Dear Friends,
Everywhere in the Middle East today, we see people and nations gripped by fear. Instead of accepting others, we see leaders who promote hatred and violence, closure and isolation.
We keep waiting for change and we question our own hearts. Where can we find the Peace, Love and Freedom that this holiday season celebrates in the flame of a small lamp and the birth of a child?
Rather than curse the darkness of today, Jerusalem Peacebuilders is lighting candles of new leadership for tomorrow. In Jerusalem, New Haven, Houston and Brattleboro, our programs promote peace instead of violence, love not hate, freedom over closure, and leadership in the midst fear.
Our Jewish, Christian and Muslim participants come highly recommended by local partners and are selected from large applicant pools. Our programs' English language programming includes service-learning, dialogue, leadership development, interfaith education, social justice issues, art, music and sports.
Outcomes are fourfold: 1) Spiritual resiliency and interfaith understanding; 2) Life-long friendships and a peer-family; 3) Confidence to lead local peace-building initiatives; and 4) Acceptance of human equality and difference.
Will you help us to light candles of leadership for tomorrow? Yes, promising young peacemakers are already being selected, the summer programs crafted and qualified counselors recruited, but further funding is required for our programs to operate. Our expenses are modest. It costs $2,750 to transport, house, feed and nurture each of the 90 participants expected from America, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank in 2017.
Please make your donation cheques payable to "Jerusalem Peacebuilders" and sent to 3300 Chimney Rock, Suite 301, Houston, TX 77056, USA. On-line giving is also possible at www.jerusalempeacebuilders.org. Jerusalem Peacebuilders, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible (EIN 45-2233148).
Share the Light of Peace this holiday season by investing in the work of Jerusalem Peacebuilders. Be the Love, spread the Freedom, offer the Leadership that dispels the darkness of fear, and you will change lives.
God bless you,
(The Rev. Canon) Nicholas Porter and Stuart Kensinger
Co-Founders
Jerusalem Peacebuilders
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