Musalaha Newsletter
Autumn 2006

Introduction
We are glad to share with you some reflections on recent Musalaha events. For lack of space, we cannot fully convey what we have been able to accomplish in the past three months, in spite of rising challenges. During these months the cycle of violence escalated significantly, affecting numerous lives. Residents of the north felt the real threat of war between Israel and the Hizbollah. That war has now arrived at a relative calm; but conflict in Gaza still rages.
            The Increase of violence in the north has posed major challenges to our ministry’s call to promote reconciliation. We have found that war inhibits people’s desire and willingness to step outside their comfort zone and engage in challenging encounters with the other side. On some occasions people expressed their reservations and questioned if Musalaha was right to continue carrying out its work during such times.
            After evaluating the risks involved, and ensuring that there was no physical threat to participants, Musalaha decided to continue carrying out its planned projects. These included a number of new and successful reconciliation and outreach initiatives, such as the Sport for Life Camp (see report), as well as a day camp for underprivileged children led by Musalaha’s women’s group. As we were praying and seeking the Lord, we could see the hand of God at work, blessing this ministry. The fruit of His hands has been evident.
            Our most recent project, the leadership family conference in Holland, included families from Gaza, the north, and other areas facing physical threat. From the outset we encountered difficulties. The participants faced the frustration of a cancelled flight, prolonged and tedious waiting in the airport, and tired children. As a result of the flight cancellation, the conference was set back by a day and a half. Despite the rough start, we were able to accomplish a very successful leadership family conference. The most striking and encouraging aspect of the encounter was the amazing progress made by the youth, who were strides ahead of their parents in the process of reconciliation. A full report of this conference will be included in our next newsletter.          
            In the wake of the challenges posed by the past three months, we have learned a number of valuable lessons. First, we must continue to accomplish our planned projects in spite of increased difficulty and danger. Second, we must be sensitive, listen to people's needs, and help them enter into the process of reconciliation. Third, we have learned that the benefit of coming together and joining in fellowship far outweighs the alternative of remaining enclosed in the false security our homes.  Reaching out to others launches people onto a blessed and fruitful journey. The path of this journey may become more obscured during times of war, but it is precisely in these times that we most need to be reconciled.                                                                                              ~ Salim J. Munayer, PhD, Director

Sport for Life Camp
It has been said that there are two universal languages in the world, music and sport.  You might see men and women, different religions, ethnicities or social classes, hovering at the base of a basketball rim or spread out across the soccer field.  The playing field gives a unique opportunity to break down barriers and build relationships between people. At the same time, competition can also bring out aggressive instincts and raw, hateful emotions of prejudice and racism. In Jerusalem, I was observing a basketball tournament that emphasized co-existence, and heard, “Why do we have to play with Christians?  We shouldn’t have to play with them.”  At professional soccer games in this country, the fans scream racist remarks at other teams.  Athletic activity can provide either a platform for racism and conflict or a powerful framework through which to address these issues that are so prevalent in our societies.
Since its beginning, part of Musalaha’s vision has been to expand its experience and practice of reconciliation into new communities of different religious and ethnic backgrounds.  While we remain firm in our founding principles that true reconciliation is through Jesus, we can explore and share the Biblical messages such as embrace and love for enemies with all of the peoples of this land, who are all created in His image and are loved by Him.   By sharing tools of reconciliation, we can impact our societies and be instruments of His peace. 
In order to reach young people in new segments of society, we turned to sports.  A number of organizations are using sports such as basketball, soccer, and tennis to promote peace and co-existence.  However, few of those initiatives include girls.  Therefore we partnered with Leading Edge, a sports development group from the US, to conduct the first ever Sport for Life camp, a sports camp for girls.  It was not without careful consideration and thought that we undertook this venture into unfamiliar territory.  
As the girls arrived at Wingate, an institute for physical education and sport training, it was exciting to see the girls face to face.  They received their colored T-shirts assigning them to their group for the week, were given their rooms with neighbors who they had never met before, and we were off.  Our first game was ultimate Frisbee, which few of the group had played before, so everyone was on the same level.  We laughed together at our attempts to get a straight, strong throws across to our teammates.  The rest of the week’s sports programs included basketball, volleyball, soccer, with an aerobics lesson and free time for swimming as well.
The program included important sessions that focused on getting to know one another, body image, understanding different perspectives, and hearing stories about each other’s lives and circumstances.  We spent time talking about the stereotypes that our society teaches us.  In discussion groups the girls began to open up and share their thoughts.  A girl mentioned that she had a negative image of people on the other side, and even though the people she’d met at camp were great, she wasn’t sure about the others out there in society.  From there we were able to talk about finding good and bad people on both sides.
One evening we had a powerful conversation where the girls spoke about friends or family who they had lost in the conflict.  In doing so, people on the other side were more than just statistics or victims or victimizers, but we realized how everyone experiences the conflict personally.  Learning about the other through personal relationships and personal stories is a powerful exercise, and it was amazing to watch some of the girls become quite attached to one another and open to hearing what each other had to say.
While we were enjoying a pleasant and exciting atmosphere, the world outside experienced an escalation of conflict on the Israeli-Lebanese border and in Gaza.  In a time like this, when we might feel powerless in the face of such a severe situation, there is something powerful about Israelis and Palestinians coming together.  We hope that the bonds formed in the week at camp will bring hope, will mean something in the midst of such a violent world, by creating a group of young women who are voices of reconciliation in their communities.
~Brittany Browning, Project Coordinator

Young Adults, Norway
We got to the airport early in the morning, went through security, and were off to take part in a young adult gathering in Norway. Musalaha, in cooperation with the Bible Society and the Free Evangelical Church of Norway, organized a trip involving a third identity party. Twenty Israeli and Palestinian young adults joined ten Norwegians for a ten day encounter in Norway. The Palestinians flew from Jordan, the Israelis from Tel Aviv. The beautiful land of Norway was to be our place of encounter. Open fields and massive quantities of green from all directions is something our Middle-Eastern eyes are not accustomed to seeing, but that was our new environment. Even the skies and clouds had a different color to them. The mosquitoes were probably the least friendly representatives of Norway we met.
Despite our being Palestinian, Israeli, and Norwegian, I found that we have a lot in common: we are in general all human, and are specifically all followers of Jesus Christ. We are each part of a community, and in it we have duties and responsibilities. We also have our unique gifts and when combined together, the outcome of these gifts can greatly benefit the community. I want to elaborate on this with the following examples from the trip. I hope it will enable you to experience the joyful and blessed time we had there. On the second day we went camping on a nearby lake. When we reached camp we were divided into groups in order to set up camp in the most effective way. I was assigned to the team in charge of making outdoor toilets. First, we had to find a location and it had to be far enough from our tents. We found the spot.
It didn't have as grand of a view as the guys' location did, but it was good enough. Anyhow, to help with our task, we were given a shovel, a tarp, toilet paper, a "Women's Toilet" sign, and a rope. So first we found a triangle of trees in order to tie the tarp. Then we had to dig a hole. I enjoyed this the most because there were roots everywhere and you had to stand on the shovel and jump on it in order to break them. As women we weren't satisfied fully with what we had accomplished because comfort and leisure were still missing. So, in order to rectify the situation, we built a toilet seat with pillars to help climb up and sit down comfortably. One can say that we were able to bond with nature and maintain our hygiene standard as well. 
I share this story not only for its humor, but to show that as human beings, sometimes we find out what it means to be "human together" when we are taking part in the most mundane activities. We had a common goal: to make toilets. No one can deny how comical it is to realize that as much as we like to stress our differences, sometimes we are more alike than we are different, and the small day-to-day activities demonstrate that. As human beings, we have similar needs, similar desires, similar pains, and joys. We are made in God's image, and in Him, we share a human identity.
The trip also demonstrated our differences, but in a positive and respectful way. As diverse and different as our backgrounds are, we all have rich cultures. In order for all of us to learn about each other, we were divided according to our cultural groups and were asked to best represent our culture to the others through food, dance, and music. Perhaps we did not learn each other’s cultures very intricately, but this experience showed us that we each have a unique culture and identity. The Israelis served us an Israeli meal and together we enjoyed a kabalat shabat (Sabbath meal), sang Hebrew worship, and got a taste of Israeli dancing. The Palestinians served delicious Arab food for dinner, sang Arabic worship, and demonstrated a sample of an Arab wedding and dabka (traditional) dances. The Norwegians too served traditional food and sang songs. In addition, a guest introduced traditional Norwegian musical instruments and shared the many tales and history this nation has. It really was a great time, especially when I had to pretend I was the mother of the bride in the Arab wedding and be very hospitable towards all the guests on the dance floor. It is always fun to see non-Arabs attempt to dance like Arabs can.
Although cultural identity is important, we share in a higher identity. What drove us to come together and get to know each other is the realization that we are one in the Messiah.
During the trip we had many teachings on a variety of subjects: love, reconciliation, the Kingdom of God and how to apply them on our realities. These are issues and topics that bind us, despite the fact that we speak different languages and dwell in different cultures. It was a blessing to me to be able to hear each group worship our Father even though I was not able to understand the words. If God understands, then why should I complain?
However, even as we enjoyed ourselves, we were constantly reminded of the difficult situation facing our region. In our first meeting we found out that Butros, one of the Palestinian participants from Gaza, could not join us. He was unable to attend because of the closure on Gaza. This sad news provoked a sense of frustration in me. I wanted to meet fellow believers from Gaza; however, geographical isolation withheld Butros’ company from us. Nonetheless, geographical boundaries ought not to threaten our unity in Christ. So we did what we do best. We lifted Butros in prayer, remembering the hardships that surround him in his threatening environment.
The escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon had not escaped us even though we were far away. The ongoing war was another reminder of the reality of home. One of the Messianic participants, Asaf, received notification that his unit was being called up north to fight. It was agreed that Asaf would report to his base upon arrival back in Israel. When Asaf shared this, he asked us to pray for him, for his safety, and for a peace of mind from God. Thoughts of death, weariness, concern for fellow unit members, and tension went through Asaf’s mind. Together as Palestinians, Israelis, and Norwegians, we joined to pray for Asaf. God answers prayers, and although Asaf did rejoin his unit for a time, he was kept safe and was soon able to return home to civilian life.
If I hadn’t taken part in this trip, there would not have been much change in my daily life. However, the change that took place was internal. The Bible tells us that we are the children of God.  This trip enriched my understanding of this term. I realized that being followers of Christ and children of God makes us a community. We faced the difficult challenge of building up our community in Christ, while still facing the attitudes our earthly communities bear towards one another. As a community, we have duties, and some of these duties are towards one another. Prayer is probably the first duty that comes to mind, but there are many others. We are called to relationship with God and with one another. Relationships can overcome the separation our communities have created. Through Christ we are rebuilding the community of believers. In Norway we got to experience this firsthand; there is nothing more powerful than this.
~Palestinian participant

Summer Camp
The story of Jonah teaches us that God's love embraces everyone, even our enemies.  For a camp of 50 Israeli and Palestinian kids, it is a fitting theme for children coming together with people from the other side.  Our special guest speaker was the whale.  We were reminded that God's love is unconditional and embraces all, and would like to believe that we are succeeding in implementing God's love throughout this camp.
This year the number of participants almost doubled, and some say that was the best Musalaha camp so far.  The program was slightly different than previous years, the counselors more experienced; returning campers even helped the program flow smoothly.  The age group of 9-12 year olds is a perfect age to bring kids together, and there are few projects that bring together Israeli and Palestinian kids of this enthusiastic age.  
The situation in the country does not allow both sides to interact one with the other on a daily basis. For the most part, Israelis only see Palestinians on a television screen. The only interaction Palestinians have with Israelis is through the check point. Although there is a Palestinian population in Israel named “Israeli Arab,” they too live segregated and in their own neighborhoods.  Living side by side does not necessarily mean that both sides interact.  Holding a camp like this one is something unique. We spend 5 whole days together depending on each other and building the unity of the camp.
A counselor noted, “The part I enjoyed most was taking a step back to watch the kids interact with each other. At this age, they are very social, dependant on friends for approval, and it seemed to be easy for the kids to connect with each other, across all perceivable barriers, to create a week of unforgettable memories.”
By the end of the camp kids could sing worship songs in both Arabic and Hebrew. They went home singing songs not in their language and parents praised our work. We also had one section during Bible study where we would say words and the kids had to find them in the Bible. For example, they had to look up “stone” in the Bible. So, the first group that found one reference to a stone in the Bible won.
There were two levels of reconciliation in the camp: one between the children and the other between the counselors. This year, the counselors’ level of interaction and commitment stood out to me when one of the Israeli counselors, Avi, chose to spend his last week with us before being drafted into the Israeli Military. The last evening, we held a party for this event. At first we all shared a nice snack and then some cultural dancing. It was moving to see Israelis attempt to dance to Arabic music, but mostly funny. I felt like the distinction of Palestinian or Israeli was removed and we became one group of brothers and sister.  However, at the end of the evening, we decided that we wanted to pray for Avi as he goes into the army. The Palestinians’ view of a soldier is very negative because often their only encounters with soldiers are at check points or in conflict situations.  Palestinians view soldiers with fear, and perceive them as aggressors.  However, to Israelis a soldier is someone who could be their brother, sister or parent; someone they love and admire.  Once every Israeli Jew turns 18, he or she is drafted into the army.  I was somewhat concerned about how Avi’s party and his step into the army would be received by the Palestinian counselors.  When we gathered to pray, many prayers were raised for Avi.  Most of these prayers were said by the Palestinian side and they were in Arabic. I imagine it wasn’t easy for them to pray for him, however, their love and care for him surpassed this fear. At that moment I felt like the group had made another step in reconciliation.
The counselors were a great crowd of young people to work with and I appreciate that they came and volunteered with us. For both the counselors and the campers, this camp ended with a high. I know that each kid who participated will remember the great friendship that evolved among the counselors and will take that friendship as an example of reconciliation for themselves.    
~Shadia Qubti, Project coordinator       

Munayer Family Update
Our family has enjoyed a busy and full summer. The boys all attended Christian summer camps. Jack and Daniel were involved as counselors, an experience that has enhanced their spiritual growth and maturity. John and Sam participated in the Musalaha summer camp and returned home familiarized with new Arabic and Hebrew worship songs.        
A summer family highlight was our trip to Holland, where Kay and I, alongside the Shoshanis (local Messianic family), worked as leaders of a family conference. This experience was particularly special for the boys, who took part in a wonderful youth program. The youth of the conference amazed their parents by coming to deeper levels of reconciliation with one another than did their elders. After Holland we traveled as a family to the UK. It was refreshing to touch base with Kay’s family, friends, and church.
Please pray for the boys as they enter a new school year. Jack will be taking many difficult exams this year, which count towards his high school diploma. Daniel and Sam will continue to swim. John is changing his focus to football (soccer). After having spent two days playing soccer at Bolton Wonderer, the academy wanted John to join their ranks. Please pray that John may find the right team to join. Pray for Kay as she continues to devote her time to charity work with the Shepard’s Society, hoping to help the dire economic state that has taken its toll on many in the West Bank.
Thank you for your support and prayers.