City Connections and Ecumenical Organizations

Today Fr. Bob and I made a treck into the Old City to visit a couple of his contacts.

Our first stop was to speak with Yusuf at the Jerusalem Inner Church Centre. The centre functions as a coordination point for ecumenical action in and for Jerusalem, Palestine and its churches. The Centre works first, as a liason between the heads of the Christians churches in Jerusalem and the World Council of Churches. Second, it produces reliable statistics, analysis and reports to the ecumenical community. Currently the Centre is considering options to address the annexation and revoking of Jerusalem residency cards of the 9,000 Palestinian Christians living here.

In the same office is the Ecumenical Accompaniers Program in Palestine and Israel. We spoke with Paul Raymond, the communication and advocacy officer. This was an excellent opportunity considering my pre-departure training in January included several people training to be ecumenical accompaniers (EAs). EAs are present in six locations throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem. They stand as witnesses and advocates against forced displacement, the effect the Wall has on Palestinians, settler violence against Palestinian civilians and home demolitions and evictions. EAs accompany locals and report human rights abuses, help protect communities and keep international agencies up to date on the situation on the ground. Technically, the organization doesn't exist. EAs come as 'tourists' and at any time, the Israeli government could close the program, along with any Israeli peace groups.

Between these meetings and our lunch meeting, Fr. Bob and I met with the only undertaker in Jerusalem. The father of one of the staff at St. George's College, his shop is just inside the Old City New Gate. He runs a small tourist souvenir store on the ground floor, and builds/sells coffins in the basement. The coffins are small and very basic, made of mere plywood and held closed by a simple hook-and-eye latch! Should this undertaker retire, Christians will have to travel to Ramallah for coffins, a real hassel given the checkpoints.

We then made a quick stop in to see a tailor, who makes beautiful liturgical vestments. Fr. Bob picked up a cincture he had made. It was made of black silk and edged with pink silk and tassels. Vestments are essential for clergy in the Holy Land if they hope to earn the respect of their collegues...in particular, as Fr. Bob meets with the heads of the Churches, he must appear in cassock and cincture.

Now, unlike Will, who is doing his placement in Sri Lanka and had a cassock made for all of $23, to have this tailor make me a cassock would cost me several hundred dollars. Obviously, I passed.

At lunch, Fr. Bob and I met with Véronique Nebel, as Swiss lawyer, who in her "spare time" runs the Extraordinary Prayer of All Churches for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace. The ogranization plans an annual international day of prayer for peace and unity, which starts in Jerusalem and runs consecutively around the world for 24 hours. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is slated to host next year's event, which is scheduled to coincide with the International Week of Pray for Christian Unity. The heads of the Christian churches in Jerusalem are invited to be present, and have been in the past.

In addition to the prayer service, which will be held here at St. George's Cathedral, Véronique is organizing, along with the help of the Franciscans, a documentary on St. George's Cathedral: it's history, it's liturgy, it's social activities and organizations (schools, hospitals, etc). It will include an interview with both Bishop Suheil and Fr. Bob to address the ecumenical life of the Church.

The conversation shifted at one point to address the dynamics of the Diocese. In particular, how parishes outside of Israel-Palestine feel disconnected (this is reinforced by the fact they cannot travel to Israel-Palestine). Those who work in Israel-Palestine are considered by Jordanians, for example, to be from the "West" or by Syrians to be on "the inside." Jerusalem is not necessarily spoken of. This is something the documentary will attempt to address and will try to facilitate the integration of the parishes across the Diocese.

Our last stop of the day was to a small craft shop run by Palestinian women in Jerusalem who support women from the West Bank. They provide the craft material (needles, material, beeds...), the women work from home on purses, place mats, stoles and liturgical vestments, scarves and beaded jewellery. This is one small way the women from the West Bank can earn a living.