Friends International Center in Ramallah
March 2010 Newsletter
(Vol. IV No. 3)

From the Program Coordinator
As we continue to prepare for the Centennial Week to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse, we are aware of turmoil all around us.  More and more land is being confiscated from the Palestinians by the Israeli authorities; Israel continues its cleansing of Jerusalem of Palestinians; and Israeli settlers continue to confiscate Palestinian homes.  Sometimes one does not know where to begin putting out the fires—there are so many of them.  Yet, Palestinians continue to resist, supported by Israeli and Internationals activists.  This is what gives me hope.  As Cynthia McKinney once said:  “We must never give in when we are right.”, and many are doing just that.  


(Click here to read from the Human Rights Newsletter by Mazin Qumsiyeh about the reoccupation of parts of Beit Sahour by the Israeli army)

(Click here to read Amira Hass’ analysis of the relationship of Jerusalem to the rest of the West Bank)

(Click here to read what Palestinian and Israeli activists are doing for Jerusalem) 

(Click here to read about the demand to re-open Shuhada Street in Hebron)

It is in this context that we continue our work and we plan to acknowledge more that 140 years of Quaker presence and work in Palestine and 100 years of a place of worship for this community of faith.    
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From the Friends International Center in Ramallah

In February we were privileged to hear the choir Zaridash sing in the Meetinghouse.  The Meetinghouse was filled to capacity, with more than twenty people standing at any one time. 

Zaridash poster

The Carter Center organized a discussion on “Palestinian Perspectives on Jerusalem”.  How do Christians and Muslims regard Jerusalem?

(Flyer)

(Carter Center lecture and discussion)

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting

There has been a vibrant Palestinian Quaker presence in Ramallah since the late 1800s.  This year, Ramallah Friends (Quakers), joined by Friends from abroad will mark the 100th year of the building of the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse.  The original building was dedicated as a place of worship on March 6, 1910.  We have organized a series of public events at the Meetinghouse in March to acknowledge one hundred years of witness and working together for justice and peace.  In addition to being a place of worship, the Meetinghouse provided services to the community in different ways.  In 2002, after becoming unusable as a place of worship, the buildings and grounds were renovated in order to again provide a place of worship and a place where people can meet.  In 2005, the Friends International Center in Ramallah (FICR) was established as Ministry of the Ramallah Friends Meeting. (www.ramallahquakers.org)      

Many people have passed through the doors of the Meetinghouse during these past one hundred years.  If the stones of the Meetinghouse could speak, they would have some very interesting stories to tell.  Please join us for the public events we have organized and hear some of these stories and what Quakers are doing in Palestine today.    
We will see many of you in Ramallah for the Centennial Week of March 5-14.  We look forward to welcoming you.  Find below the activities planned of the month of March:

PUBLIC EVENTS
Ramallah Meetinghouse Centennial
March, 2010

Saturday, March 6 at 7:00pm – Evening of Traditional Dance and Music by the students of the Friends Boys School (Khalil Totah Auditorium, Friends Boys School in El-Bireh)   Sunday, March 7 at 10:30am – Meeting for Worship in the Meetinghouse Monday, March 8 at 6:00pm – Lecture and Discussion: “Quakers in Palestine:  The Role of Women” by Jean Zaru (Presiding Clerk, Ramallah Friends Meeting) Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00pm – Concert: Sana Moussa with Nawa Athar Group (Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse)   Wednesday, March 10 at 6:00pm – Lecture and Discussion: “The Quaker Peace Testimony; Speaking Truth to Power” by Max Carter and Jim Fine Saturday, March 13 at 7:00pm – Concert: Barenboim-Said Foundation (Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse) Thursday, March 18 at 6:00pm – Lecture and Discussion: “The Origin of Quakers and Quakerism” by Max Carter (Professor of Quaker Studies at Guilford College) Thursday, March 25 at 6:00pm – Lecture and Discussion: “Quakers and Diversity: Where in the World are They?” by Max Carter (Professor of Quaker Studies at Guilford College)

We have produced some items for you to purchase when you come to Ramallah – a Centennial cup, prints of a painting of the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse, a booklet of the historical display.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to mail these items to you.  You will have to come to Ramallah to purchase them.  However, if a way will be found to take these items to the US or Europe, we will let you know in the next newsletter.      
If you have any questions concerning the Centennial Week activities, please contact Sonia for more information at ficradmin@palnet.com

From the Occupation: Monthly Action Focus:

The Right to Enter (RTE) Campaign continues its focus on the responsibility of third states concerning the matter of Right to Enter/Re-Enter the oPt (occupied Palestinian territory) via one of the entry ports Israel controls.  The Campaign continues to call on third states to assume their responsibility in enforcing human rights and international law in a situation of military occupation.  
The Campaign continues to collect the names of persons - Palestinians and Internationals who have been denied entry at one of the ports Israel controls (Ben Gurion airport or one of the bridges across the Jordan River from Amman).  If you are a person who has been denied entry or know of someone who has been denied entry, please contact Anita Abdullah at anita_abdullah@hotmail.com  

Due to the fact that there is no clear policy for denial of entry, a person is allowed to enter via one of the ports controlled by Israel at the discretion of the Israeli immigration official.  The denial of entry is random.  People continue to be given a one-week visa, a new trend and alternative to being denied entry completely.  
For more information go to the new "Right to Enter/Re-enter" website at:  www.righttoenter.ps 

NOTE:  Please click on the FICR Newsletter Archive below to read previous newsletters that you may not have received and would like to read.  


Kathy Bergen
Program Coordinator
www.ramallahquakers.org