Pilgrims of Ibillin

Einas Abu Hjoul

So many of Mar Elias’s students go on to college and successful careers thanks in part to their fine education at MEEI.  COVID-19 has created challenges for everyone and has put on hold young people’s dreams and ambitions.  Here is a short essay by Einas about what she’s been doing since graduating from MEEI and her current state of uncertainty due to the pandemic.

My name is Einas Abu Hjoul. I graduated from Mar Elias high school in 2016. During my senior year, I started thinking more seriously about my future.  Like  many students after graduating from Mar Elias; I took a gap year to study for the Psychometric exam ( for the Pilgrims audience -this is similar to the SATs in the United States and a high score on this exam is essential for admission to college in Israel, and a certain score is needed for studying in Italy as well, but not as high as the score needed in order to study in Israel, because Italy requires other exams).  While studying for the Psychometric exam, I worked as a private teacher for languages, mathematics and chemistry for high school students. I also worked in a restaurant in Haifa for several months at the same time I was teaching, just to try other work and to deal more with people (it’s not easy!), and I took violin lessons once a week to improve myself.

For as long as I can remember, I thought about studying medicine.  During my gap year, I participated in a volunteer program called Sunshine Project. This program uses the power of play to support the psychosocial and developmental needs of children and their families as they face medical challenges. Our role in the Sunshine Project was to use bed-side services to bring play activities to every child in the hospital ward regardless of age, illness or background.

At the end of this year, I started to think about the possibility of studying abroad, I looked for good universities, and for a good place where I could spend the 6 years necessary to complete college and a medical degree, so I chose Italy, despite my family’s urging to choose a different country since the education system in Italy is very difficult. 

I took an Italian Language course for 3 months in Florence, Italy, to study the language and to see how it is to live in Italy. It was an amazing experience. When I went back home, I took a preparation course for the entrance exam for the universities in Italy (like the IMAT for the students who want to study in English).

In September 2018, I completed two exams, the language exam and the entrance exam for medical school in Rome. A month later, I received notice that I had been accepted. From that moment onwards I experienced a cornucopia of emotions. I moved to Italy at the beginning of November 2018 after I got my study visa, and started a totally new, different experience.

I started at Sapienza University of Rome (Sapienza Università di Roma). It is one of the largest European universities and one of the oldest in history, founded in 1303. It was really hard at the beginning: I was alone, I started studying medicine in my fourth language, Italian, which is totally different from my mother language (Arabic), and this made my studies even harder.

Then I started to meet Italian students.  I had my group of friends who helped me a lot and I lived with Italian girls, who helped me improve my language. Another obstacle was the method of exams, all the exams are oral exams, a totally new experience for me.

I learned to live and enjoy the Italian life; a quiet life and with good food, quite different from the stressful life in Israel (especially as an Arab who lives in Israel).

Now I speak Italian well, and I learned the right way to study, it took time and required patience.

As a result of the COVID-19, I had to go back home. This was a very hard time for me; especially in Italy where I felt unsafe because the university was not prepared for such a thing. We did continue online classes but it was more complicated.

Then I started to think about whether it’s better to come back home and just try to study medicine here in Israel which would require me to retake the entrance exam in Israel next year.  I’ve also thought maybe I should just wait out COVID-19 and then continue my studies in Rome. With COVID-19 still with us, I remain in a quandary about my future. 

The Link Between Justice and Peace

By Rev. Susan d’Olive Mozena

Photo: Susan Mozena at the Church of the Beatitudes in Israel

I have been part of Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (PCUSA) since 1969, first as a member, and then as a minister leading the adult education program since 2009. I was aware of Fr. Elias Chacour and Pilgrims of Ibillin through Fr. Chacour’s years-long friendship with our former pastor, Rev. Dr. V. Bruce Rigdon, who had invited Fr. Chacour to visit our congregation. 

Because of his first visit with us, I read Fr. Chacour’s compelling book, Blood Brothers.  In 2015, I jumped at the chance to be part of a Living Stones Pilgrimage, joined by a number of members of our church, and others from around the country. I was attracted to the Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI) because of Fr. Chacour’s life story and his unshakable commitment to interfaith education grounded in the gospel of the love of God in Jesus Christ as a means to advocate for justice and foster peace in that very troubled part of the world. 

I am grateful to serve on the Pilgrims of Ibillin board because of what I experienced, what I learned, during that pilgrimage in 2015.

Pilgrims of Ibillin supports MEEI, and it also supports other “peace partners,” whose work we learned about on our pilgrimage.  Each of those organizations is committed to supporting Palestinian Israeli citizens and Palestinians living in the West Bank, Christians and Muslims alike, whose work is focused on the peaceful pursuit of justice.  I was incredibly moved by the missions of each of Ibillin’s Peace Partners, and I was inspired by the determination of each to make a difference in the difficult life realities of those they serve.

One of our Peace Partners is Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center in Bethlehem, West Bank, located right next to the very ugly Israeli separation wall and guard tower, which virtually looms over Wi’am’s patio and play yard for the children who spend time there.

Photos from Wi’am …..

Our Pilgrimage group spent a wonderful time at Wi’am, learning from the founder and director , Zoughbi Zoughbi M.A. and Wi’am staff member Usama Nicola, our guide in the West Bank. We happened to be in Bethlehem on Palm Sunday and were invited to worship at Wi’am, presided over by a wonderfully welcoming American Roman Catholic priest who was leading a tour of Catholics from several different countries who were committed to social justice. It was incredibly powerful to participate in the Palm Sunday liturgy in the birthplace of Jesus Christ, sharing the peace with sister and brother Christians from many different places, in several languages: “The peace of Christ be with you.” “And also with you.” All of that happened right next to that wall and that guard tower.

Photo: West Bank wall and guard tower

Seated near the front, I could easily see the detail of what was on the communion table.  It was an olive wood depiction of the wall and the tower, with the familiar figures of the Christmas creche in front, Bethlehem now and Bethlehem then.

Photos: Olive wood creche with wall and tower

And, I could see the artistic detail of the parament hanging from the lectern, a depiction of Jacob and Esau, two brothers who had been broken apart by covetousness over issues of birthright, and then eventually reconciled.  What had been broken became healed. 

Photos: Parament pictures

At the end of the Palm Sunday service, the liturgist assisting the priest knocked the olive wood wall down, leaving the creche intact.

As we made our way through our pilgrimage, visiting people, sites and organizations in Israel and the West Bank, what I saw and heard from Muslim and Christian Palestinians provided me with vivid images and conversations that convinced me that without justice for Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank, peace is not truly attainable and sustainable.  That is why I serve on the Pilgrims of Ibillin board.

Pilgrims of Ibillin sent the October 2020 Pilgrims’ Post newsletter to our community via email this week. View the full newsletter here:

October 2020 Pilgrims’ Post

The October 2020 newsletter provides updates for:

• Pilgrims executive search
• Announcement and details of October 31, 12 noon (Eastern), Pilgrims Webinar via Zoom with Usama Nicola and Dr. Celene Lillie
• Interview with Abuna Chacour – An article by Femininza
• Updates from Peace Partners, MEEI, Hope School, and West Bank Village of Zababdeh

Contact Us

To receive updates and news from Pilgrims of Ibillin, please contact us through the link (above) and provide your email and contact information. Thank you for your interest and support in our mission to foster peace and justice in Israel and Palestine through education.

Donate to Pilgrims and our Peace Partners

Pilgrims President Peter Henry wrote a letter to Pilgrims in the August 2020 Update. Click on the link to see the full email: https://conta.cc/3hBMT4M

Among the many aspects of life that defines our current moment is change. Pilgrims of Ibillin is part of that change. In addition to wanting to thank you for your financial support of Pilgrims, I am also writing today to tell you that our executive director, Laurie Lyter Bright, is leaving Pilgrims August 31. We are grateful for her two and a half years of leadership with us and wish her well.

The Board of Directors of Pilgrims has already secured some interim, transitional leadership. I am pleased to tell you that Brenda Mehos, a member of our board who has made several trips to Ibillin and who has a long history of supporting a just peace in Palestine and Israel, has agreed to be our Interim Executive Director through the end of December. This will allow the board to conclude our ongoing work with a consultant about next steps for our ED position. With the continuing help of our able administrative support staff member, Angela Cummins, Pilgrims will be in good hands during the transition. If you have names or ideas of how to fill our ED position, please contact me.

Gifts to Peace Partners Make Significant Impact
I also wanted to make you aware of the significant impact that Pilgrims has had on the work of MEEI and our peace partners in 2020. Thanks to the generous giving of our friends like you, as well as a generous bequest, we have been able to fund special, COVID-related technology upgrades at MEEI and we have also enabled the school to complete several long-range, capital needs projects that included updating teacher work spaces and renovating the middle school (the original high school, one of the oldest buildings on campus). We also sent all of our peace partner grants early so that they would have money to assist them in their work during a time when funds might have been tight.
Again, thank you for your past support of Pilgrims and we look forward to continuing our partnership in fostering peace and justice in Israel and Palestine. If you have questions about our ongoing work or would like to know more about the work of the board of directors, please contact me with the information listed below. You can also reach out to Brenda Mehos with the contact information below.

Grace and peace,

The Rev. Dr. Peter J. M. Henry
President of the Board of Directors of Pilgrims of Ibillin
Davidson College Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 337
Davidson, NC 28036
(313) 600-7370 | Peter.henry@ptsem.edu

Donate to Pilgrims and Peace Partners

Contact Pilgrims of Ibillin

Brenda Mehos
Interim Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin
brenda@pilgrimsofibillin.org
www.pilgrimsofibillin.org
phone: (303) 928-0923

At end of the webinar (51:04 on the recording), Abuna Elias Chacour thanks Pilgrims for their support for continuing projects made possible by their donations. View the full webinar: (1:06:33)

Abuna said, “We need your friendship and your financial help. I thank you for caring for us. We are friends of every one of you. We love you so dearly. We implore God to bless you and fill your life with peace and joy. Amen.”

Click on the link (below) to see our full July E-Blast. We exceeded our goal with the response to this E-Blast. Thank you for your continuing support!)

https://conta.cc/3hJ09UU

We are only $250 away from our goal! Your gifts to Pilgrims continue to support the great work of our Peace Partners. Pilgrims recently shared a Grant Challenge created by our board of directors. Board members pooled their stimulus funds to create a matching grant. Donations will be matched to a total of $3000. Gifts will go to Mars Elias Educational Institute (MEEI) to assist during the pandemic. We are only $250 shy of reaching the $3,000 matching goal. Help us put it over the top! Let’s make this happen! View the video from the July 11 Webinar and see how your Pilgrims donations continue to bless the communities in the Holy Lands. Thank you for your generous gifts. Rev. Laurie Lyter Bright Executive Director

Donate to MEEI Grant Challenge

Dear Friends of Pilgrims of Ibillin and the Mar Elias Educational Institution (MEEI), View the full webinar via YouTube (1:06:33) Thank you for attending our Webinar on MEEI during COVID-19 on July 11. We hope it was informing and gave you a taste of what MEEI is up to and how they are coping during this challenging time.   Using available technology like Zoom gives us remarkable opportunities to talk with teachers and students at MEEI. I know as a board member it was really helpful to see the improvements your gifts have made possible and so interesting to hear about how the teachers are working so hard to meet their students’ educational needs. I was also very impressed with the fluency of the students’ English. Please stay tuned for upcoming Pilgrims of Ibillin Webinars in the future as we continue to look at ways to stay connected with MEEI and our other Peace Partners. Please let us know if you have a topic you would like to learn about in a future Webinar!   Peace, Salaam, Shalom, Brenda Mehos Board Member Pilgrimage Coordinator for Pilgrims of Ibillin P.S. Thanks to Pilgrims of ibillin President Rev. Dr. Peter Henry for the review of Pilgrims’ projects and for facilitating the Zoom webinar; MEEI teachers, Emil, Luma and Maisa; students, Aseel and Eva; Director of High School Elias AG; Pilgrims Board Member Dr. James Thomas for presenting questions submitted by participants; for everyone who submitted questions and joined our conversation; and for Board Member Sarah Morgan’s assistance with technology and recording of the event.

We Need Pilgrims More Than Ever

– Pilgrims sent the following appeal via email this week. https://conta.cc/3eHm3Gb Dear Fellow Pilgrims – I hope that this email finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy during this pandemic. Our connections to one another are so important right now, which is why I continue to be grateful for your support of Pilgrims of Ibillin. “We need Pilgrims more than ever,” I recently heard someone say. It was last week, during a webinar with students, teachers and administrators from Mar Elias Educational Institution that we learned that connections to Pilgrims is more important than ever for them. One student, Aseel, said that coming to MEEI from her old school was “like coming to a different world, where teachers cared about you and more than just as a student.” One of the teachers, Luma, described commuting over an hour to MEEI but declared, “It is so worth it. For this school, these students, it is worth it.” Elias Abu Ghanima, the principal of the high school, spoke of the passion that his teachers, so many of whom have masters degrees and PhDs in their fields, bring to their work and the impact they have not just on students but on their whole families. We need Pilgrims more than ever! About all of this, Abuna Elias Chacour said, “We need Pilgrims more than ever.” Abuna was speaking of the annual scholarships, critical support like our recent grant to help with technology for remote learning during COVID, the purchase of new computers to help students do their final exams remotely and, of course, large projects like renovating the original high school (now almost 40 years old). Pilgrims board provides matching grant “We need Pilgrims more than ever.” This is why some members of the Board of Directors have pooled their pandemic stimulus checks to create a matching grant. We are matching donations to Pilgrims in the coming 2 weeks to a total of $3000. This money will be go to MEEI to assist them in their ongoing response to the pandemic.  Please join us in making a gift You can give online at https://pilgrimsofibillin.org/archive/donate-now/ or by mailing a check to: Pilgrims of Ibillin c/o Jitasa 1750 W Front St, Suite 200 Boise, ID 83702   Thank you for all of your support for Pilgrims and MEEI. Together we are fostering peace and justice in Israel and Palestine through education. Together, we are transforming lives and enabling teachers with passion to nurture students of all faiths as they create a more just and peaceful region and world.

Grace and peace, The Rev. Dr. Peter J. M. Henry President, Pilgrims of Ibillin

The Rev. Laurie Lyter Bright Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin laurie@pilgrimsofibillin.org www.pilgrimsofibillin.org

The Rev. Laurie Lyter Bright Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin laurie@pilgrimsofibillin.org www.pilgrimsofibillin.org

Join us for an online webinar, July 11, 2020 via ZOOM, with Pilgrims’ Peace Partner Mar Elias Education Institution in Ibillin Israel (MEEI).

View the invitation and register for the free conversation with the REGISTER link provided in the invitation. With your completed registration, you will be sent a unique link to the webinar. Your registration and participation will also add you to the email list for future communications with fellow Pilgrim supporters.

Thank you for your prayers and support of the work for justice and peace in the Galilee region, especially during COVID-19.

Webinar Invitation for Saturday, July 11

Pilgrim’s first webinar was a vibrant and well-attended opportunity to hear first hand from three leaders at Wi’am who are also leaders of the city of Bethlehem. A combination of hearing from Usama Nicola, Zoughbi Al-zoughbi and his son Tarek Al-Zoughbi, followed by question and answers from Pilgrims across the U.S. gave us new insight into life under both occupation and a pandemic. Participants came away with up-to-date information on the lives of our sisters and brothers in the Galilee region, and inspired by their leadership and sense of community care. 

This webinar also raised over $2,000 in support of the Wi’am Conflict Transformation Center. Thank you Pilgrims, for your interest and generosity.

Some additional information on annexation: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25960&LangID=E

Video clip from Webinar discussion on annexation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0k4vT212qk

On the specific work of Wi’am, especially during coronavirus: ‘Coronavirus does not stop at a checkpoint’: Wi’am Center’s Zoughbi Alzoughbi on the pandemic from Bethlehem

Video clip from Webinar as Wi’am leaders discuss work during COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVLzK8DiGSY

Invitation to July 11 Webinar

Join us on a future webinar with our Peace Partners in the Galilee region and be a part of the ongoing work and support provided by Pilgrims of Ibilin.

Donate to Pilgrims and our Peace Partners

To be added to our NEWSLETTER mail, E-News, email lists, or to be invited to a ZOOM webinar, send an email with your request to laurie@pilgrimsofibillin.org.

View the E-News sent to Pilgrims in May 2020 to read news from the April Board of Directors meeting and an update from Pilgrims Board President Peter Henry.

May 2020 Update E-News

Read the beginning article of the May E-News…

Dear Pilgrims Family,
Your gifts to Pilgrims are supporting the great work of our Peace Partners – work that you will hear about in our first webinar on Saturday. If you have not yet registered, there is still time! Pilgrim’s first one-hour webinar via ZOOM* is Saturday, May 30, 2020, 9 a.m. (Pacific Time), 12 Noon (Eastern Time). This conversation with Zoughbi Alzoughbi, founder of Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center, Bethlehem, will update you on conditions in the West Bank and allow you to dialogue with fellow Pilgrims and Peace Partners.

There is no fee to register. You can ask questions for Zoughbi Alzoughbi on your registration. Click on the button below or the photo of Alzoughbi to register. After completing the registration, you will be sent a unique ZOOM meeting link.

Thank you for joining us,
Rev. Laurie Lyter Bright