The journey of reconciliation isn’t always easy. The conflict in Israel-Palestine runs deep through history, society, and personal lives, and given the current political climate you can find yourself asking, “Do my actions really make a difference for peace?”

When I was growing up, I remember being able to see Jordan from the window of my home and knowing I couldn’t visit because the people there were my ‘enemies’.

One young man from England’s life was profoundly changed by this experience. For the first time, he got a basic understanding of the conflict and found out why it is so important for him to be involved in reconciliation in the Holy Land as an Englishman.

Christian leadership is not solely worked, it is like an orchestra where a team should work together”.
Over a year ago, the idea of recruiting Palestinian women to step up as leaders in their own community was born.

The 13th of December was a day we marked at Musalaha as the Chairman of the Board of Musalaha, Evan Thomas, tendered his intention to step down from his role and give room for the new generation to lead the ministry of reconciliation.

“SHWAY, SHWAY (SLOWLY, SLOWLY)
WE CAN CHANGE, STEP BY STEP.”
These women – half Palestinian and half Israeli – courageously stepped out of their comfort zone to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people.

What is happening now throughout the Middle East is successful change that starts from the bottom-up. We are now seeing what seems to be the second wave of the Arab Spring.

“I think that a lot more people should focus on how to approach others who don’t have similar backgrounds or similar cultures and pursue peace together,” says Selah, a young adult.

Addressing the increasing divide between hostile religious communities.  

For almost the entire year of 2019, the government of Israel was in election mode. Elections were held in both April and September; therefore, most of the year the Knesset (parliament) was inactive.

These videos represent one of Musalaha’s Desert Encounters that include Israelis and Palestinians across ethnic and religious divides.

In a world, where power and authority are so often used as tools to oppress and violently abuse others, at times, it can be difficult to associate power with something good. This can be specifically difficult for women.

“I will stay.” The 10 year-old girl looked at me with clear conviction and great courage. She wiped her tears and walked boldly back to her room, back to a counselor from the “other” side.

Mine was last summer, August 2018. For 5 days heaven met earth as children from all around ‘the Land’ came together for a Youth Summer Camp, with Musalaha.

The Power of Stories

There is something quite spiritual about storytelling. The power of a story to communicate ideas about people, cultures, or circumstances is profound

Which expectations and pictures did they have in mind when they arrived and which impressions did they leave with? Find out more about their thoughts…

What is Musalaha’s summer camp in Bethlehem all about? Is it about serving 85 children with 20 volunteers and 7 interns in 6 days? Is it having fun, playing games, making new friends, and enjoying summer? Sure. But what makes a difference in the lives of the participants that lasts more than a few days?

Summertime is always a season that is eagerly awaited by children all around the world. Summer is a time of rest, fun, swimming and sweets, and full of trying new things. Many children are also given the opportunity to go to summer camps where they are able to participate in fun activities and build new friendships. For those who have attended summer camps or sent their children to them, they understand camp can have a profound and lasting impact on a child’s life.

Easter and Passover are busy times for us in the Holy Land, as they are in most parts of the Church and Jewish communities around the world. This Passover and Easter fell on the same week – but Shireen (Women’s Projects Manager for Palestine) and myself (Hedva, Projects Manager) didn’t spend our time making traditional Easter cookies or looking for the Hametz (the leaven) in our homes this year. Instead, we were asked to attend several conferences and meetings in the United Kingdom.

On Palm Sunday this year, my wife and I went for a meeting, and we found ourselves near the New Gate of Jerusalem. We watched as the estimated 15,000 people made their way into the Old City from the Mount of Olives. The procession was ripe with cheers, the waving of palm branches, and the scout troop band. The atmosphere was lively and joyous. In a way, it reminded me of the joy of the people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem that we read about in the gospels. People at the time of Jesus, like the people at this Palm Sunday procession, had in the forefront of their minds the realities of their daily life. I’m sure many of them were looking and hoping for relief, salvation from the different afflictions and forms of oppression they were experiencing.