Welcome Bishop Hosam Naoum
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Building Hope in the Holy Land Spring 2021
Welcome Bishop Hosam Naoum
At his installation service on May 13, he will become the fifth Palestinian bishop since the
founding of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in 1845
the pandemic. “We know the wider church stands with us as we
face challenges here. We have a lot to celebrate and thank God
for as we look forward to walking together to do God’s mission in
this world.”
He added, “We are entrusted with this mission in the Holy Land
- to be a beacon of hope, love, and peace in this world. So we
are doing a lot on your behalf! We do this ministry not only for
ourselves, but we do this on behalf of every single Christian. I
trust not only that the Lord is with us but I take comfort also that
we have wonderful friends surrounding the diocese with so
much love, affection, and support. How do you expect me not to
be hopeful?”
Archbishop Suheil S. Dawani leaves a rich legacy
of ministry in the Holy Land
In April Archbishop Suheil Dawani
joined AFEDJ trustees by Zoom to
Ascension Day, May 13, will mark the rise of a reflect on his 14-year episcopate
new leader in the Episcopal Diocese of Jeru- and the Diocese of Jerusalem’s long
salem as Bishop Coadjutor Hosam Naoum is partnership with American Friends.
installed as the 15th Bishop of Jerusalem - with “I think I am leaving the diocese in
the historic title of Archbishop. He will succeed much better shape than when I first
the Most Rev. Suheil Dawani who has led the became bishop. I thank God for this.
diocese since 2007. With the help of God and the team-
work with you and others we were
Elected by clergy and lay members of the dio- able to maintain our ministry and to
cese at a special convention in January 2020 strengthen the Christian presence in the region.”
and consecrated at St. George’s Cathedral
in June, Bishop Naoum served as dean of St. Archbishop Dawani shared the three pillars of his ministry:
George’s Cathedral since 2012. Prior to becom- pastoral care and Christian witness, strong humanitarian insti-
ing dean of St. George’s, he was pastor of the tutions, and building bridges with leaders of diverse groups
Arabic congregation at the cathedral from 2005 across the region.
to 2012. He was educated at Rhodes University
in South Africa and holds masters and doctorate Looking to his upcoming retirement, he said, “Dear friends,
degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary. brothers and sisters, may God bless you all as we continue to
partner together to make this holy city of the resurrection a
In a recent conversation with AFEDJ trustees, center of hope for all the world. Our institutions give hope to
Bishop Naoum expressed his hope for the future all underprivileged people we serve. Thank you very much for
even in the midst of challenges brought on by your love and your support for the Lord’s ministry in this land.”
—1—
St. Luke’s Hospital celebrates the delivery of an ultrasound
machine and the friendship of many American friends
The power of churches joining together
Last fall when clergy and mem- the community, is
bers of St. John’s Norwood in truly the work of
Chevy Chase, MD, learned that God. It is the remark-
their friends at St. Luke’s Hospital able work of bringing
in the northern West Bank city of light and love and
Nablus needed to raise more than hope to the least of
$114,000 to purchase a critically these.”
needed 4D ultrasound machine,
they called upon a tried and true By Christmas Eve,
strategy. Just two years before, St. through the generos-
John’s rector, the Rev. Sari Ateek, ity of many St. John’s
enlisted support from churches members and a
across the D.C. region to fund an dozen other church-
ambalance for St. Luke’s. es in Washington DC,
Maryland, and Vir-
“When you consider the realities ginia, sufficient funds
on the ground in Israel and Pales- were raised to allow
tine, you realize just how precious St. Luke’s leaders to
something like hope can be,” said open a competitive
Ateek. “The work of a charitable bidding process,
hospital like St. Luke’s, which brings and a GE Logiq E10s ultrasound his gratitude clear. “We thank all
high quality medical care and atten- machine arrived in April. Dr. Walid who contributed to this campaign
tion to the most disadvantaged in Kerry, director of St. Luke’s, made and who so selflessly took it upon
themselves to offer aid to complete
strangers in need the world over.
Your generosity in 2020 set records The counterpoint is that we do not
Over the course of feel, at all, like strangers. This was
the most unsettled an act of community, of family, and
and unsettling year we are proud to consider all of you
in memory, you - the the family of St. Luke’s Hospital.”
supporters of the
schools and hospi- As the only charity hospital in Nab-
tals in the Diocese of lus, a city of 350,000 people, St.
Jerusalem - respond- Luke’s Hospital is the only health
ed with incredible care option for many impoverished
generosity. Your gifts people and, increasingly, because
- and many, many of the economic downturn caused
of you made mul- by the pandemic, many middle
tiple donations when class families. With a new ultra-
called upon - enabled sound, St. Luke’s staff will no longer
AFEDJ to send almost have to turn people away.
50% more financial Dr. Kerry added, “We thank God for
support to Jerusalem sending you to us, and as much as
than in 2019. we are humbled by your example,
Thank you! we are equally honored to carry the
responsibility of putting your good
works into action on the ground.”
Our Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar means we’re Sign up for the AFEDJ
accountable, transparent, and financially healthy! monthly e-newsletter
We invite you to give generously at www.afedj.org at www.afedj.org
—2—
ETVTC empowers West Bank women
home cooking or baking business is
to start home-based businesses of great support to the family.”
Almost every class of the adult culi- Anbar explained that ETVTC staff In addition to culinary arts skills,
nary arts diploma program offered approach village councils to share women learn basic accounting, digi-
at the Episcopal Technological and the opportunity with residents. “One tal marketing, social media, packag-
Vocational Training Center (ETVTC) woman might convince family mem- ing, and technical English. Anbar
in Ramallah includes a few women. bers or friends to participate with her. said, “We have noticed that this
Some are housewives who want They can travel together and perhaps group is different from our course
to supplement family income by go into business together or at the for younger adults. They take things
starting a home cooking or baking very least support one another’s ef- more seriously, ask more questions,
business. Others, like Hanan Has- forts.” He added, “This is very em- take more notes and all the trainers
souneh and Sandi Bahbah have a powering for women whose main are happy to work with them.”
more entrepreneurial vision. They focus has been at home. Because of
are now proprietors of their own high unemployment and low salaries Anbar believes the demand for
pastry shop, Brookies Cookies. in Palestine, the additional income such a course will always be high,
brought into the household from their however, the $1,500 full tuition for
Inspired by Hanan’s and Sandi’s the program puts it out of reach for
success, Giovanni Anbar, ETVTC’s many women. “Most women can’t
founding director, wondered if pay and wouldn’t be able to partici-
a culinary arts program particu- pate unless offered a full scholar-
larly designed for women might be ship. Their households are already
the Center’s next offering to the under financial stress,” he said.
wider community. The new course
designed for women meets in the Interested in helping women en-
mornings to accommodate their trepreneurs wishing to enroll in the
children’s school schedule and next class? Please contact AFEDJ Ex-
enrolls 22 women from three West ecutive Director John Lent at jlent@
Bank villages. afedj.org.
Hasan Hassouneh with Brookies Cookies
American friends make tech upgrades possible
at St. George’s School
Established in 1899, St. George’s Hosam Naoum identified the need
School in East Jerusalem is known at St. George’s.
for its many notable alumni. Origi-
nally a school for boys, St. George’s Through your generosity Ameri-
now provides 700 boys and girls can Friends was able to provide
an excellent K-12 education at an the $39,000 necessary to install
affordable cost. high speed wireless connectivity
through the school and provide
St. George’s School’s academic interactive whiteboard and other
standards are rigorous. The school equipment necessary for teachers
seeks to prepare young men and to instruct, assess, and support
women for higher education and, their students.
ultimately, to assume leadership “Having a very efficient internet connec-
roles in Palestinian society. Najwa Kreitem, an English teacher tion with no interruptions at the school
at St. George’s, explained, “Inter- has enabled us to integrate modern
In early 2020, as St. George’s tran- active projectors and whiteboards learning methods from watching videos
sitioned to distance learning due make possible for us to do what to solving math or physics problems and
to the pandemic, the 120 year-old before was impossible. Integrat- language worksheets on the white-
school needed to upgrade its tech- ing technology in the classroom board. I am certain that these interac-
nology infrastructure. Late last year, makes a significant difference in tive projectors will play a fundamental
when asked to share a pressing our teaching methods. It enhances role in the education of the generations
need at one of the Diocese of Jeru- the way we teach as it enhances of students to come.” — Ahmad Sultan
salem’s schools, Bishop Coadjutor the way students learn.” St. George’s 11th grader
—3—
25 Old King’s Highway North, Suite 13
Darien, Connecticut 06820
Address Correction Requested
Inside this issue
• Welcome Bishop Naoum, Farewell
Archbishop Dawani
• Congregations join together to provide a
life-saving ultrasound at St. Luke’s Hospital
in Nablus
• Culinary arts training empowers women
in the West Bank
• Technology upgrades transform teaching
and learning at St. George’s School in
Jerusalem
• Your generosity in 2020 set records
AFEDJ Trustees — Welcome and Farewell
American Friends has long been blessed with trustees recently competed two terms as a director of Episcopal
who generously share their talents, expertise, and pas- Charities of the Diocese of New York and holds a MA in
sion for the Holy Land in support of our mission. At the Biblical Studies from The General Seminary.
end of May we bid farewell and thank
you to four trustees who have complet- Ordained to the priesthood in 1988
ed their second three-year term. and consecrated as bishop in 2013,
Bishop Hodges-Copple has served in
Our gratitude goes to AFEDJ’s current the Diocese of North Carolina through-
vice-chair Robert Drumheller of Wash- out her ordained ministry. She has led
ington, D.C.; Christopher Hayes of San three pilgrimages to the Holy Land in
Francisco, CA; John Nasir of Tuscaloosa, recent years. A member of The Episco-
AL; and Solomon Owayda of Arlington, pal Church’s Executive Council, she also
MA. served as chair of the 79th General Con-
vention Committee on Social Concerns.
We’re thankful they will join the AFEDJ
Trustee Alumni group, so many of whom Mr. Peabody returns to the AFEDJ board
continue to support our work with Dio- after serving from 2014 to 2020 and
cese of Jerusalem ministries. chaired the Development Committee
as well as represented AFEDJ at the Diocese of Jeru-
We are pleased to welcome three new trustees who salem’s annual Majma gathering. Since his retirement
begin service in June. Donald Crawshaw of Salisbury, from a long career in banking and finance, he has led
CT; Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple, suffragan bishop of pilgrimages to the Holy Land and enjoys sharing his
the Diocese of North Carolina; and Endicott Peabody passion for our work with everyone he meets.
III, of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Welcome!
Mr. Crawshaw, a life-long Anglican/Episcopalian, is a
lawyer with Sullivan & Cromwell in New York. He Top to Bottom Anne Hodges-Copple, Cotty Peabody, Don Crawshaw
(Photo by Michelle Yee)
—4—
You can also read
