Fostering peace and justice in Israel and Palestine through education.

Executive Director Message

Happiest New Year Wishes to you and yours! I hope that your holiday season was rejuvenating and joy-filled. Here in Boulder, CO it certainly was until we endured a ravaging wild-fire that destroyed 1,100 homes. Many friends were impacted by the devastation. Certainly, a reminder of how fleeting life and our possessions can be…and to be grateful every day for the friends and family we do have in our lives. Speaking of gratitude, I wish to thank each and every one of our supporters who in our annual fundraising campaign helped us exceed our end-of-year goal of $70,000 to support the much-needed peace, justice, tolerance, and forgiveness education that students of Mar Elias Educational Institutions receive in addition to the vital work of our peace partners. Your gifts create real impact in the world! We hope to share some of these stories in the year ahead. Blessings to you in 2022, Essrea Cherin, Executive Director

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Abuna Chacour's Holiday Message

At the end of December we offered a program that included brief updates from Pilgrims of Ibillin Peace Partners, capped with a message from our dear Abuna Chacour. If you were unable to join us, you are welcome to catch the recording on our website of Abuna’s holiday message to the entire Pilgrims of Ibillin community. In addition, the full program including a greeting from Board President Dr. Rev. Peter Henry, updates from our peace partners, and Abuna’s holiday message can be viewed on our website.

View Abuna's Holiday Message

Mar Elias Update

Mar Elias students send their gratitude to you the many many members of our community who have donated to support scholarships. The past two years have created more than the usual strain on families across the Galilee and your gifts make a world of difference! Most private schools in the region are far stricter with tuition payments. Mar Elias is different. MEEI helps all those who have needed it in the past 2 years to remain in school - going far above and beyond what is considered ‘standard practice’. Our friends at MEEI say, “Big thanks go to Pilgrims for extending these precious gifts.”

Updates from Peace Partners: Wi’am

In the end of year holiday program, we shared excerpts from longer videotaped updates from each peace partner. The full versions will be posted to the Pilgrims website in the weeks to come. To begin, click on the photo for a full update from Zoughbi Zoughbi Director of Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center, Bethlehem.

Donor Statements

If you have donated to Pilgrims of Ibillin in 2021, I wanted to let you know that there will be a delay in getting to you a statement of giving for tax purposes. The reason for the delay is that we are in the process of transitioning our database, moving decades of data over to a new, more functional platform. The process requires weeks to ensure that we do not lose the many years of history and is correctly transferred. We expect to complete the process in February and the first order of business will be to get those statements out to you, the supporter. If you need the statement sooner than that, please reply to this email and we will get it to you right away. We appreciate your patience!

Postponed: Pilgrimage 2022 to October

Due to current travel restrictions and spread of COVID variants, the Pilgrimage Leaders, Brenda Mehos and Rev. Dr. James Thomas both determined that it is in the best interests of all to postpone the Pilgrimage until October 2022. We are working to firm up dates for this trip and will announce them very soon. For now, we welcome your interest in joining us in the Fall!

Living Stones Pilgrimage to Israel & Palestine   October 2022   Pilgrimage Leaders: Instructor, Rev. Dr. James Thomas West Bank Tour Guide, Usama Nicola Tour Coordinator, Brenda Mehos “Living Stones” Pilgrimages are unique tours of witness and pilgrimage in the service of peace in the region a third of humanity call “The Holy Land.”   Since 1995 Pilgrims of Ibillin has taken nearly 350 individuals on two-week pilgrimages to Israel and Palestine. Led by Pilgrims staff, board members, and local partners in the West Bank and the Galilee, we visit Christians, Muslims, and Jews who work to plant and nourish the seeds of a just peace. Our tours include visits to holy sites and conversations which connect our experiences with our faith.   For prices, itinerary, and to indicate your interest, contact: Brenda Mehos brenda@pilgrimsofibillin.org +1-303-928-0923

Donate to Pilgrims of Ibillin

Your donations will support the ongoing work of Pilgrims' Peace Partners in fostering peace through education in Israel and Palestine. Thank you.

Essrea Cherin Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin (303) 928-0923 essrea@pilgrimsofibillin.org www.pilgrimsofibillin.org