:50:10.414-07:00A Prophetic VoiceMany of my Episcopal colleagues were outraged. My response was more muted. I was disappointed, but not surprised.<br />
<br />
The object of much heated discussion following this Church's recent General Convention in Salt Lake City is the House of Bishops' resounding defeat of substitute resolution D016, 'Being Socially Responsible Investors in Palestine and Israel'. D016 was a "gentler" substitute for a much stronger resolution encouraging divestment of Church holdings in companies profiting from the Israeli Occupation. It was a call for adoption of <a href="http://www.bdsmovement.net/">BDS</a> – Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions – a policy of non-violent resistance to oppression first pronounced in 2005 by 171 Palestinian civil society organizations and adopted in 2009 by Christians in the <a href="http://www.kairospalestine.ps/content/kairos-document">Kairos Palestine </a>document.<br />
<br />
My response was muted because my experience at our church's 2013 GC in Indianapolis convinced me that, at least at this time, my church is not willing to risk becoming more honestly involved in seeking justice and peace for our Palestinian and Israeli brothers and sisters. I do not expect us to be of one mind in this matter. But I do expect open and honest dialogue. If D016 had at least reached the House of Deputies, a lively discussion might have been joined. But it was not allowed to see the light of day. And that saddens me.<br />
<br />
The institutional church – as well as our befuddled Congress – desperately needs to hear the<br />
prophetic voices that call us to resist complicity in oppression. One such voice, that of our friend Naim Ateek, has just spoken, clearly and honestly, to our newly elected Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry – and to us all.<br />
<br />
I am deeply grateful to Naim for his courage and creativity, his clear and consistent voice. No one has better credentials to address our failure or to call us to again be faithful.<br />
<br />
Cotton Fite<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKyxXQO2GZqffSmudlHZND1_-5Lk4Vf9rSPahjIkwcKKs-RViZTyO-EyF_aEpgBsmtXw6h-ybFNcva0DsUUdm4Hhm15yPNLXF4I29_p99ifc6JXCcPF_MTUjdrKqXpaqzvVwkUUBXc/s1600/DSC00572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKyxXQO2GZqffSmudlHZND1_-5Lk4Vf9rSPahjIkwcKKs-RViZTyO-EyF_aEpgBsmtXw6h-ybFNcva0DsUUdm4Hhm15yPNLXF4I29_p99ifc6JXCcPF_MTUjdrKqXpaqzvVwkUUBXc/s320/DSC00572.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naim Ateek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WNFmVuvmn9kWTcwdVyo9RaeODVbTTrPl26UQIJWNNHq3iquL9K-bY-oH1CqTyXgKR_l8P6ZypfLN4Fm33KQhj3NAcxrMssgy1G42adqSwFBWNITxp-rA3dTYCFQY2S7YqRUT9ZQltKY/s1600/DSC_0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WNFmVuvmn9kWTcwdVyo9RaeODVbTTrPl26UQIJWNNHq3iquL9K-bY-oH1CqTyXgKR_l8P6ZypfLN4Fm33KQhj3NAcxrMssgy1G42adqSwFBWNITxp-rA3dTYCFQY2S7YqRUT9ZQltKY/s320/DSC_0119.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naim Ateek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">July 10, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">To: Presiding Bishop-elect
Michael Curry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Dear Bishop
+Michael:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please know that I join with
all those who congratulate you on your election as the Episcopal Church’s 27<sup>th</sup>
Presiding Bishop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your election is a new
sign of hope to many people who wish to see the Church speaking prophetically
for a just world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Already, many
Palestinians in the Episcopal diocese of Jerusalem have said to me that as the
first Presiding Bishop of African descent, you know firsthand about racism,
oppression and the importance of being a prophetic voice for justice. This
gives us hope. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">I write today
to say that I was heartbroken when I heard the news and discovered that the
House of Bishops in General Convention, held in Salt Lake City, yet again, failed
to take a stand for justice on behalf of the oppressed in Palestine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Although
some of us would like to see Archbishop Suheil Dawani assume a stronger
prophetic role, what the American bishops said and did at General Convention
has a deeper ramification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The American
bishops viewed the Israeli/Palestinian conflict within the narrow parameters of
our small Episcopal Church in Jerusalem led by Archbishop Dawani.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether intentionally or not, the American
bishops failed to see the conflict as it adversely affects all Palestinians --
Christians as well as Muslims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
many Churches and organizations, religious and secular, from around the world,
that are courageously taking a stand against the injustice which is being
perpetrated by the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Israeli government and have adopted nonviolent methods to
resist it, including economic pressure.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">The Israeli
government would like the American bishops to be intimidated by veiled threats
against Bishop Suheil and our church’s institutions and thus silence the prophetic
stance of an historic Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Bishops capitulated to these threats and thus lost their focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They started thinking about what is going to
happen to Archbishop Suheil rather than what is happening to over 4 million
Palestinians who are suffering on a daily basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is not Bishop Suheil and the Church’s
institutions. They will endure with international donor support and advocacy
for the Archbishop. The problem is Israel’s illegal occupation and its repeated
violations of international law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
not about Archbishop Suheil; it is about where the American Church takes its
stand vis-a-vis the oppressed, and how it understands the Church’s complicity
through its unmonitored investments in companies that may be undergirding the
occupation and contributing to the suffering of millions of Palestinians. We
cannot talk about positive investments and then ignore our other potentially
unjust investments in an illegal and even evil system of occupation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Additionally,
the Bishops masqueraded under false arguments of “interfaith relations” or “positive
investment and not divestment.” These are tantamount to what we in Palestine
know un-affectionately as “The Interfaith Ecumenical Deal.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The agreement is to have polite conversations
and wonderful dinners with the U.S. Jewish establishment organizations provided
we remain silent about justice for the Palestinians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “ecumenical deal” looks impressive from
the outside but in actual fact it silences the prophetic and smothers the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the House of Bishops, interfaith concerns
trumped justice----again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Let me be
clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the perspective of the
victims of injustice the Bishops’ empty words on our conflict is perceived as
betrayal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bishops in essence took a
stand to support the status quo, which always benefits the oppressor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They refused to see or were unwilling to
respond to the dire situation on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">We as
Palestinians are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily </i>humiliated by
the Israeli forces; our human rights are violated <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily</i>; our homes are demolished <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily</i>
by bulldozers manufactured in the United States; our olive trees are uprooted, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily</i>; our land is confiscated and
turned over into illegal settlements, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily</i>;
our young people languish in Israeli jails, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily,</i>
with no legal charges or due process for months on end; our teenagers are taken
from their beds in the middle of the night and imprisoned by the Israeli army
on an average of two per night; and the Israeli government continues its <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">daily</i> violations of international law
while the Church remains silent. The Bishops had a Kairos moment to speak a
prophetic word of justice and chose not to do so. I am mortified to say that
the action of the Bishops is a slap in the face of our own Archbishop Tutu who
has said repeatedly that Israel’s injustice against the Palestinians is worse
than apartheid.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">There are
two questions that every Bishop needs to answer before God: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who, in his or her opinion, has benefitted
from the Bishops’ vote: the Palestinians or the Israeli government? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And whom did the Episcopal Church USA protect
through its vote, the oppressed or the oppressor? <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">It takes
strong leaders with the courage that Jesus Christ and the prophets modeled for
us to champion the cause of the oppressed. Sadly that did not happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Given the
importance of this issue in the world community, and given the potential harm
and despair that the Bishops action is causing Palestinians, I hope, Bishop
Curry, you and other fair minded bishops will revisit this issue in your next
meeting, and invite those of us who have a different perspective to engage the
House of Bishops so that we might together find the right voice for the Church
in these times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Indeed, God
continues to speak and many faithful people hear God’s call and respond to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are certain that the prophetic responsibility
will never die and there will always be people, including Bishops, who, in
faithfulness to God and in love of neighbor will strive “…to do justice, to
love mercy and to walk humbly with God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People of faith know that the movement of history is toward justice in
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The words of Martin Luther
King, Jr. are pertinent in this regard, “The moral arc of the universe is long,
but it bends toward justice.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">I pray that
through your leadership, Bishop Curry, the sun of righteousness and justice
will shine again on our Episcopal Church and that your prophetic voice, joined
by many of your fellow bishops, will courageously speak truth to power so that
the God of love, justice and peace will be glorified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Faithfully
yours,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Naim Ateek<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">President of the Sabeel Ecumenical
Liberation Theology Board Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Recipient of the Episcopal
Peace Fellowship Nevin Sayre Peace Award, 2006<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>KO</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Cc:
Archbishop Suheil Dawani, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-14423553981691475462015-05-08T12:11:00.001-07:002015-05-08T12:13:48.094-07:00Bethlehem UniversityThe vibrant spirit of Bethlehem's student body was apparent as soon as we walked on campus. Small groups of students everywhere in animated conversations accompanied by regular eruptions of laughter – just the kind of place you'd want your son or daughter to attend ... or yourself.<br />
<br />
We were met by one of the De La Salle Brothers plus Shahinda Nassar, a graduate of the University and now its Development Officer and two student "ambassadors", in our case, lovely young women, both Christian, who were informative, open, obviously very bright and motivated.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbBturPNz2bSzzHeOwNFgErGBEU3N_pGTKEAxPB-JlPp86Hw-QpeMBFg8qdDTujVYsGI2jhzm6nS335G95iP35PiakPlYbMW5S4bTJZfvBSqYG3LuAnrcXVBXif_2B9dNJ7vgr_mL5sY/s1600/DSC04395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbBturPNz2bSzzHeOwNFgErGBEU3N_pGTKEAxPB-JlPp86Hw-QpeMBFg8qdDTujVYsGI2jhzm6nS335G95iP35PiakPlYbMW5S4bTJZfvBSqYG3LuAnrcXVBXif_2B9dNJ7vgr_mL5sY/s1600/DSC04395.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj25AVJHj4ehuUgXZ4n0Ay7Q6c08DUg6djRx-Z3r96cioank9g22WdBIDt7jFijEirW5dx0JNRj2dgYUEHhCS9FobLwvM2NLzyydto9vu9l__c1aSk2nmq3iy3NITAArrTEOpDqXtCLU4/s1600/DSC04394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj25AVJHj4ehuUgXZ4n0Ay7Q6c08DUg6djRx-Z3r96cioank9g22WdBIDt7jFijEirW5dx0JNRj2dgYUEHhCS9FobLwvM2NLzyydto9vu9l__c1aSk2nmq3iy3NITAArrTEOpDqXtCLU4/s1600/DSC04394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Bethlehem University was launched in 1973 as a joint venture between the Vatican and the De La Salle Christian Brothers to serve the needs of the Palestinian people. They appear to be excelling both educationally and with a student body that is a model of inclusiveness. If I recall right, the student body is 30% Christian, 70% Muslim. "With over 14,000 graduates the story of Bethlehem University is one of people dedicated to higher education, working together in hope with an ever widening international circle of colleagues and friends committed to building a better and brighter future for the people of Bethlehem."<br />
<br />
Our student ambassadors were candid about their experience of the Occupation. Each described humiliating experiences at the check point into Jerusalem and told of their resolve not to tolerate such treatment again ... by simply refusing to return to Jerusalem, unless absolutely necessary.<br />
<br />
Unlike other church institutions, Bethlehem University reports openly on the impact of Occupation and its resolve to continue in spite of it. "Bethlehem University continues to prosper despite twelve Israeli military imposed orders for closure, in addition to incursions, travel restrictions, military check points, and the segregation wall around Bethlehem."<br />
<br />
An independent witness to the importance of this University: A Palestinian man who drove me and several friends from the Old City to the Bethlehem check point described his commitment to making a living to support his family - and to educate them. He drives illegally (not as a licensed cab) because, like so many Palestinians, he has been in an Israeli prison. He has three children, lives in two rooms with a kitchen, and gives his oldest daughter 30 shekels each day to travel to Bethlehem University in addition to 20 shekels to buy food and a soft drink. He drives 12 - 14 hours a day; his car will be impounded for three months if he is caught taking a fare for his service.<br />
<br />
A final treat: Bethlehem University has a program in hotel and restaurant management which benefitted us with one of the very best meals in our three weeks in Is/Pal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg3VsPXJO8emRNZaH5wSqrNgurdm6c_W1-xVguuJLN-v9XAWlIG5wEPxz5ul5xmh-f9KJRdCjcATibNp6wEBg9-uqNxkI5qog9Qo_810a6FtdvPF7KrJ4JQK8TdeQJdOMAQxaY4uyuZI/s1600/DSC04406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg3VsPXJO8emRNZaH5wSqrNgurdm6c_W1-xVguuJLN-v9XAWlIG5wEPxz5ul5xmh-f9KJRdCjcATibNp6wEBg9-uqNxkI5qog9Qo_810a6FtdvPF7KrJ4JQK8TdeQJdOMAQxaY4uyuZI/s400/DSC04406.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-14039298091585031842015-05-01T07:49:00.000-07:002015-05-01T08:09:17.889-07:00Seraj at Burham and AidaThe Aida Refugee Camp (in partnership with the <a href="http://alrowwadusa.org/">Alrowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Society</a>) and the village of Burham (in partnership with the Burham Charitable Society) are the sites for the sixth and seventh Seraj Libraries. Alrowwad's opened in 2014; Burham, just this past month. As Seraj libraries grow in the space made available by our partners, they are all different. What is common among them is an organization and leaders with vision and a readiness to enhance their world on behalf of their children. Pictured below are images from each of these libraries.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuie430jc-JwIY-GEAS9VAqSFTiS5IFJNK4N4QkOKY6LaHTE6dhThD5K4iU6GpoLW29kzaQLZw0eiWSaDa_IIKi0_1zfJvJrK6o4zmUN7AexvSp2joHlBD1w125cKsROEO4pw-fFqa2uI/s1600/DSC04323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuie430jc-JwIY-GEAS9VAqSFTiS5IFJNK4N4QkOKY6LaHTE6dhThD5K4iU6GpoLW29kzaQLZw0eiWSaDa_IIKi0_1zfJvJrK6o4zmUN7AexvSp2joHlBD1w125cKsROEO4pw-fFqa2uI/s1600/DSC04323.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The newly created Burham Seraj Library</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMrEL5k0G1FGgein5pDAXy5NoQ2YNUsCPyh8ABdnMVmv8d_dBP0cXHalIQkCgKzRIJpedrQ4bk6lG9Q_dtu9MmQeMxTMkBRuS1QBLhYCz7F01qPVvhYaip3iafME_QADIe11egleNaA4/s1600/DSC04317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMrEL5k0G1FGgein5pDAXy5NoQ2YNUsCPyh8ABdnMVmv8d_dBP0cXHalIQkCgKzRIJpedrQ4bk6lG9Q_dtu9MmQeMxTMkBRuS1QBLhYCz7F01qPVvhYaip3iafME_QADIe11egleNaA4/s1600/DSC04317.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghadeer Abulmiriam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF4QW_Q77ceN96t4S1HKpz5Iwb-earYtFjuUlNR3ycfPHllEP8T8WPFUrxkpJe_YyaRTZTSTELKw8V9w3M9RfwT4I7_K03hrd4cDRtIFj8Gj-8IIGN7VosIJBnBsE6kxv_v39HJn_zuQ/s1600/DSC04314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF4QW_Q77ceN96t4S1HKpz5Iwb-earYtFjuUlNR3ycfPHllEP8T8WPFUrxkpJe_YyaRTZTSTELKw8V9w3M9RfwT4I7_K03hrd4cDRtIFj8Gj-8IIGN7VosIJBnBsE6kxv_v39HJn_zuQ/s1600/DSC04314.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37svas4Owm_KN9QOF2Fw5PjEWjstcKUMf5p6xg2s3-75BEMXd0u8B-7Prb6yQYk1S9akC7K3B_1FsBDr1VO5QIdsHRQfZ_ZZE_akj4YXzszLHwockXYDkpFdKETRdkwkomt_LPI7_7bg/s1600/DSC04322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37svas4Owm_KN9QOF2Fw5PjEWjstcKUMf5p6xg2s3-75BEMXd0u8B-7Prb6yQYk1S9akC7K3B_1FsBDr1VO5QIdsHRQfZ_ZZE_akj4YXzszLHwockXYDkpFdKETRdkwkomt_LPI7_7bg/s1600/DSC04322.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supporting members</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTetLQ1IF1WpgR9EUJdU4ctWgD0HlHp16Yqs_bOLna2Uvy6ZZXb10u9zPWtbbTK-UcZLusVW-5kcGGvyQZeIquuVcrcan-j7eSFTo2byOmp3zjLf93Z-wQzfHfmxu_-VNQ265MJuYiWAE/s1600/DSC04340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTetLQ1IF1WpgR9EUJdU4ctWgD0HlHp16Yqs_bOLna2Uvy6ZZXb10u9zPWtbbTK-UcZLusVW-5kcGGvyQZeIquuVcrcan-j7eSFTo2byOmp3zjLf93Z-wQzfHfmxu_-VNQ265MJuYiWAE/s1600/DSC04340.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ghadeer Abulmiriam is the President of the Burham Charitable Society. Her cohorts told us they volunteer time and energy at the library for many reasons – to improve their own reading skills, to teach, "just to be there". What has thrilled all of them is the collaboration already developing between this little library, the local school and the village council. She told us, “Your support reminds us that we have the power to make change.” </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjehBnQBUNin4U4JfKWeWRgnx-u3guJXJnBDSkhjnvieK7G66l_775hU_EpJh7t87S64ZB841w-rhmglTqpGHo2avsR8rABXqnm-a2whtMFGrX8usEfGQ3sLilgweiUYkFswLsGyn96g/s1600/DSC04313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjehBnQBUNin4U4JfKWeWRgnx-u3guJXJnBDSkhjnvieK7G66l_775hU_EpJh7t87S64ZB841w-rhmglTqpGHo2avsR8rABXqnm-a2whtMFGrX8usEfGQ3sLilgweiUYkFswLsGyn96g/s1600/DSC04313.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Burham and the Library are hopeful of transforming the small area across the street into a village park.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Seraj at Alrowwad has a very modern feel to it. It's bright, colorful, beautifully designed and, to everyone's delight, getting used heavily. Alrowwad's director, Abdelfatah Abusrour, has described its program as Beautiful Resistance. Instead of giving in to violence to express their opposition to oppression, Alrowwad teaches its young people to develop their talents, to shape their future, to become the beautiful human beings they are.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70CxuiRD_E3zkFow7nv0EDCiHTFCiiedC-JoM5TDttM14FyGL70Yro-y8F46IXkMRPte3MQyTtmoQEMnq8mj7SzC684kLo3tMEvfKr2TnjkYFyetPZxIN7f9VM68R9er3HmvICL3IqLM/s1600/DSC04428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70CxuiRD_E3zkFow7nv0EDCiHTFCiiedC-JoM5TDttM14FyGL70Yro-y8F46IXkMRPte3MQyTtmoQEMnq8mj7SzC684kLo3tMEvfKr2TnjkYFyetPZxIN7f9VM68R9er3HmvICL3IqLM/s1600/DSC04428.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abdulfattah Abusrour </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT0pFo_MIi9K0qPoP7XopumoS8E2m2wCzLLZm_XvWL47BjVSbWOop4RDM4KV4rsEyfGGBN0COeqLwKp9v55z2YTfNLkH_3DZ9xu4jmqMWr_4CT43h4aCGxMQecjpDgcWVE-z-KT6ANKM/s1600/DSC04410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT0pFo_MIi9K0qPoP7XopumoS8E2m2wCzLLZm_XvWL47BjVSbWOop4RDM4KV4rsEyfGGBN0COeqLwKp9v55z2YTfNLkH_3DZ9xu4jmqMWr_4CT43h4aCGxMQecjpDgcWVE-z-KT6ANKM/s1600/DSC04410.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seraj at Aida</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5BSN81B5xewjf1yiJAmlijTDkotkptrcl0XPcyQg3G5nsGopNsNFg3J_G2rtwqoqw3rTYUGXibHltOMHOyHOrjOA0s5zP6ly4cxwKGoy61fG7HZGRs2keVVPirvGwo5oduvEZdH5gYs/s1600/DSC04420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5BSN81B5xewjf1yiJAmlijTDkotkptrcl0XPcyQg3G5nsGopNsNFg3J_G2rtwqoqw3rTYUGXibHltOMHOyHOrjOA0s5zP6ly4cxwKGoy61fG7HZGRs2keVVPirvGwo5oduvEZdH5gYs/s1600/DSC04420.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seraj at Aida</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-H1C7jPq4_Xc%2FVUOIP5a06QI%2FAAAAAAAAAkQ%2F54ybUyjK3zA%2Fs1600%2FDSC04314.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF4QW_Q77ceN96t4S1HKpz5Iwb-earYtFjuUlNR3ycfPHllEP8T8WPFUrxkpJe_YyaRTZTSTELKw8V9w3M9RfwT4I7_K03hrd4cDRtIFj8Gj-8IIGN7VosIJBnBsE6kxv_v39HJn_zuQ/s1600/DSC04314.JPG" -->Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-7431902311934352462015-05-01T04:10:00.000-07:002015-05-01T21:08:52.253-07:00Israeli Military "Justice"Many of you already know of the <a href="http://www.militarycourtwatch.org/">Military Court Watch</a> and <a href="http://www.dci-palestine.org/">Defense of Children International Palestine</a>. If you don't, by all means learn from their web sites. Both have given generously of their time this week to let me see first hand the relentless injustice and punishment routinely handed out to Palestinians and, particularly, to Palestinian children. DCI took me to tour the former secret Israeli military prison at Al-Fara, notorious for the torture administered to thousands of Palestinians between 1982 and the Oslo Accords in 1993. Gerard Horton and Salwa Duaibis with MCW took me and two friends to the the military courts at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofer_Prison">Ofer prison</a> where Palestinian children and young people are tried and sentenced for a variety of offenses. With advance permission we were allowed to observe several cases. Let me tell you about two.<br />
<br />
<b>Throwing Stones </b>Whether he did or did not throw stones (he said he did not), this 14 year old boy's case was heard with an Israeli prosecutor and Druze defense lawyer. The military judge had a pleasant and kindly-appearing face. The family had assented to our presence as observers, and we were each asked by the judge to give our name. Cotton and Fite were something of a novelty for them. As "civil" as it all appeared, this 14 year old received a one year suspended sentence which will continue for five years plus a fine of 400 shekels. What this sentence means is that if this lad is ever "detained" in the next five years he will be imprisoned for one year plus whatever punishment is meted out for the next "offense". This means that if he goes to the store for bread, and if some IDF soldiers are about, and if someone throws a stone, all the kids will run. If he collared, it will be his word against the soldiers. He will begin serving his sentence. Israeli military mission accomplished – 14 year old and family will live in fear for five years.<br />
<br />
<b>Searching for a Job </b>Nothing illegal about searching for a job – unless it involves entering Jerusalem without a permit. This young man was 19 years old. He sought work in Jerusalem to help support himself and his father who is unemployed and diabetic. Much the same as the first case. Only this time the Israeli assigned as translator was having a hard time staying awake. The young man was convicted and could be released on bail for 4,000 shekels ($1,000) AND two Israeli guarantors who would each put up 5,000 shekels. This for a young man and his family who are poor and haven't a chance in hell of coming up with 4000 shekels.<br />
<br />
What stood out for me with just this short exposure was how "normal", how routine it all is. Initially, it has the look of justice – the accused has a lawyer to defend him; there is standard court room procedure. But it is no such thing. It is the means by which Israel keeps the West Bank Palestinian population in submission and under total control.<br />
<br />
<b>A final word </b> At a meta level, this massive injustice, gross violation of the Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention by Israel is one thing. It is infuriating and shameful that the US/we do nothing substantial to address it. At another level, looking in the faces of Palestinian mothers and fathers who have spent hours getting here is inescapably sad. Some appear desperate; some, fearful; some, impassive. All want their children released; and all but a very few will be disappointed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-77592704802576649202015-04-26T21:54:00.003-07:002015-04-26T21:56:28.194-07:00With the Art Bus in HebronSo many happy children! Busy selecting colorful beads from trays, scrambling on the floor of the bus for a few they dropped, stringing them on a plastic cord to make their bracelet, holding them up for the admiration of their teacher.<br />
<br />
Many have ambitious visions. Not so many realize their vision. Khitam Edelbi is one, and Palestinian children are the beneficiary. It's taken years of work, but a combination of passion and perseverance, and the loyal support of friend Al Miller, have created the Art Bus.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLCNMt7HfEa79UyJs-NVzDnLAsd61z8j_BDOBcy0NyebI4WBkT65ozA8TshjNz5FzUqpXaORFbuPD2pRWG4NglWhAyBLxzoe5VZ9wtm2biKXrzpqvXWXEp6KLPevlW5KxAMTJ-hkfUTU/s1600/nazarene-bus-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLCNMt7HfEa79UyJs-NVzDnLAsd61z8j_BDOBcy0NyebI4WBkT65ozA8TshjNz5FzUqpXaORFbuPD2pRWG4NglWhAyBLxzoe5VZ9wtm2biKXrzpqvXWXEp6KLPevlW5KxAMTJ-hkfUTU/s1600/nazarene-bus-01.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
The idea is simple. To bring joy and fun to young Palestinian children growing up in a time and a place made difficult by the Israeli occupation. To see how the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nvMsCfORjU&feature=youtu.be">Art Bus</a> works, just click on the link. Pretty cool, huh?<br />
<br />
Last Thursday, Khitam and Al picked me up in East Jerusalem and we headed for Hebron where the Bus was currently doing its magic. I assumed Khitam had to be there for the show to begin, but I learned on the way down that she has trained about 60 teachers and volunteers how to use the Art Bus for a range of children and circumstances. Brilliant!<br />
<br />
When we arrived, the action had already begun, so we climbed on board to see how it works. The kids were eager but well-disciplined to wait their turn. Lots of happy faces.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAu0tYOlLbNtjwP2bufBHLwzmXdLWfv6RHAMaQUc1c_vUeZs9MjBorsMFcitGdhj3w6panBvLsc6kuoPEz5dFm5MVKdmBPk8GKTLOQo4mBJx2FYxtpYvalRv8-hv3TAE6PPp75vrPKYo/s1600/DSC04056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAu0tYOlLbNtjwP2bufBHLwzmXdLWfv6RHAMaQUc1c_vUeZs9MjBorsMFcitGdhj3w6panBvLsc6kuoPEz5dFm5MVKdmBPk8GKTLOQo4mBJx2FYxtpYvalRv8-hv3TAE6PPp75vrPKYo/s1600/DSC04056.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWBsjREVGVP31SrHLdm32K39YLimVt3kSvwMeUyx6KJkaaMh3ndOm5LhY7rsvpeEE7jdNjB-o4Z2TAXP2y08JkpN-SFPK_KcM7nYxDQ58yeNwbkuQrA8owmC0_H9amFvcAyy1io_QFr8/s1600/DSC04061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWBsjREVGVP31SrHLdm32K39YLimVt3kSvwMeUyx6KJkaaMh3ndOm5LhY7rsvpeEE7jdNjB-o4Z2TAXP2y08JkpN-SFPK_KcM7nYxDQ58yeNwbkuQrA8owmC0_H9amFvcAyy1io_QFr8/s1600/DSC04061.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting instructions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXT12KpFc9L-sLaUXM_rJlHNQzxctiMWdN4wzoqPp7WcEDvGrC5QX97VSmEFPK7yubExJyrSQYlgj0iAGo9sP-wXVUGJZDSQW2FLxc1GUXeMpebtOdLGhRmHOPfcNZY0I4HxEMzJrt4TI/s1600/DSC04116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXT12KpFc9L-sLaUXM_rJlHNQzxctiMWdN4wzoqPp7WcEDvGrC5QX97VSmEFPK7yubExJyrSQYlgj0iAGo9sP-wXVUGJZDSQW2FLxc1GUXeMpebtOdLGhRmHOPfcNZY0I4HxEMzJrt4TI/s1600/DSC04116.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting to work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gAlTTX-8EDfqOLfR8tQnjt4_wn1PoK8cqyJbywfisGdBfwGQuITPD47m7C_ByEKa4cZKXa6ZYMqWOyINpFyg3hoHrngLuWS6oCNmXCLsm6c_wVRqAC-kD51_obPE8SAmCA9V3kRhBFI/s1600/DSC04087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gAlTTX-8EDfqOLfR8tQnjt4_wn1PoK8cqyJbywfisGdBfwGQuITPD47m7C_ByEKa4cZKXa6ZYMqWOyINpFyg3hoHrngLuWS6oCNmXCLsm6c_wVRqAC-kD51_obPE8SAmCA9V3kRhBFI/s1600/DSC04087.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZWzMxTKBoMl_StLdngXsooHyG6Ncok9rix_r_rbu-5yiWadpaHfDaLM6g58hbun5Sv-sKr2XQBb6Cl_77nSE2MOvBZ0wlifCerFUeOIsDBu3Xh5X3OefzS1XGNc3LteUHzmz0tqfxvw/s1600/DSC04058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZWzMxTKBoMl_StLdngXsooHyG6Ncok9rix_r_rbu-5yiWadpaHfDaLM6g58hbun5Sv-sKr2XQBb6Cl_77nSE2MOvBZ0wlifCerFUeOIsDBu3Xh5X3OefzS1XGNc3LteUHzmz0tqfxvw/s1600/DSC04058.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVGm2SYHbfFOdk7PonwOpRBxhM0ow6o66tUZC4-UXHPginLHVW7yACWywOXOdSM_Mt1n2KGni_K-c-rKbmlxgE51OHqhX8HaDYdwLGnzajpHVZhKxQpzXZ8qQny1vYy-OubM8_SbTfzY/s1600/DSC04147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVGm2SYHbfFOdk7PonwOpRBxhM0ow6o66tUZC4-UXHPginLHVW7yACWywOXOdSM_Mt1n2KGni_K-c-rKbmlxgE51OHqhX8HaDYdwLGnzajpHVZhKxQpzXZ8qQny1vYy-OubM8_SbTfzY/s1600/DSC04147.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuJ36HNXVK2Mrl7x1MrOZBSZ5DyIcz4saTxogreCiqX7bZzK_K4mBqzRbhv47m04y7ersTDWT223VSlRAUvPtJBrZwQav0a0Nd8vQZUlB16Lb6ixNhY2X-MW0j1lOfoLMewjl63azwz8/s1600/DSC04158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuJ36HNXVK2Mrl7x1MrOZBSZ5DyIcz4saTxogreCiqX7bZzK_K4mBqzRbhv47m04y7ersTDWT223VSlRAUvPtJBrZwQav0a0Nd8vQZUlB16Lb6ixNhY2X-MW0j1lOfoLMewjl63azwz8/s1600/DSC04158.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Art Bus team<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-2235780119452654772015-04-26T04:11:00.000-07:002015-04-26T04:11:03.732-07:00On the Other Hand ...As suggested in my lament (Relentless), it feels like injustice is winning over here. Not just "feels like", it <i>is </i>winning. On the other hand, in the long run (I hope not too long) injustice doesn't stand a chance. For many reasons. The myriad of people here and around the world relentlessly acting for justice is one. What I consider the self-defeating nature of Israeli policy is another. Most of all, though, it is because of the remarkable steadfastness of the Palestinian people that this injustice will end.<br />
<br />
I ask many Palestinian friends, merchants – anyone willing to talk: "where do you find hope". The answer from most goes something like this: <i>Yes, it is terrible, and so long as the U.S. is in Israel's corner, we do not see it ending. But we are not leaving. It is as simple as that – we are not leaving. So we live our lives as best we can. We work; we feed our families; we educate our children. We are a generous, hospitable people who care for our elderly parents as they cared for us. This is how many of us resist this ghastly Occupation.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
With John and Joyce Cassel and Ayed, our generous guide from DCI (Defense of Children International), we visited the old Israeli prison at Al-Fara (above Nablus, maybe 10 km. from Zababeh). The structure was built by the Brits during the Mandate as a stable for their horses, was transferred at some point to the Jordanians, and fell into the hands of the Israeli military after '67. From 1982 through Oslo Al-Fara became a secret Israeli military prison where thousands of Palestinians, were tortured. We were led through the prison by two men, Nidal and Raed, both of whom had been prisoners there, Raed five different times for a total of 2 1/2 years. Treatment of Palestinians, young and old, at Al-Fara was unspeakable. At every step the process was intended to break their spirit, to crush any and all resistance until they "cooperated". With 6 - 8 persons in a space built as a stall for a horse, what kept them sane at times was the call to prayer issued from the near-by refugee camp 5 times a day.<br />
<br />
There is much more to say about Al-Fara, but what is most relevant here are the faces of these two men. Their humanity was not crushed by their experience. It shows in their faces. They do not hate Jews. They can and will live with them as neighbors when their human rights, civil rights are restored. When what has been taken from them is returned.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtypJVE83PtNCGitgthUtKOopwJ6Rwtcoa2h-DbrvDoVHbhKXS2Xkkj0XLJSmJWDhTvs6zlkmrhGTX_IBA7NDBKB1W2xiyupeg_O8EsdtCJmMW-LaWTD2dGZHdM-S4OsTtnmohli6EL4/s1600/DSC04224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtypJVE83PtNCGitgthUtKOopwJ6Rwtcoa2h-DbrvDoVHbhKXS2Xkkj0XLJSmJWDhTvs6zlkmrhGTX_IBA7NDBKB1W2xiyupeg_O8EsdtCJmMW-LaWTD2dGZHdM-S4OsTtnmohli6EL4/s1600/DSC04224.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nidal & Raed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOw8Y9c0VkPvFKodAHJY53PI_tJensEs2irOOHVUixDgUcSG82wpXyuKBBG808XtttA0GdMg5dxfARUsKk0QEBkul42nHLaUF2nFrkEaGEo49QUFx0KW5QcW8i1rDN18WDfZW4yKn2K4/s1600/DSC04227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOw8Y9c0VkPvFKodAHJY53PI_tJensEs2irOOHVUixDgUcSG82wpXyuKBBG808XtttA0GdMg5dxfARUsKk0QEBkul42nHLaUF2nFrkEaGEo49QUFx0KW5QcW8i1rDN18WDfZW4yKn2K4/s1600/DSC04227.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nidal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHZadUWmEJYGFUQTLe7Chh1hB3G83jTPvo2-iNvX5iFSiv_b6_l3mvobU2VYsReFhGPzFwwsv6eEsHoFPDDaoOJhLCZ-97Lg2VVN9bk_vTdTdBi8OmUlNVGQxqmZNfP0h8erSq5w9ShU/s1600/DSC04222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHZadUWmEJYGFUQTLe7Chh1hB3G83jTPvo2-iNvX5iFSiv_b6_l3mvobU2VYsReFhGPzFwwsv6eEsHoFPDDaoOJhLCZ-97Lg2VVN9bk_vTdTdBi8OmUlNVGQxqmZNfP0h8erSq5w9ShU/s1600/DSC04222.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nidal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslGP4Qk0zqoXIcMWQJ-FROtZ3EXDpc-_xOPPty9KY9hgAYTfGFLXu2dyxVt2hHWE76HQRTHeUSxUYACbBgepbGrBAkpx6Ihrox4G4g36qDduouBDmY3RvUP63LkikJrjLW_wrm7qK3Po/s1600/DSC04230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslGP4Qk0zqoXIcMWQJ-FROtZ3EXDpc-_xOPPty9KY9hgAYTfGFLXu2dyxVt2hHWE76HQRTHeUSxUYACbBgepbGrBAkpx6Ihrox4G4g36qDduouBDmY3RvUP63LkikJrjLW_wrm7qK3Po/s1600/DSC04230.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXO9tne3PNmYXt84wXhdMe7Vs0F1unBSof9IQFWbKd6YG_5TiQN-ja-MpBK5zlSm4RxMfLzNMq4iFC85xIA_PNgRRELd35eMdX-otGfxXKAupRVEXZCnOmFCge4OrrtGxsUaUk9nMEe4/s1600/DSC04231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXO9tne3PNmYXt84wXhdMe7Vs0F1unBSof9IQFWbKd6YG_5TiQN-ja-MpBK5zlSm4RxMfLzNMq4iFC85xIA_PNgRRELd35eMdX-otGfxXKAupRVEXZCnOmFCge4OrrtGxsUaUk9nMEe4/s1600/DSC04231.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raed<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At Oslo Al-Fara was designated within Area A which meant it was under Palestinian control. Yasser Arafat turned this prison and the area around it into a sports center for children and young people throughout Palestine. And so it is today. Raed is employed to manage the facilities. Nidal never went to college, but the day following our visit his oldest son, Furat, was graduating from college as a nurse. His other children, five I think, came to introduce themselves most politely as they served us Arabic coffee at his home. Nidal is a guide for international groups on walking tours of Palestine.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's because of these – and so many others on "the other hand" that justice and peace will finally prevail.<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_Sx9LArPBvn7lPJ2e-jge3cMQpwSTBUzjWJKVNr7np_jQHcC9v7CJrXF70GFQLhvnHiweWH4wY5dwp6fV0u91t7MYYP4nYLKqCwSQkClW-HgPOsdPts4IUjWuALP0d5zF58s2sUmM4g/s1600/DSC04282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_Sx9LArPBvn7lPJ2e-jge3cMQpwSTBUzjWJKVNr7np_jQHcC9v7CJrXF70GFQLhvnHiweWH4wY5dwp6fV0u91t7MYYP4nYLKqCwSQkClW-HgPOsdPts4IUjWuALP0d5zF58s2sUmM4g/s1600/DSC04282.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furat – BA, Nursing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-52763964893710105362015-04-24T06:27:00.000-07:002015-04-24T06:27:36.623-07:00RelentlessThere may be better words to describe Israel's campaign to rid Jerusalem of Palestinians, to colonize the West Bank, to establish a Jewish state from the Jordan to the Mediterranean, from Lebanon to Egypt – but <i>relentless</i> will do for now. Throughout its history Jews and Jewish Israelis have challenged this policy, slowed it at times, but it has survived from before 1948 to the present day in one form or another. And today, it is robust as well as relentless.<br />
<br />
I wish I could say otherwise. But in this my ninth trip to Israel/Palestine, no one I talk with denies it. Most agree that Israel is succeeding ... perhaps to its own demise, but by any measure, its multiple strategies/tactics are working.<br />
<br />
Let me give you small examples.<br />
<br />
Making life uncomfortable/impossible enough that Palestinians give up and leave is a strategy with multiple tactics.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Rulla, a senior staff member at the National YWCA of Palestine is Palestinian as is her husband. But he is an Israeli citizen (his family lived within the 1948 borders) as are her two children. Rulla may never travel with her husband and children.</li>
<li>With his brother Naser, Hussama is the owner of the National Hotel where I stay. The hotel is profitable and Hussama gives generously to many humanitarian projects, among them is one in Gaza. Some time ago the Israeli police asrrested Hussama citing a long list of "suspicious" charities for which he is a benefactor. Ironically, he said, they failed to include the Israeli hospital to which he gives for the care of children, Israeli and Palestinian. Husamma protested his arrest, citing American citizenship and showing his American passport. The police, who obviously had not done their homework, took the passport, threw it on the floor with the words, "Go back to America".</li>
<li> Hussama mentioned to me on Tuesday that his cousin had just received a demolition order for the home he built in 1994. It will be demolished because he built it without a building permit, a permit that is rarely, if ever, granted a Palestinian in Jerusalem. </li>
<li>Many of you know of Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian Christian farmer and creator of Tent of Nations, an international demonstration of non-violent struggle on land owned by his family for generations and registered as such during the Ottoman Empire. Israel has sought every means possible to confiscate his land for over 30 years. Israeli territorial authorities have now demanded that Daoud (and other area farmers) re-register their farms. The next step will be for aerial surveys to be examined to determine if any of the ancestral holdings should be classified as "State/Public Land" instead of personal property. </li>
</ul>
<div>
For any who care to look or listen (clearly not members of the US Congress), there are sooooooo many more examples of harassment that can have only one purpose. To rid this land of an indigenous people.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At the end of the day there are always examples that contain at least a shred of humor.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A block from my hotel is the most wonderful bookstore in the world – with surely the most wonderful cakes, sandwiches and caffe latte in the world. It's called the Educational Bookshop. It's on Salah al-Din Street in East Jerusalem.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jUk0ikmNg50WyTk_SoVhQ9TYYPH3lOwog0ygsI8VxKTjPn4RMLD_q4kTnhRZfjURkBU066Qqan8q6ZUEHksEqENV3fnOQHXfCOUarfo7-p7Ii0hpcIdlCxhpR5kRFmYxt_ppeKMD2Gw/s1600/DSC04183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jUk0ikmNg50WyTk_SoVhQ9TYYPH3lOwog0ygsI8VxKTjPn4RMLD_q4kTnhRZfjURkBU066Qqan8q6ZUEHksEqENV3fnOQHXfCOUarfo7-p7Ii0hpcIdlCxhpR5kRFmYxt_ppeKMD2Gw/s1600/DSC04183.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Educational Bookshop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z69VlsR3WCiDcYuoyRotnCinNqjePVmMxMvOT3RaSk3EeDvq1375NP5qm6Zdmkkx7MJmaWr5sdpDPqPIhRCU2cHicT1ZhqqwzqK0KClOdLqhtmlbizJvsxkw1cp_IkXv2eS8mxfVEKU/s1600/DSC04188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z69VlsR3WCiDcYuoyRotnCinNqjePVmMxMvOT3RaSk3EeDvq1375NP5qm6Zdmkkx7MJmaWr5sdpDPqPIhRCU2cHicT1ZhqqwzqK0KClOdLqhtmlbizJvsxkw1cp_IkXv2eS8mxfVEKU/s1600/DSC04188.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI26EKKca4qN43spID15p1wXrrOoId3p3hz7txKGGte7DdZ1isGB1awfgkz-F3C0wQV5DeWWf2boz9Mn7zs9JSszYKuola-v7S1He0gwXbudoNZ-KPmKYTkC965RH2VVBSNUoejE8FHSQ/s1600/DSC04191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI26EKKca4qN43spID15p1wXrrOoId3p3hz7txKGGte7DdZ1isGB1awfgkz-F3C0wQV5DeWWf2boz9Mn7zs9JSszYKuola-v7S1He0gwXbudoNZ-KPmKYTkC965RH2VVBSNUoejE8FHSQ/s1600/DSC04191.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First, you have to know Mordechai Vanunu. He's the former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing opposition to WMD, revealed Israel's nuclear weapons program to British press in 1986 for which, when Mossad caught him, he spent 18 years in prison, 11 in solitary. Released in 2004, he was subject to an array of restrictions on speech and movement. He's been rearrested several times, but when he's not in detention, he is often sited at a table outside the bookshop. Yesterday, Mordechai was at his usual table when a tall Norwegian came out of the bookshop, and chatted for a few minutes with him. Suddenly "many" Israeli police converged on the bookshop, would let no one enter or leave, and took Vanunu and tall Norwegian away for interrogation. The Norwegian tried in vain to give the bookshop manager the keys to his car which would soon be parked illegally across the street. No deal; police took his keys. The Bookshop owner called the Norwegian consulate and the tall Norwegian returned for his car fours later.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Mordechai is a quite affable man, hardly much of a threat to Israel. But then it is still a secret – so don't tell anyone. Israel ... has ... a ... stockpile ... of ... nuclear ... weapons. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-3607413731502190952015-04-22T01:56:00.000-07:002015-04-24T04:05:39.407-07:00It Just Takes OneIt just takes one to save the world. Well, more than one actually; but it takes one to get it started. Nasser Hamamreh is a school counselor at a poor boys school (Husne al Ashab) in a poor Palestinian town (Al-Ram) just outside the "security wall" built sometime after 2006 to remove it from Jerusalem and devastate its economy.<br />
<br />
And he's one.<br />
<br />
Khitam Edelbi, a Palestinian expressive art therapist and teacher, noticed Nasser's ambition to save poor Palestinian kids from destroying themselves a long time ago and was helping when she could. She introduced her pal, Al Miller, once a teacher in the Middle East, now theatre founder, director and professional clown in Brunswick, ME, to Nasser. Team Nasser taking shape.<br />
<br />
Nasser knows personally what living under occupation can do to a kid. He was convinced theatre could grab these guys interest, give them a voice, increase their confidence, quicken their creativity, develop their talent. So with few or no resources he got started. I first met Nasser in the fall of 2013 when Al was training school counselors Nasser gathered to learn how to use theatre exercises with kids in their schools. It was enormous fun and the women took to it with abandon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXMdIesvXSGXF3Y9dnRTraubWPz9Jlcse4ucVOnHHsUl_gY5NauQ0awPsUmSsoTvcXpC2wGIA3Cb-3-PYxmliD4iDn15bzFpAdDhYyBz1bR8AWnXuKwzXqH4ZRx0ZXcxCZRdnQWYdL-E/s1600/DSC02384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXMdIesvXSGXF3Y9dnRTraubWPz9Jlcse4ucVOnHHsUl_gY5NauQ0awPsUmSsoTvcXpC2wGIA3Cb-3-PYxmliD4iDn15bzFpAdDhYyBz1bR8AWnXuKwzXqH4ZRx0ZXcxCZRdnQWYdL-E/s1600/DSC02384.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasser Hamamreh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNbm_jySPWmGJ06RWM4s0iZzc8FePuozl1f1jTkTir_lG6tF1cNcjTW7DqseX7GmoHg-_9YuFpOxUeUcl-j-O9ALruT3yjVreg9Ttu1lbdRw4-FtkWktr-XRKVD8N531I63NIa2J-Vl8/s1600/DSC02380+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNbm_jySPWmGJ06RWM4s0iZzc8FePuozl1f1jTkTir_lG6tF1cNcjTW7DqseX7GmoHg-_9YuFpOxUeUcl-j-O9ALruT3yjVreg9Ttu1lbdRw4-FtkWktr-XRKVD8N531I63NIa2J-Vl8/s1600/DSC02380+2.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasser with Al Miller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxNwrt-dYEAHXBRy6SlRvfpRJtMSguU1QxFth64Scov4XYLOYNKwOe_N1GyXiUTJvbXlahbpYApzJZbMDZZbWnqfL910FPSst34KNG9lqm3n-PCszFFMaFcYN3AdHy4ZH0EgqUkshC7I/s1600/DSC02404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxNwrt-dYEAHXBRy6SlRvfpRJtMSguU1QxFth64Scov4XYLOYNKwOe_N1GyXiUTJvbXlahbpYApzJZbMDZZbWnqfL910FPSst34KNG9lqm3n-PCszFFMaFcYN3AdHy4ZH0EgqUkshC7I/s1600/DSC02404.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting started</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5T2710RsdYAE32uda99lHod7mn9IQeAqKQm3-xWkgkZGHBCDuRE6jQwIu2AooUkYwK_LLqS37Icg0-zzM5vEM-pv65PJAmz2viagfO7dTVYYXvjaCTFjQhryG1hSNosa9M7sK4xsrTeA/s1600/DSC02400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5T2710RsdYAE32uda99lHod7mn9IQeAqKQm3-xWkgkZGHBCDuRE6jQwIu2AooUkYwK_LLqS37Icg0-zzM5vEM-pv65PJAmz2viagfO7dTVYYXvjaCTFjQhryG1hSNosa9M7sK4xsrTeA/s1600/DSC02400.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian school counselors being trees ... or something</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNAwGIKwAlLl9cBM10nagn53Wp6Lgw-eG62z0hSiEA-56k9XxoTz3RW9ahOIcjMHtnIve3JFwc01NuU7vt0YZtJLQJzQUT4YE90PbC_3sjqxoiiIjjSbRkgNlVzTTq2OsBwIfQ9Kvbk0/s1600/DSC02402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNAwGIKwAlLl9cBM10nagn53Wp6Lgw-eG62z0hSiEA-56k9XxoTz3RW9ahOIcjMHtnIve3JFwc01NuU7vt0YZtJLQJzQUT4YE90PbC_3sjqxoiiIjjSbRkgNlVzTTq2OsBwIfQ9Kvbk0/s1600/DSC02402.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al makes it all great fun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCDQZumzM3waLq-3oxYx2EMlBTVZAr-ULYG4FTDQ0vs9r9WdiVr47Mw1hBR6IMNhsehyXWfKP3V-8ohgyzVRw5SbhFSpoOaSl-X0-uzkMGjNiKqNBolq7f0pxk0rwikeOrXSxWpsvzWk/s1600/DSC02420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCDQZumzM3waLq-3oxYx2EMlBTVZAr-ULYG4FTDQ0vs9r9WdiVr47Mw1hBR6IMNhsehyXWfKP3V-8ohgyzVRw5SbhFSpoOaSl-X0-uzkMGjNiKqNBolq7f0pxk0rwikeOrXSxWpsvzWk/s1600/DSC02420.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Training day in Al-Ram, fall 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpTFnHIsli_cxu8AQBZ4v2ezQAfJRME1dL3JUmRIkAjm4hsCbMAwEEjColbrAlggpc0jeUemr_pvcE1r5vhI7-6wEdjkXLSFo7l3uuroXyDGmKpbr8Z-uab83OHTyOjLrOD1imhxV8S0/s1600/DSC02450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpTFnHIsli_cxu8AQBZ4v2ezQAfJRME1dL3JUmRIkAjm4hsCbMAwEEjColbrAlggpc0jeUemr_pvcE1r5vhI7-6wEdjkXLSFo7l3uuroXyDGmKpbr8Z-uab83OHTyOjLrOD1imhxV8S0/s1600/DSC02450.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasser telling his story<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By sheer luck and various Palestinians kindly looking out for me, I found my way on Monday to Al-Ram and Husne al Shab school. Bus to Qalandia check point (Israelis let you leave Israel with no sweat; it's when you come back in that a hassle is probable), taxi from the West Bank side of Qalandia to the school. A very cool driver who spoke perfect English, gently corrected my miserable attempt at Arabic and, in discussion about "conditions" here pointed out that the Israeli Congress now only meets in Washington, DC.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I got to the school and walked though the soccer "field" 10 high school students surrounded and escorted me to the correct entrance. "What's your name? Where are you from? My name is ......"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
Nasser greeted me warmly and introduced me to Hussam abu Esheh, an actor, director, teacher, Palestinian TV personality (Hussam is a whole other story!). Al appeared shortly thereafter. So we got started. Since 2013 Nasser had scraped together financial support from various sources to create a surprisingly well outfitted theatre. Hussam had been working with the boys and this was to be another rehearsal. What a treat! The kids could not have been more eager, engaged, confident, creative. Hussam was a demanding director and the kids performed like pros.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYjXtUuEoi1L5v369o3slwl-2YsWELaD5kA0o5RD82Ffa-gxARAWUE9V-IKWlWbtWRl2qZJbngjneLa1bs5GXJMOphTPDNcYOJ1eDgQgdryZvkffAqi9KTlyT-I_HIZ2eIzWh-Y-_gEU/s1600/DSC03996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYjXtUuEoi1L5v369o3slwl-2YsWELaD5kA0o5RD82Ffa-gxARAWUE9V-IKWlWbtWRl2qZJbngjneLa1bs5GXJMOphTPDNcYOJ1eDgQgdryZvkffAqi9KTlyT-I_HIZ2eIzWh-Y-_gEU/s1600/DSC03996.JPG" height="228" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hussam abu Esheh<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfzDlBwYTvNRwQTyvOIkXgwDGyJdczUThCZTzhFvEdD-ZnmAbkezQp16cFB_J-acNY5D7Z8AWSPQorxXoOb2Dg7dOf9ap5n4B2KliTzEraEHXMYv0kNoKdYJYDyqIT_A8pK4SeFpCeA4/s1600/DSC03987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfzDlBwYTvNRwQTyvOIkXgwDGyJdczUThCZTzhFvEdD-ZnmAbkezQp16cFB_J-acNY5D7Z8AWSPQorxXoOb2Dg7dOf9ap5n4B2KliTzEraEHXMYv0kNoKdYJYDyqIT_A8pK4SeFpCeA4/s1600/DSC03987.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting directions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0Xz83dQiSlo9CxskIqAzzqLjHcCo9WQDRP_bFhL2HKqjaYAqNd4CzUeSj2KSfbOYNFWt90DcgtjRyX437D33oxvCqYhweqUpPRvngoId35bJ2s0YnKbqvq58JdYVDMk2Hd9AAbWxPQU/s1600/DSC03993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0Xz83dQiSlo9CxskIqAzzqLjHcCo9WQDRP_bFhL2HKqjaYAqNd4CzUeSj2KSfbOYNFWt90DcgtjRyX437D33oxvCqYhweqUpPRvngoId35bJ2s0YnKbqvq58JdYVDMk2Hd9AAbWxPQU/s1600/DSC03993.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHxxhGPkdLkrEjLzHyEjWEfvdOMlE-WlR2fh4F1V73LbrCz1yFZjqsDBQEmtoZx6NcMmbj1W63PXS18eCaJg4R_UF-YYZmBefTMbZdVxCQzXrhznyr-VOWhB-E6Ms5AGvfB4V2rJUZJM/s1600/DSC04026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHxxhGPkdLkrEjLzHyEjWEfvdOMlE-WlR2fh4F1V73LbrCz1yFZjqsDBQEmtoZx6NcMmbj1W63PXS18eCaJg4R_UF-YYZmBefTMbZdVxCQzXrhznyr-VOWhB-E6Ms5AGvfB4V2rJUZJM/s1600/DSC04026.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP50SqBeI0Gqo5rj8rIjSckZidudoro7Hp0jBuVDqUbmD7NMBHNEYCA7sab4TroSxwGgDNSjqfk95EqYA4NWUC1ziHwEclwC0N1FyhJhqCRDyLmnAGQEqyahf5dT_p5pyPev0Flvryos/s1600/DSC04009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP50SqBeI0Gqo5rj8rIjSckZidudoro7Hp0jBuVDqUbmD7NMBHNEYCA7sab4TroSxwGgDNSjqfk95EqYA4NWUC1ziHwEclwC0N1FyhJhqCRDyLmnAGQEqyahf5dT_p5pyPev0Flvryos/s1600/DSC04009.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sLQi6jfZQB9EiCyLRm0rBCCzbCdAheIMJOTti1LNR_FkfJV222d8l1yJZPbfGkEEI-7MaeHxb9ImxL22iI6T74ClbfNufYOaNiB7yWEsfOp-FOmGyWDBDhHGEMNmG2xj37wEtOIGQQk/s1600/DSC04011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sLQi6jfZQB9EiCyLRm0rBCCzbCdAheIMJOTti1LNR_FkfJV222d8l1yJZPbfGkEEI-7MaeHxb9ImxL22iI6T74ClbfNufYOaNiB7yWEsfOp-FOmGyWDBDhHGEMNmG2xj37wEtOIGQQk/s1600/DSC04011.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCUqvKdFiTAYwbzMai3wB3WASIhvETn_y4XW3kq5okFADsEyv56f34qK8t6YTeJJRPW6B0oKtdcvqn6QTyUrdaZxz6kzcKar6DbbD5r7LvxZx66gBzG6-gqQCRb8y2vmx3lJsxcR5l2Q/s1600/DSC04020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCUqvKdFiTAYwbzMai3wB3WASIhvETn_y4XW3kq5okFADsEyv56f34qK8t6YTeJJRPW6B0oKtdcvqn6QTyUrdaZxz6kzcKar6DbbD5r7LvxZx66gBzG6-gqQCRb8y2vmx3lJsxcR5l2Q/s1600/DSC04020.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3V0-skZRVjO80VSfv8kVjtJWVMx8xT7fApweVzjb5RZgSF5hqmT2V3KBT0VbaIG59bBSceO2so_HRbZCrokXUZVNnDYQfv5M4eNZruNPkL40y9SDXfO7mc1n32mpudMNlUuBcET8Eq0/s1600/DSC04012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3V0-skZRVjO80VSfv8kVjtJWVMx8xT7fApweVzjb5RZgSF5hqmT2V3KBT0VbaIG59bBSceO2so_HRbZCrokXUZVNnDYQfv5M4eNZruNPkL40y9SDXfO7mc1n32mpudMNlUuBcET8Eq0/s1600/DSC04012.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like they just got hit with tear gas ... a not unusal occurrence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i0cPKLw1uTfgbHPVuoC2GQxuZKPrc2hw9DfiYM3UD8sXWL9ZEzUDXHyvXgfVZu2N6YfwVzh07CV8QHGxxmUB-jn1s4XISOKs-YrQ2Taw1wmjybgK4IrLlLzg-WY1nErOLkcty8vfrrU/s1600/DSC04053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i0cPKLw1uTfgbHPVuoC2GQxuZKPrc2hw9DfiYM3UD8sXWL9ZEzUDXHyvXgfVZu2N6YfwVzh07CV8QHGxxmUB-jn1s4XISOKs-YrQ2Taw1wmjybgK4IrLlLzg-WY1nErOLkcty8vfrrU/s1600/DSC04053.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to ham it up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
When Hussam's rehearsal was finished, Al did some more work with the kids, and they loved it all. I rode back on the bus to Jerusalem with Hussam and then, with Al and Khitam attended the Palestinian National Theatre where Hussam and others were performing a French play. A busy man.<br />
<br />
Like I said, it just take one to save the world. Then, of course, the rest of us have to pay attention, to "get" it and to do "it". But we have to look for that "one" in out-of-the-way, unlikely places. Like Al-Ram. Like Nazareth. Like lots of other places.<br />
<br />
Good reason to hope.</div>
</div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-82149868477793142832015-04-20T00:24:00.002-07:002015-04-20T00:24:29.598-07:00An Afternoon with Jeff Halper<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBrDl7U2ff7BtZtgrtudyzo0zPwPwmrqCCFgscnCbu5Y3wWy2PQ3poQfFQkO5NKY0nqgvkNbrH_DpJI7M22k90FDFcnsAR24xNkQqR2Z63ps7E1LBe0KLUgih8MF6r8b5k5zWWbAxH-A/s1600/DSC03932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBrDl7U2ff7BtZtgrtudyzo0zPwPwmrqCCFgscnCbu5Y3wWy2PQ3poQfFQkO5NKY0nqgvkNbrH_DpJI7M22k90FDFcnsAR24xNkQqR2Z63ps7E1LBe0KLUgih8MF6r8b5k5zWWbAxH-A/s1600/DSC03932.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff Halper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Jeff Halper, Director of ICAHD, the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions, probably understands better than anyone in the resistance movement Israel's strategy to remove Palestinians from their homeland and to claim it for their own. No one ever said Israelis weren't smart.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To spend an afternoon with Jeff with a group of colleagues from the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's Palestine Israeli Network (PIN), is, to say the least, informative. Jeff reminded us</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We viewed Jerusalem from multiple vantage points. Several provided panoramic views of this remarkable city which reminded us of its inherent beauty and fascinating history.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsj9N2F0Rz9aZKCNTWbxzvTC06XlV9mgBTgE31KLFE0wzgN-EYqry-4o9b-2LmKMvxlOX171xUPuhhzBOeGz1wUfQaT4gsaoaBO1rBvRuC3XygVNfcOS0pQHzvhmbrksHX4GxcpRUMT6E/s1600/DSC03914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsj9N2F0Rz9aZKCNTWbxzvTC06XlV9mgBTgE31KLFE0wzgN-EYqry-4o9b-2LmKMvxlOX171xUPuhhzBOeGz1wUfQaT4gsaoaBO1rBvRuC3XygVNfcOS0pQHzvhmbrksHX4GxcpRUMT6E/s1600/DSC03914.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the middle you see the Old City with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque just to its right. Until the early part of the 18th century it was primarily this walled city that constituted Jerusalem. The high rise buildings in the background represent the growth of Jewish West Jerusalem. The land falls off to the right of the walled city into the Kidron Valley, Gethsemanae and (not in this picture) up the Mount of Olives. Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood, occupies the land in the foreground.<br />
<br />
No sharper contrast exists than back to back visits to Silwan and the massive Ma'ale Adumim settlement (referred to now only as a pleasant Israeli suburb of 40,000) built on confiscated Palestinian land. Silwan lies in the path of an Israeli project called The City of David and thus the focus of a variety of strategies to remove Palestinian homes. In the picture below, look to the upper right quadrant for a new four story building with parallel vertical windows – the result of an eviction, a demolition and the sale of the land to a Jewish Israeli contractor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwh9Bz41bSngxwHNg2wjwaL0KvayCWGpgll4o9IlhHaLzFWC8rLU_dN_nK3-cVuNECw3h2hnIaJVsnjxnuoXiPkIrGJiD7Dx2uE4DthyphenhyphenNvIf9G0j5QdAX4eOl1RMsJL3xt-dx_GZeO-ww/s1600/DSC03956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwh9Bz41bSngxwHNg2wjwaL0KvayCWGpgll4o9IlhHaLzFWC8rLU_dN_nK3-cVuNECw3h2hnIaJVsnjxnuoXiPkIrGJiD7Dx2uE4DthyphenhyphenNvIf9G0j5QdAX4eOl1RMsJL3xt-dx_GZeO-ww/s1600/DSC03956.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silwan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ma'ale Adumim is an entirely different story. In contrast to many Palestinian neighborhoods where sidewalks don't exist, streets are in disrepair, playgrounds are non-existent, water is often rationed during summer months, garbage is not collected, Ma'ale Adumim is where I would like to live. It is beautifully landscaped, features 1,000 year old olive trees dug up from Palestinian lands and replanted here, water is plentiful; has playgrounds, two olympic size swimming pools, bus stops, well cared for roads, handsome homes.<br />
<br />
And no one seems to notice.<br />
<br />
And here's the kicker. Palestinian Israelis amount to 37% of Jerusalem's population; they pay 50% of the taxes; and they receive 8% of the services.<br />
<br />
And no one seems to notice.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKoSv_2MHw1dRbjz4Phz1xCPzE9hNTsSwD_nhobqyGfuknTnK0J1XpXC2aC-CIB-Zqtq-sOcRsbdeYuJmJTMzJFztHWCAp8HZtPHYWfk_XZMtcBc1yjZSxUUhb7XpdtX__xo1An6iZmlQ/s1600/DSC03976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKoSv_2MHw1dRbjz4Phz1xCPzE9hNTsSwD_nhobqyGfuknTnK0J1XpXC2aC-CIB-Zqtq-sOcRsbdeYuJmJTMzJFztHWCAp8HZtPHYWfk_XZMtcBc1yjZSxUUhb7XpdtX__xo1An6iZmlQ/s1600/DSC03976.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ma'ale Adumim</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-50762897043429166512015-04-19T20:21:00.000-07:002015-04-19T20:21:11.797-07:00Welcome to East JerusalemWhat always impresses me when I return to East Jerusalem (this must be my 9th visit) is the welcome I receive from so many of the merchants and shopkeepers along Salah-ah-Eddin, the major street that leads from the back of St. George's Cathedral down to the Old City. When I checked in at my hotel, the National, on A-Zahra Street, it's "Welcome, Mr. Robert, to your second home". And it does indeed feel that way. The owner of the Educational Bookststore greeted me with "Ah, good to see you back – it's been a long time" – and at the little grocery where I buy bottles of water, it was the same. And when I asked about the sandwich shop where Mo and his family scratch out a living, closed now and under reconstruction, he said "Oh, don't worry, he's just redecorating; his chef is just outside the door" – from whom I got Mo's cell # to call. Mo and his wife were expecting another child when I saw them last.<br />
<br />
The Palestinian people are an unusually generous, kind and hospitable people – from whom we could all learn a great deal.Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-24943391840945248082015-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:002015-04-12T14:14:46.405-07:00Tragedy at Beit OmmarBeit Ommar is a small Palestinian village on the road from Bethlehem to Hebron. Through faithful friends I have come to know a lovely family there who, when I'm in Palestine, always welcomes me warmly (and feeds me richly). This past Friday, as villagers processed to their cemetery to bury a Beit Ommar citizen who died while in Israeli custody, they were confronted by the Israeli military. The conflict which ensued included the use of tear gas, skunk water, rubber coated bullets and live ammunition by the IDF. Rocks were undoubtedly thrown by Palestinian young people. I will learn more of the circumstances when I visit there next week. The tragedy is that numbers of Palestinians were seriously wounded and 27 year old Ziad Awad was killed, shot in the chest. And it need never have happened. My friends' son (late teens) wrote this:<br />
<br />
<i>I just keep losing the good people, 2011, 2014, 2015. Month after month, day after a day we just count our deaths and hold our breath, waiting for our turn. It might be a live bullet, rubber bullet, tear gas grenade or it just can be your bad luck. A bullet that costs 3 shekels will finish your live (sic), suddenly go away and never come back ....</i><br />
<i>The price of occupation is so expensive, and we as poor people, we have to pay all the expenses, not using money, but using our blood, souls, friends, houses, memories, families and land ....</i><br />
<i>However ... WE TEACH LIFE SIR, we sing in the funerals of our people, we call the funeral "the wedding", we sing, clap, cry and laugh ..... From our sadness we make happiness, from our tears we grow roses, from our blood we make miracles, for our past we make a brighter future ... we teach life sir.</i><br />
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
BEIT OMMAR, APRIL 10, 2015</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenCu48crnC__JU-DU2y-NpplDgAMuKKew8Y1QnzTVvlehvga2Pka0f8Toyzc_d22rrnJmbOgtsSSuSurQJ-NErBMcismRgcp-DMn8GfvO2aw1ajGiX5AX_xGsdyVrnYr71XY82qKlQd8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenCu48crnC__JU-DU2y-NpplDgAMuKKew8Y1QnzTVvlehvga2Pka0f8Toyzc_d22rrnJmbOgtsSSuSurQJ-NErBMcismRgcp-DMn8GfvO2aw1ajGiX5AX_xGsdyVrnYr71XY82qKlQd8/s1600/1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBRNzMSokhJ66xxJDeBzdAn87E-rqFBzUMidBWIJc2L5Aju1uESWNL9cLG8BvIdNsf13oLKZZp8efkvGf_GDGYofdNILXjKdok1IMlQWygWG2FMhW_HYeGeqbDHFDFWQiMFx1Gz8iM0/s1600/8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBRNzMSokhJ66xxJDeBzdAn87E-rqFBzUMidBWIJc2L5Aju1uESWNL9cLG8BvIdNsf13oLKZZp8efkvGf_GDGYofdNILXjKdok1IMlQWygWG2FMhW_HYeGeqbDHFDFWQiMFx1Gz8iM0/s1600/8.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeYl0moBLbgcHDFvluGGIG3TasoBW0tAGHBT63HnCOXM6XYzG2TXqTsk6TkhlSokBMUkyZuQ7X7Jfti37QuReHS-8X9sfplz2ucNbwTaz9pnWeKk-jW0ycH0oSx5lTZvTh2iAjv6hclw/s1600/7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeYl0moBLbgcHDFvluGGIG3TasoBW0tAGHBT63HnCOXM6XYzG2TXqTsk6TkhlSokBMUkyZuQ7X7Jfti37QuReHS-8X9sfplz2ucNbwTaz9pnWeKk-jW0ycH0oSx5lTZvTh2iAjv6hclw/s1600/7.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-8278854644154521382015-04-04T07:48:00.000-07:002015-04-04T10:50:21.330-07:00Another Pilgrimage<div class="p1">
I leave for Israel/Palestine April 15 aboard Turkish Airlines. It’s been two years since I’ve been there, and in spite of the hassle by the IDF at multiple checkpoints, I’ve missed many friends, the warmth and hospitality of Palestinians, the courage and faithfulness of all who resist this oppressive occupation. </div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">As usual I have an ambitious agenda, but mainly I want to listen … to both Israeli Jews and Palestinians, to West Bank Palestinians. Where do they find hope in ending this Occupation so destructive to both people, what is the fallout from this recent election, what about this potential deal with Iran? Then there are Seraj libraries to visit – a special visit to the seventh, opened just this month, serving Burham and Jibya, two small villages near Birzeit – a potential new site to consider near Hebron, a visit accompanying Gerard Horton and Salwa Duaibis to an Israeli military court trying Palestinian children. At one of our libraries Estephan and Laurie (Salameh) and I are hoping to arrange a mini art therapy and theatre exercise workshop courtesy of our friends Al Miller and Khitam Edelbi.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">I hope to meet up with an Episcopal delegation traveling at about the same time who will be taking a gift of financial support to the courageous staff at the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. Toward the end of my visit I’ll connect with a long time friend and attorney, Steve Fatum, and his adult son John who are sufficiently crazy to let me introduce them to all the paradoxes of this Holy Land.</span></div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-65273185073793776802013-04-30T19:01:00.000-07:002013-04-30T19:01:04.163-07:00Listening to the voices ...<ul>
<li><i>Israeli authorities come unannounced twice a year to inspect my books. If they find something unrecorded, I can be in big trouble</i> (owner/manager of a grill on Salah ad Din)</li>
<li><i>I keep fat files of receipts (electricity, water, rent ...) to prove my Jerusalem residence to Israeli authorities; without them, they can deport me</i> (Palestinian friend living in Beit Hanina)</li>
<li>As he flips through the book detected in my luggage, <i>Palestine Monitor Factbook 2012</i>, <i>Where did you get this? Salah ad Din? Where is that? Oh, okay. Have a nice trip.</i> (Security personnel at Ben Gurion)</li>
<li><i>I came back through Ben Gurion last night from meetings in Canada, was pulled out of line and strip searched</i> (Palestinian Anglican dean of St. George's Cathedral)</li>
<li><i>Israel needs its security - they just need to be nicer at the checkpoints; they can keep the wall - they just need to keep passage through it more open; they can keep Jerusalem - they just need to give us all access </i>(Palestinian pastor of an Anglican church on the West Bank)</li>
<li><i>What was most painful was when they built the wall down the middle of our street, dividing my best girlfriend - whose home was just across the street - and me. </i>(23 year old Palestinian woman)</li>
<li><i>Yeah, Jimmy Carter did visit me after the Israelis demolished my home ... but we talked mainly about music.</i> (Palestinian musician at The Jerusalem Hotel)</li>
<li><i>We are glad to have Christian tourists visit our village (about 500 a month). I just wish they would notice the three settlements and Israeli military base that surround us</i> (Palestinian medical student in Taybeh)</li>
<li><i>What do I want you to tell Americans when you go home? Just tell them I'm a human </i>(Palestinian neurosurgeon in Ramallah to American patient on whom he performed critical spinal surgery)</li>
<li><i>Tell them there is nothing Jewish about home demolitions, walls which divide, check point closures, confiscation of another's land, uprooting olive trees, seettler violence against unarmed farmers</i> (Rami Elahan's answer when asked how to respond to groundless charges of anti-semitism)</li>
<li>A very prosperous Palestinian family was celebrating their daughter's 12th birthday with 25 extended family at the next table at an elegant East Jerusalem restaurant. And when they finished, another, equally prosperous, took their place. I could just as well have been in an upscale Chicago restaurant (this blogger)</li>
<li><i>Obama's visit in March was a joke. It was the language of partnership with Israel; with the Palestinians, it was 'take this $, and shut up' </i>(Bethlehem Palestinian friend)</li>
<li>What do you want me to tell Americans when I go home? <i>Tell them we're not terrorists; tell them to be fair; do the right thing - tell the truth; if American would say 'no' to Netanyahu, our situation would change overnight; peace does not come without justice; come visit us - see who we are and how we live</i> (Palestinian answers to this blogger's question)</li>
<li><i>Few Palestinians trust the PA (Palestinian Authority) and their VIP leaders. The PA is doing Israel's job for them.</i> (former PA staff) </li>
<li><i>There is no reason for optimism, but I am confident I will see it in my lifetime; I will be able to walk to Gaza</i> (Vivien Sansour, Bethlehem)</li>
<li><i>Jesus is a verb</i> (Palestinian Christian)</li>
<li>How do you cope? How do you live with the hassle of occupation? <i>My work (art therapy) is my hope. I pay no attention to politics; I go inside where I love the children I teach, the teachers I train, the friends I love. My 10 sisters and brothers would be here within three hours if I needed them.</i> (Palestinian friend who will celebrate her 50th birthday on September 2)</li>
<li><i> About a week ago they made me get out of my car, open the trunk and brought dogs to sniff the car inside and out; it took a good half hour </i>(Anglican bishop in Jerusalem on experience at check point returning to Jerusalem from Beit Jala)</li>
<li><i>The structure of Palestinian culture is breaking down. Palestinian parents invest everything in their children - raising, educating, launching them. Family bonds are strong. Then when the parents are old, the children take care of them. But that is less and less possible. There are so few opportunities for young Palestinians to build a life here </i>(Jean Zaru, Palestinian Quaker in Ramallah)</li>
<li>Commenting on the confidential letter from President Gerald Ford to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, <i>... what it basically gives Israel is veto power over American proposals on the Palestinian issue; ... (the U.S.) would refrain from putting forward anything that (Israel) found unsatisfactory </i>(Rashid Khalidi in his 26 April interview with WBEZ's Jerome McDonnell on Khalidi's new book,<i> Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East</i>)</li>
<li><i>What you describe experiencing in East Jerusalem, Cotton, is called 'ethnic cleansing by bureaucracy' </i>(A Palestinian American friend)</li>
<li><i>Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way .... </i>(Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Easter)</li>
</ul>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-2176043442455568272013-04-20T05:33:00.001-07:002013-04-27T10:01:10.080-07:00Sitting in at Sabeel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShBv97nycKNULcz-CljSI27i94JOl3R_PUCr1Ea05ZKJSO1XCtngBh3HQGUqYBuCYOAX_McOCyu6r1nPHaG4HFdzXLP7-JIQ80mwAliVA8BFO9G65Szr_jtf_MSgibj7tiqzvNUgsLrc/s1600/DSC00546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShBv97nycKNULcz-CljSI27i94JOl3R_PUCr1Ea05ZKJSO1XCtngBh3HQGUqYBuCYOAX_McOCyu6r1nPHaG4HFdzXLP7-JIQ80mwAliVA8BFO9G65Szr_jtf_MSgibj7tiqzvNUgsLrc/s320/DSC00546.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I missed Thursday's Bible study and eucharist at Sabeel (see Morning with Vivien), so called first thing Friday to discover a large group was visiting later that morning (Tree of Life, led by David Good and Rebecca Fadil). I was cordially invited to sit in.<br />
<br />
I've heard Cedar Duaybis a number of times, but never tire of her story. She's now 77, one of the founders of Sabeel, and as passionate and articulate a spokesperson as it has. The history of the people, her own personal story of being forced from her home in Haifa, Naim's development of liberation theology, their continuing struggle for justice, peace and reconciliation. Such integrity.<br />
<br />
Sabeel served lunch (always a favorite - maqlouba) to all of us and then introduced representatives from the Parents Circle Families Forum, the amazing group of bereaved families - Palestinian and Israeli - who support peace, reconciliation and tolerance and an end to the cycle of violence which took one of their own. If you don't know of these courageous people, do look them up on the internet, <a href="http://www.theparentscircle.com/">http://www.theparentscircle.com/</a>, and give them your support, lots of it ($$$). It was only as the Israeli's story unfolded that I realized this was Rami Elhanan, Miko Peled's brother-in-law. In 1997, with four others, Rami's 14 year old daughter, Miko's niece, was killed by a suicide bomber. The Palestinian, George Sa'adeh, (former deputy mayor of Jerusalem, now an educator) and his family were victims of a special Israeli squad sent to ambush Hamas fighters in Bethlehem in 2003. George, his wife and one daughter were seriously injured and Christine, their other daughter, was killed. The car in which they were driving was found to have 300 bullet holes.<br />
<br />
There is surely no grief any of us suffer greater than the death of one of our children. George and Rami's stories are painful to hear and, of course, indescribable to experience. As they said yesterday, there is nothing more powerful than the power of pain. Parents Circle Families Forum use their power to help end this tragedy. It has made more than l000 presentations to Israeli and Palestinian young people.<br />
<br />
One more thing. Someone asked Rami how to deal with their anticipation of being labelled anti-semitic when speaking to people at home about this situation. Rami said, "Tell them there is nothing Jewish about home demolitions, walls which divide, check point closures, confiscation of another's land, uprooting olive trees, settler violence against unarmed farmers."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT66t0VoRlPAlf_LZA62RfEVTpcICFeSAv-8mmakZZshzN9iSeQWg4oKLT1jSQvNaMhPGrhVdy-vDoHOxRjRVDmqUzAM0wUF7ytTm5udw9Rc-q9tEPFEo_QQEgUQut6kWqBnYF0SPj-IM/s1600/DSC00554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT66t0VoRlPAlf_LZA62RfEVTpcICFeSAv-8mmakZZshzN9iSeQWg4oKLT1jSQvNaMhPGrhVdy-vDoHOxRjRVDmqUzAM0wUF7ytTm5udw9Rc-q9tEPFEo_QQEgUQut6kWqBnYF0SPj-IM/s320/DSC00554.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar Duaybis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQuLBlgCHum-LTNOjcWnlrWPisUv7P90SheTjRh1Xt1furX-BpDBsGLk70-c_Ec1SnQ8DnQsy-sagtBmQz9-B1ftHYv8yNu8e2hPscJ9Oll1w20GcISAKhDtHp3eYML-sOmQULFhEiOA/s1600/DSC00557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQuLBlgCHum-LTNOjcWnlrWPisUv7P90SheTjRh1Xt1furX-BpDBsGLk70-c_Ec1SnQ8DnQsy-sagtBmQz9-B1ftHYv8yNu8e2hPscJ9Oll1w20GcISAKhDtHp3eYML-sOmQULFhEiOA/s320/DSC00557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebeca Fadil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2l7fJQjx92eFn3vrV8effdjhE0duXpKIgY8mKItltG8SqbZJGF6hO5eqqA4R2a2Hpot4lf0zJgLVGSKPoxR7Q_ZqdxyKYTMS2rTIMN5AZbOPTkQAz5anH1v5J3UucRQW3-AgPG1cIMs/s1600/DSC00547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2l7fJQjx92eFn3vrV8effdjhE0duXpKIgY8mKItltG8SqbZJGF6hO5eqqA4R2a2Hpot4lf0zJgLVGSKPoxR7Q_ZqdxyKYTMS2rTIMN5AZbOPTkQAz5anH1v5J3UucRQW3-AgPG1cIMs/s320/DSC00547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Good and friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5n2jqzYy3Wt1IsZVF95EBSUtrXqs38lZ4k68O5J0PgmQybebFR0gcdPQMyTA-ZRyZr34lQR-ZMrWkhrLhtf_5OFCf_TSBDN0P2wKtOhpXSGy_1uwSe0A-QkG6gIhns1GRRtQwumGnRE/s1600/DSC00564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5n2jqzYy3Wt1IsZVF95EBSUtrXqs38lZ4k68O5J0PgmQybebFR0gcdPQMyTA-ZRyZr34lQR-ZMrWkhrLhtf_5OFCf_TSBDN0P2wKtOhpXSGy_1uwSe0A-QkG6gIhns1GRRtQwumGnRE/s320/DSC00564.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rami Elhanan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KMNxZthno9ppNnsD9Tx8-8bkQwLC8a44k6JMRPxS8nKkB1XMMH-VQQ0pculaOLM_Cs6a78IqlSZ1EtIx1uTPiJPW4QG3KUSiBgOkbtFEl4yyLmTzNoNam0kmrzXXAfRPZjecvsyml48/s1600/DSC00565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KMNxZthno9ppNnsD9Tx8-8bkQwLC8a44k6JMRPxS8nKkB1XMMH-VQQ0pculaOLM_Cs6a78IqlSZ1EtIx1uTPiJPW4QG3KUSiBgOkbtFEl4yyLmTzNoNam0kmrzXXAfRPZjecvsyml48/s320/DSC00565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Sa'adeh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8fqa426iPl1P16NiilTuTvRqUE0OQc1sJD2dZ-xr9EG5dosl6vF870G4xZ89-VmwRWsc4Qcu3Ph0szn7lEeYSduzqrSVkzX9Q861ieBIFIMGhkVvjZXP4BwGfikH2qnQCKL7TCgqXp4/s1600/DSC00567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8fqa426iPl1P16NiilTuTvRqUE0OQc1sJD2dZ-xr9EG5dosl6vF870G4xZ89-VmwRWsc4Qcu3Ph0szn7lEeYSduzqrSVkzX9Q861ieBIFIMGhkVvjZXP4BwGfikH2qnQCKL7TCgqXp4/s320/DSC00567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bereaved Parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0DFBh84TDAQoOWOtAuvQZ9-ab6sovmPCxGy0sVL3QCfP8y0M1Wi9zmzlvlySNytNdt81UbR7RI-RMA_5XZd6Y3yEZVxWdUYgzTCJb3M3qDTED7jkPCKJTobnZ9Mh1sZLLW7PjrTBztI/s1600/DSC00571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0DFBh84TDAQoOWOtAuvQZ9-ab6sovmPCxGy0sVL3QCfP8y0M1Wi9zmzlvlySNytNdt81UbR7RI-RMA_5XZd6Y3yEZVxWdUYgzTCJb3M3qDTED7jkPCKJTobnZ9Mh1sZLLW7PjrTBztI/s320/DSC00571.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naim Ateek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-42157387816280586792013-04-20T03:41:00.006-07:002013-04-20T03:45:54.762-07:00A Morning with Vivien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcBO1hzoTTkgXouS2UjIMibNDy3EtotCT8fCgVLsZTkglAUq9672g9NnsO6MgPotJDJ6rBPzO0X0RBJJ2uHWxYR-TPC9HuiM4jWp4nyfjEipO1GJ2lzSbzamSMDhE730tlH1mmEu6UC8/s1600/DSC00402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcBO1hzoTTkgXouS2UjIMibNDy3EtotCT8fCgVLsZTkglAUq9672g9NnsO6MgPotJDJ6rBPzO0X0RBJJ2uHWxYR-TPC9HuiM4jWp4nyfjEipO1GJ2lzSbzamSMDhE730tlH1mmEu6UC8/s320/DSC00402.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I first met Vivien (I think) in Jenin in 2010. She had just taken a position with the Palestinian Fair Trade Association and was "orienting" internationals to this wonderful collective of Palestinian Farmers and the recently-built Canaan Fair Trade facility in Burgin, just outside Jenin. I met her a couple other times and, when preparing for this trip, wrote to arrange a meeting. I learned she was living in Bethlehem in her family home. What I also learned was that she had produced a wonderful film called The People and the Olive: The Story of the Run Across Palestine (<a href="http://the%20people%20and%20the%20olive.com/">the people and the olive.com</a>) I commend it to you unreservedly. These young people (from my elevated position, most everyone younger than me) and the millions like them are the hope of our significantly screwed up world - and they deserve all the support we can give them.<br />
<br />
A conversation for which I "scheduled" an hour (maybe a bit more) easily stretched to two+. Vivien is a bright, very savvy, engaging woman. She works with IMEU (Institute for Middle East Understanding), is a consultant, journalist and photographer. Despite confirming that what is going on here has gone from bad to worse, she lives and acts hopefully. Her view of the Obama visit? With Israel, the language of partnership; to the Palestinians, "take this and shut up." In the face of our shared cynicism, Vivien says, "I will see it in my lifetime; I will be able to walk into Gaza."<br />
<br />
My next stop was at Sabeel, in Jerusalem. A call to Naim Ateek warned of my lateness and his appeal to Vivien (old and loving friends) to come with me. We tried every way we could, but it was not to be. So Vivien, bless her soul, put me on a bus from Bethlehem to Ramallah (to connect with Estephan for library visits) that became the most hair-raising adventure of my life. This route, taken daily by Palestinians, skirts Israel, and comes out just the other side of the Qalandia check point. Hurtling down precipitous descents at a waste-no-time speed, around hairpin turns ... indescribable! Mainly because my eyes were closed and I was deep in the kind of prayer I don't believe in - "Dear God, save me!"<br />
<br />
But we made it safely to Ramallah, right on time ... even a little early.Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-73536138145219301622013-04-20T02:45:00.000-07:002013-04-20T02:45:38.755-07:00Seraj Library at Deir Ammar Refugee Camp Is ThrivingEstephan and I spent Thursday afternoon visiting three Seraj libraries - at the Deir Ammar Refugee Camp, in Jifna and Kufor Ni'meh. In short Deir Amma is thriving, Jifna is happily overcrowded and Kufor Ni'meh is preparing to open May 1 under a new mayor and village council and 7 new computers and desks which arrived while we were there.<br />
<br />
But first, to the "rugs" at Deir Ammar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0k681n2zxOz_-HcN7gSsc7ManvbR1mTpuLaJfQZD9HtLwZJlK9j6e8hEL_5VPhGOTQcsBIELfssxaZtIN8CcW46keCsAX_zetivbK9tM3ooJbdEcvxtaFL_LMxCQsGeJLtfZXNzImMBw/s1600/DSC00467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0k681n2zxOz_-HcN7gSsc7ManvbR1mTpuLaJfQZD9HtLwZJlK9j6e8hEL_5VPhGOTQcsBIELfssxaZtIN8CcW46keCsAX_zetivbK9tM3ooJbdEcvxtaFL_LMxCQsGeJLtfZXNzImMBw/s320/DSC00467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kyTG7vHb-g6HsoQsaty8o3gVh0k5xccCP4J8eZuS-gkWE5kwOWYDk9N8hODQ5QhCbr5aL1kWbna1hG2hA2V_Xe8_wAKeTdqH-9h_QCixvc3pJMndi8vA3lB97cUi0iCw26u6uJc3oZE/s1600/DSC00486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kyTG7vHb-g6HsoQsaty8o3gVh0k5xccCP4J8eZuS-gkWE5kwOWYDk9N8hODQ5QhCbr5aL1kWbna1hG2hA2V_Xe8_wAKeTdqH-9h_QCixvc3pJMndi8vA3lB97cUi0iCw26u6uJc3oZE/s320/DSC00486.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Not the usual way to start, but these are the most wonderful floor coverings I've ever seen. They're rubber and, as you can see, colorful and interesting. The library now has two spacious rooms, with reading tables in one and the computers in the second. It was a wonderful scene.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3XUSrdwUbcUusaxg5CxoEZ0qjOlAsWSF648xh4evQPs9kTq6t0A9UD_u_kttD1kdSuqKsFzbmHslr0jQfDvRIKTmxR-nqv3odlCJc_S9m-ylrq_oB_WNzMwLRRBai1nMxGrjXnR5Rg8/s1600/DSC00480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3XUSrdwUbcUusaxg5CxoEZ0qjOlAsWSF648xh4evQPs9kTq6t0A9UD_u_kttD1kdSuqKsFzbmHslr0jQfDvRIKTmxR-nqv3odlCJc_S9m-ylrq_oB_WNzMwLRRBai1nMxGrjXnR5Rg8/s320/DSC00480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZrlfHRPOgGha-kSq1t-VJBDGur_lZsErO1dVHom5Sf-gs1bqVGil8cONljoKi37fhULIJ0VwavEs33r7nbgYUj_zb0EN-bRnQHDOiUj7hznnUSMgryl17p1udLuAofOtqCFpPaeIluU/s1600/DSC00485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZrlfHRPOgGha-kSq1t-VJBDGur_lZsErO1dVHom5Sf-gs1bqVGil8cONljoKi37fhULIJ0VwavEs33r7nbgYUj_zb0EN-bRnQHDOiUj7hznnUSMgryl17p1udLuAofOtqCFpPaeIluU/s320/DSC00485.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhFCMOY-jFAIf0yaKRkF66BsjOjCpZv-2nbzDTuXGCATaNtGPvuyX2s9y1sgjjXTv6pLYb8z-rhC6GJVdujatfuhaM5wj2kwCEwFIeT7_DSSK0lRWLgNHJ56Ktqi90a-9wpKQTEI9RjQ/s1600/DSC00472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhFCMOY-jFAIf0yaKRkF66BsjOjCpZv-2nbzDTuXGCATaNtGPvuyX2s9y1sgjjXTv6pLYb8z-rhC6GJVdujatfuhaM5wj2kwCEwFIeT7_DSSK0lRWLgNHJ56Ktqi90a-9wpKQTEI9RjQ/s320/DSC00472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnEuUBgmOWdHfw2pqEXQAcO9a4hGWgHB0g3TQEZbjkrgVMfnOeKG45Ggh9fPojoNn41wVYdoa9OsBnLh9L0dqAmqacckVJ7dYP-Qw0l1BCL_H5vjL8mJnwZrhEA1VHvx9eq056jaq9wE/s1600/DSC00475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnEuUBgmOWdHfw2pqEXQAcO9a4hGWgHB0g3TQEZbjkrgVMfnOeKG45Ggh9fPojoNn41wVYdoa9OsBnLh9L0dqAmqacckVJ7dYP-Qw0l1BCL_H5vjL8mJnwZrhEA1VHvx9eq056jaq9wE/s320/DSC00475.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VY6k7QaIkzHxJcEsVGKY_YfCcoiWBMKo1nmqoVvsFWD58mzHcbx-6C-C-o48fGx6hxN5WT7nf6PVMLnEpC3wFpU4FvvEs56cNlWz8LUf6A3juSSj-_jrH0S6RRej3cgj3TlVf9SfMkc/s1600/DSC00459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VY6k7QaIkzHxJcEsVGKY_YfCcoiWBMKo1nmqoVvsFWD58mzHcbx-6C-C-o48fGx6hxN5WT7nf6PVMLnEpC3wFpU4FvvEs56cNlWz8LUf6A3juSSj-_jrH0S6RRej3cgj3TlVf9SfMkc/s320/DSC00459.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHrXqfYJKTN8no4AJjMl1SB21x2lyJw1LxiY4RKTC85dtvb-Cn9OXtqqzbh-ti-iVJbnDcqN3tiyxLJMdy7v-8YMxfiCSiOOSaiACJj10pMreWGH72f5JlPQXgjYvnEl44uSTrgaySNM/s1600/DSC00479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHrXqfYJKTN8no4AJjMl1SB21x2lyJw1LxiY4RKTC85dtvb-Cn9OXtqqzbh-ti-iVJbnDcqN3tiyxLJMdy7v-8YMxfiCSiOOSaiACJj10pMreWGH72f5JlPQXgjYvnEl44uSTrgaySNM/s320/DSC00479.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DaV-vO295bRTlg8-OWu79_7ujyeM4sDa7sgbV_Dp10Fjh_58Gu42QoOZGiUZtbCMF1zrXme8hS3MOpMCJyu9OqJAP2IN4I4qlgohWQWgp9GsABlynRFyYWERBmKGjTUE5o-sXmuaBro/s1600/DSC00458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DaV-vO295bRTlg8-OWu79_7ujyeM4sDa7sgbV_Dp10Fjh_58Gu42QoOZGiUZtbCMF1zrXme8hS3MOpMCJyu9OqJAP2IN4I4qlgohWQWgp9GsABlynRFyYWERBmKGjTUE5o-sXmuaBro/s320/DSC00458.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As always, pictures tell the best story. But it's important to know about another initiative at Deir Ammar, their work with mentally challenged children and their families and their hope to integrate these children with those with normal development. Here are wonderful people who oversee these programs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGOewshYYe5EBUDtYUfrHhFWUWUszwLTO5K51wYw62uUn9sS7AjEHq3zXZQ4BTB_5xbw25Phgqz_Pz0vI9dfHDznWrMd-qfDMLTUMC7aiRW1cIYkb-g-H4MhafL9Oro2SqVbYkop_OY4/s1600/DSC00454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGOewshYYe5EBUDtYUfrHhFWUWUszwLTO5K51wYw62uUn9sS7AjEHq3zXZQ4BTB_5xbw25Phgqz_Pz0vI9dfHDznWrMd-qfDMLTUMC7aiRW1cIYkb-g-H4MhafL9Oro2SqVbYkop_OY4/s320/DSC00454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qvz9eAnMWV46hU7KFnX439SFFu067MP3ofewQovrZD9Wkxsrb0SVftcVDkL6r_dvCK30kw_j-cnhnmFlBHskLe8qS1jUnFn96rCiFy7B7HLHel5QUGBWty8poWWCscjIgyXNq5q90ig/s1600/DSC00466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qvz9eAnMWV46hU7KFnX439SFFu067MP3ofewQovrZD9Wkxsrb0SVftcVDkL6r_dvCK30kw_j-cnhnmFlBHskLe8qS1jUnFn96rCiFy7B7HLHel5QUGBWty8poWWCscjIgyXNq5q90ig/s320/DSC00466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHET0gA7nisaR0AoHjNb_FSvvDA9Hr7Miu1gI6_0aOzsCvEjyV2q6DiW_UWRIn_Gph16AneVM4o8iG35pzqCH93Xv9Ik4mUUJAp4C6OX2CZxLekXvyB7vzBkDX4ww7vylUoVSkWNZtplc/s1600/DSC00492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHET0gA7nisaR0AoHjNb_FSvvDA9Hr7Miu1gI6_0aOzsCvEjyV2q6DiW_UWRIn_Gph16AneVM4o8iG35pzqCH93Xv9Ik4mUUJAp4C6OX2CZxLekXvyB7vzBkDX4ww7vylUoVSkWNZtplc/s320/DSC00492.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-86175124483207146142013-04-18T23:36:00.001-07:002013-04-19T06:06:37.004-07:00Learning The Secrets ...I have a Palestinian friend (who will remain nameless) who ever so kindly has driven me all over the place, through Jerusalem to Beit Jala, Ramallah and any number of West Bank villages over the past couple weeks. All these journeys are interesting, but what caught my interest recently is his skill in coming BACK into Jerusalem/Israel through check points to deposit me back at my hotel in East Jerusalem - without being stopped. Now, he has a yellow license plate which obviously gives him an advantage - and he is doing nothing illegal - but that doesn't guarantee anything. He's Palestinian, and all Palestinians are suspect. Returning to Jerusalem/Israel last night, I asked him his secret. He listed 7 but thinks there are more he couldn't remember.<br />
<br />
1. Never smile at the soldier. Many Palestinians smile, thinking that will please the soldier and he/she will let them through. Not so. A smile means you are Palestinian for sure.<br />
2. Drive slowly through the check point, but never stop unless ordered to.<br />
3. Keep looking straight ahead, lift your hand to the window in a gesture which says, "Hi guys, have a good evening." Very casual - as though you're one of the tribe.<br />
4. If you wear a beard, shave it off.<br />
5. Keep your car washed regularly.<br />
6. Don't hang any of that stuff (Christian, Muslim symbols) on your mirror.<br />
7. Try to get behind a Palestinian car that knows none of the above. Soldiers will pull them over and you will drive through unnoticed.<br />
<br />
A footnote: I do remember one time we were stopped. It was a number of years ago and elements of the Second Intifada were lingering. We were going to visit his family in a West Bank village and were LEAVING Israel. The soldier refused to let us through. My friend explained we were going to visit his father who was ill (true). No deal. Back up and don't come back. My friend did as directed, drove back maybe 50 meters and headed off cross country on a road which barely made the definition. It circled the check point and came out on the other side. Because it was clear we could be seen from the check point, I shrieked that we would both be gunned down. He responded calmly, "No, the soldier just wanted to give me a hard time; he knew what I would do."<br />
<br />
So much for Israeli security measures.Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-18458680524764463662013-04-17T05:21:00.001-07:002013-04-17T07:13:43.144-07:00Mabrook to Many Children at Al-Mizra Al-Sharqiyyeh We happened to visit the Clyde L Campbell Seraj Library at Al-Mizra Al-Sharqiyyeh on the day they were giving <i>mabrook </i>(I think that means <i>congratulations</i>) to the crowd of young people who had completed and turned in their "Passports for Reading" and writing about books they had read. About 350 young people took a passport booklet and an amazing 170 returned them with books read and stories written. They weren't all present for the awards, but nearly 60 were - with prizes for the winners and acknowledgements for everyone.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The library at Al-Mizra is clearly the best equipped of our Seraj libraries - with shelving they made, tables, chairs, rugs, computers - but it is also a community which is using the space to the very best advantage. It's open from morning to night and is used by women, men, young people and young adults - for meetings, tutoring, research, reading, computer use, films, games. Al Mizra is a Muslim village, but, unlike some, boys and girls are not segregated here. They have very reason to be proud of what they are doing for their community.<br />
<br />
One more thing, you can see and read more (if you're fluent in Arabic) about this library by going to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Libraryy">Al-Mizra Seraj Library Facebook page</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyLDPabs4IKC3Rj0mosyDaRm0me9G9IRd85lNhh1NJmyMhxn9jLVYPD7lCPg05VScyM_XwywXBqn-zHCQONr4RYCAjmc9W2me7GCI4PibHOBrxwGACmAspFJq9XuqS2C8Ogcg0aXI1lA/s1600/DSC00290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyLDPabs4IKC3Rj0mosyDaRm0me9G9IRd85lNhh1NJmyMhxn9jLVYPD7lCPg05VScyM_XwywXBqn-zHCQONr4RYCAjmc9W2me7GCI4PibHOBrxwGACmAspFJq9XuqS2C8Ogcg0aXI1lA/s320/DSC00290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEGq4MsmUbnFYcBAA6tgUEI3AzfIWqro0qpnI8D5yK1iD9uvgAWjVgMpmpxuqW0X0JWdM670SzaTxq4-glxa9242xt8MOUBmvreK0-pGHDqolVy1m9GF8wy0wVlvuLGErzWbg4AZ8QY4/s1600/DSC00259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEGq4MsmUbnFYcBAA6tgUEI3AzfIWqro0qpnI8D5yK1iD9uvgAWjVgMpmpxuqW0X0JWdM670SzaTxq4-glxa9242xt8MOUBmvreK0-pGHDqolVy1m9GF8wy0wVlvuLGErzWbg4AZ8QY4/s320/DSC00259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMIbNt1RKVS8HibwNISXDjl9vlvcR-7jNnH5rUo4zTA2cIZGrXH5dNHmnuVCQVr6KpEF1ibL90tL6NcejjmHB11m2dvd3KWVKyd6itZiu6xE3NyldDV7ZmuEa7pi4p30BYde0WxhE8s/s1600/DSC00304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMIbNt1RKVS8HibwNISXDjl9vlvcR-7jNnH5rUo4zTA2cIZGrXH5dNHmnuVCQVr6KpEF1ibL90tL6NcejjmHB11m2dvd3KWVKyd6itZiu6xE3NyldDV7ZmuEa7pi4p30BYde0WxhE8s/s320/DSC00304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjO65xM5gHYeUFfjGcQ8vPayyL3RzCF72C_PF2uhU2UV1_Km4UG3jgxbxMk-sneho8-uTy-f5NsY5EGADnqXl6AH8Wxq57EOMX5lbOs6CHbMr29n6krIOzLRAQSSK-t1rOesE2Q_82Jk/s1600/DSC00273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjO65xM5gHYeUFfjGcQ8vPayyL3RzCF72C_PF2uhU2UV1_Km4UG3jgxbxMk-sneho8-uTy-f5NsY5EGADnqXl6AH8Wxq57EOMX5lbOs6CHbMr29n6krIOzLRAQSSK-t1rOesE2Q_82Jk/s320/DSC00273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcBg0AnSOkfZdJjrKNkw4qCUnkHBW-xcEG5ceZ-nSZIjgdJrC3Gv5ZhBKzAv1H7kPSe0oyE5pFywwxO2zbb2fQUzXACvY3n7Yiqqtcq5yTWg75xlvOi-3k891uEyfZ2cTT1IHshRqnX8/s1600/DSC00296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcBg0AnSOkfZdJjrKNkw4qCUnkHBW-xcEG5ceZ-nSZIjgdJrC3Gv5ZhBKzAv1H7kPSe0oyE5pFywwxO2zbb2fQUzXACvY3n7Yiqqtcq5yTWg75xlvOi-3k891uEyfZ2cTT1IHshRqnX8/s320/DSC00296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJj6Lfd6nKIx6sWqNmbuDBrlK230S2mxyEWoWtNe0BydzMsz7yi-pRRALPPKyJJg_PWnEi601cmeZpJw1qwGiKKpboz9D2ej5o34lVZVIkaSEIxUbkvIrU-Sm2gSFHDGMDsYNLWahRVw/s1600/DSC00298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJj6Lfd6nKIx6sWqNmbuDBrlK230S2mxyEWoWtNe0BydzMsz7yi-pRRALPPKyJJg_PWnEi601cmeZpJw1qwGiKKpboz9D2ej5o34lVZVIkaSEIxUbkvIrU-Sm2gSFHDGMDsYNLWahRVw/s320/DSC00298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61fWOGoOS_4PaDhwSNx32D7YSrO225CyoPKZU4PqWCAaJjygwNa5UFRsi-ZK5ZFtgVtf1YVeuXPp3tHYggLLsbEui6ZdShu91QEB1qOYKbbASyJ6_CCb5OmzESRaNDyrcyLjrtjQcRwk/s1600/DSC00318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61fWOGoOS_4PaDhwSNx32D7YSrO225CyoPKZU4PqWCAaJjygwNa5UFRsi-ZK5ZFtgVtf1YVeuXPp3tHYggLLsbEui6ZdShu91QEB1qOYKbbASyJ6_CCb5OmzESRaNDyrcyLjrtjQcRwk/s320/DSC00318.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoEd1oOTxwJMJ0hhvrhzVvMDFRUr0ScSSdyBXVG8T8E3nQNad2S4P75XmZaKGikDSCuYRTorCEYnU8CQwd8DeTUqVV5c2gfUrJ0CmaR4UDSdfe88VLeoPk9x7rZd4HzlaktSET27yzOc/s1600/DSC00281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoEd1oOTxwJMJ0hhvrhzVvMDFRUr0ScSSdyBXVG8T8E3nQNad2S4P75XmZaKGikDSCuYRTorCEYnU8CQwd8DeTUqVV5c2gfUrJ0CmaR4UDSdfe88VLeoPk9x7rZd4HzlaktSET27yzOc/s320/DSC00281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
The Winner! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWUnmAmJQf521UghN0ArhFO2oau6ccCjw_MyX_YxmYNs-wtXFMj4JZ5NYpGG890pCQ1ZUTHJ6mwWbRLXhMUYFKGyNm4Vicbh86sJLxJJ6Ln4zLqch2yp7eJfQUCN-UOM0FBhFHsNzETQ/s1600/DSC00269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWUnmAmJQf521UghN0ArhFO2oau6ccCjw_MyX_YxmYNs-wtXFMj4JZ5NYpGG890pCQ1ZUTHJ6mwWbRLXhMUYFKGyNm4Vicbh86sJLxJJ6Ln4zLqch2yp7eJfQUCN-UOM0FBhFHsNzETQ/s320/DSC00269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remembering Clyde Campbell, a great educator</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-JI4gdoi36qnPuLhlBfd9DqUEfkz1nfudZySWSLYxV044RtfBkzwtnOGFi_simav9O2VfxuZIkdecvXxZwxrlPY3z-V7y72Jpjal4GMPg48mIcE7xbbKis5uPbNJ5CC9yJqbNKAlvi0/s1600/DSC00271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-JI4gdoi36qnPuLhlBfd9DqUEfkz1nfudZySWSLYxV044RtfBkzwtnOGFi_simav9O2VfxuZIkdecvXxZwxrlPY3z-V7y72Jpjal4GMPg48mIcE7xbbKis5uPbNJ5CC9yJqbNKAlvi0/s320/DSC00271.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guidelines for use of the library!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-18075426419836322232013-04-17T03:38:00.001-07:002013-04-17T03:58:58.765-07:00This Church's ChallengeA variety of tensions exist in my Episcopal church and its ministries - as it does in every other. They come in many shapes and colors. The one that interests me most - and is expressed in a variety of ways - is that which exists between what we used to describe as the vertical (love of God) and the horizontal (love of God's world), the spiritual and the pastoral/prophetic. The vertical and horizontal can and should exist as two sides of the same coin. In my parish they are called <i>formation</i> and <i>discipleship</i>. People engaged in personal formation through study and a spiritual discipline - leading to a deepening experience of the God who exists beyond our flawed projections - are most likely, but not necessarily, to feel called to discipleship. Living as a disciple (serving the needs of our sisters and brothers; confronting the distortions of our world; calling out oppressors) most likely, but not necessarily, surfaces an awareness of the need for the study and spiritual practice that sustains discipleship.<br />
<br />
For many reasons, the institutional church has difficulty holding these ministries together so they reinforce and support each other. My Episcopal Church - like others, a very human and flawed institution - has had periods in which it has contributed bountifully to one or the other. Occasionally, it finds a balance... but not for long. My personal constitution leans toward the prophetic, so I must work hard to practice a spiritual discipline that deepens my experience of what I prefer to call holy mystery, a place where 'prayer' is primarily listening. I am and will likely always be a novice in this department.<br />
<br />
My prophetic leaning may be partially genetic; it's certainly been shaped by gifted mentors, beginning with my exposure to the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer when I was 15. Many more since then. During my professional years as a clinical psychologist, that leaning hung around on the sidelines. When I partially retired in 2003 and was coerced by a most insistent woman friend to pursue an emerging interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a Sabeel Witness Trip to Israel/Palestine in 2006, I was appalled, blessed - probably most of all, humbled. Humbled by the hospitality and generosity of the Palestinians people; humbled by the courage and faithfulness of Palestinians and Israelis who pursued a non-violent resistance to the Occupation and the many human rights violations and racism that exist here. Many trips, conversations, articles, books, conferences since then.<br />
<br />
All of the above is prologue.<br />
<br />
I am here again, lodged in East Jerusalem, visiting Palestinian and Israeli friends here and in villages on the West Bank. While very proud of my church's leadership in ordaining women, consecrating bishops who happened to be gay with committed partners, blessing gay marriages, I am sorely disappointed by my church's leadership in addressing the terrible injustice that exists in this land. Prophetic voices at the 2012 General Convention were suppressed. Our Presiding Bishop declined an opportunity to join other Christian leaders in calling on Congress to enforce U.S. law making military assistance illegal to countries with significant human rights violations. Episcopal Voices of Conscience were ignored at TEC's Executive Council meeting in February.<br />
<br />
Because the Anglican Church has important parishes, schools, medical and human service institutions here that serve the Palestinian people, the ecclesiastical authorities must walk a fine line. There is no doubt Israeli authorities can shut down or at least cause these institutions untold hassle if they feel provoked (and sometimes even if they don't), but my experience here is that church leadership rarely even approaches that fine line. I was pleased on Sunday to hear the celebrant at St. George's, in the prayers of the people, explicitly name the suffering of his fellow Palestinians (humiliation at check points, demolition of homes, uprooting of olive trees, violence at the hands of settlers) and, later, to hear John Peterson, former dean of St George's College, tell a visiting delegation from the Diocese of Northern California of the same realities. There are voices that tell the truth - but it does not appear to be diocesan policy.<br />
<br />
Earlier in this visit I was graciously received by the Rev. Hanna Dally, priest in charge at St. Andrew's Church in Ramallah. He has a lovely wife and four children, is dedicated to preaching the Gospel, teaching and serving his people. Hanna describes himself as evangelical - an approach which reflects the vertical, sometimes - in my experience - to the exclusion of the horizontal. Hanna is no stranger to the frustrations experienced by all Palestinians. He described waiting at a check point for two hours and then being told the check point was closed - he must go elsewhere. But in terms of resistance to the occupation, Hanna's language turns moderate in the extreme. "Israel must have security, but their soldiers should be nicer to us at the check points. The wall can stay, but the gates should be more open. They can have Jerusalem, but we should all be admitted." My worry is that this approach - or something like it - characterizes the official stance of the Diocese of Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
I do not live here; they do. I have the luxury of visiting and returning home where I enjoy freedoms they only imagine. They have all experienced the pain of occupation; they know the truth. At the very least, Episcopalians in the U.S. should be able to speak and demonstrate against a biased U.S. foreign policy that supports this oppression without being limited by the caution exercised by our Anglican Palestinian brothers and sisters.<br />
<br />
And while I'm at it ... one more rant.<br />
<br />
I am truly sick to death of the hordes of Americans and Europeans and others who come here to "walk in the footsteps of Jesus." Scrambling, pushing and shoving to get into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Church of the Holy Nativity is not my idea of spiritual nurture. Too many - far too many - sincere Christians come here and see nothing of the realities in which an oppressed people live. And our tourist presence generously supports the Israeli, far more than the Palestinian economy. I asked a sincere pair of Americans who professed to have come to "walk in Jesus' footsteps" if they wondered where Jesus might be walking if he were here now. When the conversation turned to the wall and check points and visits to the West Bank, they replied with what they have been taught - "it is not safe there."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2UGnO1zAs4NeGMk2tWIKmlG5okseyHm2nn3L8Y5w0OciFWiwnqpTAlwFwxJmRqrig5GJAfDdkPExbfjXLYlHGB5-7bPJZjNsHfFk4v_m63Rb4G841Til7FDfThKKbbRXL3T666gQLbQ/s1600/DSC00177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2UGnO1zAs4NeGMk2tWIKmlG5okseyHm2nn3L8Y5w0OciFWiwnqpTAlwFwxJmRqrig5GJAfDdkPExbfjXLYlHGB5-7bPJZjNsHfFk4v_m63Rb4G841Til7FDfThKKbbRXL3T666gQLbQ/s400/DSC00177.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking toward the gate off Salah Ed-Din into the compound of the Diocese of Jerusalem, St. George's College and the Anglican Cathedral of St George the Martyr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-18334663182701289272013-04-16T23:22:00.000-07:002013-04-16T23:22:16.312-07:00"Pray God It Wasn't an Arab ..."It is a strange experience to be sitting in my favorite little restaurant in East Jerusalem, watching the BBC and Al Jazeera accounts of the deadly mayhem in Boston, watching from a land which has experienced more than its share of deadly mayhem. So many Arab friends have expressed their sorrow at our loss. It was my host, Mo Tahan, watching with me, who uttered the prayer of many ... "Pray God it wasn't an Arab ...."Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-32694911817805314032013-04-15T01:48:00.002-07:002013-04-15T01:53:11.149-07:00If Samer Issawi Dies ...Samer Issawi is the Palestinian prisoner, arrested in Ramallah in April, 2002 during the height of the Second Intifada. He was convicted of a variety of serious charges - belonging to a banned political organization, firing at Israeli military vehicles - and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Mr. Issawi was released in October, 2011, as part of the exchange for the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, and rearrested in July, 2012, for "violating the terms of his release". With other political prisoners, Samer Issawi began a hunger strike in August, 2012. He has continued his strike for 8 months and is now being held at the Israeli Kaplan Medical Center, his life in obvious jeopardy.<br />
<br />
Numerous demonstrations have been held here and in the U.S., protesting his continued imprisonment; Israeli peace activists recently attempted to visit him; Amos Oz and other prominent pro peace Israeli literary figures pleaded with him to end his strike, preserve his life. Israel has offered to deport him to another country. Mr. Assawi has refused and continues his strike.<br />
<br />
The question is repeatedly asked here, "What will happen if/when Assawi dies?"<br />
<br />
My first evening here I had dinner with Estephan Salameh, recently resigned from an important position with the Palestinian Authority, and Paul Parker, on a 6 month sabbatical from Elmhurst College, volunteering at Sabeel. Paul asked, "could the Palestinians muster a demonstration of 20 - 30,000 persons?" Estephan's answer was, "No, the PA security forces would prevent them from getting even close to the IDF. The PA does the work of the Israelis."<br />
<br />
I sat with Mo this morning, drinking coffee, when his old teacher friend who taught him English, came in for coffee and conversation. I asked, "What will happen ...?" The answer was quick and sad. "Nothing. A big funeral; lots o f people. 2-3 days of unrest, demonstrations. Then everything back to 'normal'. People are poor; they are suffering."Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-9676766362041436032013-04-12T08:42:00.000-07:002013-04-19T06:08:23.800-07:00What Do You Want To Tell The American People?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It's not very original, but it's the question I decided to ask as many as I could on this trip. I've just begun, but here are a few early returns.<br />
<br />
<b>LYDIA MUSHAHWAR</b>, the young woman I described in an earlier posting, was reluctant, but after repeatedly pestering her, she said - "Just tell them to do what they think is right, no matter what it costs. It's important to do the right thing - and only they can decide what that is. I just don't want to get my hopes up, and be disappointed again."<br />
<br />
<b>ABUNA HANNA</b>, the priest at St. Andrew's in Ramallah said, "Come visit us; come and see who we are and how we live. You will only understand what is happening here if you come see it yourself."<br />
<br />
My friend<b>, MO</b>, who feeds me so well was more blunt. He said "If America would finally say no to Netanyahu, our situation could change overnight. Tell the American people to to tell their government to stop siding with Israel."<br />
<br />
<b>HAROUT SANDROUNI, </b>whose Armenian Art Center in the old city is a showcase for beautiful ceramics repeats what I hear from others. "Tell them to do the right thing." To say Harout is disappointed with the US government would be a massive understatement. These are not his words, but I have no doubt he would add, "If you don't know what the right thing is, come here and see what is happening to the Palestinian people."<br />
<br />
If I'm ever in need of an infusion of positive energy, <b>KHITAM EDELBI</b> is the one to whom I will turn. As described earlier, she is a talented art therapist whose vocation is healing. Sitting with Khitam and Al Miller at lunch at the Jerusalem Hotel, Khitam answered with a conviction for which written words are wholly inadequate, "Do the right thing - tell people the truth!"<br />
<br />
I sat with a friend this morning in St George's garden following Sunday liturgy. We shared medical adventures and she told me of relatively recent surgery on a tumor lodged in the thoracic area of her spine. After other physicians misdiagnosed her condition she went to a <b>PALESTINIAN NEUROSURGEON</b> in Ramallah who identified the problem correctly, verified it with an MRI the next day and operated the following week. The procedure lasted 11 hours, a grueling ordeal for both patient and surgeon. My friend said she was released from the hospital three days later and when she went to see her neurosurgeon later, she asked him my question. His answer: "Tell them we're human".<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhebl_pNoaeC00ycw38oTS1S-vjC5ruBTKN5R2KwJ2aXsDC1e7bkGF1nZgm4XSasKOEHfLhc4spQdJfb0ybweayAgf80__MBxWOOUhidv_ubUnK__83hvihs0UQkWzI5UQozjiwjHMHQ/s1600/DSC00334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhebl_pNoaeC00ycw38oTS1S-vjC5ruBTKN5R2KwJ2aXsDC1e7bkGF1nZgm4XSasKOEHfLhc4spQdJfb0ybweayAgf80__MBxWOOUhidv_ubUnK__83hvihs0UQkWzI5UQozjiwjHMHQ/s200/DSC00334.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeries Kort, last year medical school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Estephan, Al Miller and I visited the<b> SERAJ LIBRARY AT TAYBEH </b>yesterday. We sat with the amazing young adults who volunteer at the library and talked of the children, opportunities to use drama to help them tell the story of Taybeh to the hordes of "pilgrims" who come there each week, of the need for books for young adults. We asked them what they want us to tell Americans. They were very direct:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- we just want basic rights<br />
- we're not terrorists</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- peace does not come without justice</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- every time we see a soldier, a settler, we think of the U.S. not being fair</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- we are not expecting anything from the U.S. government</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- people come to Taybeh for religious reasons ... but they don't look around the village, see the three settlements and Israeli military base that surrounds us</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAU_ujT6I5pSAULQR4fdBg3qhe7EZCB7hRy0v439qal_u5lScpPHT0DdDM1f2nSrJLEs-S8R7l9zyhvfKxZYJxK9GnD030rrpaztG4zCYuPQUCEjDbBY1zVuaBcqTUcjmWH-BI0sHo3o/s1600/DSC00329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAU_ujT6I5pSAULQR4fdBg3qhe7EZCB7hRy0v439qal_u5lScpPHT0DdDM1f2nSrJLEs-S8R7l9zyhvfKxZYJxK9GnD030rrpaztG4zCYuPQUCEjDbBY1zVuaBcqTUcjmWH-BI0sHo3o/s200/DSC00329.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helda Zayed, 11th grade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-63258250869296426962013-04-12T07:52:00.001-07:002013-04-19T06:00:46.374-07:00Adjusting To OccupationHumans have an amazing capacity to adjust to many - not all - realities. Relatively few of the world's population have anywhere near the opportunities, access to quality health care and personal freedoms I have ... and have had for 75 years. Some of those advantages exist for the people I meet here, but most don't and even those who do live under conditions that would render me perpetually angry ... and, perhaps, prone to violence. What interests me is how they adjust and, in spite of it all ... cope.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61LJZVyXK8p1bTvGAzlmTTfu2ecu7-FOGO1EFJw-rNGB80HXpSJHNQYsru1ssVuTlZUPuZHjbpBWctQlIbwACbbb34lqKZgoZH4KgMXl9gfc7O6zN4qcnd9GOMk2Qf1mwXS4wE3Udmyw/s1600/DSC00172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61LJZVyXK8p1bTvGAzlmTTfu2ecu7-FOGO1EFJw-rNGB80HXpSJHNQYsru1ssVuTlZUPuZHjbpBWctQlIbwACbbb34lqKZgoZH4KgMXl9gfc7O6zN4qcnd9GOMk2Qf1mwXS4wE3Udmyw/s200/DSC00172.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia Mushahwar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had a good conversation last night with the young woman I have gotten to know over many stays at the Jerusalem Meridian and who takes such good care of me here. <b>LYDIA MUSHAHWAR </b>is in her early 20's, has a responsible position and is consistently cheerful. When I ask her how she copes with the conditions we've discussed many times, she tells me she has had her hopes raised so many times, only to find them unfulfilled (she didn't use the word <i>betrayed</i>, but it seemed just below the surface) that she decided it is worse than useless to expect things to change; better to decide to live as good a life as she can. "I read the Bible every night and I try very hard to be a good person" (Lydia is Greek Orthodox with a Jordanian father and an Italian mother; she prefers to go to the Latin Church). She did tell me the most painful moment in her life was when Israel built the wall down the middle of her street separating her from the girlfriend she grew up with and played with every day. When the wall was completed, they would go to the top of their buildings to wave to each other.<br />
<br />
Lydia is strongly self-disciplined. She went to work at 17 and put herself through college, graduating in the top third of her class. If there were a large demonstration protesting Israeli policies, I doubt Lydia would be there. With some embarrassment, she said as much, knowing that I have participated with Palestinians in several. The one clue she gave at her discontent with "how things are" was when she said, "but when I marry and have children, I don't want them to have to live like this."<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRuzvNDSnNdWMFnxweBQPl6_TR2Xbs17oscUIiVhyphenhyphenz3Gb9VmYBUryq7hRJ06i65CKCHY7sMN4kRS8eAkfx6vui-ZB3qI8RUv1SffPhNYBKBTsQ1UQoj8x-lyW36JqgATvqFyhO-f9IoY/s1600/DSC00115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRuzvNDSnNdWMFnxweBQPl6_TR2Xbs17oscUIiVhyphenhyphenz3Gb9VmYBUryq7hRJ06i65CKCHY7sMN4kRS8eAkfx6vui-ZB3qI8RUv1SffPhNYBKBTsQ1UQoj8x-lyW36JqgATvqFyhO-f9IoY/s200/DSC00115.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moe and Elena Tahan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>MOETAHAN AND HIS WIFE, ELENA</b>, manage the restaurant at the corner of Salah E'din and Ibn Abu Taleb, right behind St. George's. Mo is one of those Palestinians who left for more opportunities in the U.S. but returned to help take care of his parents. They have a good-enough business here and both express gratitude to the American people whom they see as generous and kind. But Mo chafes at the conditions and acknowledges he sometimes gets depressed. He could use his Jerusalem ID to advantage, but to do so he would have to give up his American passport and he won't do that - though he acknowledges he cannot afford to go back to America and start over. Mo adjusts by working hard, raising his son, supplying his customers with food more nutritious "than what is served in America." But he pays a price.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7Tm_VVcbkYEY0f7mojOGAyoW8SYZ1ruKd4xk07yth0fEFZNJQvMQXuvdhhBg0w0NkzM4fn15agbo-TutRz4JDauALSDKR6qWd3IPnjR2-Yt4KSNAYr4VYhxY1QzvVo6Bj-j0lOh6RyE/s1600/DSC00208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7Tm_VVcbkYEY0f7mojOGAyoW8SYZ1ruKd4xk07yth0fEFZNJQvMQXuvdhhBg0w0NkzM4fn15agbo-TutRz4JDauALSDKR6qWd3IPnjR2-Yt4KSNAYr4VYhxY1QzvVo6Bj-j0lOh6RyE/s200/DSC00208.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haroud Sandrouni</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have been visiting <b>HAROUD SANDROUNI</b> at his wonderful Armenian Art Center in the Old City on every trip here since I first met him in 2007. He comes from a distinguished family of craftsmen and artists whose history in Palestine stretches back to the early years of the twentieth century. Al Miller and I sat and talked with Mr. Sandrouni for a good hour (interrupted occasionally by customers purchasing beautiful objects). He told us he was in fact not coping well and was, obviously, angry. The Christian population is small and the Armenian a tiny percentage of that. 87 Armenians are left in the Old City and 20 of those are priests - about whom Mr. Sandrouni has little good to say (like nothing). Israeli policies are aimed at discouraging non-Jews from remaining in Jerusalem. Everyone, he says, is concerned with their own survival (perhaps understandably) and is less willing to stand with each other. Mr. Sandrouni's comments echo what I've heard from Jean Zaru and Estephan Salameh - the Occupation is shredding a a once strong and cohesive Palestinian culture.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW266LVF8SdvdI-LK7gANpPvkzcxXCYpdHev1y1DmGlAEQT_kQvNCjNOdiyKJ-Xo4ZGpK6MCWMytJE1NYBanc16z0Wzv9sivxUJikd9Z3QMKuX13h_28eBFi2eY3zHyxshTq2gwkfqCQ/s1600/DSC00217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW266LVF8SdvdI-LK7gANpPvkzcxXCYpdHev1y1DmGlAEQT_kQvNCjNOdiyKJ-Xo4ZGpK6MCWMytJE1NYBanc16z0Wzv9sivxUJikd9Z3QMKuX13h_28eBFi2eY3zHyxshTq2gwkfqCQ/s200/DSC00217.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khitam Edelbi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I originally met <b>KHITAM EDELBI</b> through my friends Lael Stegall and Al Miller. Khitam spent time with Al at his wonderful theatre in Brunswick, Maine and later studied art therapy in Boston. It was when Lael came to celebrate Khitam's marriage in the fall of 2010 that the first symptoms of Lael's cancer surfaced. Lael had something in common with Khitam, an amazing resiliency, a sense of joy and purpose in life. Oh, we need so many more like them!<br />
<br />
Al and I met Khitam for a late lunch Saturday following a teaching gig Khitam had that morning. Khitam is among the more outspoken regarding the insidious effect of Israeli policies and laws and the ineffectiveness of the Palestinian Authority in countering the oppression of Occupation. She is clearly angry. She is also clearly an (amazingly) positive force for good. "My work is my hope. My work with children and teachers, my family, the people I love ... I do get down, but not for long." One more observation about Khitam. She is one of 11 children. She said that if she needed them, all 10 would be there within three hours. The cohesive structure of her family system remains strong.<br />
<br />
I have no picture of this fellow, but he was sitting next to us (Khitam, Al and me) at the Jerusalem Hotel dining room. Khitam recognized him as <b>A VERY TALENTED MUSICIAN </b>who plays drums (of a sort) on Friday nights; I recalled his face from an evening he was performing there a couple years ago. She asked if his house had been demolished by the Israelis ... and he said "yes, it was". "Did I hear that Jimmy Carter came to see you there?" "Yes, but we ended up talking more about music than the demolition."<br />
<br />
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-5395507848773557842013-04-12T04:24:00.000-07:002013-04-12T04:24:51.508-07:00Just Another StoryI learned this week of a young Palestinian woman with a Jerusalem ID (which means she has medical insurance), nine months pregnant and beginning to go into labor. Because her husband is from Ramallah (no Jerusalem ID; no medical insurance), the hospital informed them he would have to put up $4,000 before she could go into delivery. She can only use her medical insurance if she will state that the father is "unknown". In a Muslim culture, that implies the mother is a loose woman and the child will always carry the label of bastard. Israeli policy has many ways to punish those they wish would go away.Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423995438466730863.post-44404768250299128282013-04-12T00:58:00.000-07:002013-04-12T04:26:11.294-07:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnDGl47riRSWpVd-Jov3vNaH09ipUrP-CP-P4Rq-TcF8RtQ7fsSLfWlj6_quGB9GkTivjzcQab24qNlsyQAPwmLfgpewEBdXeG9ZL-IuzYzG5_9296GupF5rpXlMXOniZqkUV4rfpkzA/s1600/DSC00105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnDGl47riRSWpVd-Jov3vNaH09ipUrP-CP-P4Rq-TcF8RtQ7fsSLfWlj6_quGB9GkTivjzcQab24qNlsyQAPwmLfgpewEBdXeG9ZL-IuzYzG5_9296GupF5rpXlMXOniZqkUV4rfpkzA/s400/DSC00105.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria, having lunch with her student parents at Mo and Elena's grill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhJflhS42dANOnxSq5jTRkBxTsZo18uDo3ocU6WjNveJyiL7VmfO5DSCGpL9cfBgv1eNoxFct-ZWLJHkHvrFnxrNLQWBQABBWGA8HnJma6_fv4DXIj4pQsGzdfgrhk8N6kPhKuocVlZs/s1600/DSC00127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhJflhS42dANOnxSq5jTRkBxTsZo18uDo3ocU6WjNveJyiL7VmfO5DSCGpL9cfBgv1eNoxFct-ZWLJHkHvrFnxrNLQWBQABBWGA8HnJma6_fv4DXIj4pQsGzdfgrhk8N6kPhKuocVlZs/s400/DSC00127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A warm welcome to the West Bank at Qalandia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ4t7bw-t7ERH2w0iQZxfEp8yFYBcEcjNtA-T5aPn4fxnSdRHEowHDMRPSpiEWU6mJ6wWussLjj03HqLMiHbKjgn250YcaLe2_Wym7qkznc6A4Dsg25JwYptxifgWe3fgO6x-n7b4hmc/s1600/DSC00150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ4t7bw-t7ERH2w0iQZxfEp8yFYBcEcjNtA-T5aPn4fxnSdRHEowHDMRPSpiEWU6mJ6wWussLjj03HqLMiHbKjgn250YcaLe2_Wym7qkznc6A4Dsg25JwYptxifgWe3fgO6x-n7b4hmc/s400/DSC00150.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Center of Ramallah appears thriving; though, as Jean reminds me, the appearance is misleading. Unemployment is high, prices are rising and, when Israel is displeased with the Palestinian Authority, it withholds tax revenue that belongs to the Palestinians. When Abbas disobeyed Israel and the U.S. last fall, asking recognition of Palestine at the UN General Assembly (and got it, 138 - 9 with 41 abstentions), tax revenues were withheld and plans to build on the critical E1 area were announced. That's called punishment for seeking what Israel sought in the same venue in 1947.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Algodonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046472914672264560noreply@blogger.com0