Musalaha's fifth annual women's conference returned this year to Tantur where the conferences began five years ago. Tantur is an ecumenical institute that straddles the line between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In many ways, it symbolizes the essence of what Musalaha attempts to do in bringing together Jewish and Arab believers in Jesus from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

This year, January 2000, some 125 women gathered Jewish and Arab women from all over Israel and the Palestinian territories. During the weekend conference they sang together in one another's languages, shared testimonies, prayed together and listened to inspirational Bible teaching.

The conference theme this year was "Ready and Waiting?" and the focus of the testimonies and Bible studies was our common hope and our expectations as we wait for the coming of the Lord. Warmth and a loving atmosphere were evident as the women sat together, sang one another's songs, shared their unique stories and had an opportunity to pray with each other.

After five years of annual conferences, certain traditions have developed. One of these is that time is always set aside in the schedule for meeting in small groups. In the smaller setting, women feel freer to share with their sisters. This was certainly the case this time and the small group sessions for sharing and prayer was very fruitful.

The Musalaha women's conferences encourage women from very different backgrounds and current life experiences to see one another as sisters and to begin to break through prejudices and attitudes that have been formed in ignorance. When a Jewish and an Arab woman speak on the subject of hope and the message that comes through both of them is the same and focused on the coming of our Lord, walls begin to crumble and a climate of trust is produces. The sessions that dealt with longings and expectations were the most encouraging. Clearly our longings are all the same and whether we are Jew or Arab, our heart's desire is to draw closer to the Lord and to see our people be touched by the gospel. Praying for one another is truly wonderful way to build bridges across the chasm that too easily divides the people here in the Middle East.

Lisa Loden, March 2000-Women’s Committee Coordinator